[Modern Family] Ch: 18 [Top 10 Worst games of 2008 - March 2009] (Patreon)

[AN: This chapter became too big. Over 5k words, but I read it twice, and I think it's good. Hope you like it. Next ch coming up soon...]

[One Week Later]

The temperature-controlled room was finally ready.

Jason stood just inside the reinforced doorway while cool, filtered air moved quietly around him. The renovation crew had removed the old carpet, sealed the walls, installed fresh insulation, and covered the floor with smooth vinyl that would be easier to clean. Heavy metal shelves now lined three sides of the room, each one secured against the wall and positioned away from the single covered window.

Every sealed Pokémon booster box rested inside a protective acrylic case.

The three First Edition Base Set boxes occupied the center shelf, where Jason could see them without moving anything else. The Skyridge, Aquapolis, Neo Destiny, and EX Team Rocket Returns boxes sat beside them in neat rows, while the newer Diamond and Pearl products filled the lower shelves. The loose booster packs remained inside individual protective sleeves before being placed inside sealed storage containers.

Jason stepped closer to the digital control screen mounted beside the door.

The display showed everything he needed.

Temperature: 68°F.

Humidity: 45%.

Airflow: Normal.

Filter Condition: 100%.

System Status: Stable.

A smaller section displayed a history graph showing the temperature and humidity levels from the past twenty-four hours. Both lines remained almost perfectly straight, which was exactly what Jason wanted.

He placed one hand against his hip and smiled. “That’s beautiful enough to frame.”

The system required very little attention beyond basic maintenance. Jason needed to inspect the air filters once every month, check the seals around the door, and make sure the humidity never moved outside the safe range. The control unit would sound an alarm if anything went wrong, and a secondary sensor would send a warning to a receiver in his bedroom.

The room had already cost him more than he originally planned, though the expense barely mattered compared to what sat on those shelves.

Jason looked toward the First Edition Base Set boxes again.

“Twelve, thirteen years,” he murmured as he slowly walked past the collection. “I'm gonna swim in money.”

He remembered the future prices clearly enough to understand what he had created. Even if the market developed differently in this reality, vintage Pokémon products would still become rare. Nostalgia would grow, collectors would gain money, internet personalities would open old packs for millions of viewers, and wealthy buyers would compete for sealed products that almost nobody had preserved.

His collection did not need to reach the exact prices from his old world.

It only needed to rise.

Jason stopped beside the loose packs and checked one of the storage cases before securing the final latch. “Between the cards, property investments, streaming, and whatever else I build, I’ll have enough money to live an ultra-high-end life with my girls.”

He paused after hearing himself.

“My girls,” he repeated, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “That sounds dangerously confident for a guy currently trying to date two sisters without causing a civil war.”

The situation with Haley and Alex remained complicated, though neither sister had told him to leave them alone. Haley had said she would speak with Alex about trying something together, and Jason had wisely decided against sending either of them repeated messages asking how that conversation was progressing.

Some discussions needed patience.

Especially discussions that could end with two sisters arriving at his house to either kiss him or bury him beneath the large tree in his backyard.

Jason stepped toward the doorway, gave the shelves one final inspection, and switched off the brighter overhead lights. A softer safety light remained active near the floor, while the control screen continued glowing beside him.

He closed the reinforced door and turned the key until the lock clicked.

Then he tested the handle twice.

“Safe, sealed, and officially removed from temptation.”

Opening even one First Edition pack would have been financial insanity, though a dangerous part of his mind still wanted to know whether a perfect Charizard waited inside one of them. 

Jason slipped the key onto a separate ring and headed toward his streaming room.

Game cases covered part of the desk. Several notebooks rested beside the keyboard, each one filled with criticism, jokes, timestamps, and reminders about which footage belonged in which section. Empty drink cans surrounded the editing station, while two external hard drives sat beside the monitor containing hours of recorded gameplay.

The main screen displayed the finished editing timeline.

