Happy end of the year! I'll also be releasing a more casual talkthrough of honorable mentions and other highlights to all patrons, right here: www.patreon.com/JacobGeller
jacob, with all you can do in terms of varying mood when standing in front of that fireplace, i think theres definitely something to be done with a 360 camera in that room. thing about the vibes you could emit through scenery with that.
Hey Jacob, I’ve watched your stuff for a long time. You should check out oneshot if you haven’t yet. It’s not much mechanically, but in terms of story it’s without question the cream of the crop. On several occasions while playing I found myself an inconsolable sobbing mess. It has some fantastic theming to it too.
I must concur with you good commenter, I was indeed quite intimidated. (I also cried a little because Jacob's Beard was incredibly impressive and I was sad to see it go) Wait, nevermind, he regrows his beard halfway through the vid. Not only is it impressively shaped, it also seems to grow at unprecedented speeds.
Ever since Jacob Geller's "Control, Anatomy, and the Legacy of the Haunted House" video showed up on my recommended videos a couple months back I've loved his videos. They're some of my favorite, and dare I say, the best I've ever seen. I know it sounds like I'm just being a suck up but his videos honestly feel like a painting, you can see the amount of work and love he puts into everything he makes. I know he'll probably never see this but, Mr. Jacob, your videos are such a big inspiration for me, and I hope you continue doing what you love.
My first one was Fear of Depths, probably the youtube video that has most deeply unsettled me. I don't think it's his best video but it's still probably my favorite
Hey my dude. Yea, it's a great time, that period when you initially discovered Geller videos. Suffice it to say that each video is a journey that I haven't regretted a one, took several many times.
I will never forget when my siblings sat me down and showed me "Control, Anatomy, and the Language of the Haunted House", and then when they could see how much I loved it, showed me a few other of your videos. I've been an avid fan ever since, and even as I've up and left my home town to go to college, whenever I find that you've uploaded a new video I get this rush of excitement and comfort knowing that you're still out there making your amazing videos. So thank you for that, if you do end up seeing this comment.
I discovered the channel through the Colossus video, then discovered it as a channel a year or so later and went “Wait, this is the same guy from that one!”
These videos are the reason I read the entirety of house of leaves, why I bought disco elysium the second it came out on playstation, why I gifted before your eyes to all my siblings and told them the camera MUST be on. Almost every video peaks my interest in something. Thank you for all your recommendations Jacob
My grandma tracked it down for me for Christmas. Not to mention countless people I know sending the recommendation because I love that kind of story (my first tattoo is from Annihilation after all)
I've been an avid viewer since I first watched Who's Afraid of Modern Art. That video made me interested in art, and subsequent videos sparked my interest in literary analysis. Jacob, thank you for producing quality content and showing that analysis of art doesn't need to take the form of a soulless paper identical to every other one; it can be art in and of itself. Here's to another year of fantastic videos.
OH MY GOD UNEARTHU! I met the developer at a conference and attended their talk and haven’t been able to remember the name of it until now 😂 I remember them saying that all the asset reuse was part an attempt to make an unsettling aesthetic, but also part their attempt to make a ‘sustainable’ game made entirely of recycled materials. Wild game.
You say you love engagement? Here's engagement. My best friend, while we were talking about something, directed me to your Golem video. We watched it together and paused halfway through to have a lengthy discussion about how the alt-right repackages hate language used by the nazi party in ways people don't realize. Since then, we keep coming back to your videos and watching them together as a pastime whenever we have a moment. It's made me feel much happier during these times when the world is pretty lonely. My personal favorite video of yours is the one about Anatomy. My friend's favorite video is "there's so many. Can I give like five videos? I really like ape out. And who's afraid of modern art. And I like the one about outer wilds. I'm just listing videos! I can't pick a favorite. Oh I also really like uncanny reality. And- oh- which one is it. And I like the golem- the jewish one. Because jew. And the Simpsons one because it's like comics. And then I saw the dark souls one AFTER watching thinking about ending things, and only then I got it. And then the one about shadow of the collosus' last secret. It just seems really cool to love a game that much you know?" And then I cut them off because I got tired of typing. They really love all your stuff. Me too :)
You had me except that “alt-right” stuff. Oh, and ALSO a Jew. Very much a Jew. Went to an orthodox Jewish school for 8 years and a conservative/reform one for another 4 years. Voluntarily served in the IDF. Trust me, 70% of the things/people you think are alt-right, aren’t. They exist for sure, but the term is applied wildly loosely now.
