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** Link from ''LegendOfZelda'' is a pathetic drug addict and HeroicSociopath who can only function when given an adventure or while absolutely snowblind.
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** Link from ''LegendOfZelda'' is a pathetic drug addict and HeroicSociopath SociopathicHero who can only function when given an adventure or while absolutely snowblind.
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** He has referenced BackToTheFuture several times, usually when talking about Time Travel.
*** Almost all instances mentioning time travel have a picture of the [[DoctorWho TARDIS]], as well.
*** Almost all instances mentioning time travel have a picture of the [[DoctorWho TARDIS]], as well.
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** He has referenced BackToTheFuture ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' several times, usually when talking about Time Travel.
*** ** Almost all instances mentioning time travel have a picture of the [[DoctorWho [[Series/DoctorWho TARDIS]], as well.
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** Similar to the RedDeadRedemption example above, Yahtzee kept changing the title of AliceMadnessReturns for things like ''Return of the Madness'', ''ReturnOfTheJedi'', ''[[Disney/{{Aladdin}} Return of Jafar]]'' and ''BatmanReturns''.
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** Similar to the RedDeadRedemption example above, Yahtzee kept changing the title of AliceMadnessReturns for things like ''Return of the Madness'', ''ReturnOfTheJedi'', ''[[Disney/{{Aladdin}} Return of Jafar]]'' and ''BatmanReturns''.''Film/BatmanReturns''.
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* DidntSeeThatComing: At the end of his Prototype vs. Infamous review he declared both games to be equally good and couldn't decide which one was better. So he jokingly suggested the two developers (Radical Entertainment and Sucker Punch Productions respectively) to send him a picture of the opposing main character wearing a bra, and whoever made the better one would win. [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/6228-Yahtzees-Prototype-vs-InFamous-Challenge They went with it]]. At the end it was narrow, but Sucker Punch Productions and Infamous won.
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* BiasSteamroller: When he takes out one, it's ''very'' strong, to make an understatement.
** He refuses to review [=JRPGs=] pretty much on principle, and none of his reviews of the few he has played are anywhere near positive. Similar deal with fighter games. He's a bit kinder to Strategy games, but avoids them because he dislikes the genre.
** Of late he's had a tendency to hate Nintendo games simply for being Nintendo games. He's self-admittedly rarely been kind to the company but even the shreds of respect he had for them seem to have evaporated.
** Even just being a ''ModernWarfare''-style shooter is enough to draw his ire. The only games he's reviewed overwhelmingly positively in the genre are ''GearsOfWar 2'' (a review which he later regretted, claiming in his review of the game's sequel that he honestly couldn't remember why he'd been so kind to the second game) and the original ''ModernWarfare''.
** Sandbox games get a bit of a fair pass from him and tend to get positive reviews. For instance, his ''{{Skyrim}}'' review barely touched the game, but was mostly about bashing modern shooters.
** He refuses to review [=JRPGs=] pretty much on principle, and none of his reviews of the few he has played are anywhere near positive. Similar deal with fighter games. He's a bit kinder to Strategy games, but avoids them because he dislikes the genre.
** Of late he's had a tendency to hate Nintendo games simply for being Nintendo games. He's self-admittedly rarely been kind to the company but even the shreds of respect he had for them seem to have evaporated.
** Even just being a ''ModernWarfare''-style shooter is enough to draw his ire. The only games he's reviewed overwhelmingly positively in the genre are ''GearsOfWar 2'' (a review which he later regretted, claiming in his review of the game's sequel that he honestly couldn't remember why he'd been so kind to the second game) and the original ''ModernWarfare''.
** Sandbox games get a bit of a fair pass from him and tend to get positive reviews. For instance, his ''{{Skyrim}}'' review barely touched the game, but was mostly about bashing modern shooters.
to:
* BiasSteamroller: When he takes out one, it's ''very'' strong, to make an understatement.
** He refuses to review [=JRPGs=] pretty much on principle, and noneOccasionally a topic of his reviews of the few he has played are anywhere near positive. Similar deal with fighter games. He's a bit kinder to Strategy games, but avoids them because he dislikes the genre.
** Of late he's had a tendency to hate Nintendo games simply for being Nintendo games. He's self-admittedly rarely been kind to the company but even the shreds of respect he had for them seem to have evaporated.
** Even just being a ''ModernWarfare''-style shooter is enough to draw his ire. The only games he's reviewed overwhelmingly positively in the genre are ''GearsOfWar 2'' (a review which he later regretted, claiming in his review of the game's sequel that he honestly couldn't remember why he'd been so kind to the second game) and the original ''ModernWarfare''.
** Sandbox games get a bit of a fair pass from him and tend to get positive reviews. For instance, his ''{{Skyrim}}'' review barely touched the game, but was mostly about bashing modern shooters.jokes.
** He refuses to review [=JRPGs=] pretty much on principle, and none
** Of late he's had a tendency to hate Nintendo games simply for being Nintendo games. He's self-admittedly rarely been kind to the company but even the shreds of respect he had for them seem to have evaporated.
** Even just being a ''ModernWarfare''-style shooter is enough to draw his ire. The only games he's reviewed overwhelmingly positively in the genre are ''GearsOfWar 2'' (a review which he later regretted, claiming in his review of the game's sequel that he honestly couldn't remember why he'd been so kind to the second game) and the original ''ModernWarfare''.
** Sandbox games get a bit of a fair pass from him and tend to get positive reviews. For instance, his ''{{Skyrim}}'' review barely touched the game, but was mostly about bashing modern shooters.
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** Also appears in the review of ''Medal of Honor: Airborne'', where every subsequent use of "fucking bastard" is replaced with a visual rhyme, like so:
--> Fucking bastard
--> Flocking [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bustard bustard]]
--> Sock in mustard
--> Fucking bastard
--> Flocking [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bustard bustard]]
--> Sock in mustard
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** On the flip side in his Halo Wars review when the units he runs out of time for the mission he was on (And thus the units he was escorting magically disappear when they were right at his front door) he cries out "Bull! Fucking! Shit!" which is displayed on screen by "What arbitrary silliness."
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* ApocalypseWow: states that if ''NoMoreHeros'' was combined with [[TrademarkFavouriteFood Branston Pickle]] that the world would end. And it would be [[RuleOfCool AWESOME.]]
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* ApocalypseWow: states that if ''NoMoreHeros'' ''NoMoreHeroes'' was combined with [[TrademarkFavouriteFood Branston Pickle]] that the world would end. And it would be [[RuleOfCool AWESOME.]]
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* ApocalypseWow: states that if ''NoMoreHeros'' was combined with [[TrademarkFavouriteFood Branston Pickle]] that the world would end. And it would be [[RuleOfCool AWESOME.]]
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* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: In-universe example: A big irk for Yahtzee is games where protagonists are just as (if not more) unlikable than the antagonist, citing ''{{WET}}'', ''KaneAndLynch: Dog Days'' and the ''GodOfWar'' sequels as major examples.
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* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: In-universe example: A big irk for Yahtzee is games where protagonists are just as (if not more) unlikable than the antagonist, citing ''{{WET}}'', ''KaneAndLynch: Dog Days'' and the ''GodOfWar'' ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' sequels as major examples.
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** From ''Darksiders'', describing the first few games he will review starting in 2010: "[[{{Darksiders}} God of War ripoff]], [[{{Bayonetta}} God Of War ripoff]], [[VideoGame/DantesInferno God Of War ripoff]], and God of War... well, ''GodOfWar''."
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** From ''Darksiders'', describing the first few games he will review starting in 2010: "[[{{Darksiders}} God of War ripoff]], [[{{Bayonetta}} God Of War ripoff]], [[VideoGame/DantesInferno God Of War ripoff]], and God of War... well, ''GodOfWar''.''VideoGame/GodOfWar''."
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** Pulling out his "Like ''GodOfWar'' [[SerialNumbersFiledOff but]]" stamp.
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** Pulling out his "Like ''GodOfWar'' ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' [[SerialNumbersFiledOff but]]" stamp.
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* SerialNumbersFiledOff:[[invoked]] Has accused many games of being this, most notably ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' to ''SystemShock 2'', and ''VideoGame/DantesInferno'' to ''GodOfWar''.
to:
* SerialNumbersFiledOff:[[invoked]] Has accused many games of being this, most notably ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' to ''SystemShock 2'', and ''VideoGame/DantesInferno'' to ''GodOfWar''.''VideoGame/GodOfWar''.
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* VictoryCake: [[SeenItAMillionTimes A few times]] but most recently in the [[GodOfWar God Of War III]] review:
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* VictoryCake: [[SeenItAMillionTimes A few times]] but most recently in the [[GodOfWar God Of War III]] ''VideoGame/GodOfWar III'' review:
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* {{Whoring}}: Yahtzee both hates the very existence of and abuses the hell out of moves that can be used for extreme versions of this, including but not limited to [[RedSteel a parry that automatically stuns the opponent]], [[VideoGame/{{Prototype}} a tentacle attack with way too long a reach]], [[SoulCalibur tossing his helpless AI opponent around like a ragdoll]], and [[GodOfWar the "fuck you" button]].
to:
* {{Whoring}}: Yahtzee both hates the very existence of and abuses the hell out of moves that can be used for extreme versions of this, including but not limited to [[RedSteel a parry that automatically stuns the opponent]], [[VideoGame/{{Prototype}} a tentacle attack with way too long a reach]], [[SoulCalibur tossing his helpless AI opponent around like a ragdoll]], and [[GodOfWar [[VideoGame/GodOfWar the "fuck you" button]].
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-->-- '''Ben Croshaw''' announces ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation''
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-->-- '''Ben Croshaw''' announces ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation''
''Zero Punctuation''
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!!Tropes which ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'' provides an example of:
to:
!!Tropes which ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'' ''Zero Punctuation'' provides an example of:
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** For a while before the 100th Episode special, ''The Escapist'' used this little stinger at the end of ''all'' ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'' shorts to, guess what, advertise ''Zero Punctuation''-related merchandise.
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** For a while before the 100th Episode special, ''The Escapist'' used this little stinger at the end of ''all'' ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'' ''Zero Punctuation'' shorts to, guess what, advertise ''Zero Punctuation''-related merchandise.
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* YourMom: She turns up a lot in ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'', and Yahtzee usually either hits on her or tries to have sex with her.
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* YourMom: She turns up a lot in ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'', ''Zero Punctuation'', and Yahtzee usually either hits on her or tries to have sex with her.
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** The Yahtzee/''SilentHill2'' CargoShip returns in his review of ''SilentHill: Downpour'', when he and the game are shown wearing a bridal veil and groom's tuxedo respectively, and he admits that "Yes, maybe I ''will'' marry SilentHill2, shut up!"
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* QueerPeopleAreFunny: he even put up a sign saying "I'm gay" as a joke once.
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* QueerPeopleAreFunny: he Quite a lot. His ''ArmyOfTwo'' review even put up a sign saying "I'm gay" as a joke once.opened with him [[DiscussedTrope discussing]] his own over-reliance on gay jokes and how he'd been trying to cut down on them but the game he was reviewing that week was just [[HoYay such an obvious target]] for them.
* RagingStiffie: Mentions the trope by name when describing his [[CargoShip nostalgic feelings]] for ''SilentHill2''.
* RagingStiffie: Mentions the trope by name when describing his [[CargoShip nostalgic feelings]] for ''SilentHill2''.
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--> If the developers [of ''HeavenlySword''] thought I would consider buying the full game just to find out what "twing-twang" is then mission fucking accomplished I suppose, but I'm going to be very disappointed if it doesn't turn out to be a cutesy euphemism for lesbian cunnilingus, ''yeah I went there.''
to:
--> If the developers [of ''HeavenlySword''] thought I would consider buying the full game just to find out what "twing-twang" is then mission fucking accomplished I suppose, but I'm going to be very disappointed if it doesn't turn out to be a cutesy euphemism for [[GirlOnGirlIsHot lesbian cunnilingus, cunnilingus]], ''yeah I went there.''
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* SpoofAesop: The lesson of ''Catherine'' seems to be "men are all directionless tidal waves, and [[AccidentalInnuendo women are all dikes]] built in the path of their raging flood."
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* SpoofAesop: The lesson of ''Catherine'' seems to be "men are all directionless tidal waves, and [[AccidentalInnuendo women are all dikes]] built in the path of their raging flood.floods."
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* InnocentBigot: How he viewed the controversy surrounding [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil Resident Evil 5]]:
->''...one really shouldn't worry about this sort of thing unless there's genuine hatred behind it, and I don't get that impression. Capcom aren't bad people, they're just idiots.''
->''...one really shouldn't worry about this sort of thing unless there's genuine hatred behind it, and I don't get that impression. Capcom aren't bad people, they're just idiots.''
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* FiveManBand: Notes the main parts of the cast of recent ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'' games, giving them names similar to the SpiceGirls.
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* FiveManBand: Notes the main parts of the cast of recent ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'' ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' games, giving them names similar to the SpiceGirls.
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* MenDontCry: Parodied in his ''{{Infamous}} 2'' review.
-->"I'm not to proud to admit that I was welling up at ''inFamous 2'''s good ending, a little bit. Well, not much at all really. It most more like stoically nodding my head while doing squat-thrusts and grunting."
-->"I'm not to proud to admit that I was welling up at ''inFamous 2'''s good ending, a little bit. Well, not much at all really. It most more like stoically nodding my head while doing squat-thrusts and grunting."
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* MenDontCry: Parodied in his ''{{Infamous}} ''VideoGame/{{Infamous}} 2'' review.
-->"I'm not to proud to admit that I was welling up at''inFamous ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}} 2'''s good ending, a little bit. Well, not much at all really. It most more like stoically nodding my head while doing squat-thrusts and grunting."
-->"I'm not to proud to admit that I was welling up at
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** [[CuteKitten Cats]] seem to pop up a lot in his reviews, as do [[PreciousPuppies dogs]]. In fact, he said that one of his three wishes would be a puppy.
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** [[CuteKitten Cats]] seem to pop up a lot in his reviews, reviews (which [[CatsAreMean sort of]] [[CausticCritic makes sense]]}, as do [[PreciousPuppies dogs]]. In fact, he said that one of his three wishes would be a puppy.
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** In the credits of ''StarWarsTheOldRepublic'': I'm so force sensitive I clean my swimming pool with midichlorine."
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** In the credits of ''StarWarsTheOldRepublic'': I'm "I'm so force sensitive I clean my swimming pool with midichlorine."
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** In the credits of ''StarWarsTheOldRepublic'': I'm so force sensitive I clean my swimming pool with midichlorine."
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** "[{{Singularity}}] rips off the cutesy, '50's style ads from VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}, which VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}} ripped off from {{Fallout}}. It's like a magnificent HumanCentipede stretching back through gaming history."
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** "[{{Singularity}}] rips off the cutesy, '50's style ads from VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}, which VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}} ripped off from {{Fallout}}. It's like a magnificent HumanCentipede [[TheHumanCentipede Human Centipede]] stretching back through gaming history."
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* DarthWiki/SoBadItsHorrible: In-universe, this is his opinion of ''SonicUnleashed''. He even uses the same line graph as {{xkcd}}.
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** The ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' review (the real one, not the parody one) gives us [[WebOriginal/TeenGirlSquad ALBATROSS'D]]!
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** The ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' review (the real one, not the parody one) gives us [[WebOriginal/TeenGirlSquad [[WebAnimation/TeenGirlSquad ALBATROSS'D]]!
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Namespace wick
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** The plot of ''{{Singularity}}'' has "more [[PlotHole holes]] than [[TheBeatles Blackburn, Lancashire]]".
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** The plot of ''{{Singularity}}'' has "more [[PlotHole holes]] than [[TheBeatles [[Music/TheBeatles Blackburn, Lancashire]]".
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** Kimberly of ''CallOfJuarez the Cartel'' is an unfeeling sociopathic bitch.
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** The protagonist of ''RedFactionGuerilla'' is a Norse god wielding the hammer of Mjolnir.
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** The protagonist of ''RedFactionGuerilla'' ''RedFaction: Guerilla'' is a Norse god wielding the hammer of Mjolnir.
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** The Fateless one from ''Kingdoms of Amalur'' was actually pre-destined by fate to become what they became.
** ''Splosionman'' is a ''BrokenBird''.
** ''Splosionman'' is a ''BrokenBird''.
to:
** The Fateless one from ''Kingdoms of Amalur'' was actually [[MindScrew pre-destined by fate to become what they became.
became]].
** ''Splosionman'' is a''BrokenBird''.BrokenBird.
** The protagonist of ''RedFactionGuerilla'' is a Norse god wielding the hammer of Mjolnir.
** ''Splosionman'' is a
** The protagonist of ''RedFactionGuerilla'' is a Norse god wielding the hammer of Mjolnir.
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* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: Has teamed up with {{Moviebob}} and [[ExtraCredits James Portnow]] to form [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extraconsideration Extra Consideration]], a panel in which all three discuss the state of the gaming scene.
to:
* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: Has teamed up with {{Moviebob}} and [[ExtraCredits James Portnow]] to form [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extraconsideration Extra Consideration]], a panel in which all three discuss the state of the gaming scene. scene.
** Jim Sterling of the Jimquisition has now joined the panel.
** Jim Sterling of the Jimquisition has now joined the panel.
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* ButtMonkey: Yahtzee's avatar gets hurt in a variety of ways throughout his reviews.
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** "But once I'd mentally adjusted for Batman's underpants..." And the screen reads "I bet no one's ever said this before."
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** {{Doorstopper}}: He tends to rag on games that are heavy on dialogue and cutscenes, like ''MassEffect'' and especially ''MetalGearSolid4''.
** KarmaMeter: He argues that usually "you need to be all the way good or all the way evil to unlock the best toys" which eliminates choice and forces an evil player to do some really ridiculous things to maintain their evilness. He also argues that such meters are "just forcing us to play the game twice to see all the content."
** KarmaMeter: He argues that usually "you need to be all the way good or all the way evil to unlock the best toys" which eliminates choice and forces an evil player to do some really ridiculous things to maintain their evilness. He also argues that such meters are "just forcing us to play the game twice to see all the content."
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** RegeneratingHealth: He prefers health meters and medkits.
** StealthBasedMission: He likes the stealth genre, but a "forced stealth section" in the middle of a non-stealth game is one of his pet peeves.
** TakeCover: One of his main beefs with current-generation {{FPS}}s.
** StealthBasedMission: He likes the stealth genre, but a "forced stealth section" in the middle of a non-stealth game is one of his pet peeves.
** TakeCover: One of his main beefs with current-generation {{FPS}}s.
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** Even the very first video for the Escapist features a reference to Halfbrick Studios, an independent game developer based in Brisbane.
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[[quoteright:133:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Zero_Punctuation.gif]]
->''"Releasing videos on YouTube is kind of like throwing a message in a bottle out into a churning sea of messages in bottles: the chance of you getting noticed and someone being sent out to rescue you is punishingly slim. But every once in a blue moon, someone who owns a big boat made of money finds your message and agrees to let you ride on his big boat made of money if you keep making messages for him. Then the two of you go on adventures with a smart mouthed talking dog and travel to the land of the gumdrop king [[{{Metaphorgotten}} and I've sort of forgotten where I was going with this.]] Anyway, the point is, if you enjoyed my ''[[TheDarkness Darkness]]'' and ''{{Fable}}'' video reviews, you can now enjoy videos very much like them every week at ''The Escapist''."''
-->-- '''Ben Croshaw''' announces ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation''
[[BenCroshaw Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw]], critic and amateur game developer, decided one day to conduct an experiment. He was faced with a demo of ''TheDarkness'' he wished to review for his website, but wanted to try something new. So he took Photoshop, Windows Movie Maker, a headset mic and his sense of humour, and turned them into a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWS9_nrKOPA YouTube video]]. He then turned to ''[[{{Fable}} Fable: The Lost Chapters]]''.
Less than a month later, he was hired by ''[[http://www.escapistmagazine.com The Escapist]]'', an online magazine with a big boat made of money (see the page quote), to release one of these video reviews a week. That explains the origin of ''[[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation Zero Punctuation]]'' in the driest possible way, but not the popularity of it; the combination of [[AccentuateTheNegative caustic humour]], [[MotorMouth rapid-fire delivery]] and [[VisualPun visual gags]] made Zero Punctuation an instant success. The result is quite a polarising, LoveItOrHateIt series.
Yahtzee has started doing a weekly follow-up column, called "[[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation Extra Punctuation]]", in order to explain his views and opinions on the game of the week in greater detail, and bring up points he could not turn into jokes.
Staring in February 2011, he also did a column called "Extra Consideration" with Bob "MovieBob" Chipman and James Portnow of ExtraCredits (though Portnow was replaced by Jim Sterling of Destructoid fame after he left the Escapist). The column petered out by early September, sadly, but its entire run can still be found [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/articles/Extra%20Consideration here]].
Previews of the next video were shown on ''{{X-Play}}'' for a brief period in 2008.
Do not confuse with NoPeriodsPeriod or NoPunctuationPeriod.
----
!!''Zero Punctuation'' is the TropeNamer for:
* PressXToNotDie: Lampshaded in ''Battlefield 3'', when he [[ImagineSpot imagines]] a [[OurFounder monument to himself]] with this engraved on its pedestal.
** PressXToDie
!!Tropes which ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'' provides an example of:
* AccentuateTheNegative: Yahtzee's style, to the point where he'll occasionally rattle off a four-minute list of a game's flaws and then sum up by saying how much he enjoyed it. ("But having now whinged myself inside-out, I have to say that I find ''[[{{STALKER}} S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky]]'' weirdly compelling.") Presumably this means there are ''some'' positive qualities, but listing them isn't his department and has claimed "people don't like me being nice to a game".
** He stated in his ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}}'' review that he views his job as tearing the bad and the mediocre games to shreds so that the rare game that could be called great can shine all the brighter.
** In his review for ''BatmanArkhamAsylum'' Yahtzee says that he's more of a QA man and that anything he doesn't mention in his review is a good part of the game.
** As he put it in the same review: "You don't call a sewer technician to redecorate your bathroom, and you don't come to me to hear about how a game is good."
** "In fact, I might go so far as to say that ''[[TomClancy H.A.W.X.]]'' has sold me on air combat games. But that's not funny, so let's find more things to rip on."
** From the [[{{Valve}} Orange Box]] review: "If I did have to criticise it -- and I do" [Cue Escapist logo holding up a contract.]
** ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'': "I can't think of any criticism for it" [Cue Escapist logo holding up a contract] and "Absolutely sublime from start to finish and I will jam forks into my eyes if I ever have to use those words to describe anything else, ever again."
** From the ''CliveBarkersJericho'' review: "I could go on listing the stupid design decisions...so I will."
** Even going back to his ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' review: "If my ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' review taught me anything it's that no one likes it when I'm being nice to a game..."
** Inverted: when he finally got the chance to play ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'', Yahtzee was actively trying to like it and ignore the faults, but eventually had to relent because he'd been harsh to games for far lesser reasons.
** Spoofed in his ''GearsOfWar 2'' review, where he tries as much as he can to hate it, but lists off some of the stuff it does well that prevents him from hating it. It ends with, "There aren't even any quick-time events! Oh, wait, there is ''one''. A little one. I guess that means I have to hate it."
*** Retroactively played straight again; he bashed the entire ''Gears'' series with the release of ''GearsOfWar 3''
* AcceptableTargets: [[invoked]] Swindon, George Lucas, and others.
* AlasPoorScrappy: In-universe (for lack of a better term) example: Yahtzee said during his "review" for ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' that the cancellation of the game wasn't the end of the world since it had been overshadowed by other franchises, most notably ''HalfLife''. However, in his Extra Punctuation article, while reflecting on the plans of bringing it out in 2011, Yahtzee admitted that too many FPS have taken the cover-based combat route and he'd like a return to the basics with one guy facing armies all at once.
* AllMenArePerverts: Despite being an example himself, Yahtzee has expressed dismay at how widespread this trope is in real life, lamenting that all a crappy game has to do to become wildly successful is [[{{Fanservice}} stick a picture of a busty scantily-clad woman]] on the cover.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: In-Universe: For a number of games he reviews, his viewpoint tends to cast the protagonist in an extremely negative light.
** His first instance of this is reviewing ''TombRaider'', where he portrays Lara as an irreverent, iconoclastic kleptomaniac.
** Drake of ''{{Uncharted}}'' is portrayed as a racist and hypocritical SmugSnake.
** Ruby of ''{{Wet}}'' is an unlikeable and murderous bitch.
** Faith of ''[[MirrorsEdge Mirror's Edge]]'' could "easily have been a terrorist" without changing the game much.
** Rico of ''VideoGame/JustCause'' is an "immortal, physics-defying wizard."
** He encourages viewers to play ''HeavyRain'' whilst pretending that Agent Jayden is from the future.
*** Also, the Origami Killer is a cheap rip-off of Jigsaw.
** Vanille of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' either has Alzheimer's or is from space.
** The protagonists of the ''{{Pokemon}}'' games have [[{{Syndicate}} chips in their mind]] and are actually in a CreepyBasement.
** The protagonist of ''{{Fable}} 3'' is [[ButYouScrewOneGoat shagging his dog]].
** Cole Phelps from ''LANoire'' is a robot.
** Bowser of the ''SuperMarioBros'' games is a charismatic union leader who defies the upper-class bourgeoisies of the Mushroom Kingdom but secretly yearns for their approval.
** Jack Slate of ''DeadToRights'' is more murderous sociopath than law enforcement agent.
** Kimberly of ''CallOfJuarez the Cartel'' is an unfeeling sociopathic bitch.
** Vincent of ''{{Catherine}}'' is a bumbling idiot whose friends only pretend to like him.
** ''Batman'' revolves around hordes of [[JustifiedCriminal impressionable, poverty-stricken]] [[StreetUrchin young people]] having [[KillThePoor all their arms and legs broken]] by an extremely rich businessman.