TOP 10 WORST GAMES RELEASED BETWEEN 2008 AND MARCH 2009.

Jason dropped into the chair and stared at the completed project with tired satisfaction.

Over the past week, he had bought, rented, and played some of the worst games he could find. Several of them had interesting ideas buried beneath terrible execution. Others felt like somebody had completed the first half of development, lost the remaining budget during a poker game, and released whatever survived. 

Playing the games had been exhausting.

Editing the footage had been worse.

Adobe Premiere had crashed twice during the process. The first crash erased almost three hours of work because Jason had forgotten to save frequently. The second happened after he finished arranging several clips from ShellShock 2, wiping out another hour of cuts, narration timing, and sound adjustments.

"Motherfucker!" Jason had stared at the frozen screen for nearly twenty seconds before grabbing both sides of his new keyboard.

He had come dangerously close to lifting it above his head.

Then he remembered how much it cost.

Destroying expensive equipment because editing software crashed would have been satisfying for roughly five seconds. After that, he would have needed to drive back to the electronics store, purchase another keyboard, reconnect everything, and admit that a computer program had defeated him emotionally.

So he had lowered it carefully.

Then he had called Adobe Premiere several names that would have frightened a construction worker.

After finishing the project, Jason saved six separate copies across multiple drives.

“I’m learning,” he said while opening the final rendered file. “Trauma creates excellent backup habits.”

The complete video lasted nearly nineteen minutes, which was far beyond the upload limit available to a normal YouTube account. Jason had already divided it into two separate videos. Part One covered numbers ten through six, while Part Two covered numbers five through one.

He opened the first finished file and leaned back while the intro began playing.

The screen turned black.

A burst of dramatic music started while quick clips flashed across the screen. A vampire killed the player in two hits. Iron Man crashed into the side of a building. Larry fell through an awkward platforming section. A soldier in ShellShock 2 ran directly into a wall while bullets passed through his body.

Then the title appeared in bold letters.

THE GRID PRESENTS:

TOP 10 WORST GAMES OF 2008 TO MARCH 2009.

Jason’s recorded narration began over a montage of broken animations, terrible combat, and characters staring blankly into walls.

“Welcome back to The Grid. Over the past week, I spent money on ten terrible games so that you wouldn’t have to make the same mistake. My bank account is disappointed, my patience has disappeared, and Adobe Premiere tried to finish whatever these games started.”

The footage switched to Jason’s recorded face-cam. He sat behind the microphone with several game cases stacked beside him.

“This list only includes games released from the beginning of 2008 through the end of March 2009. It is also based on my experience, which means you’re completely free to disagree in the comments. You’ll probably disagree loudly because this is the internet, and calm discussion has already begun its slow journey toward extinction.”

The video cut to a spoiler warning while Jason continued speaking.

“Some sections contain gameplay and minor story spoilers. Most of these stories barely understand themselves, though I’m warning you anyway. With that out of the way, let’s begin the suffering.”

Number Ten: The Incredible Hulk.

Footage showed the Hulk jumping between buildings before landing in the middle of a busy street. Cars bounced away from the impact while nearby pedestrians ran in every direction.

Jason’s narration continued over the gameplay.

“Starting the list at number ten, we have The Incredible Hulk. I should make something clear before angry Hulk fans start throwing furniture. Smashing buildings can be entertaining, and the first hour makes you feel like an unstoppable green disaster with anger-management problems.”

The footage showed Hulk grabbing a car, tearing it apart, and turning the pieces into metal gloves.

“The destruction system provides some genuine fun. You can tear apart vehicles, climb buildings, throw objects across the street, and create enough property damage to make every insurance company in New York close permanently.”

The footage then changed to a mission where Hulk fought another group of nearly identical soldiers.

“The problems begin when the game asks you to do anything beyond destroying the city. The missions become repetitive very quickly. You fight the same enemies, protect objects that seem determined to get destroyed, chase targets through awkward streets, and deal with controls that occasionally behave like Hulk’s hands have stopped communicating with his brain.”