Sable is actually incredibly. After 10 minutes of it I remember thinking "this scratches every itch I didn't know I had". Easily one of the best games I've ever played
Choosing a mask was the easiest thing for me in Sable, because the game scratched my "become a skyrim horse" itch I didn't know I had. If it could be climbed, I was gonna climb it, dang it!
@@SuperBrainzilla Wait...you actually are one of the programmers!! You guys have had one of the best ideas i've seen implemented in a videogame in..ever pretty much!
@@SuperBrainzilla I love your game so much! Sat down to play it with my family, who is not too familiar with videogames. They all had an absolute emotional blast, same as I. Thank you so much for such a unique experience.
Jacob Geller is easily the best creative writer on TH-cam. One of the few that actually get me to go out and play or watch or read whatever it is that your videos are about so that I can watch them with the full context of the work (and to avoid spoilers, of course). Keep up the fantastic work. 👍
I'm so used to seeing Jacob with his powerful beard, but I didn't expect clean shaven Jacob to also have great power. Man has a jawline that will give BJ a run for his money.
I’ve been a fan of yours since someone shared your video “Anatomy, Control, and the Legacy of the Haunted House.” Jacob Geller videos are drop-everything-and-watch events for me! There’s no one else like you on this site and I can’t believe I get this content for free. Hope the next year treats you well!
Your videos helped me through a really hard year! My dad passed in late November last year, and last month and all of this current month have been full of the low energy days I'm bitterly used to. But I've kept productive somehow, and again, your videos are just so thoughtful and interesting to watch, and inject more energy and motivation into my brain so that I can get back to writing. So thank you Jacob! Happy holidays from Canada.
I'm so glad A Short Hike had a little mention in this video, just shared my account with that game on it with a bunch of my buds and one of them said that they haven't enjoyed a game like it in such a long time, i hope as many people as possible get to experience it.
I was surprised to hear Mesh in the background as you started the last list item. It seems like so long ago that Before Your Eyes came out. It was the fist game I ever cried at, and I still recite the storyteller’s last plea to the Gatekeeper. “He began to worry that he hadn’t lived enough-, which only made him forget the great life he already had.” The directing in that scene is brilliant, I think it can only be fully experienced when crying, blocking tears away and flashing between the afterlife and your childhood bedroom. I paused the video before I heard the reason you love this game so I’ll go back to that now.
I have myself thought of ending things this year, for a whole lot of reasons, and yes 2021 has been rough for me. Still, you were, at each of your realeases, a source of inspiration. You made me cry, you made me cry a lot, actually. You made me laugh too. You made me laugh even more. In a way, you were one of the small lanterns that, without changing my life, made it brighter, made it worth it. And I can't stress enough how much I feel grateful toward you. Thanks Mr Geller. May I be still alive all of next year to witness your next video essay. With much love, Happy New Year ! :)
I hope to see you here again one day in the future. I can relate much with your comment, so let's cry and laugh with Geller's work together for the next month, year, decade, ...
Outer Wilds' dlc is my game of the year, because it managed to add something to what I considered an already perfect game, and managed to make me feel like the game could only be called complete with it's new mechanics and stories.
Same for me! While not quite on the base game's level imo, it still gave me the exact same increadible sense of exploration and curiosity and had me very teary eyed by the end.
The jaw-dropping moment when you first enter the Stranger, followed 10 minutes later by another equally jaw-dropping moment, will forever have a place in my memories.
@@parchmentengineer8169 if you got to the second moment in 10 minutes after entering the stranger you're either a god gamer or you looked up a walkthrough
@@parchmentengineer8169 when I first entered the stranger in that beautiful moment, I actually cried because of how beautiful it is. This has never happened to me before. I've cried because games were very sad or emotional or shocking, but I was so overwhelmed and in awe I didn't know where to put it
I watch your videos with my younger sibling- we don’t have a lot of games in common that we both like playing, but appreciating the craft together has been great for our relationship
I couldn't think of a more poetic reality than to have someone who values and admires so much the artistic discussion of games as you to become such an amazingly talented writer and content creator. It's... Inspiring.
