Ever wished that trailers for games were, well, a little bit more honest?
Thank the Gods for Smosh Games then, whose series of brilliant fake adverts for popular games says what everyone is really thinking, but few dare to vocalize.
Their latest target is Blizzard’s phenomenally-successful PC/mobile strategy card game Hearthstone. There are plenty of chuckle-inducing moment throughout the roughly 3-and-a-half minute-long video, narrated by a typically gruff voiceover. The controversial RNG elements of the game are a constant target, as is Hearthstone’s reputation in some quarters for being a dumbed-down version of Magic: The Gathering.
“Choose from 8 perfectly-balanced classes,” he narrator intones, “or be that f*cking guy who plays Hunter” is just one of the comments.
“Why develop ambitious new games, when you can you make just as much money selling imaginary cards?” is another quip, referencing last year’s announcement that Project Titan had been cancelled. Ouch.
While it may sound like I’m bashing Hearthstone, I’m actually rather addicted to Blizzard’s free-to-play hit. Back when it was launched, I reviewed the title and ended up awarding it our highest accolade - 10/10. “The good news? It’s excellent – polished to a mirror shine, wonderfully balanced and steeped in minor details that will have Warcraft fans alternately giggling and nodding in appreciation,” I wrote in my Hearthstone Review. “The bad news? You’re likely to lose a lot of time – and potentially spend a lot of money – playing it: It’s ridiculously addictive.”
However, the game isn’t without its critics - particularly from the more dedicated areas of the fanbase, who frequently complain that balance and skill increasingly takes a back seat to pure luck, thanks to a large number of cards with percentage-based effects such as Brawl - which removes all minions from the board aside from one, chosen at random - and the various Ogre minions found in the most recent expansion, Goblins vs Gnomes, who have a 50% chance of attacking the wrong enemy. Despite these complaints, Ben Brode stated during a special Q&A session during last year’s Blizzcon event that the heavy RNG element makes for more engaging matches for spectators on streaming channels like Twitch, which has a sizeable contingent of dedicated Hearthstone streamers, as well as helping to reinforce what the developer terms a feeling of “delightful surprise”.
Delightful surprise? Tell that to someone who’s ever found themselves on the receiving end of 3 Kel’thuzad’s and a Baron Rivendare card.
Anyway, here’s the parody to brighten up your day.
Dale Morgan
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