A clip showed Jason trying to target an enemy while the camera swung toward a nearby wall.

“The targeting system doesn't even work half the time. The camera regularly chooses the least useful angle available, and several boss fights feel restrictive instead of exciting. Hulk should feel powerful, though the game often turns him into a large green babysitter protecting fragile objectives from endless enemy waves.”

The footage returned to Jason destroying buildings during free exploration.

“There is fun buried inside this game, especially when you ignore the missions and start treating Manhattan like a collection of breakable toys. That small amount of enjoyment saves it from ranking any higher on this list.”

The number changed across the screen.

Number Nine: Hellboy, The Science of Evil.

Hellboy entered an old graveyard while enemies climbed from the ground around him.

“At number nine, we have Hellboy: The Science of Evil. This game has Ron Perlman voicing Hellboy, involvement from people connected to the movies and comics, and a character perfectly designed for heavy action.”

Hellboy punched an enemy several times before performing a finishing move.

“Unfortunately, the developers apparently believed Hellboy only needed three activities. Enter a room, punch everything inside that room, then wait for the magical barrier blocking the exit to disappear.”

The video showed ghostly smoke closing off another area while enemies approached.

“Every level follows nearly the same structure. Invisible barriers trap you inside small combat zones, enemies arrive in groups, and the game refuses to let you continue until every creature has received several punches from the Right Hand of Doom.”

Jason’s footage showed Hellboy repeating the same combinations against another group.

“The combat looks satisfying during the opening minutes. Hellboy’s punches feel heavy, and the finishing moves have some personality. After several hours, you realize that you’ve been repeating the same combinations against enemies who appear to share one brain between the entire supernatural population.”

A clip showed an enemy standing against a wall while Jason attacked another creature nearby.

“The artificial intelligence rarely creates any real challenge. The environments look bland, the level design keeps pushing you through narrow combat arenas, and the game wastes a character who should have carried an entertaining supernatural brawler.”

Hellboy threw an object at an enemy before the footage froze on the impact.

“If you love Hellboy, watch the movies, read the comics, or stare at the game case from a safe distance. All three choices provide more variety than playing the full campaign.”

Number Eight: Golden Axe, Beast Rider.

The screen changed to Tyris Flare riding a beast across a dusty battlefield.

“Number eight goes to Golden Axe: Beast Rider, a game that takes a classic cooperative fantasy series, removes the cooperative play, removes most of the familiar playable heroes, and focuses almost entirely on Tyris Flare.”

A combat sequence showed several enemies surrounding Tyris while the camera struggled to keep them all visible.

“The game wants its combat to feel precise. Some attacks must be dodged, others must be parried, and enemies often surround you from several directions. That system could have worked if the camera showed what was happening and the controls reacted consistently.”

Tyris attempted a parry and took damage from an enemy outside the camera’s view.

“Instead, enemies attack from outside the screen, timing windows feel unreliable, and one mistake can destroy your health bar before you understand what happened. The difficulty regularly feels cheap because the game expects precision while refusing to provide the tools needed for precise play.”

The footage shifted to another brown environment filled with similar enemies.

“Most areas also blend together. You move through dusty paths, fight repeated groups, ride beasts that control awkwardly, and wonder why a game called Golden Axe contains so little of what made Golden Axe enjoyable.”

A beast suddenly threw Tyris from its back.

“The creature riding should have been the main attraction. In practice, the animals often feel like vehicles designed by somebody who strongly dislikes roads, steering, and player happiness.”

The video showed Jason dying during another large encounter.

“The game has a few decent ideas and some entertaining finishing moves. Those moments cannot rescue repetitive combat, frustrating enemy placement, and a camera that behaves like another hostile creature.”

Number Seven: Legendary.