Love that you pointed to the writing in Sable. It's so good and regular conversations didn't feel like they would happen in real life, but they felt so human in a surreal way and made me tear up frequently.
For the hours of content and insightful dialogue, I wanna say thank you! Your channel has become one of favorites over the past year and has joined my very own top ten for content creators in 2021. You’ve made me think more about the work that goes into story telling, the messages that can be found in art, and how much impact people can have on the world. You’ve also made me reflect on what actions I’ve taken, what kind of person I’ve been, and how I can move on to confront the future. You’ve helped me grown as a person, so I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me! Thank you so much, Jacob Geller! I hope the next year and all the ones to come treat you well until we cross paths again.
I got Time Loop Nihilism on my TH-cam home page, watched it, and fell into the rabbit hole that is Jacob Geller's existential video essays. Did I cry a couple times? Yeah, yeah I did. I also downloaded Outer Wilds and Disco Elysium- I'd already bought them before watching his essays and then thought 'dang I guess I should actually play those if Jacob Geller thinks they're amazing' (I haven't, but I'll get around to it eventually). There really is just Something about watching Jacob Geller's essays. Something more personal, and personable. It's nice.
Sable is the first game that I literally havent been able to put down for two days. I find it hard following a solid storyline when it comes to rpgs etc, and sable just really hit exactly what I was looking for. The no combat, the fact you are able to do everything at your own pace. The bloody beautiful writing and story lines. Everything about Sable is beautiful (apart from yaknow the numerous bugs as of so far )
That is an excellent point about climbing. I love running, jumping, and climbing in games like Borderlands but they took a little shine off that fun by putting colored ledges in almost any game with a climbing mechanic.
It's nice to see Sable get the rep it deserves, I haven't really seen anyone talking about it. The writing is so solid that when I encountered MULTIPLE game breaking bugs I powered through because I was so determined to see where Sable go, how she'd grow, who'd she meet.
@@Exel3nce Fair, the art is a major plus of the game. But like I said the writing for me is the big thing that makes the game good. Like the video says, it feels really intimate.
@@Exel3nce To me the best feature of this game is its naturalistic tone. For a game set in a post apocalyptic alien whatever world, it was so personal and humane and melancholic and mundane in its coming of age tale. It created a pretty refreshing lens for us to see the BOTW-style exploration through.
I'm so glad you recommended Before Your Eyes, It's a game that means so much to me. The themes of the game are just a beautiful expression of some of my most deeply held principles. not to mention that multiple mechanical twists left me in awe. just, wow, heck, it's so good
Before Your Eyes was a source of great comfort during a rough patch this year, and I wouldn’t have found that game if it wasn’t for your video on it. I found you channel by chance, around March, and I’ve been an admirer since. The depth with which you treat ideas, the intertextuality you find between games, books, art and your own experiences, the excitement and fun that you radiate…. I guess just, thank you Jacob, commenting for the engagement
Thank you SO much for loving Metroid Dread. As one whose favorite thing in the world is Metroid, my heart is so full to hear how many people are finally helping put it in the spotlight.
I'm not really sure why Dread is the one that makes the series big-time... I thought it was one of the worst Metroid games. As far as the original series goes, Dread is better than only 1 and 2... And the remakes of each are still better than Dread.
@@NikosiaMateas It's probably because of a bunch of factors, really. It was on the Switch (many of Nintendo's series sell better here than on their previous consoles), what seems to be smooth and fluid combat and movement (wouldn't know for sure, have not played the game), it might've had better/stronger marketing, and there has been a recent growth in popularity experienced by Metroidvanias.
@@NikosiaMateas I’d place it somewhere around the middle myself. I had some pretty big issues with the controls (no remapping, complicated inputs for some of the abilities, the return of those awful shinespark puzzles) but other than that, I enjoyed it a lot.
I totaly agree. Metroid is incredibly special to me. I've played other Metroidvanias, but nothing quite has the same feel and emotion of this series. That same intoxicating flirtation with horror, that same sense of loneliness and isolation, all that jazz. I loved, loved, loved Hollow Knight, got 112 percent and sank more hours into it than I do most triple A games. But it wasn't Metroid. Dread though, I wouldn't call it perfect. But that game. Was. METROID.