*** In his underpants.
** Snarky!Hawke from ''DragonAgeII'' is CampGay.
** Link from ''LegendOfZelda'' is a pathetic drug addict and HeroicSociopath who can only function when given an adventure or while absolutely snowblind.
** SonicTheHedgehog is a drug addicted paedophile.
** 50Cent destabilized the Middle East.
** Lana from ''AMY'' is an absolute idiot.
** GoichiSuda was the result of a bizarre cloning experiment.
** The Fateless one from ''Kingdoms of Amalur'' was actually pre-destined by fate to become what they became.
** ''Splosionman'' is a ''BrokenBird''.
* AnalogyBackfire:
** His reason for suspending judgment on the Kinect. "Pope Urban VIII probably thought ''he'' was very clever when he condemned Galileo, but who got the last laugh there? Well, he did when Galileo died alone and in poverty but what I'm saying is [[AGodAmI I'm basically like the Pope]]."
** Then there's this example from his VideoGame/{{Catherine}} review:
-->''...men are all directionless tidal waves and women are all dikes built in the path of their raging floods. [[LampshadeHanging Blimey, what a badly worded metaphor]].''
* AprilFools:
** In 2009, the hosts of {{Unskippable}} pretended to stage a HostileShowTakeover and reviewed VideoGame/XBlades before Yahtzee seized the show back to review {{Halo}} Wars. Yahtzee also guest-commentated on {{Unskippable}}.
** In 2010, the usually MotorMouth Yahtzee recited ''Ode to Melancholy'' in a very slow, ponderous manner.
* ArchEnemy:
** Yahtzee considers Michael Atkinson this.
** Almost anything that tells him to PressXToNotDie.
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: A few blink-and-you'll-miss-it examples.
** In ''[[BatmanArkhamAsylum Batman: Arkham Asylum]]'':
---> "I could talk about how the combat flows, and how the atmosphere is solid, and how the highlights for me were the Scarecrow sections where Batman's perceptions of reality are skewed in favor of a nightmarish introspective delusional glimpse into the darkest recesses of his soul and how jumping on people is cool."
** On a signpost in the Witcher review:
--->SHAME\\
FAILURE\\
IGNOMINY\\
SWINDON
** The list of things George Lucas will never do: Definitely end popular moneyspinning franchise, refuse a second helping of pancakes, admit failure, survive in vacuum, shave.
** In his Resistance 3 review, he accuses the game of copying {{VALVe}}'s Half-Life 2. Amongst his accusations are identical mechanics, a straight Expy of the Ravenholm level, and "the scientist has a beard." Because, you know, Gordon Freeman has a beard.
** From his ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles review: "Umbrella Chronicles is a heavily cut down retread of three of the major ResidentEvil games, starring JohnnyBravo, a prostitute, an idiot, a mullet, a 9 year old boy, a brick shit-house, and Carlos."
* {{Asexuality}}: Has self-confessed issues with sex and/or kids, so games that rely on either for appeal get marked down severely.
* AudioErotica: His opinion on StephenFry in ''LittleBigPlanet'' as well as [[InteractiveNarrator Rucks]] in ''{{Bastion}}''; he's a fan of famous voices in general, and feels that having them as {{One Scene Wonder}}s is a waste of potential.
* AuthorFilibuster: Occasionally, if Yahtzee can't find enough to complain about in the game, he'll engage in one of these.
* AwesomenessIsVolatile: Yahtzee implied this would happen if ''NoMoreHeroes'' were combined with Branston Pickle.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: A surprising amount of people write in with requests and then get offended when he rips into the game.
* BerserkButton:
** In the ''TransformersWarForCybertron'' review, the mention of ShiaLaBeouf sent him into a barely-restrained seething rage.
** NolanNorth's presence in a game tends to be a sour point for him (especially if he voices the [[AssassinsCreed main]] [[{{Uncharted}} character]]). However, he's stated that it's nothing against the man himself, though even cases of PlayingAgainstType will make him hate the character as long as he knows it's him.
** Quick Time Events. Enough so that he named a trope for them. (See: PressXToNotDie)
** He seems to developing one over reboots/sequels that share identical names with their predecessors, such as Wolfenstein, Mortal Kombat, Twisted Metal, and Aliens vs Predator, saying it's needlessly confusing to have two identically titled games in the same series separated by nothing but time, even if that time in some cases is a few decades.
* BeYourself: Unfortunately, while he does frequently state that the reviews are his subjective opinion and that people should ultimately decide what games they think are good, you'd never be able to tell reading the comments on the Escapist.
* BitingTheHandHumor: "I made this chart to see how many people visit ''The Escapist'' on days besides Wednesday..."
* BreadEggsMilkSquick[=/=]FreudianSlipperySlope: The end of the Anniversary edition of ''TombRaider''.
* BringMyBrownPants: Standard procedure for ''VideoGame/{{Penumbra}}'' and ''VideoGame/AmnesiaTheDarkDescent''.
* BRollRebus: Nearly all of the visuals that aren't meant to represent gameplay. His Wikiquote entry even {{Pot Hole}}s some of them for lack of images.
* BiasSteamroller: When he takes out one, it's ''very'' strong, to make an understatement.
** He refuses to review [=JRPGs=] pretty much on principle, and none of his reviews of the few he has played are anywhere near positive. Similar deal with fighter games. He's a bit kinder to Strategy games, but avoids them because he dislikes the genre.
** Of late he's had a tendency to hate Nintendo games simply for being Nintendo games. He's self-admittedly rarely been kind to the company but even the shreds of respect he had for them seem to have evaporated.
** Even just being a ''ModernWarfare''-style shooter is enough to draw his ire. The only games he's reviewed overwhelmingly positively in the genre are ''GearsOfWar 2'' (a review which he later regretted, claiming in his review of the game's sequel that he honestly couldn't remember why he'd been so kind to the second game) and the original ''ModernWarfare''.
** Sandbox games get a bit of a fair pass from him and tend to get positive reviews. For instance, his ''{{Skyrim}}'' review barely touched the game, but was mostly about bashing modern shooters.
* BigNo: The ''{{Spore}}'' review. Twice. But with a [[DeadpanSnarker twist]].
--> "Short answer: no. Long answer: nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo."
* BilingualBonus: When Yahtzee "quotes" a ZP fan extolling SirenBloodCurse to him, said fan starts spouting off about Yahtzee's love of Japanese horror, eventually devolving into random Japanese words: "Watashi wa baka gaijin," which roughly translates to "I'm a stupid foreigner."
* BlandNameProduct: In order to avoid mentioning any real gaming webcomics in his review of the genre, he used ''[[PennyArcade Benny Barcade]]'' and ''[[CtrlAltDel Bontrol Bolt Belete]]'' as names instead. This was a ShoutOut to ''MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'', with its [[ThoseWackyNazis National Bocialist Party]] and their boncentration bamps.
* BookEnds: Before reviewing ''[[{{Fable}} Fable II]]'', Yahtzee notes that all he needs to do now is review ''TheDarkness'' a second time then be "[[{{Squick}} sucked into a grown woman's vagina]]" and his life will have been more-or-less symmetrical. (Sadly, he failed to bring this joke back up while reviewing the sequel to ''TheDarkness''.)
** The review of ''Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands'' ([[BlatantLies which totally wasn't made to cash in on a movie]]) starts with a TakeThat against RogerEbert's (then-recent) remark that video games couldn't be art. He then ignores it for the rest of the review until the very end when he yells at Ebert again.
* BrainBleach: In-universe example -- it's a favorite reaction by Croshaw.
* BrickJoke:
** The ''NoMoreHeroes'' review opens with the Stranglers song of the same name. However, the song's [[RecordNeedleScratch abruptly cut off]]: "No, no, that's a bit too obvious." This isn't mentioned throughout the entire review. Finally, in [[CreditsGag the credits]], the songs used in the video are listed as normal, except that "No More Heroes" has been thoroughly scribbled out.
** Another one consisted of a spoiler warning in mid-episode, where Yahtzee told spoiler-sensitive viewers to plug their ears and wait for the credits. The credits mini-comic consisted of a series of famous spoilers from other works. ([[spoiler: [[Film/CitizenKane It was his sled]], [[TheUsualSuspects Keyser Soze = Kevin Spacey]], etc.]])
** The [[GroinAttack sausage-slicing machine]] in the [[{{Killzone}} Killzone 3]] review.
* BrokenRecord: "You couldn't get away with releasing a buggy game in the cartridge and cassette days; you'd be trampled under the company Brontosaurus. But I'll tell you the worst part- worst part- worst part- worst part- [[WeAreExperiencingTechnicalDifficulties *system error*]] [[{{OrphanedPunchline}} ...and whistled for a baboon!]]
* BuffySpeak: His metaphors descend into this while reviewing ''LittleBigPlanet.'' {{Lampshaded}} in the same review -- it was very hot that week and he couldn't think of anything better.
* CallBack: As far as the eye can see.
** "[[HelloInsertNameHere Senor Koquonfaes and Gareth Gobelcoque]] are cousins by marriage."
*** It turns out that Gareth is a [[ContinuityNod long-forgotten comrade]] of [[MassEffect2 Titty Shepard]].
** Plot summary for ''DeadToRights'':
--> "Bang! Punch! Bang! Punch! Bang! Punch! Woof!"
** And for ''DeadIsland'':
--> "Grr! Kick! Grr! Kick! Grr! Kick! Splat!"
** The phrase "triple-cunted hooker" makes a number of appearances.
** In the ''HardReset'' review, Yahtzee compares the game to ''{{Painkiller}}'' by dint of the fact that many who worked on the former were also among the crew of the latter. While praising ''Painkiller''' for its array of creative death distribution implements, the avatar onscreen wields a shotgun that has tits and is on fire -- precisely the phrasing Yahtzee used in his review of ''Painkiller''.
** In the ''SuperMarioBrosWii'' review the credits state that Yahtzee only has two friends. Later in the ''{{Nier}}'' review we find out that this was referring to the imp and the extremely bored looking man respectively, hence why they are the only recurring characters in his videos.
** The "paddling pool full of disembodied breasts" analogy in the ''[[SaintsRow Saints Row 2]]'' review returns in an exaggerated form in the ''SaintsRowTheThird'' review.
* CargoShip: In-universe example: In his ''RedFaction Guerrilla'' review, Yahtzee admitted he pretty much proposed to ''[[SaintsRow Saints Row 2]]'' in his review of it -- complete with picture of him and the game in bride and groom attire, respectively.
** In his ''SilentHill2'' retro review, he lampshades his fondness for "dropping to my knees and wrapping my lips around old titles from time to time," and another review shows him humping the ''SilentHill2'' box art.
** He made a similar comment about the ''PrinceOfPersia'' series, saying "If I suck that particular dick any harder, it's going to [[{{Squick}} drop off]]."
* CausticCritic: The {{YKTTW}} for CausticCritic was named "Parent Genre of Zero Punctuation"
* ChaoticNeutral: Yahtzee claims to be this alignment in his ''{{Spider-Man Web Of Shadows}}'' review and encourages his fans to argue on the forum as to whether he is or not. [[invoked]]
* ChewBubblegum: A [[ItMakesSenseInContext zombie Duke Nukem]] says "Time to kick ass and chew brains" in the ''BadCompany'' review.
* ClipShow: The [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/2589-Holiday-2010 Holiday 2010 episode]], after Yahtzee mocks the viewer for showing up when they should know that he gets that week off.
* ClusterFBomb: At least once per episode. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in his review of ''{{WET}}'', where he claims the protagonist Rubi considers [[ClusterFBomb swearing to be wit]], yelling out "[[HypocriticalHumor That's my thing!]]"
* TheCoconutEffect: Discussed in his ''Extra Punctuation'' column on {{Boss Battle}}s.
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Referred to by the exact name during his ''[[{{Overlord}} Overlord 2]]'' review.
* ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontWatch:[[invoked]]
** He has accused the [[TheLegendOfZelda Zelda series]] of all its entries being the same game. However, he has also shown he actually hasn't played the series that thoroughly. By the time the show started, he only had played two games (TheWindWaker and TwilightPrincess, which he claims to like) and yet, he made that accusation right from his first Zelda review (PhantomHourglass). In other words, he only knew 3 out of 14 games. He also admited in his review of the Nintendo3DS version of OcarinaOfTime that he barely played the original game, and in his SkywardSword review, he shows those five are the only games in the series he has played and finished. That means he still only knows one third of the series. See ItsTheSameNowItSucks below.
** The fact that he always includes MajorasMask, of all games, inside the "all Zelda games are the same game" statement (via background images), makes it even clearer. If people complain about something in that game is, precisely, TheyChangedItNowItSucks. TheAdventureOfLink and FourSwordsAdventures, two games that severely change the {{Zelda}} formula, have appeared that way too at some point.
* ComplainingAboutThingsYouHaventPaidFor: In [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/8031-Extra-Punctuation-Dont-Use-the-Word-Gamer.2 this]] Extra Punctuation blog, Yahtzee announces that there will not be an update next week, and informs anyone who has a problem with this, "Now, you only have a right to complain about this if you are actually paying money to watch and read this stuff. And even then, only because someone appears to be pulling a fast one on you."
* ContinuityNod: In the ''MassEffect 2'' review, Yahtzee's Shepard dons hot pink armor in memory of Gareth [[MeaningfulName Gobulcoque]], his character from ''TabulaRasa''.
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: Apparently whoever designed the inventory system for ''ResidentEvil 5'' should be sent to a special Hell where he has to pack shopping for old ladies...or just punched in the stomach.
** Also says that any developer that holds back stuff for DLC should have their hands cut off, and then put back on after paying 1200 Microsoft points.
* CountryMatters: Good grief.
* CreatorThumbprint: Platformers and games that don't use bloom and [[RealIsBrown brown gritty graphics]] earn a somewhat higher note in his book.
** "''SurvivalHorror'' is what I call a pet genre. A pet I keep in a tool shed and feed with broken glass."
** ''SaintsRow 2'' is one of the few games that pleased him, resulting in a review that sounded like, in his own words, "an overlong wedding proposal" due to the fact that it entertainingly combines RuleOfFun and VideoGameCrueltyPotential whereas ''GrandTheftAutoIV'' went for RealIsBrown and DarkerAndEdgier. See also ''VideoGame/JustCause 2''.
** He also has a great love for anything that does things differently like ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'' and ''NoMoreHeroes''; he complimented ''MirrorsEdge'' for trying something new even after tearing the actual gameplay apart, and AssassinsCreed got praise for being original even though it was let down by highly repetitive gameplay. Similarly, he praised ''DarkVoid'' for being an ambitious failure, and as such, better than "committee-designed sludge". He also liked ''SilentHillShatteredMemories'', despite hating ''SilentHill'' spinoffs and saying that the monsters and chase scenes weren't scary and the psych test gimmicks weren't enough, for trying something new. He raves about ''ShadowOfTheColossus'' for [[TropeMaker creating]], [[TropeNamer naming]] and [[TropeCodifier codifying]] the ColossusClimb, and ''{{Ico}}'' got a love note from him for making him ''[[VideoGameCaringPotential care]]'' about a CuteMute LoveInterest.
** He also has a taste for SceneryPorn.
** [[CuteKitten Cats]] seem to pop up a lot in his reviews, as do [[PreciousPuppies dogs]]. In fact, he said that one of his three wishes would be a puppy.
** A warped sense of humor is also a big plus for him, as in ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'', the ''MonkeyIsland'' series and the aforementioned ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}''.
** Good writing impresses him as well; the ''MassEffect'' series has led him to give {{BioWare}} a dirt-cheap [[DealWithTheDevil offer of his soul]].
-->"When the bottom falls out of the game criticism market and I have to start prostituting myself to developers, {{BioWare}} will be one of my first ports of call, because there are few enough developers in the world who treat writing as an integral part of the game rather than an optional set of colorful tassels to put on the handlebars."
** In his review for the second game he spends almost the whole review talking about the changes in gameplay, then mentions casually how the writing and characters have gotten better, but because it's BioWare they don't get any points for it.
** Considering his positive mentions of ''VideoGame/SeriousSam'' and his love of ''{{Painkiller}}'', along with his positive review of ''DeadRising2'', Yahtzee also seems to like games that pit the player against large hordes and give them the freedom to just go wild.
** He also seems to have a thing for Nazis. And before anyone takes that the wrong way, he likes [[CruelAndUnusualDeath killing them in awesome and amusing ways.]]
** He mentioned a particular fondness for Shaun of the ''AssassinsCreed'' series, partly because he reminds him of himself and partly because he often insults [[NolanNorth Desmond]] [[TheScrappy Miles]].
** He has fondness for games that actively embrace VideoGameCrueltyPotential and particularly creative ways of TheJoysOfTorturingMooks.
** He has a thing for large open environments with interesting ways to traverse the world, such as LeParkour or flight.
* CreditsGag: The text next to his name at the end. Also, the opening and closing credits each had a clip from a song whose name and/or content was a pun on the content of the review. For example, ''{{Haze}}'', about drug-fueled mercenary super-soldiers, used Afroman's "Because I Got High". This stopped after he got big enough that he had to worry about the [[CorruptCorporateExecutive RIAA.]]
** Music used interestingly in his ''NoMoreHeroes'' review, as mentioned above for BrickJoke.
** Also, the credits themselves have a little minicomic going on, acted out by the little figures he uses in the reviews. The one for ''{{Spore}}'' had a flying saucer alien abducting Batman, who then beat it up and stole the flying saucer. Additionally, there is generally a caption referring to something earlier in the video.
* CrossOver: With the ''{{MST3K}}''-esque series ''{{Unskippable}}''. Yahtzee appeared in their ''StarOceanTheLastHope'' riff and [[LoadingReadyRun Graham Stark]] of ''Unskippable'' appeared in the first section of the ''{{Halo}} Wars'' review to review ''X-Blades'' before running out of things to say and getting kicked out by Yahtzee.
** A throwaway gag, mere seconds into the aforementioned ''Halo Wars'' review, poked fun at ''Eternal Sonata'', which was ''Unskippable'''s premiere episode.
** Furthermore, in the review of both ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'' and ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', the Credit Sequence features a short mix-type {{crossover}} of the two reviewed games.
* CrossPlayer: Yahtzee becomes one for ''AgeOfConan''.
%% Crowning Moments go on their own pages, not here.
* CryingIndian: The ''{{Fallout}} 3'' featured a deer crying over the landscape being littered with rubble.
* CurseCutShort: He spends the entirety of his 50 Cent reviews carefully wording his criticisms so that nothing can be misconstrued as racist, then ends with:
-->"Not that they'd know anything about work, the lazy nig-" [END CREDITS]
* CutHisHeartOutWithASpoon: Wonders aloud if ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'''s ending is ''intentionally'' bad, so players will purchase the DLC. "Anyone who pulls ''that'' shit deserves to have their hands cut off. And sold back to them for 500 Microsoft Points."
* DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster: This trope, and the infrequency with which it is played straight, is discussed in his ''MafiaII'' review.
* [[DancingMookCredits Dancing Mook]] [[TheStinger Stinger]]: One ad shown after the credits is an Imp groovin' to his iPod.
* DareToBeBadass: Well, at least "dare to be different", in his ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'' review. In spite of his bashing of it he does admit in the end it ''is'' fun and if people want to play the same games he can't really do anything to stop them, but he does request that those people go out and do one thing they never have before.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Once a simple story, "the new ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' has taken the dark and edgy route", illustrated with said commando [[EmoTeen slashing his wrist]] and singing "[[LinkinPark CRAAAWLING IIIIN MY SKIIIN]]".
* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: In-universe example: A big irk for Yahtzee is games where protagonists are just as (if not more) unlikable than the antagonist, citing ''{{WET}}'', ''KaneAndLynch: Dog Days'' and the ''GodOfWar'' sequels as major examples.
* DeadpanSnarker: Of course.
** However, most Deadpan Snarkers in games tend to annoy him, notably Nathan Drake of Uncharted and the Snarky dialogue options of Dragon Age II.
* DeepImmersionGaming
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: "So you've looked at ''PennyArcade'' seen the massive amount of money, prestige, and money those guys get for nine panels a week, and decided you want in on that." The visuals go a step further: when he says "money", "prestige", and "money" again, ever-increasing piles of cash and swanky clothes appear on the two people meant to represent Gabe and Tycho...and even after he goes on to abandon the verbal redundancy and finish the sentence, ''another'' layer of largesse is added.
** Speaking of repetition, there is ''DeadSpace'', which is repetitive.
** And [[InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt Clive Barker's ''Clive Barker's Jericho'' by Clive Barker]].
** Don't forget [[TomClancy Tom Clancy's]] ''[[VideoGame/{{HAWX}} H.A.W.X.]]'' by [[InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt Tom Clancy]].
** And ''[[BrutalLegend Brew-tal Legend]]'', a game about JackBlack playing Jack Black starring Jack Black made with [[TimSchafer a guy who looks like Jack Black]].
** From ''Darksiders'', describing the first few games he will review starting in 2010: "[[{{Darksiders}} God of War ripoff]], [[{{Bayonetta}} God Of War ripoff]], [[VideoGame/DantesInferno God Of War ripoff]], and God of War... well, ''GodOfWar''."
** "Have I mentioned that I've written a novel that you can preorder from Amazon and Amazon.co.uk? Well, I've written a novel that you can preorder from Amazon and Amazon.co.uk."
** "''FalloutNewVegas'' is really just an expansion pack for ''{{Fallout}} 3'', and I said everything I need to say about ''{{Fallout}} 3'' in my ''{{Fallout}} 3'' review of ''{{Fallout}} 3''."
* DesignatedHero: InUniverse: in his ''Extra Punctuation'' article of ''{{Uncharted}}: Among Thieves'', Yahtzee portrays Nathan Drake as one, accusing him of massive MoralDissonance.
** The ''ZP'' review of ''[[MirrorsEdge Mirror's Edge]]'' also suggests this: we only have the plot's say-so that the police chasing you are the bad guys, and as far as we know, the packages could be bombs to blow up someone's grandma.
* DarthWiki/DethroningMomentOfSuck: [[invoked]] It's rare that he experiences any of these, but there have been specific moments in a few games (such as [[{{Mindjack}} a boss too poorly-coded to be defeatable]] or [[VideoGame/{{AMY}} a bad AI forcing him to restart a level he was just about to clear]]) that made him give up on a game outright.
* TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything: Discussed in his ''AlphaProtocol'' review. He also devoted a column to discussing games that have done it well, singling out ''MetalGearSolid'' for particular praise.
* DidNotDoTheResearch: More than a few times has Yahtzee made jokes and jabs at something, only for it to be ''just plain wrong''. But Yahtzee sometimes has just a week to play the game ''and'' make each review, so [[EnforcedTrope this can sometimes be unavoidable for him]]. Yahtzee has acknowledged his mistakes... sometimes.
%% No further details, please. Individual examples of DNDTR quickly boil down to TakeThat-esque natter, and take too long to describe as there are so many of them. Or create DidNotDoTheResearch/ZeroPunctuation, and move all the DNDTR examples there; either way, leave this page with relatively brief items. %%
* DiscretionShot: The statement that a premise has been "stretched wider than a catamite's rectum" is accompanied by a black screen with the text "'''IMAGE VERY CENSORED'''".
** The captions in censor boxes are a RunningGag:
---> "Think of something wholesome."
---> "OH DEAR GOD"
---> "Look it up"
---> "Thanks {{deviantART}}!"
---> "NEIN!"
---> "BELIEVE IN CHRIST"
---> "THE BABY IS FINE THE BABY IS OKAY" (after someone was juggling several objects including a baby and a chainsaw, then drops them all.)
** Conversely, he decided to show a fairly, uh, ''graphic'' rendition of [[ConvenientMiscarriage a certain controversial strip]] from a [[CtrlAltDel certain webcomic which shall remain unnamed]] followed immediately by the caption '''THIS IS THE WORST THING I HAVE EVER DONE AND I HATE MYSELF FOR DOING IT.'''
* DisposableVagrant: Yahtzee keeps a spare vagrant chained in his basement -- in case he needs to review a co-op game.
* {{Dissimile}}
* DoesNotLikeWomen: A NonSequitur toward the end of the ''[[TheSims The Sims 3]]'' review, brought on by minor CreatorBreakdown over his girlfriend.
** After Rebecca Mayes' love/hate song that called him out on this he claimed he ''does'' hate women but only because he hates everyone.
** From the CreditsGag for the {{Catherine}} review: "I'm not a mysoginist, I only hate the bitchy ones".
* [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Does This Remind You of Anything?]]: Subverted/Lampshaded in the video where Yahtzee takes a tour of Washington D.C. He makes a few mentions that certain buildings or monuments remind him of something, but goes on to mention something mundane and non-sexual. He then double subverts it while looking at the Washington Monument:
--> '''Yahtzee''': It's really long and tall, has those trees at the bottom from this angle. Kinda like, uh...[[CaptainObvious a big cock and balls.]]
* DoNotCallMePaul: Apparently he hates being called Ben by people on the internet. In one podcast, Yug and Matt of Australian Gamer (his best buds) stated that they don't even call him that in real life. Matt says everyone except his ''parents'' calls him Yahtzee.
* DoomyDoomsOfDoom: In his ''MedalOfHonor: Airborne'' review, he refers to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flak_tower German flak tower]] as a "doom fortress".
* {{Eagleland}}: In his reviews, Yahtzee portrays Americans as Flavor #2, and [[AuthorTract covered all aspects of that flavor]] in the span of two reviews (''MedalOfHonor: Airborne'' and ''CallOfDuty 4''). He's had a long history of this view, though, as seen in his writings on ''Fully Ramblomatic.''
* EasternEuropeanAnimation: Yahtzee claims to have grown up watching Russian cartoons ala [[TheSimpsons Worker and Parasite]] rather than {{Transformers}}, which he states is the reason that he has no particular nostalgia for the series.
