Will you watch a "silent" Let's Play?

Started by takeKopter August 10th, 2016 3:20 PM
  • 751 views
  • 17 replies
Male
Seen April 6th, 2023
Posted April 4th, 2023
104 posts
10.5 Years
Hi there. I'm not always in this section, so it basically means I'm new here :)

So, the title says it all, will you enjoy a silent let's play? Basically a let's play, but with no commentary at all. Personally I feel that will be kinda dull, because the charm of let's play is sometimes we found hilarious commentary, but being funny is relative, and I don't think it's totally pointless because we can see how skillfull people are at playing games (or how bad they are), from Minecraft to Minesweeper (yes, there are Minesweeper let's play)

So, what's your opinion?

Tewi

Хорошо

Age 24
Male
Argentina
Seen September 28th, 2021
Posted August 16th, 2016
37 posts
7.2 Years
It kind of depends in why i'm watching it. I preffer watching silent gameplays when i'm stuck in a game and try to see how they pass it. But when i'm just watching without a reason i end up dropping it because it turns really boring, especially if it is a long game, like Pokémon or Final Fantasy.

Log

It's your boy Guzma!

Female
On an archipelago.
Seen January 13th, 2018
Posted January 25th, 2017
223 posts
6.8 Years
I think I've watched a silent let's play before (or maybe it was just a subbed let's pay). Personally, I think it would get a bit boring without any commentary of some kind, but I really favor let's plays where the LPer doesn't talk over voiced-dialogue.

Satoshi Ookami

Memento Mori

Age 30
Male
Abyss of Time, Great Seal
Seen August 5th, 2018
Posted July 3rd, 2018
14,253 posts
14.8 Years
I wouldn't watch any Let's Play because I don't see the appeal of wasting time looking at the game when I can spend it playing.

But if I were to choose, I would probably go for silent one. I don't need irrelevant 'funny' commentary.



(Another thing is that there are no weeb games Let's Plays, but let's ignore that)
ROM hacking FAQ - Read before asking how to play a hack.

Anime List | PSN Trophy List

GanguEevee

~Calamity Trigger~

Age 22
Female
Bronx, NY
Seen 4 Weeks Ago
Posted November 12th, 2020
296 posts
11.2 Years
I do silent LPs, but I have been trying to make them semi-silent, with the option of having subtitles be my commentary. But that's just because I really hate my voice when recording. And to be honest, I only have 2 videos with subtitles. So, non-silent.
~Calamity Trigger~
"O' silver blade forged in the depths of the beyond, heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way! Lay waste."

machomuu

Stuck in Hot Girl Summer

She/Her
Take a left, turn right at the next stop, bear left for a few mil
Seen March 4th, 2023
Posted April 26th, 2022
10,505 posts
15.1 Years
I generally watch LPs for the personalities, usually because the people I watch generally aren't LPers- so at the same time, I should say that I rarely watch LPs, but I watch Game Grumps almost daily so...

With that out of the way, yeah, basically what Eevee said. When I play Japanese games with no guides/walkthroughs and there happen to be LPs available, they make for wonderful guides. Same with any game, really, foreign or otherwise. It's practical application of things getting done, and that's helpful, so I usually want it silent (though commentary can help). In the case of LPs I'm watching for entertainment, it's commentary's probably what I'm there for.

Altairis

take me ☆ take you

Female
database database
Seen December 29th, 2022
Posted October 5th, 2018
5,170 posts
10.9 Years
Yes, I do this sometimes. I only really do this when it's a game I'd rather play myself but don't have the time or system to do; so probably not multiplayer or whatever games. For example, I specifically chose a silent Dangan Ronpa Let's Play because I wanted to get a feel for the game, not the player playing it.

ORAS/XYBW

Eden

Right you are, Ken!

Age 29
Female
Flavortown, USA
Seen July 12th, 2019
Posted September 30th, 2017
248 posts
8 Years
Let's Play with no commentary? You mean a Longplay?

I go for longplays nowadays. I just wanna watch someone play the game (which is generally when I'm interested in a game but on the fence of playing it.) So yeah, I'd say go for it. They seem to be getting more popular too.

PeePi Coming S.

Banned

Male
Seen August 4th, 2017
Posted August 4th, 2017
100 posts
6.9 Years
This is more of what Martinez O does for much of his content. Basically just full on playthroughs of Doom mods and other game mods (like Mental Omega) with lengthy descriptions on what's going on.

Another form of this silent let's play is simply using either annotations or other forms of text to make some comments or remarks on something.

To be fair, some games are better off experienced by the viewers being played with no voice-over coming from the player.
Seen September 18th, 2020
Posted February 18th, 2018
7,741 posts
16.6 Years
Only if it's an expedient walkthrough by someone highly skilled at the game.

KingGeddi's playthroughts of Dark Messiah are a classic for me, though these days the age of the videos shows in low resolution. I also have a collection of three commentaryless Metroid II speedruns that I'm fond of for some reason; one glitchless, one TA glitchless, and one TA glitched. The glitch run exploits a 'glitch world' type area, similar to the one found in Pokemon games of the same era, to teleport around the proper world map. It's hard to make sense of and doesn't look faster, but the video is shorter so who am I to say.

Cherrim

Age 34
she / her
Toronto
Seen 53 Minutes Ago
Posted 1 Week Ago
33,049 posts
20.4 Years
I don't do this personally, but I have a lot of friends who either can't afford games or are just too cheap to buy them and just watch them instead. Since the genre most of my friends are into (JRPG) is really story-based, I think everyone generally prefers to just watch a silent playthrough because they're there for the game, not to hear someone talk over the characters or anything.

Like others have said, I appreciate these kinds of playthroughs when I'm stuck in a game and I'm quickly trying to find the solution to a puzzle or the way through a confusing map. When I'm actually watching an LP for the LP, though, I only do it if I like the personality of the player and their commentary. Otherwise I'd definitely just get bored.


paired with professor plum.

Starry Windy

Everything will be Daijoubu.

Male
Liberty Garden
Seen April 28th, 2020
Posted April 28th, 2020
9,307 posts
10.4 Years
Personally, I enjoy non-commentary LP series a bit more because I can see how people play and get the feeling as if I'm the one involved with the game, and besides of that, depending on the game (I'm not counting M-rated games in particular), it can be a bit more safer for everyone to watch as well.
Male
Seen February 10th, 2023
Posted January 1st, 2017
439 posts
9.7 Years
I actually prefer non-commentary ones just to get a complete feel of how the game plays along with music in the background.

Currently playing: The Ultimate Rodent Solo Run Challenge Marathon
Pokemon Blue Raticate Run: (8/8) (COMPLETED)
Pokemon Silver Furret Run: (16/16) (JOHTO + KANTO + RED COMPLETED)
Pokemon Sapphire Linoone Run: (8/8) (COMPLETED)
Pokemon Pearl Bibarel Run: (2/8)
Pokemon White Watchog Run: (N/A)
Male
United States of America
Seen August 13th, 2017
Posted November 25th, 2016
377 posts
8.4 Years
I don't often watch "Let's Plays," but during the rare occasions in which I do, I go for one without commentary... Either that, or I mute the commentary and put on some Avenged Sevenfold. :P

Now, if you're not trying to just be funny and you're throwing in helpful tips here and there, then that would be commentary I'd listen to!