I dunno what you guys are talking about- all the new controls and shinespark puzzles made it my new favorite game in the series. Difference in preferences, I guess? It definitely had weaknesses, but first and foremost, it's a game, and I think the gameplay is the strongest in the entirety of the series. It just... feels so good.
Hadn’t managed to hear about Mundaun, and the textures all being hand-drawn is kind of gorgeous?? And thank you for a year of interesting & thought-provoking videos. I started watching your stuff this year while idly browsing & they really hit with me. I’m a very depressive person, even outside of COVID, and they’ve been a spot of good as I’ve fought through some life-junk and worked to make changes for the better. Here’s to hoping for a better, or at least warmer, year ahead for all of us.
thank you for your videos this year, your writing never ceases to amaze me! 💗 i started playing video games mostly because of you - i didn't grow up playing them, so my interest in starting as an adult was very limited, but you made me realise that i'm missing out!! also your book recommendations are so good, i think both my last year's and this year's top books came from them 😀 thanks!
I appreciate that you included Sable which is my personal game of the year 2021. I wouldn't have gotten angry if you didn't include it, but I would've strongly recommended you to play it because it's possibly one of my favorite games of all times. The beginning where you left the Iibexi camp and said farewell to your family actually made me cry.
The golem video is one of my favorite videos of yours, I love learning about other cultures and religions and how that influences games and media especially.
What a great list, man. Such cool games to check in on, especially when you break down towards the end exactly why they belong on the list and what the list is exactly for. There's no metric that tallies the difference between favorite or best or most fun, and that's because those in no way fit into the same columns. I love that you've made the list in exactly this way. Your opinion is always rife with recognition of innovation and I appreciate that so much. -- As for the heartfelt conclusion, I think I speak for all of the subscribers, all of the followers, all of us who check these videos out regularly... thank YOU for sharing them. Glad to be a part of the team. Glad to know you're out there.
Your style is inimitable and I absolutely adore it. Combining pop culture (usually a video game), fine art, and scholarship the way that you do makes every video a delight.
Like Before Your Eyes, Jacob Geller is a once in a generation type thing. He will also color my perception of all games/videos/art I engage with in the future.
This is the first channel in all the time I’ve spent on TH-cam that has actually made me, a being afflicted by severe ADHD, pay full attention to a sponsorship ad. Jacob, you have my absolute thankfulness and respect, I wish you, and all the other amazing people who help make this possible the absolute best of luck, and a happy new year
When you were talking about climbing, I had a similar thought as I was first playing Half Life about four years ago. I was stacking boxes to get over lasers and I just went “Is this what I’m supposed to be doing or is it just working?”
0:51 OMG HE'S PLAYED CHICORY!!! this game is so so underrated. like like i'm in this one fan server and it basically encompasses this games entire fandom... like no joke.
Your videos really mean a lot to me. When I watch one, I feel like I'm listening to somebody who's able to see sharper colors and deeper hues, and that, in a weird way, helps my eyes to see those vivid colors in the stories I experience and in my life. Thank you for all that you do, and especially thank you for repeatedly making me cry during your videos.
Honestly, I'd buy a real Inscryption deck to play with friends. It's that well thought out. The fact there's so much more to it than a card game is an amazing bonus.
Gotta love that the 10th spot is held by a game from my homeland and im so glad to see that region of the country get attention. Also im glad to see Sable here cause its been on my radar for awhile now. Great list. Also thanks for showing some games that arent triple A. It's refreshing.
I don't know why I chose to skip this video at first, I guess it didn't strike me as the type of Jacob Geller-ry type of Jacob Geller video. But I actually teared up in this one hearing him being so thankful for his viewers. Jacob gives me a reason to look at life in new beautiful perspectives and I've always wanted to thank him for that. I guess this time he let us see his work life in a beautiful perspective and I can tell he loves what he does. I'm just happy to be a part of a community that does that for an amazing man like him!
I just had my first kid 3 day ago, and I can already tell that Before you Eyes is gonna hit me in the face with an emotional brick. I'm ready for it. It's on my list with 3 underlines.
Psychonauts 2 is my game of the year. Just an amazingly creative platformer with charming characters and writing, good combat, and no frustrating sequences. Just a joy to play the whole way through.