A cinematic showed the protagonist opening Pandora’s Box before mythical creatures flooded New York.

“Number seven might be the most disappointing game on this entire list because Legendary has an excellent premise. If you're following me, you've already seen my gameplay. If you haven't, check it out. It's about a thief who opens Pandora’s Box, mythical creatures invade the modern world, griffins attack helicopters, werewolves tear through soldiers, and humanity fights monsters across collapsing cities.”

The footage showed a griffin throwing a vehicle through the air.

“That sounds fantastic. Somebody found a brilliant concept and then trapped it inside an unfinished first-person shooter.”

Jason moved through a city street while allied soldiers repeatedly ran into his path.

“The human AI is terrible. Allies block doorways, enemies forget where you are, and soldiers occasionally stare at monsters like they have paid for excellent seats at a live performance.”

A werewolf attacked while several soldiers fired in random directions.

“The monster encounters can become wildly unbalanced. Some creatures absorb ridiculous amounts of damage, enemies attack from awkward positions, and the game fills certain areas with so much visual confusion that aiming becomes an act of faith.”

A scripted sequence began while Jason’s character moved slowly behind another soldier.

“Many action scenes also feel heavily scripted. The game keeps showing enormous events around you while giving you very little meaningful control over what happens. It wants to feel cinematic, though the player often becomes a confused tourist walking through somebody else’s monster movie.”

The footage displayed flickering textures and a creature clipping through an object.

“Technical problems make everything worse. Animations break, collision becomes unreliable, and the controls never feel as smooth as they should. The sound design provides a few strong moments, and the creatures look impressive from the right distance.”

Jason paused on an image of a griffin attacking the city.

“That makes the failure more painful. Legendary could have become an amazing series. Instead, it became evidence that a great idea still needs competent execution.”

Number Six: Alone in the Dark.

The title screen appeared while fire spread across a wooden object.

“Finishing Part One at number six, we have Alone in the Dark. This game might be the most ambitious disaster I've played on the stream.”

Footage showed Edward combining items inside his jacket inventory.

“The developers included real-time fire propagation, environmental puzzles, breakable objects, an inventory system based on what Edward can carry inside his jacket, and the ability to combine items into improvised weapons.”

Jason set a chair leg on fire before using it as a torch.

“Some of these systems are genuinely impressive. Fire spreads across objects, items interact in creative ways, and certain puzzles make you feel like the game briefly remembered its potential.”

The footage immediately switched to Edward struggling through a doorway while the camera pressed against a wall.

“Then the controls remind you that happiness is temporary.”

The camera moved wildly as Jason tried to position Edward near an enemy.

“Movement feels clumsy, the camera regularly fights the player, and switching between first-person and third-person views creates more confusion than flexibility. Basic actions require too much effort, especially when enemies are attacking and the inventory refuses to pause the game.”

The inventory opened while a creature approached in the background.

“You can literally die while searching through Edward’s jacket for the correct item. That might sound realistic, though realism stops being valuable when the interface makes opening a bottle feel harder than surviving a supernatural apocalypse.”

A driving sequence began, showing the car crashing into obstacles while the road collapsed.

“Then we reach the driving sections. The vehicle slides across the road, the camera shakes, obstacles appear with very little warning, and checkpoints force you to repeat long sequences after one mistake.”

The car struck a barrier and flipped.

“This game made me question whether Edward was trying to escape New York or destroy every remaining vehicle before the monsters could use them.”

The video showed several glitches before returning to footage of the fire system.

“Alone in the Dark has too many interesting ideas for me to call it completely worthless. The developers attempted something ambitious, and a few mechanics deserved a better game. The final result feels unfinished, frustrating, and constantly at war with its own controls.”

The screen faded into the Part One ending.

“That concludes numbers ten through six. Part Two continues with five games that damaged my patience even more severely. You can find the second video in the description.”

The first file ended.

Jason watched the final frame disappear before opening the second video.