* EndingFatigue: Discussed in his review of ''AShadowsTale'' ([[InsistentTerminology NOT Lost in Shadow!]]) [[invoked]]
* EnsembleDarkhorse: In-universe example: In his review of ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'', he notes that he's always preferred Luigi to Mario, since he at the least isn't Peach's personal gopher. He also wonders why Tails gets so much more hate than Sonic despite the fact that he's basically Sonic with flight.
* EscalatingPunchline
* EvenEvilHasStandards: While Yahtzee isn't too keen on kids, he mentioned in [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/9246-Extra-Punctuation-What-Is-the-Matter-with-You-People this article]] that he was disturbed by a comment on his ''[[ModernWarfare Modern Warfare 3]]'' review by someone expressing a desire for the BigBad to torture children "{{HoloCaust}} style". As an "ironic statement".
--> Er... thanks for your input, Mr. Poster Man, but I wasn't talking it down for not being extreme enough. Or 'ironic' enough. I doubt emptying an entire lorry full of toddlers into the woodchipper would have improved my opinion any.
* EverythingsBetterWithPlushies: The Escapist is now selling [[http://www.splitreason.com/productdetail.php?id=789 Imp plushies]].
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Referred to by name in his Lego Indiana Jones review.
* FailOSuckyname: Not Yahtzee himself, but he has a fondness with abusing the naming system whenever one exists. Examples include [[{{Nier}} Twattycake]], [[TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Fuckme]], [[TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Fagballs]], and [[MassEffect Titty]].
* FakeDifficulty: Part of the reason he despises motion controls. As he put it, "Motion controls are a system wherein a game can fail you for something that completely wasn't your fault."
* FauxToGuide: Concerning the creation of GamingWebcomics.
* FiveManBand: Notes the main parts of the cast of recent ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'' games, giving them names similar to the SpiceGirls.
* FlameWar: Happens in the comments section on the majority of the games Yahtzee reviews between people who agree with him and people who don't.
* FlatWhat: A visual example is used by his AuthorAvatar in his ''{{Condemned}} 2'' review, when he describes the unusual means by which you defeat the final boss: [[spoiler: shouting at it.]]
* ForgetsToEat: Mentioned in his ''CallOfDuty 4'' review.
* FreezeFrameBonus: His review of FiftyCentBloodOnTheSand flashes a picture of Yahtzee with the words NOT RACIST several times.
* FreudianExcuse[=/=]StartOfDarkness: His ''RedFaction Guerrilla'' review pins all his negativity on bad experiences playing the original ''RedFaction'' when he was younger.
* FreudianSlip: His ''{{Bayonetta}}'' review is full of these.
* FridgeBrilliance: In-universe examples are sometimes denoted with the expression "HOLY SHIT I JUST GOT THAT".
%%Please put the Fridge tropes on the appropriate page.%%
* FromClonesToGenre: Mentioned in his review of ''{{Mercenaries}} 2''.
** The series itself has started to become one of these. At first it was a simple case of FollowTheLeader as imitators sprang up on {{YouTube}}, but now that [[ExtraCredits three]] [[MovieBob series]] on the ''Escapist'' itself have followed suit, two of which are not review shows, it's safe to say this is a legit genre now.
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: In his ''SuperPaperMario'' review, he shows the Dictionary.com definition of "game", with another tab open titled "Super Huge Tits".
* GayOption: In his ''DragonAgeII'' review he mentioned having hooked up with Anders, more or less because Snarky!Hawke annoyed him and came off as gay to him anyway, though he later detailed that roleplaying played a major part of it and ultimately did [[VideoGameCaringPotential develop a genuine fondness for Anders]], even [[spoiler:forgiving him for blowing up the Chantry]] and naming his [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Tepig]] after him.
* GratuitousGerman: Yahtzee apparently studied German and it frequently comes up in series.
* GenreSavvy: Seeing an enemy with a bull's head in ''PrinceOfPersia: The Forgotten Sands'', he correctly anticipates it to be a BullfightBoss. He also claims "powers of clairvoyance" that mean he predict how the opening {{cutscene}} of ''{{Singularity}}'' will play out.
** He is also aware of tropes, and knows that TropesAreNotBad. He may or may not be aware of this site, but at the very least he understands the principles of this wiki.
** He referenced it on his Twitter, so he at least knows of its existance.
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: His ''TabulaRasa'' character, Gareth Gobulcoque, was so named to test the game's name filter. It passed.
* GiantSpider: These show up in the visuals occasionally. Usually they represent something being either unexpected, very difficult, or both.
** Arachnophobic prospective viewers should take warning that they're usually taken from photos of actual tarantulas.
* {{GIFT}}: Yahtzee actually cites the [[PennyArcade original formula]] then alters it by subtracting 'Anonymity' and 'Audience'. Or in other words, [[HumansAreBastards Normal Person = Total Fuckwad.]]
* GoshDarnItToHeck: Whenever he swears in the narration, the animation will replace it with something far more innocuous.
** Sometimes inverted--he'll say something (relatively) tactful in the narration, and the animation will unleash what he REALLY thinks.
** For instance, in his Assassin's Creed review, he remarks; "This video review was created by a not particularly multi-cultural person, but who really loves religious extremists a big huggy bunch," where the text displayed reads "''...not particularly multi-cultural person who invites religious extremists to suck out his farts and die.''"
* GrammarNazi: In his "Mailbag Showdown" video, while reading out some of the more obnoxious examples of hate mail he received, he corrected them onscreen in the manner of a primary school teacher, coupled with letter grades, giant question marks and "SEE ME" at the bottom. Also, his "Split [[BritishEnglish Stroke]] Second Colon Velocity" review.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Shows up in the ''DemonsSouls'' review to show that a character loses half its health when dead.
* HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday: Yahtzee plays with this trope on several occasions, most notably his ''GuitarHero III'' review, where he very specifically lists several homosexual acts (and one heterosexual act) which he is [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial most certainly not doing]]. And at the end:
-->"On the whole though it's just not as good as tonguing another man's balls. ''[Both figures stop playing and stare at the {{fourth wall}}]'' I mean... as it used to be. [{{Beat}}] ''I'm not gay''."
** Also seems to link back a few times to DoesNotLikeWomen; he'll make a joke about not being able to get laid, comfort himself with the excuse that women are terrible anyway, and then cap off the joke with "But I'm still not gay." Perhaps the gentleman doth protest too much? [[hottip:*: In the same review, he compares pushing the buttons on the fret bar to fingering a female lover. Yes, he had mentioned that he was heterosexual.]]
** He also admitted that he grew to be more attached to [[DragonAgeII Anders]] than he intended.
* [[HeavyMetalUmlaut Heävy Mëtal Ümlaut]]: He specifically [[GratuitousGerman pronounces the extraneous umlaut]] in ''[[BrutalLegend Brütal Legend]]''.
* HelloInsertNameHere: Yahtzee loves to abuse this whenever possible, with such examples as "[[MassEffect Titty Shepard]]" to "[[PhantomHourglass Fagballs]]", "[[OcarinaOfTime Fuck Me]]", "[[{{Nier}} Twattycakes]]" or "[[TabulaRasa Gareth Gobulcoque]]".
** Tried "Tiddles" in VideoGame/DeusEx but was slapped down by the game's system of using "JC Denton" as a "[[HandWave codename]].
--->''"The moment you put in your own name it goes '''"Wrong!''' Your name is JC Denton.""''
* HePannedItNowHeSucks: InUniverse, Yahtzee derides people like this and those who complain that his review ruined their enjoyment of the game, stating that if a person's opinion of a game ruins someone's fun, then maybe they weren't having as much fun as they first thought they were.
** By this point, complaining about his reviews is often considered pointless.
* HilariousInHindsight: In-universe example: Very minor, but his quip about how playing as a Big Daddy in ''VideoGame/BioShock2'' is like a sequel to ''HalfLife'' where you play as a Gun Turret is much funnier now that one of ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'''s co-operative play characters is a robot created from a modified Gun Turret.
** His sarcastic ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' "review" was voted the #1 fan-favorite... just before the game was UnCancelled at PAX 2010.
* HurricaneOfEuphemisms: Yahtzee makes a concerted effort to get through his review of ''TombRaider Anniversary'' without referencing a certain part of the female anatomy. He ''almost'' makes it.
-->"Bosoms, melons, milk factories, busts, funbags, knockers, [[ResidentEvil4 ballistics]], boobies, jugs, nipples, jubblies, ''[[MemeticMutation stonking great tits!]]"''
* HypocrisyNod: Yahtzee has noted his use of HypocriticalHumor more than once in his reviews.
** The one time it wasn't used as a joke, in ''ZackAndWiki'', he acknowledged his complaints about lousy adventure games that involved [[ChzoMythos carrying around a ton of items to use in one spot]].
* HypocriticalHumor:
-->"Fans are clingy complaining dipshits who will [[UnpleasableFanbase never ever be grateful for any concession you make]]. The moment you shut out their shrill, tremulous voices the happier you will be for it. Incidentally, why not buy a ''Zero Punctuation'' [[TheMerch t-shirt]]?"
** For a while before the 100th Episode special, ''The Escapist'' used this little stinger at the end of ''all'' ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'' shorts to, guess what, advertise ''Zero Punctuation''-related merchandise.
** In his Duke Nukem Forever review he rants about how people should be sacked for not doing their jobs, and the picture shows him being dragged out of his office with a sign saying "job: review games that actually exist"
** In his ''{{Minecraft}}'' review, he calls out Americans for being uninformed about current events in countries outside the US, only to turn around and say he wasn't aware of the flooding in his own city because he doesn't keep up with current events.
** End Credits for his ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' review: "There is a special circle in Hell 4 people who replace numbers for letters".
** He accuses the protagonist of Fable 3 of bestiality due to the weird way he interacts with his dog, when in his review of Fable 2 he complains that if the game was truly open-ended he should be able to marry any NPC he wants, including his dog.
** On {{Rayman}}: "Honestly, who can like a character [[RaymanianLimbs whose hands and feet have no visible connection to their torso?]]"
** ''Mafia II'''s ending seems to come too soon:
--> "The game just sort of cuts out halfway through resolving everyth-[END CREDITS]
* ILoveNuclearPower:
-->"''[[{{STALKER}} Ess-Tee-Ay-Ell-Kay-Ee-Ar: Clear Sky]]'' is set in the area surrounding an alternative post-disaster Chernobyl, where presumably the station ran on fairy dust before the meltdown and released a cloud of ''magic'' instead of boring old radiation..."
* ImpossiblyCoolWeapon:
-->"All you really need to know is that there is a gun that shoots shurikens and lightning. I wish I could make something like that up. It shoots shurikens and lightning! It could only possibly more awesome if it had tits and was ''[[IncendiaryExponent on fire]]!''"
* IncrediblyLamePun: On occasion, not just of the [[VisualPun visual variety:]]
--> "You only get to see like one second of bare arse anyway so it's hardly going to make your [[MassEffect mass erect]]" ... immediately followed in the credits with: [[LampshadeHanging "Yeah, this whole review]] was [[OverlyPrepreparedGag leading up]] to [[LampshadeHanging that horrible pun at the end."]]
** In the ''RedFaction: Guerilla'' review, he says in the end that game could have went pretty well if it really was based off sneaky guerilla warfare, as opposed to its focus on [[StuffBlowingUp smashing stuff]] "... which is less guerilla and more chimpanzee." Followed by the credits gag "Spent ten years thinking up that last pun."
** [[BaldursGate "...Balder's Gait."]] (''TooHuman'')
** "''{{Fallout}} 3'', that is!"
** The ''[[VideoGame/JustCause Just Cause 2]]'' review starts by lampshading this to allow him to make "Why? Just 'cause!" jokes "ironically".
** "Bits of it were so boring that I almost had a ''{{Nier}}''-death experience! Boosh!"
** "I don't see [[AliceMadnessReturns Alice: Madness Returns]] making mad returns, [[AWorldwidePunomenon meheh myeh]].
** In his review of Monster Hunter Tri "You play an adventurer-type showing up at the prerequisite village of immobile retards in a time when dinosaurs ruled the earth to try to be a hunter of monsters. A Monster Hunter Try, if you will."
** Not to mention his credits pun in AlienVsPredator: "Alias vs Editor".
** "You want a review score? How about FOUR, as in '''FOUR-K YOU'''!"
* InsistentTerminology: "Jaaaaaaames" Sunderland of ''SilentHill 2'' fame.
** Also, "Call of ''[[FunetikAksent Hwa-rez]]!''".
*** Also from that review, there's [[strike:William]] Wee'um.
** And [[HeavyMetalUmlaut Brew]]-[[BrutalLegend tal Legend]].
** "Demon's-S-S-S-Souls!" Actually, Yahtzee seems to have become rather fond of these as of late...
** "[[{{STALKER}} Ess-Tee-Ay-Ell-Kay-Ee-Ar: Clear Sky]]".
** "[[{{MMORPG}} Mumorpuger"]]
** "[[KingdomsOfAmalur Kingdoms of Uhrrpadurr]]"
** "[[RedDeadRedemption Blue Poo Atonement]]"
** "Split [[BritishEnglish Stroke]] Second Colon Velocity"
** "Let's hope it's not [[DeadToRights Dead to Rights: Retarded]]! That would be Dead to Rights: Regrettable."
** He also refers to {{Bastion}} as Sebastian.
* {{Irony}}: Now at the bottom of every ''Zero Punctuation'' video there are ads linking you to various online retailers prompting you to buy the game that Yahtzee just finished eviscerating due to scripts and other coding used on the site to bring up ads on whatever product keywords are on the web page.
* ItsPopularNowItSucks: Joked about. [[invoked]]
--> One should always support the independents, at least until they start making money, the ''soulless sellout fucks.''
** Admittedly, averted by his ''GearsOfWar 2'' review, in which he admits that things are often mainstream because they're good (Or because WillSmith is in it).
* ItsTheSameSoItSucks: In-universe, he tends to be particularly critic of sequels that don't add much or differ from what the original was. Examples including ''VideoGame/BioShock2'', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'', and ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'' to a smaller point.
** Pretty much his opinion on anything Nintendo if it's not a joke about casual gaming.
** Yahtzee frequently accuses the {{Mario}} and {{Zelda}} series of churning out near-identical sequels, even though fans are lucky to get two games ''per console''. Particularly noticeable in his [[TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]] review, when he describes the series as 'essentially releasing the same game with graphical changes and gameplay tweaks' while the games shown include OddballInTheSeries [[TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]].
* ItsUpToYou: He notes that early missions in ''[[{{STALKER}} S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky]]'' have a tendency to solve themselves, which is a good attempt to avert this, but a bit bizarre to play.
* ItWasHisSled: [[invoked]] {{Lampshaded}}; before pointing out the flaws of ''TomClancy's H.A.W.X.'' 's plot, he says to stop paying attention until the "generic rock music" of the credits if you want to avoid spoilers. In the credits his avatar and a single imp hand out a series of this type of spoilers (they even start with [[Film/CitizenKane THAT sled]]).
* JumpedTheShark: [[invoked]] {{Lampshade}}d in the end credits of his ''LEGO Indy'' review, the first time the new, original opening and closing song was used, rather than two licensed songs:
--> "Now this is all looking a lot more professional, isn't it, although I'm certain some of you pricks are already putting this down as my shark jumping moment."
* JustOneMoreLevel: ''Videogame/{{Peggle}}'' (and other PopCapGames) are described as "the gaming equivalent of premium crack cocaine."
--> "I started playing ''Videogame/{{Peggle}}'' in the afternoon, and emerged some time later to find the authorities had declared me legally dead."
** [After flooding prevented him from leaving his apartment and thus getting a new game to review:] "My third thought was, 'Oh, goody! That means I can go back inside and keep playing ''{{Minecraft}}!''"
** "A good [[WideOpenSandbox sandbox]] is one where you can mess about for hours after making the hollow promise to yourself that you'll stop any minute now, and ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}} 2'' certainly has that."
* KickTheDog: In his ''{{Fable}}'' review:
--> No puppies were harmed in the making of this video, [[NoExceptYes except for one who genuinely deserved it.]]
* KillAndReplace: Accused [[{{Resistance}} Insomniac Games]] of murdering {{Valve}} and making a [[FollowTheLeader skin suit]] out of it.
* LampshadeHanging: The end tag on the ''GuitarHero III'' review, regarding the art style.
-->"Did no-one else think it was weird for the character in image 110 to wearing a sling when he only has free-floating circular hands?"
** The entire opening of ''[[VideoGame/JustCause Just Cause 2]]'' was one giant, lovingly crafted {{lampshade}} about the IncrediblyLamePun that the name ''VideoGame/JustCause'' offers -- in the format "Why X?" "VideoGame/JustCause!". He then subverts it -- see RuleOfThree, below.
* LandDownUnder: Yahtzee was born in Britain but moved to Australia, and often makes jokes about it.
* TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: ''Deus Ex: Human Revolution'' has breathtaking visuals, the impish appeal of stealth, rewarding exploration, but most importantly, you can pick up every vending machine in the building and pack them in the office of your least favorite co-worker.
** "...{{Catherine}}, a Japanese game centrally about the difficulties of relationships, such as unexpected pregnancy, the impetus of commitment, and being chased up an infinite staircase by a giant, monstrous girlfriend trying to eat you with her butt. [[WidgetSeries Did I mention it's Japanese?]]"
* LeaveThePlotThreadsHanging: In-universe example in the review of ''{{Condemned}} 2''.
* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: The crossdressing contest between [[VideoGame/{{inFAMOUS}} Cole]] and [[VideoGame/{{Prototype}} Alex]].
** Same could be said regarding RTS games. After his experience with ''HaloWars'', Yathzee has apparently decided to never touch the genre again.
** Explained further in "On RTS", in which he explains he's not good at RTS ''and'' he doesn't like the impersonal disconnect one gets between story characters and units and the player.
* LimitedSocialCircle: "I asked everyone I know and neither of them had heard of it either." (''{{Nier}}'')
* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: He never even heard of Marth before playing ''Brawl'', and based on his other reviews, shouting "{{Fire Emblem}}" loud enough near him [[BrownNote will cause his brain to explode.]]
* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: Has teamed up with {{Moviebob}} and [[ExtraCredits James Portnow]] to form [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extraconsideration Extra Consideration]], a panel in which all three discuss the state of the gaming scene.
* TheMeanBrit: Though currently living in Australia.
* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Debatable. Some who claim to have met Yahtzee IRL have report that he is capable of being quite unpleasant towards others. The same persons have however also noted that this characteristic is reasonably outweighed by the fact that he is also fairly shy and quiet. He claims he's only a jackass when provoked... which is often.
** Tycho at ''PennyArcade'' speculates that Yahtzee is quiet in person in order to save up all his hate and rage to bellow it out really quickly in his weekly reviews.
* MeatMoss: He calls it "jam" in ''VideoGame/AmnesiaTheDarkDescent''.
-->"Oh pissing BLIMEY there's JAM coming out of the walls!."
* MenDontCry: Parodied in his ''{{Infamous}} 2'' review.
-->"I'm not to proud to admit that I was welling up at ''inFamous 2'''s good ending, a little bit. Well, not much at all really. It most more like stoically nodding my head while doing squat-thrusts and grunting."
* MercyKill: What he says must be done with ''SonicTheHedgehog''.
* {{Metaphorgotten}}: Frequently.
-->"It's like wrestling an excitable dog in a paddling pool full of disembodied breasts. *{{beat}}* Don't think too much about that simile, I certainly didn't."
** Especially when it's a hot summer day and his AC isn't working. "Really good like...something...[[BuffySpeak good]] that's...made out of chocolate..."
** [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/8892-Extra-Punctuation-Action-Is-Not-Finisher-Porn This]] ''Extra Punctuation'' takes the metaphor of "{{too many cooks}} spoil the broth" and keeps stretching it until he reckons "I think this is already the best metaphor I've ever written."
* MilestoneCelebration: Spoofed with his 100th episode, where he decides to review... exactly the same game he would've reviewed otherwise (''CallOfJuarez: Bound in Blood'').
* MoreDakka: His review of ''{{Spore}}'' shows the civilization stage as imps strafing other imps cities from the air, with the caption "Dakka Dakka" under the war planes.
* MotorMouth: "Zero Punctuation" comes from how he has a tendency to ramble on and on so quickly that his speech has almost no pauses, and thus there is ''zero punctuation''. More or less.
** He has said he edits out the pauses, but definitely does not speed up his voice.
* MuggingTheMonster: In his ''FalloutNewVegas'' review, he mentions that it occured to him that it might be a good idea to stop stealing things. After getting attacked by bandits and taking their stuff, he mentions it is not stealing because they attacked him, which makes it his by the international law of "Go Fuck Yourselves."
* MundaneMadeAwesome: When talking about the wet clothing feature in ''Uncharted'', he talks a bit too much about it, considering it means absolutely nothing in terms of plot or gameplay. He realizes this, of course, stating at the end of his praise "Well, I think its interesting!".
* MythologyGag: During his ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' review, Yahtzee separates each hour he played the game with a brief break showing a black screen with the unit of time and then which unit he's on (Hour 1, Hour 2, Hour 3, etc.). He used a similar mechanism with three of the games in the ''ChzoMythos''.
* {{Nerdgasm}}: Has made a few references to getting erections at really good games.
* NerdsAreVirgins: Has made quite a few jokes about that.
* NewlyPopularUpdating: Expect any game he reviews to have a new quote entry at the top of its page by the end of the day, appropriate or otherwise.
* NiceHat: "Yahtzee is a British-born, currently Australian-based writer and gamer with a sweet hat and a chip on his shoulder." The hat originally appeared in [[MythologyGag his own games]], ''TheChzoMythos'', worn by the character of Trilby. The hat itself is known as a Trilby hat, and it tends to get him [[CreatorWorship more attention]] [[http://twitter.com/YahtzeeCroshaw/status/11013246821 than he really wants]].
* NightmareFuel: InUniverse example: The ''Kinectimals''' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kinectimals.jpg box art]] is "the most terrifying thing I've seen all year. It looks like what would happen if [[MonsterClown John Wayne Gacy]] went to Disneyland."
** Yahtzee apparently has a long-standing fear of theme park mascots, which he's previously let known in [[http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/features/travel his old blog]], that he conquered playing ''EpicMickey''. This was not helped during a trip to Disneyland, especially with the parade.
--> The grins. A sea of grins. Staring. Judging.
* NightmareRetardant: InUniverse, He states that AliceMadnessReturns made {{Creepy Doll}}s not creepy just by the fact that the game uses it constantly to the point where players just get used to it.
* NintendoHard: Yahtzee prides himself on as having been playing video games since early childhood and frequently recalls how hard they were back then. He routinely mocks prospective critics who complain about the difficulty level in games these days. That said, games with [[SonicUnleashed ridiculously impossible sequences]], he blasts with both barrels.
** Yes, we're [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/1321-Demons-Souls looking at you]], ''[[DemonsSouls Demon's Souls]]''.
** However he did enjoy ''IWannaBeTheGuy'', though he states that no person, unless it's for charity should ever try [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Impossible difficulty]].
* NoFourthWall: Technically doesn't qualify as there's no suspension of disbelief, but a review still pushed back the boundaries when Yahtzee addressed the viewer as "Adrian", and noted that while that's not particularly likely to be any given viewer's name, "it was worth it to freak out all the Adrians in the world."
-->"If you've been paying attention, you'll notice that all these games are sequels. And if you haven't... * claps twice* OI!"
-->"Stop watching my reviews, Dad!"
** The ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'' review has the distinction of genuinely breaking the fourth wall, as Yahtzee suggest pausing the video, while his avatar points to the pause button on the video player.
-->"I shouldn't have to talk about the core gameplay, I consider that an insult to you and me. My review of ''Mario Galaxy 1'' hasn't gone anywhere, why not pause this video, pour yourself a glass of wine and go and enjoy that. I'll just wait here slapping myself in the face until you return. * cut to black, slapping sounds and Yahtzee groaning, then cut back, Yahtzee now with a bruised face* Finished? Right, well, ''Mario Galaxy 2'' is more of that."
* NoJustNoReaction: How the review of ''TheConduit'' began.
* NoodleImplements: The ''{{STALKER}}'' review: ''...and whistled for a baboon.''
* NoodleIncident: The end of the ''{{Fallout}}: New Vegas'' video says "I hope the war in Las Vegas destroyed that ice machine I threw up in".
** "Now I've never invaded Europe, except for that one time..."
** "I know I can't speak for everyone, at least not until ''the device'' is completed, but..."
* NotHimself: Wait, what's this? ''{{Resistance}} 3'' has no regenerating health? A sum of weapons greater than 2? No chest-high walls? "..erm.....{{Sony}}?.......Are you feeling all right?"
* NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer: Describing the ending of ''{{Condemned}} 2'', and says "I ''wish'' I was fucking kidding!"
** And revealing the final boss of ''[=Kayne and Lynch 2: Dog Days=]''
** In his review of ''{{EpicMickey}}'', he brings up a Mickey Mouse comic where he ''[[http://ridz.sg/blog/2008/04/mickey-mouse-loses-minnie-attempts-suicide/ tries to kill himself]]'' after Minnie breaks up with him.
* NotSoDifferent: ''TheWitcher 2'' review makes this observation of console & PC gamers. [[HatesEveryoneEqually You both suck equally]]!
* OldShame: Yahtzee has admitted at least twice he used to watch Pokemon when he was a kid. While some people might not consider this shameful, he certainly does.
* OneOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: In his ''[[BatmanArkhamAsylum Batman: Arkham Asylum]]'' review: "I could go on about how the combat flows, or how the atmosphere is solid, [[OverlyLongGag and how the highlights for me were the Scarecrow sections where Batman's perceptions of reality are skewed in favour of a nightmarish and delusional glimpse into the darkest recesses of Batman's soul]], and how jumping on people is cool...
* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Happens a fair deal with his ridiculous Irish accent in the ''Tales of MonkeyIsland'' episode.