There's few TH-cam channels where I'll watch every video, regardless of subject matter, but this has been one since I found it. I respect and trust both that the ideas presented will be interesting, and the delivery will be enthralling, and I have yet to be let down. Thank you for the great quality content.
seeing a new video from you for real always turns my day around. the intimacy of everyday objects showed up randomly in my recommended videos one day and i was hooked immediately. your last guardian video made me ugly sob alone in my room and trying to describe to someone why a youtube video about some random game i'd never heard of made me feel more like things might be ok someday than anything had in a long time is like. i mean, it maybe comes off as a bit intense. but like, i'd show up for basically anything you want to throw at us at this point because i know it'll be an absolute blast. happy Best Games of 2021, yall
unearth u is like the first season of within the wires! it’s in the form of meditation casettes that slowly reveal that you are imprisoned somewhere and the voice is someone trying to help you escape. it’s really cool!
In gauge mint. (Seriously, that was surreal getting called out, even just as part of a group. Thank you and all those that support you, it's the highlight of my day to see a Patreon/TH-cam notification for "Jacob Geller". And thank you for letting us know commenting like that works, I don't always remember to comment, but I'll remember better knowing it helps.)
Jacob, you became one of my all time favorite content creators this year and I cannot wait to see what else you create. Im especially excited to play Sable, because who can resist open world Moebius art! Let's kick next year's ass together
Hey Jacob, I just wanted to say you have really truly inspired me as a writer, your essays on architecture in games, as well as the emotional responses games provide have been hugely influential in what I write about as well as how I write it, so much so, that I'm actually using many of your essays as a sort of source for points on how to write good atmospheric horror, because knowing what you're trying to achieve is to me as important as knowing how to get there.
I feel as though I owe you thanks in some way. The first video I’d ever seen of yours was “Who’s afraid of modern art?” video, and that was honestly life changing. Not, specifically that video on it’s own, that video is phenomenal, but it only began my journey through your expansive and diverse array of videos. The way you talk, and the way you structure your discussion of video games, an experience-based medium, around being an experience in themselves, is genuinely next level. I deeply admire your ability to not only propose questions that frame your argument coherently, but to ask questions and induce experiences that illicit the feeling of the argument is baffling. What you do on this website is immaculate, and I wouldn’t change a single thing. I ensure to watch all of your videos that won’t spoil me on contents of games or movies I haven’t already seen/played, and I think that my critical thinking skills have legitimately improved because of it. If you see this comment, thank you. Watching your videos regularly has inspired my to make a channel of my own, and I feel it’s only right to thank you for helping me awaken a passion for creating and writing.
I'm doing pretty good. It's always interesting to watch these kinds of videos because I never manage to play more than maybe 8 games in a year, if that. I love seeing what games other people found and loved that I never even heard of. Thanks for the video, and I hope you have a happy holiday.
Hey buddy, as one of your patrons (A3) just wanna say, you already know you've done more than pay us back for the opportunity to help you keep creating these incredible pieces of art. Appreciate the fact that you're a thankful person though, but please, don't ever feel like you're not far exceeding at least my expectations! They've truly helped me by just being a comforting place to come and explore new ideas. There aren't many things I get excited about, but seeing a new drop does. So take pride in that, okay?
Your recap of videos you made this year really made it hit home just how much your vids have meant to me in this crazy year, thank you so much for the content you make! I’ll never stop supporting your Patreon and loving your vids!
I just finished Before Your Eyes yesterday after it's been on my backlog for a while. Such an amazing game with how the mechanic and storytelling blends in nicely.
I hate to compliment through comparison, but it needs to be said. Every other person on TH-cam, I watch their videos while I cook, while I clean the house, while I get ready for work. Jacob’s videos are an event, a work that I sit and watch and absorb the best I can. Thank you, and happy new year all.
It was a very long day. Alternatively, since he was standing still for the whole taping, he diverted all non-seeing, speaking, and thinking skill points into the Bread Growth trait.
