Mark Oshiro does things. He has, in a sense, made a professional life out of being a fan. For several years, on his sites Mark Reads and Mark Watches, he has tackled fan favourite TV shows (like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Doctor Who) and novels (Harry Potter, His Dark Materials) one episode or chapter at a time. The catch is that he only reviews stories for which he is completely unspoiled. Warning: Portal spoilers below!
The results are generally hilarious and Oshiro has developed a fan following of his own.
He has now added Mark Plays to the trilogy of sites, in which he experiences and reviews video games (again, games that he has somehow always managed to avoid spoilers for) one chapter or section at a time. And in fine fashion, the site has started with Portal and Portal 2.
Following along with the experience of an unspoiled, new player brings back fond memories of experiencing a game oneself for the first time. And Oshiro’s chronic unpreparedness for the twists stories throw at him often rings familiar:
Look, this was a 19 level puzzle game. I THOUGHT YOU BEAT IT, YOU GOT CAKE AND THAT WAS IT. And suddenly, I’m in passageways looking in on the very game I just played, and my mind can’t handle it. That 19th level pulls your right out of the world you were once in, and you have to force yourself to accept that you’ve been manipulated, not only as Chell, but as the player.
Anyone who has ever enjoyed introducing their friends to a favourite game, and waiting with pent-up glee for the friend to hit THAT MOMENT OMG, will probably enjoy reading along, as Mark discovers more classic and current titles.
Just don’t ever leave any spoilers. That wrecks all the fun.
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