** Also the ''{{Farcry}} 2'' episode, where he switches back and forth from his normal English accent and a horrible South African accent.
* OrphanedPunchline: "...and whistled for a baboon!"
* OverlyLongGag: See BigNo.
* ParrotExposition: A parody of ''MetalGearSolid'''s famous tendency for this:
--> '''Otacon:''' Metal Gear\\
'''Snake:''' Metal Gear?\\
'''Otacon:''' Metal Gear!\\
'''Snake:''' Bugger me!
* PetPeeveTrope: [[invoked]]
** RealIsBrown
** UpdatedRerelease
** {{Waggle}}: [[invoked]] One of his key issues with Nintendo consoles, because how shoehorned-in it seems.
* PetTheDog: In an ''Extra Punctuation'', although he couldn't sympathize with gamers who cried at Aerith's death in ''FFVII'', he said that the emotions they felt were real and no one could call them fake or wrong.
* {{Portmanteau}}
-->"Essflawcondodgeckindesimudstorliketersockity."
* PowerTrio: With Bob Chipman and James Portnow. Yahtzee is the Id, Bob is the Superego and James is the Ego
* PrepareToDie: Used as a CreditsGag.
* PressXToNotDie: [[TropeNamer Named it]], see RunningGag.
** Since ''BatmanArkhamAsylum'' had none of these, Yahtzee instead used "Press X to '''KICK ASS'''."
** ''[[TomClancy H.A.W.X.]]'': "Press X To Make The World Safe For Democracy."
** ''SilentHill Origins'': "Press X to Nurby Durby Durr" (This particular "Press X" gag is repeated in other videos)
** ''GrandTheftAuto IV'': "Press X to exaggerate financial standings" (In reference to the game's over-reliance on realism -- "What next, the Write-a-letter-to-your-mum mini game?")
*** The hilarious thing is, at one point you do have the option of having Niko write an email to his mother.
** ''50 Cent: Blood On The Sand'': "The prerequisite quick-time experiences..." [caption: "Press X To Brutalise This Poor Fellow"] "... are thankfully not mandatory." ["Or Don't, Whatever's Cool."]
** ''MassEffect 2'': "Press X To Not Care" ("You can't just spend the whole game knocking back Singapore Slings on a beach all day")
* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: [[in-universe]] Oddly averted. One of Yahtzee's favorite games is the licensed tie-in for ''Film/{{Spider-Man}} 2''.
** He actually explains a couple of the reasons why licensed games tend to do poorly [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/1815-Prince-of-Persia-The-Forgotten-Sands while reviewing]] ''[[PrinceOfPersia Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands]],'' released to promote the ''[[Film/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime Sands of Time]]'' movie, citing that most of them put too much focus on the story or license (as opposed to gameplay) or get rushed enough to where notable issues don't get fixed (both of which, he says, are evidently the case with the 2010 Prince of Persia games). He still finds the game enjoyable despite having the look and feel of a licensed game.
* ProductPlacement: Branston Pickles or '''GAME TRADERS ROBINA'''.
* PromotedFanboy: A college kid by the name of Daniel Floyd created a video heavily inspired by Yahtzee's show. A few months later, he was hired by The Escapist and now does a show called ExtraCredits.
* QueerPeopleAreFunny: he even put up a sign saying "I'm gay" as a joke once.
* RapidFireComedy: One of its defining features, helped by Yahtzee's MotorMouth and the blink-and-you-miss-it speed at which many visual gags flash by.
* ARareSentence: Wanna hear something crazy? "Titty-fuck labrador swimming up The Nile." [-..Oh yeah, and he liked ''DriverSanFrancisco''.-]
* RealIsBrown: A particular dislike of Yahtzee's. Mentioned quite a few times, like in the ''[[GrandTheftAuto GTA 4]]'' review.
* RealMenWearPink: He mentions dressing up his Tabula Rasa avatar in and Shepherd from Mass Effect 2 in bright pink.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: The {{Webcomics}} review becomes progressively more and more vindictive towards CtrlAltDel, to the point of becoming blatant.
** The start of his ''VideoGame/{{Braid}}'' review is one of these directed at the ignorant GearsOfWar-buying crowd.
* RebusBubble: According to Yahtzee, the formula for the cutest thing ever is sum of teddy bear and [[ThePowerpuffGirls Powerpuff Girl]] divided by [[{{Pokemon}} Pikachu]] equals [[LittleBigPlanet Sackboy]].
* RecordNeedleScratch: In the ''NoMoreHeroes'' review, as previously mentioned.
* RefugeInAudacity: Lampshaded in-universe:
--> If the developers [of ''HeavenlySword''] thought I would consider buying the full game just to find out what "twing-twang" is then mission fucking accomplished I suppose, but I'm going to be very disappointed if it doesn't turn out to be a cutesy euphemism for lesbian cunnilingus, ''yeah I went there.''
* RetGone: The final product of ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' was apparently such a transcendental work of awesomeness that it collapsed reality and ended up being cancelled before completion in the new timeline. Now the new version will likely fail to live up to the "original".
* RhymingList: In the ''ResidentEvil: Revelations'' review, he mentions that in ''MetroidPrime'', scans would result in "The name of the monster, a hint on how to kill it, and its favorite song from DavidBowie's ''Hunky Dory'' album":
-->''Fish [=McTarse=]''
-->''Blast his arse''
-->''Life on Mars''
* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: The Imp.
* RidiculousFutureSequelisation: Yahtzee invokes it in his ''Videogame/{{Peggle}}'' review:
-->'''Yahtzee:''' "Once your budget hits seven digits you're supposed to make Gun Battle Slap Fight Thirty-Seven for the Playstation Twelve...!
* RocksFallEveryoneDies: Mentioned in his Driver: San Francisco review by name.
* TheRoleplayer: Yahtzee states that he does roleplay when playing [=RPGs=] because it's [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the entire point of the genre]].
* RuleOfThree: [[spoiler: Subverted]] in the ''[[VideoGame/JustCause Just Cause 2]]'' review. [[IncrediblyLamePun Why? ]][[spoiler: Fucked If I Know!]]
* RuleThirtyFour: "I checked and yep, there's already erotic fanart of the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII ff13]] characters."
* RunningGag: [[PressXToNotDie PRESS X TO NOT DIE]]: Guaranteed to show up in a review of a game with quick time events.
** Also the caption "Oh no everyone can see my bum," first appearing in his review of ''Mercenaries 2'', where [[SoulSeries Soul Calibur's Ivy]] bent over and had the caption above her. Then ''a box'' did it in the same review. Then a few reviews later, a male figure did it. Eventually [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] when a figure bends over with the caption "Oh no everyone can etc."
*** And in ''Velvet Assassin'' a "German" soldier is bent over saying the above caption. In German.
*** And in ''Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood'' a cowboy imp says it in a Western accent while bending over on top of a piano.
*** A different {{lampshade}} was hung in his ''HeavyRain'' review when the female lead said "Oh no everyone can see my {{callback}}".
*** The real ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' review had Duke saying, "Oh good everyone can see my bum."
*** Makes a comeback in the "Assassin's Creed Revelations" review, where one of the many prostitutes Ezio has recruited in the past makes a statement concerning "bums and the seeing thereof."
** Nose-picking is mentioned frequently when talking about [[ArtificialAtmosphericActions mundane actions]] on the part of either the player or {{NPC}}s.
** Yahtzee references making a {{supervillain}} [[WideOpenSandbox sandbox game]] called "Mankind Has Yet To Recognize My Genius, The Game" at least twice.
** Also, the image of that red-haired guy. For those who don't know, he's one of Thomas Ruff's "Expressionless Faces" found in one of Yahtzee's Google Image searches. [[http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/gallery/2002/02/01/ruff_head.jpg This]] guy is apparently what Yahtzee sees the huddled, unwashed masses look like.
*** According to his IAM on [[http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/glt5k/iam_yahtzee_croshaw_off_of_the_escapists_zero/ Reddit]], "He just makes me laugh. I've seen Ruff's other expressionless faces and all of them have some hint of emotion, like surprise or a little smile, but Mr. Expressionless has nothing. He's hollow. Dead in the eyes. And that's why I love him."
** The, erhem, prostitute with triple the normal number of a certain orifice seems to be one, too.
** Every time Hitler makes an appearance he's accompanied with a caption saying ACH.
** "People always say to me: Yahtzee, you (description indicating manliness...)"
*** Lampshaded at one point with "Yahtzee, you ordinary person!"
*** And subverted in his ''[[TheSims Sims 3]]'' review: "Yahtzee, you [[CrossesTheLineTwice inappropriate menstruation joke]]".
** Ending sentences (and reviews) with: "[[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday ...not gay!]]"
*** As an example, regarding multiplayer ''ModernWarfare 2'': "...lying in long grass watching each other's backs, not gay."
*** Subverted with ''Driver: San Francisco'', which he adores. "So I guess I '''am''' gay!"
** In his review of Driver: San Francisco, ''SERVE AND PROTECT'' is used sarcastically on the cop protagonist's ability to possess drivers to crash into one another.
** Rattling off a list of numbered sequels and turning it into a football score, i.e., (''[[HalfLife Half-Life]] 2'', ''SilentHill 2'', ''{{Thief}} 2'', ''{{Spiderman}} 2'', (Arsenal: 3)). (A generic British joke, possibly first coined by SpikeMilligan in ''William [=McGonagall=] Meets George Gershwin''.)
** Within the ''DeadToRights: Retribution'' Dead to Rights: review, the Dead To Rights: recurring joke of Yahtzee [[OverlyLongGag Dead To Rights: replacing]] every RE- word with the game's title, but the RE- word in place of Retribution. Likewise a similar gag was done for ''RedDeadRedemption'''s WordSaladTitle.
-->[Dead To Rights: Retribution] isn't ''technically'' a sequel since the plot starts out the same as the first game, so perhaps a better name would've been ''Dead To Rights: Remake''. Or perhaps ''Dead To Rights: Revisionism''. Let's just hope it doesn't end up Dead To Rights: Retarded. That would be Dead To Rights: Regrettable.
** In a similar fashion, Yahtzee took ''RedDeadRedemption'' and complained that the game is neither red nor dead. He then went to call the game throughout the review by several alternate names, namely [[RealIsBrown Brown Alive Redemption]], Blue Poo Atonement, Green Spleen Submarine, and then [[WordSaladTitle Purple]] [[ShoutOut Monkey]] [[TheSimpsons Dishwasher]].
** Similar to the RedDeadRedemption example above, Yahtzee kept changing the title of AliceMadnessReturns for things like ''Return of the Madness'', ''ReturnOfTheJedi'', ''[[Disney/{{Aladdin}} Return of Jafar]]'' and ''BatmanReturns''.
** A character bending over and asking to be, er, taken advantage of will always be saying "In mah butt".
** THRRRP.
** WURRGH
** Pulling out his "Like ''GodOfWar'' [[SerialNumbersFiledOff but]]" stamp.
** "Hungry Hungry Hippos" seems to becoming one of these as well.
** His evident dislike of Glasgow.
** He uses the term "Eating all the pies" to mean taking up space at least twice, which is another British reference (specifically, football).
** Bland names being attributed to the {{Crackdown}} Naming Committee.
** Floating {{Hallucinations}} commanding people to '''"KILL THE WHORES"'''
* SandInMyEyes: "I'm not too proud to admit that I was welling up a bit at ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}} 2'''s good ending. ..A lil' bit. ..Well, not much at all really. It was more like just [[BritishStuffiness stoically nodding my head]] while [[RealMenHateAffection doing some pelvic thrusts and grunting]]."
* SarcasmMode: The entire ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/748-Duke-Nukem-Forever review]]. Let's start from the fact that he's reviewing a game that (at the time) was canceled and work from there. The part that qualifies this as this trope is the bit at the end where he points out there is no actual game, as the lawyers told him to do.
* SchrödingersCat: In his "Console Rundown", he compares his Xbox360 to a Schrodinger's Console, constantly swinging between a broken and unbroken state.
* ScreamerTrailer: The ending of the ''LittleBigPlanet'' review, as an obvious homage to J-horror movies such as ''TheRing'' and ''TheGrudge''.
* SelfDeprecation: While his ''Zero Punctuation'' persona is obviously an arrogant {{Caustic Critic}}, Yahtzee is known for making blunt, humourous digs at himself from time to time, such as acknowledging the nerdiness inherent in reviewing video games for a living and mocking his own abilities in the practice of social and sexual intercourse (or lack thereof).
** On ''ModernWarfare 2'': "The single-player mode is as short as fuck, and let me tell you, when I'm around fucks are legendarily short." [The animation shows two pairs of eyes in the darkness, with the speech "Sorry."]
** "As a highly respected and successful game critic--SHUT UP I AM!"
*** "I played Final Fantasy XIII because I am an unbiased critic--SHUT UP I AM!"
** A FreezeFrameBonus example from the ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins'' review. It shows all the different Invader Zim fanfiction writer pictures, and the one with the lowest bar is his picture.
** Discussed during one review in which he says that one of the targets that Americans like to hate on the most is ... 'Other Americans'.
** "A {{nerd}}, after all, is someone who obsesses over something, like the cultural impact of gaming, or people who criticise same in silly internet videos."
* {{Sequelphobic}}: Yahtzee is not ''inherently'' against the idea of sequels, but he's extremely critical of most due to their alleged lack of innovation. Franchises that go in new directions are preferred, and several of his liked games (''[[HalfLife Half-Life]] 2'', ''SilentHill 2'', ''{{Thief}} 2'', ''{{Spiderman}} 2'', ([[RunningGag Arsenal: 3]])) are all sequels.
** [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/6474-Extra-Punctuation-On-Sequels In the Extra Punctuation entry for his '''Splosion Man''/''Tales of Monkey Island'' review]], he stated his belief that a sequel should be done by people who played the first game and didn't like it, rather than fans of the first game. He reasons that the former would change it and evolve it (at the expense of fans of the original), as opposed to fans who would only advance the parts of the game they liked (which could include unimportant/bad [[ScrappyMechanic mechanics]] or strictly throwaway gags).
--> "I do have a guilty enjoyment for ''AloneInTheDark'' and ''MirrorsEdge''. They’re wracked with issues, but I find games that try to do something new and fall apart far more compelling than the merely mediocre games that don’t have an original thought in their heads."
* SerialNumbersFiledOff:[[invoked]] Has accused many games of being this, most notably ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' to ''SystemShock 2'', and ''VideoGame/DantesInferno'' to ''GodOfWar''.
* SincerestFormOfFlattery: In his ''[[{{Resistance}} Resistance 3]]'' review, Yahtzee grows more and more suspicious of the game's marked (if well-executed) similarities to ''Half-Life 2'', culminating in [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking accusing them of murder and dismemberment because the scientist Deuteragonist has the same style of beard as Gordon Freeman]].
* SitchSexuality: Yahtzee's utter adoration of StephenFry's [[AudioErotica voice]] in the ''LittleBigPlanet'' review. [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Perfectly understandable, really]].
** He starts his review of ''BrutalLegend'' by professing his adoration for TimSchafer, including stating that if he had a doomsday machine he'd reduce the entire population of the world to himself, TimSchafer, and one woman if she promised to wear a TimSchafer mask.
* ShoehornedFirstLetter: "''[[SeriousSam BFE]]'' stands for ''Before First Encounter'' - not, as I had first believed, ''Big Fucking Egun''..."
* ShoutOut: Lots. For example, the first ship seen in the ''DeadSpace'' review is the Pyro-GX from ''{{Descent}}''.
** Some of them are subtle; for instance, the PC in ''Red Steel 2'', who wears a bright red cowboy hat and trenchcoat is greeted by "[[{{Hellsing}} Are you that vampire guy?]]"
** He has referenced BackToTheFuture several times, usually when talking about Time Travel.
*** Almost all instances mentioning time travel have a picture of the [[DoctorWho TARDIS]], as well.
** Yahtzee is a fan of {{Eddie Izzard}}, phrases like "small yappy dog", "running, jumping, climbing" and "buttocks for a hat" have all been used in Izzard's sketches. Confirmed on one of the podcasts for Australian Gamer, when Matt calls him out on saying that everyone in Britain has a country manor.
** One of the dungeons in ''{{Nier}}'' takes the form of a text adventure game, illustrated with "This dungeon has been replaced by a series of [[ColossalCave twisty text screens, all alike]]."
** He's recycled one or two of {{Seanbaby}}'s jokes, but they may be more flat ripoffs than shout outs because the ones Yahtzee borrowed aren't particularly well-known.
** The plot of ''{{Singularity}}'' has "more [[PlotHole holes]] than [[TheBeatles Blackburn, Lancashire]]".
** At the end of his ''[[LegendOfZelda Phantom Hourglass]]'' review, he suggest for the next game that Nintendo [[{{Okami}} get rid of the princess, change the hero to a dog, change the setting to feudal Japan, and replace the weapons with magic spells cast with a paintbrush.]]
** Describing [[NoMoreHeroes Travis Touchdown]] as a massive nerd, he's shown lusting over [[SuzumiyaHaruhi Haruhi]].
** In ''ThiefTheDarkProject'', one of the badly done guard sprites goes [[TheEnigmaOfAmigaraFault DRR DRR DRR]].
** Any time he mentions the words ''BattleRoyale'', he shows a picture of one of his characters suffering a common death in the work, exploding collars.
** The [[OnceAnEpisode ending credits comic]] for his ''[[{{Killzone}} Killzone 3]]'' review features one of the Helghast going for a haircut only to have the imp barber [[SweeneyTodd slash at his neck with his hair-cutting tools]].
** A blink and you'll miss it reference to the Pixies is in the Yakuza 4 review, where a car is shown playing "Here Comes Your Man".
** To the Kaiser Chiefs, his Wet review introduces the heroine Rubi like this: [[{{Earworm}} rubirubirubi]][[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qObzgUfCl28 RUBI]] !
** The ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' review (the real one, not the parody one) gives us [[WebOriginal/TeenGirlSquad ALBATROSS'D]]!
** Yahtzee comments in the ''{{Catherine}}'' review that anime protagonists all tend to be "[[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion angsty and ineffectual, and given to wanking off over unconscious women]]".
** "[{{Singularity}}] rips off the cutesy, '50's style ads from VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}, which VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}} ripped off from {{Fallout}}. It's like a magnificent HumanCentipede stretching back through gaming history."
** In one of his Extra Punctuation articles he offhandedly refers to a generic supervillain minion as "Longshoreman X." A reference to DeadToRights and almost certainly {{Slowbeef}}'s Let's Play of the game.
** In the ''KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning'' review, one of the monsters "borrowed from European folklore" is [[TheMoomins a Moomin]].
** Says [[TwistedMetal Calypso]] could only more obviously be Satan "if he had horns and [[DivineComedy was idly chewing on Judas Iscariot]]."
* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: The ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' review, which of course was all made up, as well as the ''VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein}}'' review which was, except for the introduction, entirely in limerick form, including the tag-ending text.
** His trip to Washington D.C.
** His FauxToGuide on webcomics and the "Post-Brawl Mailbag Showdown" might count as well, particularly the former.
* SophisticatedAsHell: Many examples over the years.
-->"Contrary to the claims made in the previous video, I have not, in actuality, [[YourMom fucked your mum]] because, damn, that shit is nasty, yo."
** "[Fairly serious analysis]...and I can't think of a joke for that sentence, so here's a picture of a dog in a hat."
** In describing ''HeavyRain'': "The zenith is a hauntingly visceral and ''[[PrecisionFStrike fucking]]'' ''hard to watch'' scene in which..."
* SpiritualLicensee: A lot of comparisons are drawn between ''LAConfidential'' and ''LANoire''. [[invoked]]
** He referred to {{Painkiller}} as "The unofficial [[{{Doom}} Doom 3]]".
* SpoofAesop: The lesson of ''Catherine'' seems to be "men are all directionless tidal waves, and [[AccidentalInnuendo women are all dikes]] built in the path of their raging flood."
-->"...Blimey, [[ThatCameOutWrong what a badly-worded metaphor.]]"
* StarbucksSkinScale: A ButNotTooBlack character is dismissed as "dipped in tea".
* StealthInsult: His ''ModernWarfare'' review features "Killing in the Name Of" by Rage Against the Machine playing over the end credits, which becomes hilarious when you consider that he has spent most of the review telling people who suggest things to him to get fucked. He doesn't play the song long enough for the joke to become apparent, but anyone who's listened to it knows that towards the end the singer just keeps repeating "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" over and over again.
* StorybookOpening: ''RedFaction Guerrilla''.
* StoryToGameplayRatio: Yahtzee's a bit hard to pin down on this one, but the important things are that the amount of story must fit the game and that StoryAndGameplaySegregation must not intrude. ''SilentHill 2'' is his definitive example of getting the balance right.
* StoutStrength: An odd example, he refers to any large muscular character as fat even if they have an impossibly fit and overmuscled build.
* SturgeonsLaw: Applied frequently, with an even more negative twist: "Everything is shit until proven otherwise", a.k.a. "the Guantanamo Bay approach".
-->"Experience has taught me that while declaring a game shitty because of the first few hours is perfectly valid and completely professional, you should never assume that a good game will stay good."
** He handily applies this trope to user-made content as well, during the ''LittleBigPlanet'' review.
-->"I feel there's a fundamental difference of philosophy between me and the developers of ''LittleBigPlanet'': they believe every single person is an extra-special god-child with a bud of creativity aching to burst out into a single perfect flower; and I believe every single person is a tosser, and any flowers that pop up are going to be buried under garbage, fiery penises and countless reproductions of levels from Super Mario Bros."
* SubliminalSeduction: In his [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/616-50-Cent-Blood-on-the-Sand 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand review]], [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yzblackfriend.jpg this]] {{image macro}} quickly pops up several times during the video.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: See HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday (not gay.)
** In the review for ''BatmanArkhamCity'', Bruce Wayne is represented with a man wearing a t-shirt saying "Not Batman".
* TakeThat: Various games -- not just whatever he's reviewing. He's made recurring insults against ''{{Halo}}'', its fans, Nintendo's fondness for its own franchises, [[EagleLand Americans]], Gamespot after the ''KaneAndLynch'' [[FourPointScale debacle]], and Japanese [=RPGs=]. Not to mention two of his videos, which were extended {{Take That}}s aimed at, respectively, bad gaming WebComics in general (and one [[CtrlAltDel in particular]]), and ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' (dedicated to insulting 3D Realms, their investors, and the fans disappointed by the game's demise).
** There's another TakeThat directed at ''CtrlAltDel'' in his ''MassEffect'' review.
** Yahtzee's review of ''Wii Sports Resort'' was a TakeThat to the fans who stop watching his videos because he pans the NintendoWii. He later [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] the InternetBackdraft that will inevitably occur by bidding his Wii-owning fans a fond farewell. Yahtzee has a longstanding animus toward all things Wii (and some other things about Nintendo), and while he has praised a small handful of Wii games, he gladly indulges in that animus.
** An absolutely huge on at the start of his ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' review: tearing into people that demand he review a certain game, despite his highly critical approach, only to then be shocked and complain when he criticises it.
** He also makes constant Take That's to Australian censorship laws, Australian region release dates and people behind them.
** His ''PrinceOfPersia: Forgotten Sands'' review starts with one against RogerEbert... which he then revisits and SLAMS IN THE VIEWER'S FACE at the end of the review.
-->"SEE, ROGER EBERT, THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE!"
** "Or, if you would prefer something [[TransformersWarForCybertron bland and unchallenging]], then how about ''eating a dick?''"
** At the end of the ''HaloReach'' review ([[ShockingSwerve which he actually said could stand up on its own as a single-player experience, though not to the level of classics]]), he mentions that your enjoyment of it is dependent on your disposable income:
--> "If you willingly parted money for the [[PS3 Playstation Move]], feel free to go nuts, because you probably already have done."
** "Will [''SymphonyOfTheNight''] be one of those old classics that still hold up from a fresh modern perspective -- like ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' and PatrickStewart -- or will it be like one of those embarrassing older relatives that survive on nostalgia and self-effacement, like ''{{Myst}}'' or WilliamShatner?"
** "...[[BritishFootyTeams Manchester United]], nil."
** ''LANoire'''s director asks a MotionCapture actor to "look like you're lying". His SpeechBubble is a picture of TonyBlair.
** Comparing ''Driver: San Francisco's'' {{Body Surf}}ing antics to those of ''QuantumLeap''. Cue Tanner donning a Scott Bakula mask, along with the caption "[[StarTrekEnterprise I RUINED STAR TREK]]".
** His review of ''DeadIsland'' is absolutely full of it, declaring that he will make a zombie apocalypse game where your party will struggle to survive against an avalanche of zombie apocalypse games, titled ''Enough With The Fucking Zombies Already'', and that gamers couldn't handle it if the world ended in any other way.
** "So much of triple-A gaming these days is endless [[KaneAndLynch2 sequels]], [[KaneAndLynch2 ripoffs]], and [[KaneAndLynch2 wank]]."
* TakeThatAudience: Constant, constant, constant. There is very rarely a video or an Extra Punctuation column where he doesn't insult the viewers and/or himself.
** Commenting in the ''DeadIsland'' review, notes that while the average gamer acts as if they would take a zombie apocalypse as an opportunity to shine, they would be more likely to talk suicide pacts if the internet went down for more than a week.
* TakeThatScrappy: InUniverse, he ends his ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' review with him doing horrible things to Vanille.
* TalksLikeASimile: For humorous effect, given the nature of the similes. As an example, one of them involved the voice acting in a game being comparable to being raped in the ear by a man wearing a sandpaper condom. Though technically it wasn't ''him'' who said it, it was his roommate. And "Not in those exact words, of course."
** Matt maintains he actually described it as like driving a corkscrew into his ears.
--> "I wonder if the Geneva Convention covers torturing metaphors?"
* TankGoodness: In ''{{Halo}} Wars''.
-->"There's no reason to build any troops, really. Tanks do not move any slower, they just take longer to build and, well, ''they're fucking tanks!''"