Part Two began with another short montage. Iron Man flew into a mountain, a vampire killed the player almost instantly, Griffin punched the same enemy repeatedly, and Larry fell from another badly designed platform.

Jason’s narration returned as the title appeared.

“Welcome to Part Two of The Grid’s worst games released between 2008 and March 2009. If you survived the first half, congratulations. Your reward is five worse games and several questions about how these products reached store shelves.”

Number Five: Iron Man.

Footage showed Iron Man flying above a desert battlefield.

“At number five, we have Iron Man. This should have been one of the easiest superhero games to make enjoyable. Give players a powerful armored suit, let them fly anywhere, fire repulsor blasts, destroy military equipment, and upgrade the armor between missions.”

Iron Man accelerated through the sky and fired missiles toward several tanks.

“The first few minutes feel promising. Flying around as Iron Man creates a brief sense of freedom, and blasting vehicles from the air can provide some entertainment.”

The targeting reticle then jumped between several enemies while missiles approached from different directions.

“That feeling disappears once the combat begins fighting against you. The targeting system jumps between enemies, the camera struggles during close encounters, and the controls make precise flight feel much harder than wearing a billion-dollar suit should ever feel.”

The footage changed to another desert mission filled with similar vehicles.

“The missions repeat the same ideas constantly. Destroy these weapons, protect this structure, chase that target, then fight another group of tanks while somebody gives instructions through the radio.”

Iron Man fired repeatedly at a boss with a large health bar.

“Boss fights often become long battles against enemies who absorb too much damage. Instead of making the player feel powerful, the game turns Iron Man’s repulsors into cheap flashlights aimed at armored health bars.”

A group of missiles knocked Iron Man around the screen.

“The enemy attacks also create chaos without producing satisfying difficulty. Missiles arrive from every direction, warning indicators become difficult to follow, and getting hit can trap Tony inside a sequence of impacts that feels impossible to control.”

The footage paused on Iron Man hovering above the battlefield.

“The movie proved that Iron Man could look exciting in motion. The game proved that flying becomes boring when every mission uses the same enemies, the same objectives, and the same frustrating targeting system.”

Number Four: Vampire Rain, Altered Species.

Rain fell across a dark city while the protagonist watched a vampire from behind cover.

“Number four goes to Vampire Rain: Altered Species. The idea sounds excellent. Take the careful stealth of Splinter Cell, add supernatural horror, and force the player to avoid vampires that can move faster and hit harder than any human enemy.”

The protagonist moved across a rooftop while several vampires patrolled below.

“The game creates tension at first because getting spotted is extremely dangerous. These vampires can kill you within one or two attacks, and escaping after detection is almost impossible.”

A vampire noticed Jason, crossed the street in seconds, and killed him immediately.

“The problem is that almost every mistake produces the same result. You get spotted, the vampire becomes a guided missile with teeth, and the death screen appears before you can develop a reasonable response.”

The footage showed Jason repeating the same route after returning to a checkpoint.

“Many missions require one specific path. Experimenting usually gets you killed, combat remains useless during the early sections, and checkpoints can force you to repeat slow movement after a tiny mistake.”

An enemy stood facing a wall, while another noticed Jason through an awkward angle.

“The enemy AI also behaves inconsistently. Some vampires ignore obvious movement, while others detect you from angles that make no sense. A stealth game needs clear rules because the player must understand why they failed.”

Jason’s character climbed another building while rain covered the screen.

“Here, failure often feels arbitrary. The dark city and constant rain create a strong atmosphere, and the idea of helpless soldiers sneaking past vampires has real potential.”

The vampire killed him again after another detection.

“The execution turns fear into irritation. After the fifth instant death, the vampires stop feeling terrifying and start feeling like impatient employees forcing you to restart the level.”

Number Three: Jumper, Griffin’s Story.

Griffin teleported behind an enemy and started a combat sequence.