Thank you Jacob!! I just finished my dissertation and I’m left with a strange hunger for detailed, creative arguments on niche topics. I love video games, so your channel has really hit the spot for me, every single video. Happy New Year!
if i were to make a list of my favourite discoveries this year, your channel would undoubtedly be there. your video a thousand ways of seeing the forest inspired me more than i can express. thank you so much, looking forward to what you are bringing us next ❤️
Much as I sometimes turn on one of your videos just to let the words roll over me, I have gotten so much insight from your work. I cannot know how things would have gone without your work, perhaps much the same, but I remember looking at a comment I made on the first video of yours I ever watched: who's afraid of modern art, and finding that in the year or so between my perspective on art had changed. I have come to appreciate art which doesnt make me happy but brings out all sorts of emotions i never thought could or should be reached by an art piece of any kind. I started to appreciate theme and imagery and vibes in a way english class could never teach me to. Maybe it is just me growing up a bit but i think to think your work was part of that.
You mentioned how you look for that game that reframes the concept of what a game can be, but I just want to say that finding your channel and watching your videos this year has been the thing that reframes what talking about games can be to me. Your videos have inspired me to reconsider how I think and talk about games and set the standard for me, and I've also enjoyed every single one of them, so thank you!
Your channel is always one of the first ones I think of when I think about how much I hate that people call carefully constructed pieces of media art "content" now.
I wishlisted Sable purely on its aesthetics and it ＤＥＬＩＶＥＲＥＤ. Also it turns out to just be an awesome game in general and the world is phenomenal. Totally agree that it feels self-directed, and they set that up from the very start, they don't point you towards home, you find it organically yourself. And I love that it keeps the compass out of your way unless you hold the button for it, it makes the world feel so much more real. It's like hbomberguy said out about how omnipresent compass headings can ruin a player's appreciation for the world. Oh and I climbed the tower for the bike part before I unlocked the hover bubble thing. I was like, "Wow this game is hard. Like, frustratingly hard. I hope it's not all like this." Then I got the bubble and I was like, "Oooooh... I wasn't supposed to do that. But I damn well DID it, and I'm proud of it."
You're video essays have kept me alive these last 2 weeks. Not literally, but figuratively. Wife is away on work, and I am working full time while attending school full time. I am drowning and you are a hairy rubber ducky inflatable life raft. Thank you
I really liked Before your Eyes, which is why it was so frustrating that it worked so poorly with glasses. The glare off my glasses made the webcam think I blinked at random intervals. I have really warm, diffuse light in my room, so I couldnt make it bright enough in the room to offset the glare.
One thing I wished was mentioned more is that you can play without the blinking mechanic. I haven't played it because I didn't think you could, I looked it up because of this video. I'm autistic & blink excessively, the game would probably be over in less than 5 minutes for me & I wouldn't have a chance to experience any of it. I understand that it's not the intended experience, but accessibility matters.
Y’know Jacob, you never cease to amaze me with what you do. Thanks to you, I’m able to discover games and media I never would’ve on my own. Keep up all the great stuff that you do! You can bet I’ll be there to see it. Also, consider this comment one for the algorithm. :)
i found this channel when "Control, Anatomy, and the Legacy of the Haunted House" crossed my reccomended, and ive been eagerly consuming every video since. i think about it often, what it is to live in a house that is breathing, breathing laboured, and rotting from the inside out. to this day it's one of my favourite yt videos of all time, and its the video that initially inspired the original writing ive been working on for the past year. you are absolutely one of my favourite youtubers, and i so look forward to what you do in the coming year
Honestly, you're channel is just like a number of games on this list, quite the hidden gem. Something I would never have expected to love. A lot of videos, I never watch once... or at rewind it less than a hundred times. It's not that their confusing, but I don't want to miss what you have to say.
well now I'm gonna have to say "just commenting for the engagement" more often. Kid A Mnesia Exhibition is probably my vote for game of the year. I'm a big Radiohead fan so being literally submerged in some of my favorite songs was well truly groundbreaking for me. And I don't know of any other games that use music in the way it did. It was an experience.
As a swiss person I'm honestly delighted and surprised to see something so incredibly local and specific, I wish it had been talked about in the media here!
I just found your videos this past year, and they've been super helpful - combine preexisting health issues with moving across country with remotely finishing grad school, and Good Content TM was incredibly nice to have. The tone of these videos is incredibly rich and complex, and even when they're about existential dread, everything is elegant and thematic enough that my anxiety quiets for a while. I've also gotten my wife to watch your videos, and the fear of the depths video led her to Underland, her new favorite book!