* TertiarySexualCharacteristics: The female imps have red bows on their heads.
* TestosteronePoisoning: Yahtzee seems quite fond of making jokes about his masculinity, stating that it's one of the reasons why he cares little for the {{RTS}} Genre. The subtitle for his Fully Ramblomatic site is "The website for REAL MEN".
** Regarding the miserably scowling hero of ''{{Darksiders}}'':
--> "If I threw a seven-foot demon into the air and cut it in half with one swing... I'd be like, ''fucking hell!'' Did anyone see that? I'm squirting machismo out of my ''nipples'' here! I am a monster truck that walks like a man!"
** He even claims the opposite in regards to playing {{JRPG}}s for any length of time beyond [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII five hours]]. Like he did with ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou''.
--> "...Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go play an FPS before my body finishes ''absorbing my testicles''."
** He does however have a poor opinion of games that use this trope unironically.
* TheThemeParkVersion: Most people who claim to share Yahtzee's views exactly have patently never watched a single review and simply parrot over-exaggerated versions of his particularly caustic reviews as though that were his entire opinion on the entire genre.
* ThisLoserIsYou: Yahtzee's hatred for this trope is made plain in his ''TransformersWarForCybertron'' review, where he derides Shia [=LeBeouf=]'s various characters in ways like, "Indiana Jones is over thirty? No one can relate to that!"
* ThisIsSparta: [[RedFaction Darius Mason]] triumphs by using his magic flashlight the fix Mars' weather inside of five minutes. ..Erm.
-->"Not to dampen your sense of victory, Darius, mate, but why didn't you do that three years ago ''right after it broke?'' You '''''DUMB''''' [{{dopeslap}}] '''''BALD''''' [dopeslap] '''''TWAT.'''''
* TickleTorture: The way he illustrates the mentioned the initial torture sesions of ''Black Ops''.
* ToMakeALongStoryShort: In his review of ''Spore'' and whether it's as good as ''TheSims''.
-->Short answer: No. Long Answer: [[BigNo Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo]][[OverlyLongGag oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.]]
* TooManyCooksSpoilTheSoup: He brings this up frequently about the large-name corporations running the big-budget titles, and even brings up how such lack of discipline ruined ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2''.
** He takes this metaphor to [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/8892-Extra-Punctuation-Action-Is-Not-Finisher-Porn extraordinary lengths]] in ''Extra Punctuation''.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood:
** Branston Pickle, which is typically used as a metaphor for "so unique you have to try it".
** Cadbury's Creme Eggs and chip sandwiches show up infrequently.
** In [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/657-Grand-Theft-Auto-Chinatown-Wars one episode]] he considered combining the two to make a Cadbury's Branston Pickle Egg. Then cut to credits. Then [[TheStinger he came back]] with a report on how it went (not very well).
** He also mentions Cornettos several times in his earlier reviews.
* {{Troll}}: Yahtzee once reflects that he's seen as a "professional troll," which he imagines as a hulking creature lurking under a bridge, handing out business cards.
* {{Troperiffic}}: Many of the entrance quotes of the Trope pages are from him.
* TwainsObservationOnOriginality: Numerous reviews allude to this concept. His running metaphor about Branston Pickle (to describe something so original and distinctive that it must be appreciated in spite of its flaws) more or less amounts to this trope.
* TwentyBearAsses: One of his reasons for hating {{MMORPG}}s is because most quests are variants of this. A sight gag from his ''RedDeadRedemption'' video is him running from a cougar holding a pile of [[LifeOfBrian otter noses]] while the caption "7/8 OTTER NOSES" floats over him.
* TheUnintelligible: The Imp, during his extremely short lived HostileShowTakeover.
* UnpleasableFanbase: Lampshaded in-universe. "Fans are clingy, complaining dipshits who will never ever be grateful for any concession you make. Incidentally, [[HypocriticalHumor why not buy a Zero Punctuation t-shirt?"]]
* UnreliableNarrator: A quick one where Yahtzee shows on a chart ranking games by violence, which claims that ''{{Barbie}} Horseback Racing'' is slightly more violent that the war game ''ResistanceFallOfMan 3''.
* VerbalBackspace: RunningGag in ''{{Bayonetta}}'' review.
** Also, from his ''ArmyOfTwo'' review, when he starts slipping into gay jokes again though he was trying to cut down on them: "No! Bad Yahtzee!"
* VictoryCake: [[SeenItAMillionTimes A few times]] but most recently in the [[GodOfWar God Of War III]] review:
--> The actual challenge of the fight is basically 'Go here, then here, then QuickTimeEvent then win. Then cake.'
* VideoGameCaringPotential: Usually, Yahtzee is a cruel, heartless bastard, but every once in a while even he admits to liking the characters that he plays or the {{NPC}}s he gets saddled with.
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: Why Yahtzee loves ''SaintsRow 2''.
** Also, from his review of ''SimCity Societies'':
---> "It seems when you place most people in the position of a god and give them responsibility over many tiny lesser beings, then their attitude towards them is usually less about [[VideoGameCaringPotential beloved children]] and more about target practice."
** In his "Best of 2010" video, his favorite game of the year was ''[[VideoGame/JustCause Just Cause 2]]'', because "any criticism I might have given it is drowned out by the terrified scream of an enemy soldier with one leg tied to a Harrier jet."
** He dedicated a point during his VideoGame/{{Infamous}} vs. VideoGame/{{Prototype}} match to which game gave the players a better oppurtunity to be a colossal dick. If you can't tell which one won that round, [[VideoGame/{{Prototype}} it was the one that let you eat people]].
* ViewersAreGeniuses: In Yahtzee's review of ''Deathspank'', how many people got that he picked the town name of Northampton for a visual gag about a mystical place because it's very close to the real life English town of [[KingsQuest Daventry?]]
* VisualPun: Many of the BRollRebus visuals. He even {{lampshaded}} it when he came up with an [[IncrediblyLamePun exceptionally lame one]] with a large caption reading "VISUAL PUN".
** Then subverted in one review, where the word "incongruous" was met with a screen of text just saying "A word I can't fucking illustrate."
** ''Deathspank'' is illustrated with TheGrimReaper giving Yahtzee's AuthorAvatar a spanking.
** In ''MafiaII'', "fast whores" is illustrated by a female imp [[SpeedLines zooming]] across the screen going "NEEEOOOW".
** When he says "Give me some credit" (about assuming the everyday details of the character's life), an imp offers him a credit card.
** All the way back at his [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/7-Peggle Peggle review]], you have the images on the pegs: busts of SimonPegg.
* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: By his own admission, he doesn't believe in it, even stating that "true love" is indistinguishable from brain damage.
* WhatTheHellHero: Rebecca Mayes' love song to him, calling him out on the lowest-common-denominator parts of his humour then asking him out for a drink...[[{{Yandere}} and threatening to stab him with a screwdriver]].
* {{Whoring}}: Yahtzee both hates the very existence of and abuses the hell out of moves that can be used for extreme versions of this, including but not limited to [[RedSteel a parry that automatically stuns the opponent]], [[VideoGame/{{Prototype}} a tentacle attack with way too long a reach]], [[SoulCalibur tossing his helpless AI opponent around like a ragdoll]], and [[GodOfWar the "fuck you" button]].
* XDaysSince: Parodied in the ''ArmyOfTwo'' review as "X Hours Since the Last Gay Joke".
* XMeetsY: His analysis of ''{{Minecraft}}''.
--> Christ, this is like ''[[TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]'' meets ''ThereWillBeBlood''!"
* YaoiFangirl: One of these makes a brief cameo in the ''MetalGearSolid4'' review when Yahtzee points out that [[HeterosexualLifePartners Snake and Otacon's]] relationship is a goldmine of HoYay.
* YouBastard: Yahtzee actually suggests this exact trope as an alternate name for ''[[VideoGame/MonsterHunter Monster Hunter Tri]]'' when his first suggestion (he got as far as ''[[OverlyLongGag Hunter/Gatherer Of Innocent Young Dinosaurs Pathetically Mewling Their Last As The Memory Of Their Mother's Warmth Drifts Away To Be Replaced By The Unforgiving Coldness Of...]]'' before giving up) didn't really work.
* YouKeepUsingThatWord: During the Mailbag Showdown, after a reader told him, "There wasn't really much of a review here. From a purely objective standpoint, ''SuperSmashBrothersBrawl'' is actually quite a superb game, as you can tell from reading reviews":
-->'''Yahtzee:''' I think you should look up the word "objective", because [[YouKeepUsingThatWord I don't think it means what you think it means]]. It's worth remembering that all reviews are subjective personal opinions and if you personally enjoy the game, then they shouldn't really get to you. Unless of course there's a despicable little niggling doubt in the back of your mind, that maybe you're not having as much fun as you've convinced yourself you're having, which doesn't go away no matter how many times you try to slap it down with the wet flannel of weak excuses...
** {{Lampshaded}} by Yahtzee himself in one column, where he mentions that he's caught himself using certain words so many times that he's had to step back and wonder what the hell he's actually talking about. Helpfully, he put together a handy little glossary of some of his favorites.
* YouKilledMyFather: Used as a CreditsGag.
* YouMakeMeSic: He employs this during the "Mailbag Showdown" video by correcting the emails in red as he reads them.
* YourMom: She turns up a lot in ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'', and Yahtzee usually either hits on her or tries to have sex with her.
** Or in one case as shown in his ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' review, kicking some ass.
----
->''"Releasing videos on YouTube is kind of like throwing a message in a bottle out into a churning sea of messages in bottles: the chance of you getting noticed and someone being sent out to rescue you is punishingly slim. But every once in a blue moon, someone who owns a big boat made of money finds your message and agrees to let you ride on his big boat made of money if you keep making messages for him. Then the two of you go on adventures with a smart mouthed talking dog and travel to the land of the gumdrop king [[{{Metaphorgotten}} and I've sort of forgotten where I was going with this.]] Anyway, the point is, if you enjoyed my ''[[TheDarkness Darkness]]'' and ''{{Fable}}'' video reviews, you can now enjoy videos very much like them every week at ''The Escapist''."''
-->-- '''Ben Croshaw''' announces ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation''
[[BenCroshaw Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw]], critic and amateur game developer, decided one day to conduct an experiment. He was faced with a demo of ''TheDarkness'' he wished to review for his website, but wanted to try something new. So he took Photoshop, Windows Movie Maker, a headset mic and his sense of humour, and turned them into a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWS9_nrKOPA YouTube video]]. He then turned to ''[[{{Fable}} Fable: The Lost Chapters]]''.
Less than a month later, he was hired by ''[[http://www.escapistmagazine.com The Escapist]]'', an online magazine with a big boat made of money (see the page quote), to release one of these video reviews a week. That explains the origin of ''[[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation Zero Punctuation]]'' in the driest possible way, but not the popularity of it; the combination of [[AccentuateTheNegative caustic humour]], [[MotorMouth rapid-fire delivery]] and [[VisualPun visual gags]] made Zero Punctuation an instant success. The result is quite a polarising, LoveItOrHateIt series.
Yahtzee has started doing a weekly follow-up column, called "[[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation Extra Punctuation]]", in order to explain his views and opinions on the game of the week in greater detail, and bring up points he could not turn into jokes.
Staring in February 2011, he also did a column called "Extra Consideration" with Bob "MovieBob" Chipman and James Portnow of ExtraCredits (though Portnow was replaced by Jim Sterling of Destructoid fame after he left the Escapist). The column petered out by early September, sadly, but its entire run can still be found [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/articles/Extra%20Consideration here]].
Previews of the next video were shown on ''{{X-Play}}'' for a brief period in 2008.
Do not confuse with NoPeriodsPeriod or NoPunctuationPeriod.
----
!!''Zero Punctuation'' is the TropeNamer for:
* PressXToNotDie: Lampshaded in ''Battlefield 3'', when he [[ImagineSpot imagines]] a [[OurFounder monument to himself]] with this engraved on its pedestal.
** PressXToDie
!!Tropes which ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'' provides an example of:
* AccentuateTheNegative: Yahtzee's style, to the point where he'll occasionally rattle off a four-minute list of a game's flaws and then sum up by saying how much he enjoyed it. ("But having now whinged myself inside-out, I have to say that I find ''[[{{STALKER}} S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky]]'' weirdly compelling.") Presumably this means there are ''some'' positive qualities, but listing them isn't his department and has claimed "people don't like me being nice to a game".
** He stated in his ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}}'' review that he views his job as tearing the bad and the mediocre games to shreds so that the rare game that could be called great can shine all the brighter.
** In his review for ''BatmanArkhamAsylum'' Yahtzee says that he's more of a QA man and that anything he doesn't mention in his review is a good part of the game.
** As he put it in the same review: "You don't call a sewer technician to redecorate your bathroom, and you don't come to me to hear about how a game is good."
** "In fact, I might go so far as to say that ''[[TomClancy H.A.W.X.]]'' has sold me on air combat games. But that's not funny, so let's find more things to rip on."
** From the [[{{Valve}} Orange Box]] review: "If I did have to criticise it -- and I do" [Cue Escapist logo holding up a contract.]
** ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'': "I can't think of any criticism for it" [Cue Escapist logo holding up a contract] and "Absolutely sublime from start to finish and I will jam forks into my eyes if I ever have to use those words to describe anything else, ever again."
** From the ''CliveBarkersJericho'' review: "I could go on listing the stupid design decisions...so I will."
** Even going back to his ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' review: "If my ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' review taught me anything it's that no one likes it when I'm being nice to a game..."
** Inverted: when he finally got the chance to play ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'', Yahtzee was actively trying to like it and ignore the faults, but eventually had to relent because he'd been harsh to games for far lesser reasons.
** Spoofed in his ''GearsOfWar 2'' review, where he tries as much as he can to hate it, but lists off some of the stuff it does well that prevents him from hating it. It ends with, "There aren't even any quick-time events! Oh, wait, there is ''one''. A little one. I guess that means I have to hate it."
*** Retroactively played straight again; he bashed the entire ''Gears'' series with the release of ''GearsOfWar 3''
* AcceptableTargets: [[invoked]] Swindon, George Lucas, and others.
* AlasPoorScrappy: In-universe (for lack of a better term) example: Yahtzee said during his "review" for ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' that the cancellation of the game wasn't the end of the world since it had been overshadowed by other franchises, most notably ''HalfLife''. However, in his Extra Punctuation article, while reflecting on the plans of bringing it out in 2011, Yahtzee admitted that too many FPS have taken the cover-based combat route and he'd like a return to the basics with one guy facing armies all at once.
* AllMenArePerverts: Despite being an example himself, Yahtzee has expressed dismay at how widespread this trope is in real life, lamenting that all a crappy game has to do to become wildly successful is [[{{Fanservice}} stick a picture of a busty scantily-clad woman]] on the cover.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: In-Universe: For a number of games he reviews, his viewpoint tends to cast the protagonist in an extremely negative light.
** His first instance of this is reviewing ''TombRaider'', where he portrays Lara as an irreverent, iconoclastic kleptomaniac.
** Drake of ''{{Uncharted}}'' is portrayed as a racist and hypocritical SmugSnake.
** Ruby of ''{{Wet}}'' is an unlikeable and murderous bitch.
** Faith of ''[[MirrorsEdge Mirror's Edge]]'' could "easily have been a terrorist" without changing the game much.
** Rico of ''VideoGame/JustCause'' is an "immortal, physics-defying wizard."
** He encourages viewers to play ''HeavyRain'' whilst pretending that Agent Jayden is from the future.
*** Also, the Origami Killer is a cheap rip-off of Jigsaw.
** Vanille of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' either has Alzheimer's or is from space.
** The protagonists of the ''{{Pokemon}}'' games have [[{{Syndicate}} chips in their mind]] and are actually in a CreepyBasement.
** The protagonist of ''{{Fable}} 3'' is [[ButYouScrewOneGoat shagging his dog]].
** Cole Phelps from ''LANoire'' is a robot.
** Bowser of the ''SuperMarioBros'' games is a charismatic union leader who defies the upper-class bourgeoisies of the Mushroom Kingdom but secretly yearns for their approval.
** Jack Slate of ''DeadToRights'' is more murderous sociopath than law enforcement agent.
** Kimberly of ''CallOfJuarez the Cartel'' is an unfeeling sociopathic bitch.
** Vincent of ''{{Catherine}}'' is a bumbling idiot whose friends only pretend to like him.
** ''Batman'' revolves around hordes of [[JustifiedCriminal impressionable, poverty-stricken]] [[StreetUrchin young people]] having [[KillThePoor all their arms and legs broken]] by an extremely rich businessman.
*** In his underpants.
** Snarky!Hawke from ''DragonAgeII'' is CampGay.
** Link from ''LegendOfZelda'' is a pathetic drug addict and HeroicSociopath who can only function when given an adventure or while absolutely snowblind.
** SonicTheHedgehog is a drug addicted paedophile.
** 50Cent destabilized the Middle East.
** Lana from ''AMY'' is an absolute idiot.
** GoichiSuda was the result of a bizarre cloning experiment.
** The Fateless one from ''Kingdoms of Amalur'' was actually pre-destined by fate to become what they became.
** ''Splosionman'' is a ''BrokenBird''.
* AnalogyBackfire:
** His reason for suspending judgment on the Kinect. "Pope Urban VIII probably thought ''he'' was very clever when he condemned Galileo, but who got the last laugh there? Well, he did when Galileo died alone and in poverty but what I'm saying is [[AGodAmI I'm basically like the Pope]]."
** Then there's this example from his VideoGame/{{Catherine}} review:
-->''...men are all directionless tidal waves and women are all dikes built in the path of their raging floods. [[LampshadeHanging Blimey, what a badly worded metaphor]].''
* AprilFools:
** In 2009, the hosts of {{Unskippable}} pretended to stage a HostileShowTakeover and reviewed VideoGame/XBlades before Yahtzee seized the show back to review {{Halo}} Wars. Yahtzee also guest-commentated on {{Unskippable}}.
** In 2010, the usually MotorMouth Yahtzee recited ''Ode to Melancholy'' in a very slow, ponderous manner.
* ArchEnemy:
** Yahtzee considers Michael Atkinson this.
** Almost anything that tells him to PressXToNotDie.
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: A few blink-and-you'll-miss-it examples.
** In ''[[BatmanArkhamAsylum Batman: Arkham Asylum]]'':
---> "I could talk about how the combat flows, and how the atmosphere is solid, and how the highlights for me were the Scarecrow sections where Batman's perceptions of reality are skewed in favor of a nightmarish introspective delusional glimpse into the darkest recesses of his soul and how jumping on people is cool."
** On a signpost in the Witcher review:
--->SHAME\\
FAILURE\\
IGNOMINY\\
SWINDON
** The list of things George Lucas will never do: Definitely end popular moneyspinning franchise, refuse a second helping of pancakes, admit failure, survive in vacuum, shave.
** In his Resistance 3 review, he accuses the game of copying {{VALVe}}'s Half-Life 2. Amongst his accusations are identical mechanics, a straight Expy of the Ravenholm level, and "the scientist has a beard." Because, you know, Gordon Freeman has a beard.
** From his ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles review: "Umbrella Chronicles is a heavily cut down retread of three of the major ResidentEvil games, starring JohnnyBravo, a prostitute, an idiot, a mullet, a 9 year old boy, a brick shit-house, and Carlos."
* {{Asexuality}}: Has self-confessed issues with sex and/or kids, so games that rely on either for appeal get marked down severely.
* AudioErotica: His opinion on StephenFry in ''LittleBigPlanet'' as well as [[InteractiveNarrator Rucks]] in ''{{Bastion}}''; he's a fan of famous voices in general, and feels that having them as {{One Scene Wonder}}s is a waste of potential.
* AuthorFilibuster: Occasionally, if Yahtzee can't find enough to complain about in the game, he'll engage in one of these.
* AwesomenessIsVolatile: Yahtzee implied this would happen if ''NoMoreHeroes'' were combined with Branston Pickle.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: A surprising amount of people write in with requests and then get offended when he rips into the game.
* BerserkButton:
** In the ''TransformersWarForCybertron'' review, the mention of ShiaLaBeouf sent him into a barely-restrained seething rage.
** NolanNorth's presence in a game tends to be a sour point for him (especially if he voices the [[AssassinsCreed main]] [[{{Uncharted}} character]]). However, he's stated that it's nothing against the man himself, though even cases of PlayingAgainstType will make him hate the character as long as he knows it's him.
** Quick Time Events. Enough so that he named a trope for them. (See: PressXToNotDie)
** He seems to developing one over reboots/sequels that share identical names with their predecessors, such as Wolfenstein, Mortal Kombat, Twisted Metal, and Aliens vs Predator, saying it's needlessly confusing to have two identically titled games in the same series separated by nothing but time, even if that time in some cases is a few decades.
* BeYourself: Unfortunately, while he does frequently state that the reviews are his subjective opinion and that people should ultimately decide what games they think are good, you'd never be able to tell reading the comments on the Escapist.
* BitingTheHandHumor: "I made this chart to see how many people visit ''The Escapist'' on days besides Wednesday..."
* BreadEggsMilkSquick[=/=]FreudianSlipperySlope: The end of the Anniversary edition of ''TombRaider''.
* BringMyBrownPants: Standard procedure for ''VideoGame/{{Penumbra}}'' and ''VideoGame/AmnesiaTheDarkDescent''.
* BRollRebus: Nearly all of the visuals that aren't meant to represent gameplay. His Wikiquote entry even {{Pot Hole}}s some of them for lack of images.
* BiasSteamroller: When he takes out one, it's ''very'' strong, to make an understatement.
** He refuses to review [=JRPGs=] pretty much on principle, and none of his reviews of the few he has played are anywhere near positive. Similar deal with fighter games. He's a bit kinder to Strategy games, but avoids them because he dislikes the genre.
** Of late he's had a tendency to hate Nintendo games simply for being Nintendo games. He's self-admittedly rarely been kind to the company but even the shreds of respect he had for them seem to have evaporated.
** Even just being a ''ModernWarfare''-style shooter is enough to draw his ire. The only games he's reviewed overwhelmingly positively in the genre are ''GearsOfWar 2'' (a review which he later regretted, claiming in his review of the game's sequel that he honestly couldn't remember why he'd been so kind to the second game) and the original ''ModernWarfare''.
** Sandbox games get a bit of a fair pass from him and tend to get positive reviews. For instance, his ''{{Skyrim}}'' review barely touched the game, but was mostly about bashing modern shooters.
* BigNo: The ''{{Spore}}'' review. Twice. But with a [[DeadpanSnarker twist]].
--> "Short answer: no. Long answer: nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo."
* BilingualBonus: When Yahtzee "quotes" a ZP fan extolling SirenBloodCurse to him, said fan starts spouting off about Yahtzee's love of Japanese horror, eventually devolving into random Japanese words: "Watashi wa baka gaijin," which roughly translates to "I'm a stupid foreigner."
* BlandNameProduct: In order to avoid mentioning any real gaming webcomics in his review of the genre, he used ''[[PennyArcade Benny Barcade]]'' and ''[[CtrlAltDel Bontrol Bolt Belete]]'' as names instead. This was a ShoutOut to ''MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'', with its [[ThoseWackyNazis National Bocialist Party]] and their boncentration bamps.
* BookEnds: Before reviewing ''[[{{Fable}} Fable II]]'', Yahtzee notes that all he needs to do now is review ''TheDarkness'' a second time then be "[[{{Squick}} sucked into a grown woman's vagina]]" and his life will have been more-or-less symmetrical. (Sadly, he failed to bring this joke back up while reviewing the sequel to ''TheDarkness''.)
** The review of ''Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands'' ([[BlatantLies which totally wasn't made to cash in on a movie]]) starts with a TakeThat against RogerEbert's (then-recent) remark that video games couldn't be art. He then ignores it for the rest of the review until the very end when he yells at Ebert again.
* BrainBleach: In-universe example -- it's a favorite reaction by Croshaw.
* BrickJoke:
** The ''NoMoreHeroes'' review opens with the Stranglers song of the same name. However, the song's [[RecordNeedleScratch abruptly cut off]]: "No, no, that's a bit too obvious." This isn't mentioned throughout the entire review. Finally, in [[CreditsGag the credits]], the songs used in the video are listed as normal, except that "No More Heroes" has been thoroughly scribbled out.
** Another one consisted of a spoiler warning in mid-episode, where Yahtzee told spoiler-sensitive viewers to plug their ears and wait for the credits. The credits mini-comic consisted of a series of famous spoilers from other works. ([[spoiler: [[Film/CitizenKane It was his sled]], [[TheUsualSuspects Keyser Soze = Kevin Spacey]], etc.]])
** The [[GroinAttack sausage-slicing machine]] in the [[{{Killzone}} Killzone 3]] review.
* BrokenRecord: "You couldn't get away with releasing a buggy game in the cartridge and cassette days; you'd be trampled under the company Brontosaurus. But I'll tell you the worst part- worst part- worst part- worst part- [[WeAreExperiencingTechnicalDifficulties *system error*]] [[{{OrphanedPunchline}} ...and whistled for a baboon!]]
* BuffySpeak: His metaphors descend into this while reviewing ''LittleBigPlanet.'' {{Lampshaded}} in the same review -- it was very hot that week and he couldn't think of anything better.
* CallBack: As far as the eye can see.
** "[[HelloInsertNameHere Senor Koquonfaes and Gareth Gobelcoque]] are cousins by marriage."
*** It turns out that Gareth is a [[ContinuityNod long-forgotten comrade]] of [[MassEffect2 Titty Shepard]].
** Plot summary for ''DeadToRights'':
--> "Bang! Punch! Bang! Punch! Bang! Punch! Woof!"
** And for ''DeadIsland'':
--> "Grr! Kick! Grr! Kick! Grr! Kick! Splat!"