“Number three belongs to Jumper: Griffin’s Story, a movie tie-in that proves teleportation cannot save a game from repetitive design.”

The footage showed Griffin fighting several enemies inside a closed room.

“The combat system allows Griffin to jump around opponents and attack from different angles. That idea sounds creative until you realize the entire game consists of entering rooms, fighting small groups, and repeating the same combinations until another door opens.”

Griffin entered the next room, where another nearly identical group waited.

“This happens again, and again, and again. The locations change, though the structure barely moves. Enter the arena, fight several enemies, watch a short scene, then continue toward another arena.”

The camera became trapped close to a wall while Griffin teleported.

“The camera is horrible. It swings into walls, loses track of enemies, and makes teleportation harder to follow than it should be. A game built around instant movement requires a camera capable of understanding where the character moved.”

A cutscene played with rough character models and stiff animation.

“The graphics look years older than the hardware, sound effects lack impact, and the storytelling feels rushed. The entire campaign can also be completed within roughly two hours if the camera does not trap you inside another corner.”

Jason’s footage showed the ending before quickly returning to the menu.

“That means the game has one advantage. It ends before the repetition can remove your remaining memories of happiness.”

Griffin appeared in another combat clip.

“Jumper takes a power that should create endless possibilities and uses it to move the player between identical fights more quickly.”

Number Two: ShellShock 2, Blood Trails.

The video changed to a dark jungle filled with gunfire and screaming.

“At number two, we have ShellShock 2: Blood Trails. This game combines the Vietnam War, psychological horror, infected soldiers, secret experiments, and a mysterious cargo.”

A soldier stumbled through a hallway while the screen shook.

“That premise could have created a disturbing survival-horror shooter. Instead, the game delivers short linear levels, weak gunplay, poor enemy AI, and horror sequences that lose their effect almost immediately.”

Jason fired at an enemy who continued running forward without reacting properly.

“The weapons are bad, aiming feels imprecise, and enemies behave like they were given their battle plans five minutes before filming began. Some charge directly toward gunfire, while others stand in open spaces and wait for the player to solve the situation for them.”

An allied soldier ran against a wall while Jason moved past him.

“Your allies offer very little help. They block paths, fire unpredictably, and occasionally appear more confused than the infected soldiers trying to eat them.”

The footage shifted to a dark corridor where several images flashed across the screen.

“The horror relies heavily on sudden visions, loud noises, and disturbing images. Those tricks might work during the opening section, though repetition drains the tension quickly.”

A close combat sequence began, using a quick-time event.

“The game also forces awkward quick-time events into several encounters. Missing a button prompt can kill you instantly, which means the scariest creature becomes the symbol appearing in the middle of the screen.”

Jason reached the ending after another short sequence.

“The campaign is surprisingly short, the story barely develops, and the game ends before its ideas become meaningful. It feels like an unfinished project released because somebody had already printed the boxes.”

The screen displayed a slow-motion shot of an infected enemy.

“ShellShock 2 had a setting capable of producing genuine horror. The final game produces frustration, confusion, and a strong desire to play something else.”

Number One: Leisure Suit Larry, Box Office Bust.

The footage opened with Larry standing inside a movie studio.

“Taking the number one position is Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust, the newest game on this list and the fastest game to make me regret spending money.”

Larry began walking while the camera moved awkwardly behind him.

“The controls feel terrible from the opening minutes. Larry moves without precision, the camera constantly chooses bad angles, and simple platforming sections become harder than most boss fights because the character refuses to land where you expect.”

A clip showed Larry missing a platform and falling.

“That jump failed because the controls of this game are just a buggy mess, just like the entire game. You will see that happen many times.”

The footage changed to Larry driving a small vehicle around the studio.

“The game fills its campaign with repetitive errands, weak racing sections, awkward platforming, basic minigames, and long walks across a movie lot that contains very little worth exploring."

Larry accepted another task from a character before running across the studio again.

