When comparing NerdCubed vs Matthewmatosis, the Slant community recommends Matthewmatosis for most people. In the question“Who are the best game critics? ” Matthewmatosis is ranked 5th while NerdCubed is ranked 7th. The most important reason people chose Matthewmatosis is:
The videos are as long as he feels they need to be to address everything - the Devil May Cry & Dark Souls entries are entire playthroughs of several hours whilst discussing the games - far more analysis than a standard Lets Play video. His critiques are also concise and straight-to-the-point, instead of extensively rambling about a single point where it's not required.
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Pros
Pro Covers hidden gems
He plays lots of great non mainstream games that you might not have heard of.
Pro Angle on being humorous
Nerdcubed often uses cultural references or timing to his advantage which many find amusing.
Pro In-depth (yet concise) videos
The videos are as long as he feels they need to be to address everything - the Devil May Cry & Dark Souls entries are entire playthroughs of several hours whilst discussing the games - far more analysis than a standard Lets Play video. His critiques are also concise and straight-to-the-point, instead of extensively rambling about a single point where it's not required.
Pro Discussion of atmosphere
One aspect of game design that often gets overlooked by other critiques is atmosphere, which is something that he is excellent at dissecting (as evidenced by his Majora's Mask, Team Ico and Demon's Souls videos).
Pro Strong focus on gameplay
Several critics tend to provide long detailed (often surface-level) descriptions of games without talking too much about the merits and pitfalls of the actual gameplay. As a programmer, he understands what goes behind-the-scenes in game design, useful for starting developers. Having played an extensive array of games that goes beyond the mainstream, he can effectively compare games to highlight a specific aspect of gameplay (such as combat, puzzle-solving or level-design).
Pro Great for starting game developers
If you're going to create a game, Matthew will sometimes provide behind-the-scenes stories about how a certain game was made or game mechanics worth improving or experimenting on. These videos make it seem like games are far more complex and exciting on the inside than they first appear.
Cons
Con Light on analytical content
NerdCubed's channel mostly consists of Let's Play content. While LPs can be used to get an impression of a game and NerdCubed does remark on certain characteristics of games while playing them, his channel is an entertainment channel first and a critique channel somewhere down the line.
Con Humor can feel forced at times
There are certain times that the humor can feel as if it is not natural, which makes the videos feel a bit disingenuous.
Con Some videos can be mundane and dry
If you're looking for comedy or exciting gameplay, you will not find it here. His sense of humor is subtle and sporadic, but that boils down to personal opinion. Long videos are both a blessing and a curse, providing a lot of information, but some people just can't make it through.
Con Doesnt know anything about actual game design
He edits his critiques in a way that flows like an audio book. In terms of effective critiques there arent many to be found here. He uses reductive anaylsis, throws out opinions as if they explain anything like a journalist with quality research could.