** The phrase "triple-cunted hooker" makes a number of appearances.
** In the ''HardReset'' review, Yahtzee compares the game to ''{{Painkiller}}'' by dint of the fact that many who worked on the former were also among the crew of the latter. While praising ''Painkiller''' for its array of creative death distribution implements, the avatar onscreen wields a shotgun that has tits and is on fire -- precisely the phrasing Yahtzee used in his review of ''Painkiller''.
** In the ''SuperMarioBrosWii'' review the credits state that Yahtzee only has two friends. Later in the ''{{Nier}}'' review we find out that this was referring to the imp and the extremely bored looking man respectively, hence why they are the only recurring characters in his videos.
** The "paddling pool full of disembodied breasts" analogy in the ''[[SaintsRow Saints Row 2]]'' review returns in an exaggerated form in the ''SaintsRowTheThird'' review.
* CargoShip: In-universe example: In his ''RedFaction Guerrilla'' review, Yahtzee admitted he pretty much proposed to ''[[SaintsRow Saints Row 2]]'' in his review of it -- complete with picture of him and the game in bride and groom attire, respectively.
** In his ''SilentHill2'' retro review, he lampshades his fondness for "dropping to my knees and wrapping my lips around old titles from time to time," and another review shows him humping the ''SilentHill2'' box art.
** He made a similar comment about the ''PrinceOfPersia'' series, saying "If I suck that particular dick any harder, it's going to [[{{Squick}} drop off]]."
* CausticCritic: The {{YKTTW}} for CausticCritic was named "Parent Genre of Zero Punctuation"
* ChaoticNeutral: Yahtzee claims to be this alignment in his ''{{Spider-Man Web Of Shadows}}'' review and encourages his fans to argue on the forum as to whether he is or not. [[invoked]]
* ChewBubblegum: A [[ItMakesSenseInContext zombie Duke Nukem]] says "Time to kick ass and chew brains" in the ''BadCompany'' review.
* ClipShow: The [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/2589-Holiday-2010 Holiday 2010 episode]], after Yahtzee mocks the viewer for showing up when they should know that he gets that week off.
* ClusterFBomb: At least once per episode. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in his review of ''{{WET}}'', where he claims the protagonist Rubi considers [[ClusterFBomb swearing to be wit]], yelling out "[[HypocriticalHumor That's my thing!]]"
* TheCoconutEffect: Discussed in his ''Extra Punctuation'' column on {{Boss Battle}}s.
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Referred to by the exact name during his ''[[{{Overlord}} Overlord 2]]'' review.
* ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontWatch:[[invoked]]
** He has accused the [[TheLegendOfZelda Zelda series]] of all its entries being the same game. However, he has also shown he actually hasn't played the series that thoroughly. By the time the show started, he only had played two games (TheWindWaker and TwilightPrincess, which he claims to like) and yet, he made that accusation right from his first Zelda review (PhantomHourglass). In other words, he only knew 3 out of 14 games. He also admited in his review of the Nintendo3DS version of OcarinaOfTime that he barely played the original game, and in his SkywardSword review, he shows those five are the only games in the series he has played and finished. That means he still only knows one third of the series. See ItsTheSameNowItSucks below.
** The fact that he always includes MajorasMask, of all games, inside the "all Zelda games are the same game" statement (via background images), makes it even clearer. If people complain about something in that game is, precisely, TheyChangedItNowItSucks. TheAdventureOfLink and FourSwordsAdventures, two games that severely change the {{Zelda}} formula, have appeared that way too at some point.
* ComplainingAboutThingsYouHaventPaidFor: In [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/8031-Extra-Punctuation-Dont-Use-the-Word-Gamer.2 this]] Extra Punctuation blog, Yahtzee announces that there will not be an update next week, and informs anyone who has a problem with this, "Now, you only have a right to complain about this if you are actually paying money to watch and read this stuff. And even then, only because someone appears to be pulling a fast one on you."
* ContinuityNod: In the ''MassEffect 2'' review, Yahtzee's Shepard dons hot pink armor in memory of Gareth [[MeaningfulName Gobulcoque]], his character from ''TabulaRasa''.
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: Apparently whoever designed the inventory system for ''ResidentEvil 5'' should be sent to a special Hell where he has to pack shopping for old ladies...or just punched in the stomach.
** Also says that any developer that holds back stuff for DLC should have their hands cut off, and then put back on after paying 1200 Microsoft points.
* CountryMatters: Good grief.
* CreatorThumbprint: Platformers and games that don't use bloom and [[RealIsBrown brown gritty graphics]] earn a somewhat higher note in his book.
** "''SurvivalHorror'' is what I call a pet genre. A pet I keep in a tool shed and feed with broken glass."
** ''SaintsRow 2'' is one of the few games that pleased him, resulting in a review that sounded like, in his own words, "an overlong wedding proposal" due to the fact that it entertainingly combines RuleOfFun and VideoGameCrueltyPotential whereas ''GrandTheftAutoIV'' went for RealIsBrown and DarkerAndEdgier. See also ''VideoGame/JustCause 2''.
** He also has a great love for anything that does things differently like ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'' and ''NoMoreHeroes''; he complimented ''MirrorsEdge'' for trying something new even after tearing the actual gameplay apart, and AssassinsCreed got praise for being original even though it was let down by highly repetitive gameplay. Similarly, he praised ''DarkVoid'' for being an ambitious failure, and as such, better than "committee-designed sludge". He also liked ''SilentHillShatteredMemories'', despite hating ''SilentHill'' spinoffs and saying that the monsters and chase scenes weren't scary and the psych test gimmicks weren't enough, for trying something new. He raves about ''ShadowOfTheColossus'' for [[TropeMaker creating]], [[TropeNamer naming]] and [[TropeCodifier codifying]] the ColossusClimb, and ''{{Ico}}'' got a love note from him for making him ''[[VideoGameCaringPotential care]]'' about a CuteMute LoveInterest.
** He also has a taste for SceneryPorn.
** [[CuteKitten Cats]] seem to pop up a lot in his reviews, as do [[PreciousPuppies dogs]]. In fact, he said that one of his three wishes would be a puppy.
** A warped sense of humor is also a big plus for him, as in ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'', the ''MonkeyIsland'' series and the aforementioned ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}''.
** Good writing impresses him as well; the ''MassEffect'' series has led him to give {{BioWare}} a dirt-cheap [[DealWithTheDevil offer of his soul]].
-->"When the bottom falls out of the game criticism market and I have to start prostituting myself to developers, {{BioWare}} will be one of my first ports of call, because there are few enough developers in the world who treat writing as an integral part of the game rather than an optional set of colorful tassels to put on the handlebars."
** In his review for the second game he spends almost the whole review talking about the changes in gameplay, then mentions casually how the writing and characters have gotten better, but because it's BioWare they don't get any points for it.
** Considering his positive mentions of ''VideoGame/SeriousSam'' and his love of ''{{Painkiller}}'', along with his positive review of ''DeadRising2'', Yahtzee also seems to like games that pit the player against large hordes and give them the freedom to just go wild.
** He also seems to have a thing for Nazis. And before anyone takes that the wrong way, he likes [[CruelAndUnusualDeath killing them in awesome and amusing ways.]]
** He mentioned a particular fondness for Shaun of the ''AssassinsCreed'' series, partly because he reminds him of himself and partly because he often insults [[NolanNorth Desmond]] [[TheScrappy Miles]].
** He has fondness for games that actively embrace VideoGameCrueltyPotential and particularly creative ways of TheJoysOfTorturingMooks.
** He has a thing for large open environments with interesting ways to traverse the world, such as LeParkour or flight.
* CreditsGag: The text next to his name at the end. Also, the opening and closing credits each had a clip from a song whose name and/or content was a pun on the content of the review. For example, ''{{Haze}}'', about drug-fueled mercenary super-soldiers, used Afroman's "Because I Got High". This stopped after he got big enough that he had to worry about the [[CorruptCorporateExecutive RIAA.]]
** Music used interestingly in his ''NoMoreHeroes'' review, as mentioned above for BrickJoke.
** Also, the credits themselves have a little minicomic going on, acted out by the little figures he uses in the reviews. The one for ''{{Spore}}'' had a flying saucer alien abducting Batman, who then beat it up and stole the flying saucer. Additionally, there is generally a caption referring to something earlier in the video.
* CrossOver: With the ''{{MST3K}}''-esque series ''{{Unskippable}}''. Yahtzee appeared in their ''StarOceanTheLastHope'' riff and [[LoadingReadyRun Graham Stark]] of ''Unskippable'' appeared in the first section of the ''{{Halo}} Wars'' review to review ''X-Blades'' before running out of things to say and getting kicked out by Yahtzee.
** A throwaway gag, mere seconds into the aforementioned ''Halo Wars'' review, poked fun at ''Eternal Sonata'', which was ''Unskippable'''s premiere episode.
** Furthermore, in the review of both ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'' and ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', the Credit Sequence features a short mix-type {{crossover}} of the two reviewed games.
* CrossPlayer: Yahtzee becomes one for ''AgeOfConan''.
%% Crowning Moments go on their own pages, not here.
* CryingIndian: The ''{{Fallout}} 3'' featured a deer crying over the landscape being littered with rubble.
* CurseCutShort: He spends the entirety of his 50 Cent reviews carefully wording his criticisms so that nothing can be misconstrued as racist, then ends with:
-->"Not that they'd know anything about work, the lazy nig-" [END CREDITS]
* CutHisHeartOutWithASpoon: Wonders aloud if ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'''s ending is ''intentionally'' bad, so players will purchase the DLC. "Anyone who pulls ''that'' shit deserves to have their hands cut off. And sold back to them for 500 Microsoft Points."
* DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster: This trope, and the infrequency with which it is played straight, is discussed in his ''MafiaII'' review.
* [[DancingMookCredits Dancing Mook]] [[TheStinger Stinger]]: One ad shown after the credits is an Imp groovin' to his iPod.
* DareToBeBadass: Well, at least "dare to be different", in his ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'' review. In spite of his bashing of it he does admit in the end it ''is'' fun and if people want to play the same games he can't really do anything to stop them, but he does request that those people go out and do one thing they never have before.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Once a simple story, "the new ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' has taken the dark and edgy route", illustrated with said commando [[EmoTeen slashing his wrist]] and singing "[[LinkinPark CRAAAWLING IIIIN MY SKIIIN]]".
* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: In-universe example: A big irk for Yahtzee is games where protagonists are just as (if not more) unlikable than the antagonist, citing ''{{WET}}'', ''KaneAndLynch: Dog Days'' and the ''GodOfWar'' sequels as major examples.
* DeadpanSnarker: Of course.
** However, most Deadpan Snarkers in games tend to annoy him, notably Nathan Drake of Uncharted and the Snarky dialogue options of Dragon Age II.
* DeepImmersionGaming
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: "So you've looked at ''PennyArcade'' seen the massive amount of money, prestige, and money those guys get for nine panels a week, and decided you want in on that." The visuals go a step further: when he says "money", "prestige", and "money" again, ever-increasing piles of cash and swanky clothes appear on the two people meant to represent Gabe and Tycho...and even after he goes on to abandon the verbal redundancy and finish the sentence, ''another'' layer of largesse is added.
** Speaking of repetition, there is ''DeadSpace'', which is repetitive.
** And [[InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt Clive Barker's ''Clive Barker's Jericho'' by Clive Barker]].
** Don't forget [[TomClancy Tom Clancy's]] ''[[VideoGame/{{HAWX}} H.A.W.X.]]'' by [[InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt Tom Clancy]].
** And ''[[BrutalLegend Brew-tal Legend]]'', a game about JackBlack playing Jack Black starring Jack Black made with [[TimSchafer a guy who looks like Jack Black]].
** From ''Darksiders'', describing the first few games he will review starting in 2010: "[[{{Darksiders}} God of War ripoff]], [[{{Bayonetta}} God Of War ripoff]], [[VideoGame/DantesInferno God Of War ripoff]], and God of War... well, ''GodOfWar''."
** "Have I mentioned that I've written a novel that you can preorder from Amazon and Amazon.co.uk? Well, I've written a novel that you can preorder from Amazon and Amazon.co.uk."
** "''FalloutNewVegas'' is really just an expansion pack for ''{{Fallout}} 3'', and I said everything I need to say about ''{{Fallout}} 3'' in my ''{{Fallout}} 3'' review of ''{{Fallout}} 3''."
* DesignatedHero: InUniverse: in his ''Extra Punctuation'' article of ''{{Uncharted}}: Among Thieves'', Yahtzee portrays Nathan Drake as one, accusing him of massive MoralDissonance.
** The ''ZP'' review of ''[[MirrorsEdge Mirror's Edge]]'' also suggests this: we only have the plot's say-so that the police chasing you are the bad guys, and as far as we know, the packages could be bombs to blow up someone's grandma.
* DarthWiki/DethroningMomentOfSuck: [[invoked]] It's rare that he experiences any of these, but there have been specific moments in a few games (such as [[{{Mindjack}} a boss too poorly-coded to be defeatable]] or [[VideoGame/{{AMY}} a bad AI forcing him to restart a level he was just about to clear]]) that made him give up on a game outright.
* TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything: Discussed in his ''AlphaProtocol'' review. He also devoted a column to discussing games that have done it well, singling out ''MetalGearSolid'' for particular praise.
* DidNotDoTheResearch: More than a few times has Yahtzee made jokes and jabs at something, only for it to be ''just plain wrong''. But Yahtzee sometimes has just a week to play the game ''and'' make each review, so [[EnforcedTrope this can sometimes be unavoidable for him]]. Yahtzee has acknowledged his mistakes... sometimes.
%% No further details, please. Individual examples of DNDTR quickly boil down to TakeThat-esque natter, and take too long to describe as there are so many of them. Or create DidNotDoTheResearch/ZeroPunctuation, and move all the DNDTR examples there; either way, leave this page with relatively brief items. %%
* DiscretionShot: The statement that a premise has been "stretched wider than a catamite's rectum" is accompanied by a black screen with the text "'''IMAGE VERY CENSORED'''".
** The captions in censor boxes are a RunningGag:
---> "Think of something wholesome."
---> "OH DEAR GOD"
---> "Look it up"
---> "Thanks {{deviantART}}!"
---> "NEIN!"
---> "BELIEVE IN CHRIST"
---> "THE BABY IS FINE THE BABY IS OKAY" (after someone was juggling several objects including a baby and a chainsaw, then drops them all.)
** Conversely, he decided to show a fairly, uh, ''graphic'' rendition of [[ConvenientMiscarriage a certain controversial strip]] from a [[CtrlAltDel certain webcomic which shall remain unnamed]] followed immediately by the caption '''THIS IS THE WORST THING I HAVE EVER DONE AND I HATE MYSELF FOR DOING IT.'''
* DisposableVagrant: Yahtzee keeps a spare vagrant chained in his basement -- in case he needs to review a co-op game.
* {{Dissimile}}
* DoesNotLikeWomen: A NonSequitur toward the end of the ''[[TheSims The Sims 3]]'' review, brought on by minor CreatorBreakdown over his girlfriend.
** After Rebecca Mayes' love/hate song that called him out on this he claimed he ''does'' hate women but only because he hates everyone.
** From the CreditsGag for the {{Catherine}} review: "I'm not a mysoginist, I only hate the bitchy ones".
* [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Does This Remind You of Anything?]]: Subverted/Lampshaded in the video where Yahtzee takes a tour of Washington D.C. He makes a few mentions that certain buildings or monuments remind him of something, but goes on to mention something mundane and non-sexual. He then double subverts it while looking at the Washington Monument:
--> '''Yahtzee''': It's really long and tall, has those trees at the bottom from this angle. Kinda like, uh...[[CaptainObvious a big cock and balls.]]
* DoNotCallMePaul: Apparently he hates being called Ben by people on the internet. In one podcast, Yug and Matt of Australian Gamer (his best buds) stated that they don't even call him that in real life. Matt says everyone except his ''parents'' calls him Yahtzee.
* DoomyDoomsOfDoom: In his ''MedalOfHonor: Airborne'' review, he refers to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flak_tower German flak tower]] as a "doom fortress".
* {{Eagleland}}: In his reviews, Yahtzee portrays Americans as Flavor #2, and [[AuthorTract covered all aspects of that flavor]] in the span of two reviews (''MedalOfHonor: Airborne'' and ''CallOfDuty 4''). He's had a long history of this view, though, as seen in his writings on ''Fully Ramblomatic.''
* EasternEuropeanAnimation: Yahtzee claims to have grown up watching Russian cartoons ala [[TheSimpsons Worker and Parasite]] rather than {{Transformers}}, which he states is the reason that he has no particular nostalgia for the series.
* EndingFatigue: Discussed in his review of ''AShadowsTale'' ([[InsistentTerminology NOT Lost in Shadow!]]) [[invoked]]
* EnsembleDarkhorse: In-universe example: In his review of ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'', he notes that he's always preferred Luigi to Mario, since he at the least isn't Peach's personal gopher. He also wonders why Tails gets so much more hate than Sonic despite the fact that he's basically Sonic with flight.
* EscalatingPunchline
* EvenEvilHasStandards: While Yahtzee isn't too keen on kids, he mentioned in [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/9246-Extra-Punctuation-What-Is-the-Matter-with-You-People this article]] that he was disturbed by a comment on his ''[[ModernWarfare Modern Warfare 3]]'' review by someone expressing a desire for the BigBad to torture children "{{HoloCaust}} style". As an "ironic statement".
--> Er... thanks for your input, Mr. Poster Man, but I wasn't talking it down for not being extreme enough. Or 'ironic' enough. I doubt emptying an entire lorry full of toddlers into the woodchipper would have improved my opinion any.
* EverythingsBetterWithPlushies: The Escapist is now selling [[http://www.splitreason.com/productdetail.php?id=789 Imp plushies]].
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Referred to by name in his Lego Indiana Jones review.
* FailOSuckyname: Not Yahtzee himself, but he has a fondness with abusing the naming system whenever one exists. Examples include [[{{Nier}} Twattycake]], [[TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Fuckme]], [[TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Fagballs]], and [[MassEffect Titty]].
* FakeDifficulty: Part of the reason he despises motion controls. As he put it, "Motion controls are a system wherein a game can fail you for something that completely wasn't your fault."
* FauxToGuide: Concerning the creation of GamingWebcomics.
* FiveManBand: Notes the main parts of the cast of recent ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'' games, giving them names similar to the SpiceGirls.
* FlameWar: Happens in the comments section on the majority of the games Yahtzee reviews between people who agree with him and people who don't.
* FlatWhat: A visual example is used by his AuthorAvatar in his ''{{Condemned}} 2'' review, when he describes the unusual means by which you defeat the final boss: [[spoiler: shouting at it.]]
* ForgetsToEat: Mentioned in his ''CallOfDuty 4'' review.
* FreezeFrameBonus: His review of FiftyCentBloodOnTheSand flashes a picture of Yahtzee with the words NOT RACIST several times.
* FreudianExcuse[=/=]StartOfDarkness: His ''RedFaction Guerrilla'' review pins all his negativity on bad experiences playing the original ''RedFaction'' when he was younger.
* FreudianSlip: His ''{{Bayonetta}}'' review is full of these.
* FridgeBrilliance: In-universe examples are sometimes denoted with the expression "HOLY SHIT I JUST GOT THAT".
%%Please put the Fridge tropes on the appropriate page.%%
* FromClonesToGenre: Mentioned in his review of ''{{Mercenaries}} 2''.
** The series itself has started to become one of these. At first it was a simple case of FollowTheLeader as imitators sprang up on {{YouTube}}, but now that [[ExtraCredits three]] [[MovieBob series]] on the ''Escapist'' itself have followed suit, two of which are not review shows, it's safe to say this is a legit genre now.
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: In his ''SuperPaperMario'' review, he shows the Dictionary.com definition of "game", with another tab open titled "Super Huge Tits".
* GayOption: In his ''DragonAgeII'' review he mentioned having hooked up with Anders, more or less because Snarky!Hawke annoyed him and came off as gay to him anyway, though he later detailed that roleplaying played a major part of it and ultimately did [[VideoGameCaringPotential develop a genuine fondness for Anders]], even [[spoiler:forgiving him for blowing up the Chantry]] and naming his [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Tepig]] after him.
* GratuitousGerman: Yahtzee apparently studied German and it frequently comes up in series.
* GenreSavvy: Seeing an enemy with a bull's head in ''PrinceOfPersia: The Forgotten Sands'', he correctly anticipates it to be a BullfightBoss. He also claims "powers of clairvoyance" that mean he predict how the opening {{cutscene}} of ''{{Singularity}}'' will play out.
** He is also aware of tropes, and knows that TropesAreNotBad. He may or may not be aware of this site, but at the very least he understands the principles of this wiki.
** He referenced it on his Twitter, so he at least knows of its existance.
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: His ''TabulaRasa'' character, Gareth Gobulcoque, was so named to test the game's name filter. It passed.
* GiantSpider: These show up in the visuals occasionally. Usually they represent something being either unexpected, very difficult, or both.
** Arachnophobic prospective viewers should take warning that they're usually taken from photos of actual tarantulas.
* {{GIFT}}: Yahtzee actually cites the [[PennyArcade original formula]] then alters it by subtracting 'Anonymity' and 'Audience'. Or in other words, [[HumansAreBastards Normal Person = Total Fuckwad.]]
* GoshDarnItToHeck: Whenever he swears in the narration, the animation will replace it with something far more innocuous.
** Sometimes inverted--he'll say something (relatively) tactful in the narration, and the animation will unleash what he REALLY thinks.
** For instance, in his Assassin's Creed review, he remarks; "This video review was created by a not particularly multi-cultural person, but who really loves religious extremists a big huggy bunch," where the text displayed reads "''...not particularly multi-cultural person who invites religious extremists to suck out his farts and die.''"
* GrammarNazi: In his "Mailbag Showdown" video, while reading out some of the more obnoxious examples of hate mail he received, he corrected them onscreen in the manner of a primary school teacher, coupled with letter grades, giant question marks and "SEE ME" at the bottom. Also, his "Split [[BritishEnglish Stroke]] Second Colon Velocity" review.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Shows up in the ''DemonsSouls'' review to show that a character loses half its health when dead.
* HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday: Yahtzee plays with this trope on several occasions, most notably his ''GuitarHero III'' review, where he very specifically lists several homosexual acts (and one heterosexual act) which he is [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial most certainly not doing]]. And at the end:
-->"On the whole though it's just not as good as tonguing another man's balls. ''[Both figures stop playing and stare at the {{fourth wall}}]'' I mean... as it used to be. [{{Beat}}] ''I'm not gay''."
** Also seems to link back a few times to DoesNotLikeWomen; he'll make a joke about not being able to get laid, comfort himself with the excuse that women are terrible anyway, and then cap off the joke with "But I'm still not gay." Perhaps the gentleman doth protest too much? [[hottip:*: In the same review, he compares pushing the buttons on the fret bar to fingering a female lover. Yes, he had mentioned that he was heterosexual.]]
** He also admitted that he grew to be more attached to [[DragonAgeII Anders]] than he intended.
* [[HeavyMetalUmlaut Heävy Mëtal Ümlaut]]: He specifically [[GratuitousGerman pronounces the extraneous umlaut]] in ''[[BrutalLegend Brütal Legend]]''.
* HelloInsertNameHere: Yahtzee loves to abuse this whenever possible, with such examples as "[[MassEffect Titty Shepard]]" to "[[PhantomHourglass Fagballs]]", "[[OcarinaOfTime Fuck Me]]", "[[{{Nier}} Twattycakes]]" or "[[TabulaRasa Gareth Gobulcoque]]".
** Tried "Tiddles" in VideoGame/DeusEx but was slapped down by the game's system of using "JC Denton" as a "[[HandWave codename]].
--->''"The moment you put in your own name it goes '''"Wrong!''' Your name is JC Denton.""''
* HePannedItNowHeSucks: InUniverse, Yahtzee derides people like this and those who complain that his review ruined their enjoyment of the game, stating that if a person's opinion of a game ruins someone's fun, then maybe they weren't having as much fun as they first thought they were.
** By this point, complaining about his reviews is often considered pointless.
* HilariousInHindsight: In-universe example: Very minor, but his quip about how playing as a Big Daddy in ''VideoGame/BioShock2'' is like a sequel to ''HalfLife'' where you play as a Gun Turret is much funnier now that one of ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'''s co-operative play characters is a robot created from a modified Gun Turret.
** His sarcastic ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' "review" was voted the #1 fan-favorite... just before the game was UnCancelled at PAX 2010.
* HurricaneOfEuphemisms: Yahtzee makes a concerted effort to get through his review of ''TombRaider Anniversary'' without referencing a certain part of the female anatomy. He ''almost'' makes it.
-->"Bosoms, melons, milk factories, busts, funbags, knockers, [[ResidentEvil4 ballistics]], boobies, jugs, nipples, jubblies, ''[[MemeticMutation stonking great tits!]]"''
* HypocrisyNod: Yahtzee has noted his use of HypocriticalHumor more than once in his reviews.
** The one time it wasn't used as a joke, in ''ZackAndWiki'', he acknowledged his complaints about lousy adventure games that involved [[ChzoMythos carrying around a ton of items to use in one spot]].
* HypocriticalHumor:
-->"Fans are clingy complaining dipshits who will [[UnpleasableFanbase never ever be grateful for any concession you make]]. The moment you shut out their shrill, tremulous voices the happier you will be for it. Incidentally, why not buy a ''Zero Punctuation'' [[TheMerch t-shirt]]?"
** For a while before the 100th Episode special, ''The Escapist'' used this little stinger at the end of ''all'' ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'' shorts to, guess what, advertise ''Zero Punctuation''-related merchandise.
** In his Duke Nukem Forever review he rants about how people should be sacked for not doing their jobs, and the picture shows him being dragged out of his office with a sign saying "job: review games that actually exist"
** In his ''{{Minecraft}}'' review, he calls out Americans for being uninformed about current events in countries outside the US, only to turn around and say he wasn't aware of the flooding in his own city because he doesn't keep up with current events.