“Most missions feel like chores. Travel across the lot, collect objects, complete a badly designed activity, listen to another joke, then repeat everything until your patience submits a formal resignation.”

The video showed several stutters and broken animation transitions.

“Technical performance creates even more problems. The frame rate struggles, animations look unfinished, characters move strangely, and the game occasionally reacts like the hardware itself is trying to reject the disc.”

A dialogue scene began between Larry and another character.

“Then we reach the writing. Leisure Suit Larry built its reputation around adult humor, embarrassing situations, and clever wordplay. This game replaces cleverness with endless crude jokes that confuse being offensive with being funny.”

Jason paused the footage on Larry’s expression.

“I enjoy stupid humor when it is actually humorous. This game throws joke after joke at the player without checking whether any of them deserve laughter.”

More clips showed Larry failing platforming sections, repeating activities, and driving through another weak mission.

“The worst part is the length. A short terrible game can become an amusing memory. Box Office Bust stretches the same weak ideas across hours of repetitive missions, which gives every problem enough time to become personal.”

The footage switched to Jason’s face-cam as he held the game case between two fingers.

“This is one of those rare games where every major system seems determined to create misery. The controls are bad, the camera is worse, the missions are boring, the performance is unstable, and the humor produces more silence than laughter.”

Jason slowly placed the case beside the other games.

“That combination earns Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust the number one position on this list. It is currently the worst game I have played in a while.”

The video moved into the outro while clips from all ten games played in the background.

“That concludes The Grid’s Top 10 Worst Games released between 2008 and March 2009. Let me know which terrible games I missed, and tell me which ranking made you angriest.”

Jason appeared on camera again and pointed toward the game cases.

“I suffered through these games for your entertainment, so consider rating the video five stars and subscribing to the channel. Part One and Part Two are linked in each description.”

He smiled as the channel logo appeared behind him.

“I’ll see everyone during the next stream. Until then, choose your games carefully and save your editing projects every five minutes.”

The second video ended.

Jason remained in his chair for several seconds, looking at the blank screen while relief settled through him.

“Yeah, that works.”

He opened YouTube and started preparing the uploads.

The first title read:

TOP 10 WORST GAMES OF 2008 TO MARCH 2009 | PART 1 | THE GRID

The second title matched it with PART 2 added near the end.

Jason copied his finished description beneath both videos, added links connecting the two parts, and included the games in timestamp order. His tags covered bad games, worst games, gaming review, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC gaming, movie tie-in games, Leisure Suit Larry, ShellShock 2, Jumper, Iron Man, and The Grid.

The first thumbnail showed Larry, Griffin, and a soldier from ShellShock 2 beneath large red letters reading:

THE WORST GAMES?

The second thumbnail shows Iron Man crashing into a wall beside a vampire charging toward the camera.

Jason checked everything three times before clicking the upload button.

The progress bars began moving.

Unlike editing the video, uploading required almost no effort beyond waiting and hoping the connection remained stable. Jason used the time to clean several game cases from his desk, throw away the empty cans, and reorganize the notes he might need for future videos.

The first upload reached one hundred percent.

The second followed several minutes later.

YouTube processed both videos while Jason linked them together in the descriptions and added a comment beneath Part One directing viewers toward the second half.

Once both videos became public, he refreshed his channel page.

The two thumbnails appeared beside his previous uploads.

Jason leaned back with his hands resting behind his head. “There we go. One week of suffering has officially become content.”

The view counter remained at zero for several seconds.

Then Part One changed to one view.

Part Two followed shortly afterward.

A new comment appeared beneath the first video from Dex.

Dex: bro actually played all of these for us

Jason smiled and typed his reply.

The Grid: My keyboard nearly died for this video. Please respect its sacrifice.

Another comment appeared moments later.

R34P3R: no way larry is worse than shellshock

Jason cracked his knuckles and leaned closer to the keyboard.

The argument had already begun, which meant the video was doing exactly what he wanted.