Even Worse Streams Potpourri 4

For once, we are all caught up on the old-old Even Worse streams, so these are the “random” streams that premiered between the projects that are sequentially presented on the site. This is great for the pedantic Even Worse Streams fans and (more importantly) me! I can really slack off this week!

Let’s Play Scott Pilgrim vs. The World The Game
February 20, 2024

In an effort to discuss the (fairly) recently released Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, BEAT and I played the modern rerelease of 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World The Game. We did not last long, as we hit something of a brick wall on two different occasions during the third stage. But we had a generally fun time before quitting! Cassandralyn and AJ Vark are on commentary with fanboymaster… who may or may not have fallen asleep as part of the stream. Later that night, we moved on to play Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore.

Let’s Play Blast Corps
February 27, 2024

Blast Corps was released on the Nintendo Switch Online Service, so we took that as an excuse to play Blast Corps on the Xbox through Rare Replay. One way or another, we are blowing stuff up! I play through about 75% of the main game, and we have a full house with AJ Vark, fanboymaster, BEAT, Cassandralyn, Ample Vigour, and Caliscrub on commentary duty. Generally worth a listen for the Fantastic Four x Always Sunny in Philadelphia fantasy casting. Remember, kids, the Sideswipe sucks!

Let’s Play Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am
March 5, 2024

Considering Aqua Teen Hunger Force comes up on a nigh-weekly basis on our streams, it was always our destiny to play Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am. Luckily, it is a “good” game… though I may be forced to continually use those scare quotes. That first golfcart race sticks in my mind as a low point, but the rest is pretty passable. Anyway, watch me beat the whole dang game (though collectibles are ignored) while we have the Greek choir of fanboymaster, BEAT, Caliscrub, Ample Vigour, AJ Vark, and Cassandralyn. I do not feel like I ever need to play the game again, but I might just for the heck of it.

Let’s Gawk at Multiversus
May 28, 2024

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe… Harley Quinn attacking Garnet in a Joker T-Shirt… I watched Gleamium glitter in the dark to trade for Uncle Shagworthy. All those microtransactions will be lost in limited-time offers, like tiers in a battle pass… Time to uninstall.

This was not initially intended for public consumption, and was recorded privately (as opposed to the “live” model of everything else in this post). That said, we decided to release this shorty as a public service announcement. Do not engage with Multiversus.

Here’s the rundown: All characters (except Jason and Agent Smith) can be purchased with “experience”-based funny money, but after playing for a half hour, we’re only 66% of the way to buying one character. The alternative is buying playable characters with “gleamium”, and the exchange rate appears to make every character roughly $10 each. There are approximately 25 playable characters. Do the math. There are also premium skins for characters, and they cost like $10 each, too, with no non-monetary options available. And there are at least three separate “missions” to earn experience-money that are all based on “play the game on different, consecutive days” with at least one only granting its final prize after 14 continuous days of play. And you have to use the money-money gleamium to buy the “battle pass” to get Jason Voorhees… and that is the only character you are getting with the battle pass. Like… that really stretches the definition of “battle pass” for me.

Anyway, the whole thing is predatory as hell. I was prepared for some level of microtransaction nonsense, but it is overwhelming and all-encompassing. I swear there was not a single “cosmetic” item in the in-game store that did not have an attendant fomo timer informing you when this costume or emote would stop being available. I am mad at the fact that this is preying on kids/teenagers when Smash Bros “complete” is over there with nearly 100 characters for $80. The whole transaction universe for Multiversus is 100% based on “I need it now” spending, and, gee, I wonder which age demographic is hugely vulnerable to that rapaciousness.

And we’ve got five free characters available for the stream (Shaggy is default unlocked; Steven Universe, Wonder Woman, Bugs Bunny, and Lebron James are on a timer). Multiversus feels generally unbalanced in its weightiness, and a little too over reliant on every “hit” being an event. As a weird side effect, it makes the whole experience feel more like an entirely menu-based mobile game where they are trying to hype you up for just playing rock-paper-scissors. It’s not terrible, and it “feels” better than Nick All-Stars, but is still… Not great.

I deleted this game from my Playstation 5 after this stream. I really do not want to support the game further in its current incarnation. I can really only use the word “predatory” to describe it.

I was considering featuring this as part of the Superman streams, but now that is definitely off the table.

Speaking of which, let’s look to tomorrow and its associated heroes.

Next week on Even Worse Streams: The Man of Metropolis steals our hearts.