** End Credits for his ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' review: "There is a special circle in Hell 4 people who replace numbers for letters".
** He accuses the protagonist of Fable 3 of bestiality due to the weird way he interacts with his dog, when in his review of Fable 2 he complains that if the game was truly open-ended he should be able to marry any NPC he wants, including his dog.
** On {{Rayman}}: "Honestly, who can like a character [[RaymanianLimbs whose hands and feet have no visible connection to their torso?]]"
** ''Mafia II'''s ending seems to come too soon:
--> "The game just sort of cuts out halfway through resolving everyth-[END CREDITS]
* ILoveNuclearPower:
-->"''[[{{STALKER}} Ess-Tee-Ay-Ell-Kay-Ee-Ar: Clear Sky]]'' is set in the area surrounding an alternative post-disaster Chernobyl, where presumably the station ran on fairy dust before the meltdown and released a cloud of ''magic'' instead of boring old radiation..."
* ImpossiblyCoolWeapon:
-->"All you really need to know is that there is a gun that shoots shurikens and lightning. I wish I could make something like that up. It shoots shurikens and lightning! It could only possibly more awesome if it had tits and was ''[[IncendiaryExponent on fire]]!''"
* IncrediblyLamePun: On occasion, not just of the [[VisualPun visual variety:]]
--> "You only get to see like one second of bare arse anyway so it's hardly going to make your [[MassEffect mass erect]]" ... immediately followed in the credits with: [[LampshadeHanging "Yeah, this whole review]] was [[OverlyPrepreparedGag leading up]] to [[LampshadeHanging that horrible pun at the end."]]
** In the ''RedFaction: Guerilla'' review, he says in the end that game could have went pretty well if it really was based off sneaky guerilla warfare, as opposed to its focus on [[StuffBlowingUp smashing stuff]] "... which is less guerilla and more chimpanzee." Followed by the credits gag "Spent ten years thinking up that last pun."
** [[BaldursGate "...Balder's Gait."]] (''TooHuman'')
** "''{{Fallout}} 3'', that is!"
** The ''[[VideoGame/JustCause Just Cause 2]]'' review starts by lampshading this to allow him to make "Why? Just 'cause!" jokes "ironically".
** "Bits of it were so boring that I almost had a ''{{Nier}}''-death experience! Boosh!"
** "I don't see [[AliceMadnessReturns Alice: Madness Returns]] making mad returns, [[AWorldwidePunomenon meheh myeh]].
** In his review of Monster Hunter Tri "You play an adventurer-type showing up at the prerequisite village of immobile retards in a time when dinosaurs ruled the earth to try to be a hunter of monsters. A Monster Hunter Try, if you will."
** Not to mention his credits pun in AlienVsPredator: "Alias vs Editor".
** "You want a review score? How about FOUR, as in '''FOUR-K YOU'''!"
* InsistentTerminology: "Jaaaaaaames" Sunderland of ''SilentHill 2'' fame.
** Also, "Call of ''[[FunetikAksent Hwa-rez]]!''".
*** Also from that review, there's [[strike:William]] Wee'um.
** And [[HeavyMetalUmlaut Brew]]-[[BrutalLegend tal Legend]].
** "Demon's-S-S-S-Souls!" Actually, Yahtzee seems to have become rather fond of these as of late...
** "[[{{STALKER}} Ess-Tee-Ay-Ell-Kay-Ee-Ar: Clear Sky]]".
** "[[{{MMORPG}} Mumorpuger"]]
** "[[KingdomsOfAmalur Kingdoms of Uhrrpadurr]]"
** "[[RedDeadRedemption Blue Poo Atonement]]"
** "Split [[BritishEnglish Stroke]] Second Colon Velocity"
** "Let's hope it's not [[DeadToRights Dead to Rights: Retarded]]! That would be Dead to Rights: Regrettable."
** He also refers to {{Bastion}} as Sebastian.
* {{Irony}}: Now at the bottom of every ''Zero Punctuation'' video there are ads linking you to various online retailers prompting you to buy the game that Yahtzee just finished eviscerating due to scripts and other coding used on the site to bring up ads on whatever product keywords are on the web page.
* ItsPopularNowItSucks: Joked about. [[invoked]]
--> One should always support the independents, at least until they start making money, the ''soulless sellout fucks.''
** Admittedly, averted by his ''GearsOfWar 2'' review, in which he admits that things are often mainstream because they're good (Or because WillSmith is in it).
* ItsTheSameSoItSucks: In-universe, he tends to be particularly critic of sequels that don't add much or differ from what the original was. Examples including ''VideoGame/BioShock2'', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'', and ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'' to a smaller point.
** Pretty much his opinion on anything Nintendo if it's not a joke about casual gaming.
** Yahtzee frequently accuses the {{Mario}} and {{Zelda}} series of churning out near-identical sequels, even though fans are lucky to get two games ''per console''. Particularly noticeable in his [[TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]] review, when he describes the series as 'essentially releasing the same game with graphical changes and gameplay tweaks' while the games shown include OddballInTheSeries [[TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]].
* ItsUpToYou: He notes that early missions in ''[[{{STALKER}} S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky]]'' have a tendency to solve themselves, which is a good attempt to avert this, but a bit bizarre to play.
* ItWasHisSled: [[invoked]] {{Lampshaded}}; before pointing out the flaws of ''TomClancy's H.A.W.X.'' 's plot, he says to stop paying attention until the "generic rock music" of the credits if you want to avoid spoilers. In the credits his avatar and a single imp hand out a series of this type of spoilers (they even start with [[Film/CitizenKane THAT sled]]).
* JumpedTheShark: [[invoked]] {{Lampshade}}d in the end credits of his ''LEGO Indy'' review, the first time the new, original opening and closing song was used, rather than two licensed songs:
--> "Now this is all looking a lot more professional, isn't it, although I'm certain some of you pricks are already putting this down as my shark jumping moment."
* JustOneMoreLevel: ''Videogame/{{Peggle}}'' (and other PopCapGames) are described as "the gaming equivalent of premium crack cocaine."
--> "I started playing ''Videogame/{{Peggle}}'' in the afternoon, and emerged some time later to find the authorities had declared me legally dead."
** [After flooding prevented him from leaving his apartment and thus getting a new game to review:] "My third thought was, 'Oh, goody! That means I can go back inside and keep playing ''{{Minecraft}}!''"
** "A good [[WideOpenSandbox sandbox]] is one where you can mess about for hours after making the hollow promise to yourself that you'll stop any minute now, and ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}} 2'' certainly has that."
* KickTheDog: In his ''{{Fable}}'' review:
--> No puppies were harmed in the making of this video, [[NoExceptYes except for one who genuinely deserved it.]]
* KillAndReplace: Accused [[{{Resistance}} Insomniac Games]] of murdering {{Valve}} and making a [[FollowTheLeader skin suit]] out of it.
* LampshadeHanging: The end tag on the ''GuitarHero III'' review, regarding the art style.
-->"Did no-one else think it was weird for the character in image 110 to wearing a sling when he only has free-floating circular hands?"
** The entire opening of ''[[VideoGame/JustCause Just Cause 2]]'' was one giant, lovingly crafted {{lampshade}} about the IncrediblyLamePun that the name ''VideoGame/JustCause'' offers -- in the format "Why X?" "VideoGame/JustCause!". He then subverts it -- see RuleOfThree, below.
* LandDownUnder: Yahtzee was born in Britain but moved to Australia, and often makes jokes about it.
* TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: ''Deus Ex: Human Revolution'' has breathtaking visuals, the impish appeal of stealth, rewarding exploration, but most importantly, you can pick up every vending machine in the building and pack them in the office of your least favorite co-worker.
** "...{{Catherine}}, a Japanese game centrally about the difficulties of relationships, such as unexpected pregnancy, the impetus of commitment, and being chased up an infinite staircase by a giant, monstrous girlfriend trying to eat you with her butt. [[WidgetSeries Did I mention it's Japanese?]]"
* LeaveThePlotThreadsHanging: In-universe example in the review of ''{{Condemned}} 2''.
* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: The crossdressing contest between [[VideoGame/{{inFAMOUS}} Cole]] and [[VideoGame/{{Prototype}} Alex]].
** Same could be said regarding RTS games. After his experience with ''HaloWars'', Yathzee has apparently decided to never touch the genre again.
** Explained further in "On RTS", in which he explains he's not good at RTS ''and'' he doesn't like the impersonal disconnect one gets between story characters and units and the player.
* LimitedSocialCircle: "I asked everyone I know and neither of them had heard of it either." (''{{Nier}}'')
* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: He never even heard of Marth before playing ''Brawl'', and based on his other reviews, shouting "{{Fire Emblem}}" loud enough near him [[BrownNote will cause his brain to explode.]]
* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: Has teamed up with {{Moviebob}} and [[ExtraCredits James Portnow]] to form [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extraconsideration Extra Consideration]], a panel in which all three discuss the state of the gaming scene.
* TheMeanBrit: Though currently living in Australia.
* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Debatable. Some who claim to have met Yahtzee IRL have report that he is capable of being quite unpleasant towards others. The same persons have however also noted that this characteristic is reasonably outweighed by the fact that he is also fairly shy and quiet. He claims he's only a jackass when provoked... which is often.
** Tycho at ''PennyArcade'' speculates that Yahtzee is quiet in person in order to save up all his hate and rage to bellow it out really quickly in his weekly reviews.
* MeatMoss: He calls it "jam" in ''VideoGame/AmnesiaTheDarkDescent''.
-->"Oh pissing BLIMEY there's JAM coming out of the walls!."
* MenDontCry: Parodied in his ''{{Infamous}} 2'' review.
-->"I'm not to proud to admit that I was welling up at ''inFamous 2'''s good ending, a little bit. Well, not much at all really. It most more like stoically nodding my head while doing squat-thrusts and grunting."
* MercyKill: What he says must be done with ''SonicTheHedgehog''.
* {{Metaphorgotten}}: Frequently.
-->"It's like wrestling an excitable dog in a paddling pool full of disembodied breasts. *{{beat}}* Don't think too much about that simile, I certainly didn't."
** Especially when it's a hot summer day and his AC isn't working. "Really good like...something...[[BuffySpeak good]] that's...made out of chocolate..."
** [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/8892-Extra-Punctuation-Action-Is-Not-Finisher-Porn This]] ''Extra Punctuation'' takes the metaphor of "{{too many cooks}} spoil the broth" and keeps stretching it until he reckons "I think this is already the best metaphor I've ever written."
* MilestoneCelebration: Spoofed with his 100th episode, where he decides to review... exactly the same game he would've reviewed otherwise (''CallOfJuarez: Bound in Blood'').
* MoreDakka: His review of ''{{Spore}}'' shows the civilization stage as imps strafing other imps cities from the air, with the caption "Dakka Dakka" under the war planes.
* MotorMouth: "Zero Punctuation" comes from how he has a tendency to ramble on and on so quickly that his speech has almost no pauses, and thus there is ''zero punctuation''. More or less.
** He has said he edits out the pauses, but definitely does not speed up his voice.
* MuggingTheMonster: In his ''FalloutNewVegas'' review, he mentions that it occured to him that it might be a good idea to stop stealing things. After getting attacked by bandits and taking their stuff, he mentions it is not stealing because they attacked him, which makes it his by the international law of "Go Fuck Yourselves."
* MundaneMadeAwesome: When talking about the wet clothing feature in ''Uncharted'', he talks a bit too much about it, considering it means absolutely nothing in terms of plot or gameplay. He realizes this, of course, stating at the end of his praise "Well, I think its interesting!".
* MythologyGag: During his ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' review, Yahtzee separates each hour he played the game with a brief break showing a black screen with the unit of time and then which unit he's on (Hour 1, Hour 2, Hour 3, etc.). He used a similar mechanism with three of the games in the ''ChzoMythos''.
* {{Nerdgasm}}: Has made a few references to getting erections at really good games.
* NerdsAreVirgins: Has made quite a few jokes about that.
* NewlyPopularUpdating: Expect any game he reviews to have a new quote entry at the top of its page by the end of the day, appropriate or otherwise.
* NiceHat: "Yahtzee is a British-born, currently Australian-based writer and gamer with a sweet hat and a chip on his shoulder." The hat originally appeared in [[MythologyGag his own games]], ''TheChzoMythos'', worn by the character of Trilby. The hat itself is known as a Trilby hat, and it tends to get him [[CreatorWorship more attention]] [[http://twitter.com/YahtzeeCroshaw/status/11013246821 than he really wants]].
* NightmareFuel: InUniverse example: The ''Kinectimals''' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kinectimals.jpg box art]] is "the most terrifying thing I've seen all year. It looks like what would happen if [[MonsterClown John Wayne Gacy]] went to Disneyland."
** Yahtzee apparently has a long-standing fear of theme park mascots, which he's previously let known in [[http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/features/travel his old blog]], that he conquered playing ''EpicMickey''. This was not helped during a trip to Disneyland, especially with the parade.
--> The grins. A sea of grins. Staring. Judging.
* NightmareRetardant: InUniverse, He states that AliceMadnessReturns made {{Creepy Doll}}s not creepy just by the fact that the game uses it constantly to the point where players just get used to it.
* NintendoHard: Yahtzee prides himself on as having been playing video games since early childhood and frequently recalls how hard they were back then. He routinely mocks prospective critics who complain about the difficulty level in games these days. That said, games with [[SonicUnleashed ridiculously impossible sequences]], he blasts with both barrels.
** Yes, we're [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/1321-Demons-Souls looking at you]], ''[[DemonsSouls Demon's Souls]]''.
** However he did enjoy ''IWannaBeTheGuy'', though he states that no person, unless it's for charity should ever try [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Impossible difficulty]].
* NoFourthWall: Technically doesn't qualify as there's no suspension of disbelief, but a review still pushed back the boundaries when Yahtzee addressed the viewer as "Adrian", and noted that while that's not particularly likely to be any given viewer's name, "it was worth it to freak out all the Adrians in the world."
-->"If you've been paying attention, you'll notice that all these games are sequels. And if you haven't... * claps twice* OI!"
-->"Stop watching my reviews, Dad!"
** The ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'' review has the distinction of genuinely breaking the fourth wall, as Yahtzee suggest pausing the video, while his avatar points to the pause button on the video player.
-->"I shouldn't have to talk about the core gameplay, I consider that an insult to you and me. My review of ''Mario Galaxy 1'' hasn't gone anywhere, why not pause this video, pour yourself a glass of wine and go and enjoy that. I'll just wait here slapping myself in the face until you return. * cut to black, slapping sounds and Yahtzee groaning, then cut back, Yahtzee now with a bruised face* Finished? Right, well, ''Mario Galaxy 2'' is more of that."
* NoJustNoReaction: How the review of ''TheConduit'' began.
* NoodleImplements: The ''{{STALKER}}'' review: ''...and whistled for a baboon.''
* NoodleIncident: The end of the ''{{Fallout}}: New Vegas'' video says "I hope the war in Las Vegas destroyed that ice machine I threw up in".
** "Now I've never invaded Europe, except for that one time..."
** "I know I can't speak for everyone, at least not until ''the device'' is completed, but..."
* NotHimself: Wait, what's this? ''{{Resistance}} 3'' has no regenerating health? A sum of weapons greater than 2? No chest-high walls? "..erm.....{{Sony}}?.......Are you feeling all right?"
* NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer: Describing the ending of ''{{Condemned}} 2'', and says "I ''wish'' I was fucking kidding!"
** And revealing the final boss of ''[=Kayne and Lynch 2: Dog Days=]''
** In his review of ''{{EpicMickey}}'', he brings up a Mickey Mouse comic where he ''[[http://ridz.sg/blog/2008/04/mickey-mouse-loses-minnie-attempts-suicide/ tries to kill himself]]'' after Minnie breaks up with him.
* NotSoDifferent: ''TheWitcher 2'' review makes this observation of console & PC gamers. [[HatesEveryoneEqually You both suck equally]]!
* OldShame: Yahtzee has admitted at least twice he used to watch Pokemon when he was a kid. While some people might not consider this shameful, he certainly does.
* OneOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: In his ''[[BatmanArkhamAsylum Batman: Arkham Asylum]]'' review: "I could go on about how the combat flows, or how the atmosphere is solid, [[OverlyLongGag and how the highlights for me were the Scarecrow sections where Batman's perceptions of reality are skewed in favour of a nightmarish and delusional glimpse into the darkest recesses of Batman's soul]], and how jumping on people is cool...
* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Happens a fair deal with his ridiculous Irish accent in the ''Tales of MonkeyIsland'' episode.
** Also the ''{{Farcry}} 2'' episode, where he switches back and forth from his normal English accent and a horrible South African accent.
* OrphanedPunchline: "...and whistled for a baboon!"
* OverlyLongGag: See BigNo.
* ParrotExposition: A parody of ''MetalGearSolid'''s famous tendency for this:
--> '''Otacon:''' Metal Gear\\
'''Snake:''' Metal Gear?\\
'''Otacon:''' Metal Gear!\\
'''Snake:''' Bugger me!
* PetPeeveTrope: [[invoked]]
** RealIsBrown
** UpdatedRerelease
** {{Waggle}}: [[invoked]] One of his key issues with Nintendo consoles, because how shoehorned-in it seems.
* PetTheDog: In an ''Extra Punctuation'', although he couldn't sympathize with gamers who cried at Aerith's death in ''FFVII'', he said that the emotions they felt were real and no one could call them fake or wrong.
* {{Portmanteau}}
-->"Essflawcondodgeckindesimudstorliketersockity."
* PowerTrio: With Bob Chipman and James Portnow. Yahtzee is the Id, Bob is the Superego and James is the Ego
* PrepareToDie: Used as a CreditsGag.
* PressXToNotDie: [[TropeNamer Named it]], see RunningGag.
** Since ''BatmanArkhamAsylum'' had none of these, Yahtzee instead used "Press X to '''KICK ASS'''."
** ''[[TomClancy H.A.W.X.]]'': "Press X To Make The World Safe For Democracy."
** ''SilentHill Origins'': "Press X to Nurby Durby Durr" (This particular "Press X" gag is repeated in other videos)
** ''GrandTheftAuto IV'': "Press X to exaggerate financial standings" (In reference to the game's over-reliance on realism -- "What next, the Write-a-letter-to-your-mum mini game?")
*** The hilarious thing is, at one point you do have the option of having Niko write an email to his mother.
** ''50 Cent: Blood On The Sand'': "The prerequisite quick-time experiences..." [caption: "Press X To Brutalise This Poor Fellow"] "... are thankfully not mandatory." ["Or Don't, Whatever's Cool."]
** ''MassEffect 2'': "Press X To Not Care" ("You can't just spend the whole game knocking back Singapore Slings on a beach all day")
* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: [[in-universe]] Oddly averted. One of Yahtzee's favorite games is the licensed tie-in for ''Film/{{Spider-Man}} 2''.
** He actually explains a couple of the reasons why licensed games tend to do poorly [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/1815-Prince-of-Persia-The-Forgotten-Sands while reviewing]] ''[[PrinceOfPersia Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands]],'' released to promote the ''[[Film/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime Sands of Time]]'' movie, citing that most of them put too much focus on the story or license (as opposed to gameplay) or get rushed enough to where notable issues don't get fixed (both of which, he says, are evidently the case with the 2010 Prince of Persia games). He still finds the game enjoyable despite having the look and feel of a licensed game.
* ProductPlacement: Branston Pickles or '''GAME TRADERS ROBINA'''.
* PromotedFanboy: A college kid by the name of Daniel Floyd created a video heavily inspired by Yahtzee's show. A few months later, he was hired by The Escapist and now does a show called ExtraCredits.
* QueerPeopleAreFunny: he even put up a sign saying "I'm gay" as a joke once.
* RapidFireComedy: One of its defining features, helped by Yahtzee's MotorMouth and the blink-and-you-miss-it speed at which many visual gags flash by.
* ARareSentence: Wanna hear something crazy? "Titty-fuck labrador swimming up The Nile." [-..Oh yeah, and he liked ''DriverSanFrancisco''.-]
* RealIsBrown: A particular dislike of Yahtzee's. Mentioned quite a few times, like in the ''[[GrandTheftAuto GTA 4]]'' review.
* RealMenWearPink: He mentions dressing up his Tabula Rasa avatar in and Shepherd from Mass Effect 2 in bright pink.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: The {{Webcomics}} review becomes progressively more and more vindictive towards CtrlAltDel, to the point of becoming blatant.
** The start of his ''VideoGame/{{Braid}}'' review is one of these directed at the ignorant GearsOfWar-buying crowd.
* RebusBubble: According to Yahtzee, the formula for the cutest thing ever is sum of teddy bear and [[ThePowerpuffGirls Powerpuff Girl]] divided by [[{{Pokemon}} Pikachu]] equals [[LittleBigPlanet Sackboy]].
* RecordNeedleScratch: In the ''NoMoreHeroes'' review, as previously mentioned.
* RefugeInAudacity: Lampshaded in-universe:
--> If the developers [of ''HeavenlySword''] thought I would consider buying the full game just to find out what "twing-twang" is then mission fucking accomplished I suppose, but I'm going to be very disappointed if it doesn't turn out to be a cutesy euphemism for lesbian cunnilingus, ''yeah I went there.''
* RetGone: The final product of ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' was apparently such a transcendental work of awesomeness that it collapsed reality and ended up being cancelled before completion in the new timeline. Now the new version will likely fail to live up to the "original".
* RhymingList: In the ''ResidentEvil: Revelations'' review, he mentions that in ''MetroidPrime'', scans would result in "The name of the monster, a hint on how to kill it, and its favorite song from DavidBowie's ''Hunky Dory'' album":
-->''Fish [=McTarse=]''
-->''Blast his arse''
-->''Life on Mars''
* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: The Imp.
* RidiculousFutureSequelisation: Yahtzee invokes it in his ''Videogame/{{Peggle}}'' review:
-->'''Yahtzee:''' "Once your budget hits seven digits you're supposed to make Gun Battle Slap Fight Thirty-Seven for the Playstation Twelve...!
* RocksFallEveryoneDies: Mentioned in his Driver: San Francisco review by name.
* TheRoleplayer: Yahtzee states that he does roleplay when playing [=RPGs=] because it's [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the entire point of the genre]].
* RuleOfThree: [[spoiler: Subverted]] in the ''[[VideoGame/JustCause Just Cause 2]]'' review. [[IncrediblyLamePun Why? ]][[spoiler: Fucked If I Know!]]
* RuleThirtyFour: "I checked and yep, there's already erotic fanart of the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII ff13]] characters."
* RunningGag: [[PressXToNotDie PRESS X TO NOT DIE]]: Guaranteed to show up in a review of a game with quick time events.
** Also the caption "Oh no everyone can see my bum," first appearing in his review of ''Mercenaries 2'', where [[SoulSeries Soul Calibur's Ivy]] bent over and had the caption above her. Then ''a box'' did it in the same review. Then a few reviews later, a male figure did it. Eventually [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] when a figure bends over with the caption "Oh no everyone can etc."
*** And in ''Velvet Assassin'' a "German" soldier is bent over saying the above caption. In German.
*** And in ''Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood'' a cowboy imp says it in a Western accent while bending over on top of a piano.
*** A different {{lampshade}} was hung in his ''HeavyRain'' review when the female lead said "Oh no everyone can see my {{callback}}".
*** The real ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' review had Duke saying, "Oh good everyone can see my bum."
*** Makes a comeback in the "Assassin's Creed Revelations" review, where one of the many prostitutes Ezio has recruited in the past makes a statement concerning "bums and the seeing thereof."
** Nose-picking is mentioned frequently when talking about [[ArtificialAtmosphericActions mundane actions]] on the part of either the player or {{NPC}}s.
** Yahtzee references making a {{supervillain}} [[WideOpenSandbox sandbox game]] called "Mankind Has Yet To Recognize My Genius, The Game" at least twice.
** Also, the image of that red-haired guy. For those who don't know, he's one of Thomas Ruff's "Expressionless Faces" found in one of Yahtzee's Google Image searches. [[http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/gallery/2002/02/01/ruff_head.jpg This]] guy is apparently what Yahtzee sees the huddled, unwashed masses look like.
*** According to his IAM on [[http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/glt5k/iam_yahtzee_croshaw_off_of_the_escapists_zero/ Reddit]], "He just makes me laugh. I've seen Ruff's other expressionless faces and all of them have some hint of emotion, like surprise or a little smile, but Mr. Expressionless has nothing. He's hollow. Dead in the eyes. And that's why I love him."
** The, erhem, prostitute with triple the normal number of a certain orifice seems to be one, too.
** Every time Hitler makes an appearance he's accompanied with a caption saying ACH.
** "People always say to me: Yahtzee, you (description indicating manliness...)"
*** Lampshaded at one point with "Yahtzee, you ordinary person!"
*** And subverted in his ''[[TheSims Sims 3]]'' review: "Yahtzee, you [[CrossesTheLineTwice inappropriate menstruation joke]]".
** Ending sentences (and reviews) with: "[[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday ...not gay!]]"
*** As an example, regarding multiplayer ''ModernWarfare 2'': "...lying in long grass watching each other's backs, not gay."
*** Subverted with ''Driver: San Francisco'', which he adores. "So I guess I '''am''' gay!"
** In his review of Driver: San Francisco, ''SERVE AND PROTECT'' is used sarcastically on the cop protagonist's ability to possess drivers to crash into one another.
** Rattling off a list of numbered sequels and turning it into a football score, i.e., (''[[HalfLife Half-Life]] 2'', ''SilentHill 2'', ''{{Thief}} 2'', ''{{Spiderman}} 2'', (Arsenal: 3)). (A generic British joke, possibly first coined by SpikeMilligan in ''William [=McGonagall=] Meets George Gershwin''.)
** Within the ''DeadToRights: Retribution'' Dead to Rights: review, the Dead To Rights: recurring joke of Yahtzee [[OverlyLongGag Dead To Rights: replacing]] every RE- word with the game's title, but the RE- word in place of Retribution. Likewise a similar gag was done for ''RedDeadRedemption'''s WordSaladTitle.
-->[Dead To Rights: Retribution] isn't ''technically'' a sequel since the plot starts out the same as the first game, so perhaps a better name would've been ''Dead To Rights: Remake''. Or perhaps ''Dead To Rights: Revisionism''. Let's just hope it doesn't end up Dead To Rights: Retarded. That would be Dead To Rights: Regrettable.
** In a similar fashion, Yahtzee took ''RedDeadRedemption'' and complained that the game is neither red nor dead. He then went to call the game throughout the review by several alternate names, namely [[RealIsBrown Brown Alive Redemption]], Blue Poo Atonement, Green Spleen Submarine, and then [[WordSaladTitle Purple]] [[ShoutOut Monkey]] [[TheSimpsons Dishwasher]].
** Similar to the RedDeadRedemption example above, Yahtzee kept changing the title of AliceMadnessReturns for things like ''Return of the Madness'', ''ReturnOfTheJedi'', ''[[Disney/{{Aladdin}} Return of Jafar]]'' and ''BatmanReturns''.
** A character bending over and asking to be, er, taken advantage of will always be saying "In mah butt".
** THRRRP.
** WURRGH
** Pulling out his "Like ''GodOfWar'' [[SerialNumbersFiledOff but]]" stamp.
** "Hungry Hungry Hippos" seems to becoming one of these as well.
** His evident dislike of Glasgow.
** He uses the term "Eating all the pies" to mean taking up space at least twice, which is another British reference (specifically, football).
** Bland names being attributed to the {{Crackdown}} Naming Committee.
** Floating {{Hallucinations}} commanding people to '''"KILL THE WHORES"'''
* SandInMyEyes: "I'm not too proud to admit that I was welling up a bit at ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}} 2'''s good ending. ..A lil' bit. ..Well, not much at all really. It was more like just [[BritishStuffiness stoically nodding my head]] while [[RealMenHateAffection doing some pelvic thrusts and grunting]]."
* SarcasmMode: The entire ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/748-Duke-Nukem-Forever review]]. Let's start from the fact that he's reviewing a game that (at the time) was canceled and work from there. The part that qualifies this as this trope is the bit at the end where he points out there is no actual game, as the lawyers told him to do.
* SchrödingersCat: In his "Console Rundown", he compares his Xbox360 to a Schrodinger's Console, constantly swinging between a broken and unbroken state.
* ScreamerTrailer: The ending of the ''LittleBigPlanet'' review, as an obvious homage to J-horror movies such as ''TheRing'' and ''TheGrudge''.
* SelfDeprecation: While his ''Zero Punctuation'' persona is obviously an arrogant {{Caustic Critic}}, Yahtzee is known for making blunt, humourous digs at himself from time to time, such as acknowledging the nerdiness inherent in reviewing video games for a living and mocking his own abilities in the practice of social and sexual intercourse (or lack thereof).
** On ''ModernWarfare 2'': "The single-player mode is as short as fuck, and let me tell you, when I'm around fucks are legendarily short." [The animation shows two pairs of eyes in the darkness, with the speech "Sorry."]
** "As a highly respected and successful game critic--SHUT UP I AM!"
*** "I played Final Fantasy XIII because I am an unbiased critic--SHUT UP I AM!"
** A FreezeFrameBonus example from the ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins'' review. It shows all the different Invader Zim fanfiction writer pictures, and the one with the lowest bar is his picture.
** Discussed during one review in which he says that one of the targets that Americans like to hate on the most is ... 'Other Americans'.
** "A {{nerd}}, after all, is someone who obsesses over something, like the cultural impact of gaming, or people who criticise same in silly internet videos."
* {{Sequelphobic}}: Yahtzee is not ''inherently'' against the idea of sequels, but he's extremely critical of most due to their alleged lack of innovation. Franchises that go in new directions are preferred, and several of his liked games (''[[HalfLife Half-Life]] 2'', ''SilentHill 2'', ''{{Thief}} 2'', ''{{Spiderman}} 2'', ([[RunningGag Arsenal: 3]])) are all sequels.
** [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/6474-Extra-Punctuation-On-Sequels In the Extra Punctuation entry for his '''Splosion Man''/''Tales of Monkey Island'' review]], he stated his belief that a sequel should be done by people who played the first game and didn't like it, rather than fans of the first game. He reasons that the former would change it and evolve it (at the expense of fans of the original), as opposed to fans who would only advance the parts of the game they liked (which could include unimportant/bad [[ScrappyMechanic mechanics]] or strictly throwaway gags).
--> "I do have a guilty enjoyment for ''AloneInTheDark'' and ''MirrorsEdge''. They’re wracked with issues, but I find games that try to do something new and fall apart far more compelling than the merely mediocre games that don’t have an original thought in their heads."
* SerialNumbersFiledOff:[[invoked]] Has accused many games of being this, most notably ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' to ''SystemShock 2'', and ''VideoGame/DantesInferno'' to ''GodOfWar''.
* SincerestFormOfFlattery: In his ''[[{{Resistance}} Resistance 3]]'' review, Yahtzee grows more and more suspicious of the game's marked (if well-executed) similarities to ''Half-Life 2'', culminating in [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking accusing them of murder and dismemberment because the scientist Deuteragonist has the same style of beard as Gordon Freeman]].
* SitchSexuality: Yahtzee's utter adoration of StephenFry's [[AudioErotica voice]] in the ''LittleBigPlanet'' review. [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Perfectly understandable, really]].
** He starts his review of ''BrutalLegend'' by professing his adoration for TimSchafer, including stating that if he had a doomsday machine he'd reduce the entire population of the world to himself, TimSchafer, and one woman if she promised to wear a TimSchafer mask.
* ShoehornedFirstLetter: "''[[SeriousSam BFE]]'' stands for ''Before First Encounter'' - not, as I had first believed, ''Big Fucking Egun''..."
* ShoutOut: Lots. For example, the first ship seen in the ''DeadSpace'' review is the Pyro-GX from ''{{Descent}}''.
** Some of them are subtle; for instance, the PC in ''Red Steel 2'', who wears a bright red cowboy hat and trenchcoat is greeted by "[[{{Hellsing}} Are you that vampire guy?]]"
** He has referenced BackToTheFuture several times, usually when talking about Time Travel.
*** Almost all instances mentioning time travel have a picture of the [[DoctorWho TARDIS]], as well.
** Yahtzee is a fan of {{Eddie Izzard}}, phrases like "small yappy dog", "running, jumping, climbing" and "buttocks for a hat" have all been used in Izzard's sketches. Confirmed on one of the podcasts for Australian Gamer, when Matt calls him out on saying that everyone in Britain has a country manor.
** One of the dungeons in ''{{Nier}}'' takes the form of a text adventure game, illustrated with "This dungeon has been replaced by a series of [[ColossalCave twisty text screens, all alike]]."
** He's recycled one or two of {{Seanbaby}}'s jokes, but they may be more flat ripoffs than shout outs because the ones Yahtzee borrowed aren't particularly well-known.
** The plot of ''{{Singularity}}'' has "more [[PlotHole holes]] than [[TheBeatles Blackburn, Lancashire]]".
** At the end of his ''[[LegendOfZelda Phantom Hourglass]]'' review, he suggest for the next game that Nintendo [[{{Okami}} get rid of the princess, change the hero to a dog, change the setting to feudal Japan, and replace the weapons with magic spells cast with a paintbrush.]]
** Describing [[NoMoreHeroes Travis Touchdown]] as a massive nerd, he's shown lusting over [[SuzumiyaHaruhi Haruhi]].
** In ''ThiefTheDarkProject'', one of the badly done guard sprites goes [[TheEnigmaOfAmigaraFault DRR DRR DRR]].
** Any time he mentions the words ''BattleRoyale'', he shows a picture of one of his characters suffering a common death in the work, exploding collars.
** The [[OnceAnEpisode ending credits comic]] for his ''[[{{Killzone}} Killzone 3]]'' review features one of the Helghast going for a haircut only to have the imp barber [[SweeneyTodd slash at his neck with his hair-cutting tools]].
** A blink and you'll miss it reference to the Pixies is in the Yakuza 4 review, where a car is shown playing "Here Comes Your Man".
** To the Kaiser Chiefs, his Wet review introduces the heroine Rubi like this: [[{{Earworm}} rubirubirubi]][[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qObzgUfCl28 RUBI]] !
** The ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' review (the real one, not the parody one) gives us [[WebOriginal/TeenGirlSquad ALBATROSS'D]]!
** Yahtzee comments in the ''{{Catherine}}'' review that anime protagonists all tend to be "[[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion angsty and ineffectual, and given to wanking off over unconscious women]]".
** "[{{Singularity}}] rips off the cutesy, '50's style ads from VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}, which VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}} ripped off from {{Fallout}}. It's like a magnificent HumanCentipede stretching back through gaming history."
** In one of his Extra Punctuation articles he offhandedly refers to a generic supervillain minion as "Longshoreman X." A reference to DeadToRights and almost certainly {{Slowbeef}}'s Let's Play of the game.
** In the ''KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning'' review, one of the monsters "borrowed from European folklore" is [[TheMoomins a Moomin]].
** Says [[TwistedMetal Calypso]] could only more obviously be Satan "if he had horns and [[DivineComedy was idly chewing on Judas Iscariot]]."
* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: The ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' review, which of course was all made up, as well as the ''VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein}}'' review which was, except for the introduction, entirely in limerick form, including the tag-ending text.
** His trip to Washington D.C.
** His FauxToGuide on webcomics and the "Post-Brawl Mailbag Showdown" might count as well, particularly the former.
* SophisticatedAsHell: Many examples over the years.
-->"Contrary to the claims made in the previous video, I have not, in actuality, [[YourMom fucked your mum]] because, damn, that shit is nasty, yo."
** "[Fairly serious analysis]...and I can't think of a joke for that sentence, so here's a picture of a dog in a hat."
** In describing ''HeavyRain'': "The zenith is a hauntingly visceral and ''[[PrecisionFStrike fucking]]'' ''hard to watch'' scene in which..."
* SpiritualLicensee: A lot of comparisons are drawn between ''LAConfidential'' and ''LANoire''. [[invoked]]
** He referred to {{Painkiller}} as "The unofficial [[{{Doom}} Doom 3]]".
* SpoofAesop: The lesson of ''Catherine'' seems to be "men are all directionless tidal waves, and [[AccidentalInnuendo women are all dikes]] built in the path of their raging flood."
-->"...Blimey, [[ThatCameOutWrong what a badly-worded metaphor.]]"
* StarbucksSkinScale: A ButNotTooBlack character is dismissed as "dipped in tea".
* StealthInsult: His ''ModernWarfare'' review features "Killing in the Name Of" by Rage Against the Machine playing over the end credits, which becomes hilarious when you consider that he has spent most of the review telling people who suggest things to him to get fucked. He doesn't play the song long enough for the joke to become apparent, but anyone who's listened to it knows that towards the end the singer just keeps repeating "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" over and over again.
* StorybookOpening: ''RedFaction Guerrilla''.
* StoryToGameplayRatio: Yahtzee's a bit hard to pin down on this one, but the important things are that the amount of story must fit the game and that StoryAndGameplaySegregation must not intrude. ''SilentHill 2'' is his definitive example of getting the balance right.
* StoutStrength: An odd example, he refers to any large muscular character as fat even if they have an impossibly fit and overmuscled build.
* SturgeonsLaw: Applied frequently, with an even more negative twist: "Everything is shit until proven otherwise", a.k.a. "the Guantanamo Bay approach".
-->"Experience has taught me that while declaring a game shitty because of the first few hours is perfectly valid and completely professional, you should never assume that a good game will stay good."
** He handily applies this trope to user-made content as well, during the ''LittleBigPlanet'' review.
-->"I feel there's a fundamental difference of philosophy between me and the developers of ''LittleBigPlanet'': they believe every single person is an extra-special god-child with a bud of creativity aching to burst out into a single perfect flower; and I believe every single person is a tosser, and any flowers that pop up are going to be buried under garbage, fiery penises and countless reproductions of levels from Super Mario Bros."
* SubliminalSeduction: In his [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/616-50-Cent-Blood-on-the-Sand 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand review]], [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yzblackfriend.jpg this]] {{image macro}} quickly pops up several times during the video.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: See HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday (not gay.)
** In the review for ''BatmanArkhamCity'', Bruce Wayne is represented with a man wearing a t-shirt saying "Not Batman".
* TakeThat: Various games -- not just whatever he's reviewing. He's made recurring insults against ''{{Halo}}'', its fans, Nintendo's fondness for its own franchises, [[EagleLand Americans]], Gamespot after the ''KaneAndLynch'' [[FourPointScale debacle]], and Japanese [=RPGs=]. Not to mention two of his videos, which were extended {{Take That}}s aimed at, respectively, bad gaming WebComics in general (and one [[CtrlAltDel in particular]]), and ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' (dedicated to insulting 3D Realms, their investors, and the fans disappointed by the game's demise).
** There's another TakeThat directed at ''CtrlAltDel'' in his ''MassEffect'' review.
** Yahtzee's review of ''Wii Sports Resort'' was a TakeThat to the fans who stop watching his videos because he pans the NintendoWii. He later [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] the InternetBackdraft that will inevitably occur by bidding his Wii-owning fans a fond farewell. Yahtzee has a longstanding animus toward all things Wii (and some other things about Nintendo), and while he has praised a small handful of Wii games, he gladly indulges in that animus.
** An absolutely huge on at the start of his ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' review: tearing into people that demand he review a certain game, despite his highly critical approach, only to then be shocked and complain when he criticises it.
** He also makes constant Take That's to Australian censorship laws, Australian region release dates and people behind them.
** His ''PrinceOfPersia: Forgotten Sands'' review starts with one against RogerEbert... which he then revisits and SLAMS IN THE VIEWER'S FACE at the end of the review.
-->"SEE, ROGER EBERT, THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE!"
** "Or, if you would prefer something [[TransformersWarForCybertron bland and unchallenging]], then how about ''eating a dick?''"
** At the end of the ''HaloReach'' review ([[ShockingSwerve which he actually said could stand up on its own as a single-player experience, though not to the level of classics]]), he mentions that your enjoyment of it is dependent on your disposable income:
--> "If you willingly parted money for the [[PS3 Playstation Move]], feel free to go nuts, because you probably already have done."
** "Will [''SymphonyOfTheNight''] be one of those old classics that still hold up from a fresh modern perspective -- like ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' and PatrickStewart -- or will it be like one of those embarrassing older relatives that survive on nostalgia and self-effacement, like ''{{Myst}}'' or WilliamShatner?"
** "...[[BritishFootyTeams Manchester United]], nil."
** ''LANoire'''s director asks a MotionCapture actor to "look like you're lying". His SpeechBubble is a picture of TonyBlair.
** Comparing ''Driver: San Francisco's'' {{Body Surf}}ing antics to those of ''QuantumLeap''. Cue Tanner donning a Scott Bakula mask, along with the caption "[[StarTrekEnterprise I RUINED STAR TREK]]".
** His review of ''DeadIsland'' is absolutely full of it, declaring that he will make a zombie apocalypse game where your party will struggle to survive against an avalanche of zombie apocalypse games, titled ''Enough With The Fucking Zombies Already'', and that gamers couldn't handle it if the world ended in any other way.
** "So much of triple-A gaming these days is endless [[KaneAndLynch2 sequels]], [[KaneAndLynch2 ripoffs]], and [[KaneAndLynch2 wank]]."
* TakeThatAudience: Constant, constant, constant. There is very rarely a video or an Extra Punctuation column where he doesn't insult the viewers and/or himself.
** Commenting in the ''DeadIsland'' review, notes that while the average gamer acts as if they would take a zombie apocalypse as an opportunity to shine, they would be more likely to talk suicide pacts if the internet went down for more than a week.
* TakeThatScrappy: InUniverse, he ends his ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' review with him doing horrible things to Vanille.
* TalksLikeASimile: For humorous effect, given the nature of the similes. As an example, one of them involved the voice acting in a game being comparable to being raped in the ear by a man wearing a sandpaper condom. Though technically it wasn't ''him'' who said it, it was his roommate. And "Not in those exact words, of course."
** Matt maintains he actually described it as like driving a corkscrew into his ears.
--> "I wonder if the Geneva Convention covers torturing metaphors?"
* TankGoodness: In ''{{Halo}} Wars''.
-->"There's no reason to build any troops, really. Tanks do not move any slower, they just take longer to build and, well, ''they're fucking tanks!''"
* TertiarySexualCharacteristics: The female imps have red bows on their heads.
* TestosteronePoisoning: Yahtzee seems quite fond of making jokes about his masculinity, stating that it's one of the reasons why he cares little for the {{RTS}} Genre. The subtitle for his Fully Ramblomatic site is "The website for REAL MEN".
** Regarding the miserably scowling hero of ''{{Darksiders}}'':
--> "If I threw a seven-foot demon into the air and cut it in half with one swing... I'd be like, ''fucking hell!'' Did anyone see that? I'm squirting machismo out of my ''nipples'' here! I am a monster truck that walks like a man!"
** He even claims the opposite in regards to playing {{JRPG}}s for any length of time beyond [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII five hours]]. Like he did with ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou''.
--> "...Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go play an FPS before my body finishes ''absorbing my testicles''."
** He does however have a poor opinion of games that use this trope unironically.
* TheThemeParkVersion: Most people who claim to share Yahtzee's views exactly have patently never watched a single review and simply parrot over-exaggerated versions of his particularly caustic reviews as though that were his entire opinion on the entire genre.
* ThisLoserIsYou: Yahtzee's hatred for this trope is made plain in his ''TransformersWarForCybertron'' review, where he derides Shia [=LeBeouf=]'s various characters in ways like, "Indiana Jones is over thirty? No one can relate to that!"
* ThisIsSparta: [[RedFaction Darius Mason]] triumphs by using his magic flashlight the fix Mars' weather inside of five minutes. ..Erm.
-->"Not to dampen your sense of victory, Darius, mate, but why didn't you do that three years ago ''right after it broke?'' You '''''DUMB''''' [{{dopeslap}}] '''''BALD''''' [dopeslap] '''''TWAT.'''''
* TickleTorture: The way he illustrates the mentioned the initial torture sesions of ''Black Ops''.
* ToMakeALongStoryShort: In his review of ''Spore'' and whether it's as good as ''TheSims''.
-->Short answer: No. Long Answer: [[BigNo Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo]][[OverlyLongGag oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.]]
* TooManyCooksSpoilTheSoup: He brings this up frequently about the large-name corporations running the big-budget titles, and even brings up how such lack of discipline ruined ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2''.
** He takes this metaphor to [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/8892-Extra-Punctuation-Action-Is-Not-Finisher-Porn extraordinary lengths]] in ''Extra Punctuation''.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood:
** Branston Pickle, which is typically used as a metaphor for "so unique you have to try it".
** Cadbury's Creme Eggs and chip sandwiches show up infrequently.
** In [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/657-Grand-Theft-Auto-Chinatown-Wars one episode]] he considered combining the two to make a Cadbury's Branston Pickle Egg. Then cut to credits. Then [[TheStinger he came back]] with a report on how it went (not very well).
** He also mentions Cornettos several times in his earlier reviews.
* {{Troll}}: Yahtzee once reflects that he's seen as a "professional troll," which he imagines as a hulking creature lurking under a bridge, handing out business cards.
* {{Troperiffic}}: Many of the entrance quotes of the Trope pages are from him.
* TwainsObservationOnOriginality: Numerous reviews allude to this concept. His running metaphor about Branston Pickle (to describe something so original and distinctive that it must be appreciated in spite of its flaws) more or less amounts to this trope.
* TwentyBearAsses: One of his reasons for hating {{MMORPG}}s is because most quests are variants of this. A sight gag from his ''RedDeadRedemption'' video is him running from a cougar holding a pile of [[LifeOfBrian otter noses]] while the caption "7/8 OTTER NOSES" floats over him.
* TheUnintelligible: The Imp, during his extremely short lived HostileShowTakeover.
* UnpleasableFanbase: Lampshaded in-universe. "Fans are clingy, complaining dipshits who will never ever be grateful for any concession you make. Incidentally, [[HypocriticalHumor why not buy a Zero Punctuation t-shirt?"]]
* UnreliableNarrator: A quick one where Yahtzee shows on a chart ranking games by violence, which claims that ''{{Barbie}} Horseback Racing'' is slightly more violent that the war game ''ResistanceFallOfMan 3''.
* VerbalBackspace: RunningGag in ''{{Bayonetta}}'' review.
** Also, from his ''ArmyOfTwo'' review, when he starts slipping into gay jokes again though he was trying to cut down on them: "No! Bad Yahtzee!"
* VictoryCake: [[SeenItAMillionTimes A few times]] but most recently in the [[GodOfWar God Of War III]] review:
--> The actual challenge of the fight is basically 'Go here, then here, then QuickTimeEvent then win. Then cake.'
* VideoGameCaringPotential: Usually, Yahtzee is a cruel, heartless bastard, but every once in a while even he admits to liking the characters that he plays or the {{NPC}}s he gets saddled with.
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: Why Yahtzee loves ''SaintsRow 2''.
** Also, from his review of ''SimCity Societies'':
---> "It seems when you place most people in the position of a god and give them responsibility over many tiny lesser beings, then their attitude towards them is usually less about [[VideoGameCaringPotential beloved children]] and more about target practice."
** In his "Best of 2010" video, his favorite game of the year was ''[[VideoGame/JustCause Just Cause 2]]'', because "any criticism I might have given it is drowned out by the terrified scream of an enemy soldier with one leg tied to a Harrier jet."
** He dedicated a point during his VideoGame/{{Infamous}} vs. VideoGame/{{Prototype}} match to which game gave the players a better oppurtunity to be a colossal dick. If you can't tell which one won that round, [[VideoGame/{{Prototype}} it was the one that let you eat people]].
* ViewersAreGeniuses: In Yahtzee's review of ''Deathspank'', how many people got that he picked the town name of Northampton for a visual gag about a mystical place because it's very close to the real life English town of [[KingsQuest Daventry?]]
* VisualPun: Many of the BRollRebus visuals. He even {{lampshaded}} it when he came up with an [[IncrediblyLamePun exceptionally lame one]] with a large caption reading "VISUAL PUN".
** Then subverted in one review, where the word "incongruous" was met with a screen of text just saying "A word I can't fucking illustrate."
** ''Deathspank'' is illustrated with TheGrimReaper giving Yahtzee's AuthorAvatar a spanking.
** In ''MafiaII'', "fast whores" is illustrated by a female imp [[SpeedLines zooming]] across the screen going "NEEEOOOW".
** When he says "Give me some credit" (about assuming the everyday details of the character's life), an imp offers him a credit card.
** All the way back at his [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/7-Peggle Peggle review]], you have the images on the pegs: busts of SimonPegg.
* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: By his own admission, he doesn't believe in it, even stating that "true love" is indistinguishable from brain damage.
* WhatTheHellHero: Rebecca Mayes' love song to him, calling him out on the lowest-common-denominator parts of his humour then asking him out for a drink...[[{{Yandere}} and threatening to stab him with a screwdriver]].
* {{Whoring}}: Yahtzee both hates the very existence of and abuses the hell out of moves that can be used for extreme versions of this, including but not limited to [[RedSteel a parry that automatically stuns the opponent]], [[VideoGame/{{Prototype}} a tentacle attack with way too long a reach]], [[SoulCalibur tossing his helpless AI opponent around like a ragdoll]], and [[GodOfWar the "fuck you" button]].
* XDaysSince: Parodied in the ''ArmyOfTwo'' review as "X Hours Since the Last Gay Joke".
* XMeetsY: His analysis of ''{{Minecraft}}''.
--> Christ, this is like ''[[TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]'' meets ''ThereWillBeBlood''!"
* YaoiFangirl: One of these makes a brief cameo in the ''MetalGearSolid4'' review when Yahtzee points out that [[HeterosexualLifePartners Snake and Otacon's]] relationship is a goldmine of HoYay.
* YouBastard: Yahtzee actually suggests this exact trope as an alternate name for ''[[VideoGame/MonsterHunter Monster Hunter Tri]]'' when his first suggestion (he got as far as ''[[OverlyLongGag Hunter/Gatherer Of Innocent Young Dinosaurs Pathetically Mewling Their Last As The Memory Of Their Mother's Warmth Drifts Away To Be Replaced By The Unforgiving Coldness Of...]]'' before giving up) didn't really work.
* YouKeepUsingThatWord: During the Mailbag Showdown, after a reader told him, "There wasn't really much of a review here. From a purely objective standpoint, ''SuperSmashBrothersBrawl'' is actually quite a superb game, as you can tell from reading reviews":
-->'''Yahtzee:''' I think you should look up the word "objective", because [[YouKeepUsingThatWord I don't think it means what you think it means]]. It's worth remembering that all reviews are subjective personal opinions and if you personally enjoy the game, then they shouldn't really get to you. Unless of course there's a despicable little niggling doubt in the back of your mind, that maybe you're not having as much fun as you've convinced yourself you're having, which doesn't go away no matter how many times you try to slap it down with the wet flannel of weak excuses...
** {{Lampshaded}} by Yahtzee himself in one column, where he mentions that he's caught himself using certain words so many times that he's had to step back and wonder what the hell he's actually talking about. Helpfully, he put together a handy little glossary of some of his favorites.
* YouKilledMyFather: Used as a CreditsGag.
* YouMakeMeSic: He employs this during the "Mailbag Showdown" video by correcting the emails in red as he reads them.
* YourMom: She turns up a lot in ''WebOriginal/ZeroPunctuation'', and Yahtzee usually either hits on her or tries to have sex with her.
** Or in one case as shown in his ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' review, kicking some ass.
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