Also, your haunted houses video remains the only way I can begin to comprehend my friend's family's incredibly cursed house (they're currently building a sub-house inside the apple warehouse that previously was just the back room), so thats been useful
Happy end of the year! I'll also be releasing a more casual talkthrough of honorable mentions and other highlights to all patrons, right here: www.patreon.com/JacobGeller
Inscryption is such an amazing game, been awhile since a game captured my attention like Inscyption did, I highly recommend it to anyone
jacob, with all you can do in terms of varying mood when standing in front of that fireplace, i think theres definitely something to be done with a 360 camera in that room. thing about the vibes you could emit through scenery with that.
Hey Jacob, I’ve watched your stuff for a long time. You should check out oneshot if you haven’t yet. It’s not much mechanically, but in terms of story it’s without question the cream of the crop. On several occasions while playing I found myself an inconsolable sobbing mess. It has some fantastic theming to it too.
This guys face looks like a car bumper...
Man, your videos are unbelievably good, and it's really nice seeing every new video you upload
Beardless Geller's party energy is very intimidating.
I must concur with you good commenter, I was indeed quite intimidated.
(I also cried a little because Jacob's Beard was incredibly impressive and I was sad to see it go)
Wait, nevermind, he regrows his beard halfway through the vid. Not only is it impressively shaped, it also seems to grow at unprecedented speeds.
@@paula194 Truly his levels of power are unfathomable.
Like Nick Cave in a good mood.
@@paula194 like who has a beard line that defined while it's growing is Jacob going in with a straight razor before every vid
thats one word for it
Ever since Jacob Geller's "Control, Anatomy, and the Legacy of the Haunted House" video showed up on my recommended videos a couple months back I've loved his videos. They're some of my favorite, and dare I say, the best I've ever seen. I know it sounds like I'm just being a suck up but his videos honestly feel like a painting, you can see the amount of work and love he puts into everything he makes. I know he'll probably never see this but, Mr. Jacob, your videos are such a big inspiration for me, and I hope you continue doing what you love.
It was the Outer Wilds video that got me sucked into this guy like holy f these are some of the best video essays I've ever listened to
He captures the feeling of playing a fun game while just watching a video, only TH-camr I’ve found that does that
My first one was Fear of Depths, probably the youtube video that has most deeply unsettled me. I don't think it's his best video but it's still probably my favorite
Oh gosh it was two-three years ago when I watched the capitalism video, dang this has been a wild ride
Hey my dude. Yea, it's a great time, that period when you initially discovered Geller videos. Suffice it to say that each video is a journey that I haven't regretted a one, took several many times.
I will never forget when my siblings sat me down and showed me "Control, Anatomy, and the Language of the Haunted House", and then when they could see how much I loved it, showed me a few other of your videos. I've been an avid fan ever since, and even as I've up and left my home town to go to college, whenever I find that you've uploaded a new video I get this rush of excitement and comfort knowing that you're still out there making your amazing videos. So thank you for that, if you do end up seeing this comment.
That’s so nice, I have my own comfort creators but I can see how he can be one of them!
That feeling of excitement when I see Gellar is real
that video changed the way i think about haunted houses forever tbh
I discovered the channel through the Colossus video, then discovered it as a channel a year or so later and went “Wait, this is the same guy from that one!”
omg we twins
The growth and character development of Jacob's beard alone is one of the highlights of 2021
These videos are the reason I read the entirety of house of leaves, why I bought disco elysium the second it came out on playstation, why I gifted before your eyes to all my siblings and told them the camera MUST be on. Almost every video peaks my interest in something.
Thank you for all your recommendations Jacob
Can I ask which video you're referencing with house of leaves?
@@typo691 "Control, Anatomy, and the Legacy of the Haunted House" has reference to house of leaves.
@@xerveeon thanks!
@@xerveeon probably my favourite video essay he's ever done
My grandma tracked it down for me for Christmas. Not to mention countless people I know sending the recommendation because I love that kind of story (my first tattoo is from Annihilation after all)
I have a theory Jacob's beard literally grew in the space of about half an hour, and we just witnessed that miracle.
A beard that thick don't grow slow; I know that much.
To us, it was a miracle. To Jacob, it was a Tuesday.
No he's just the next Santa Claus.
He (allegedly) killed Santa.
He's like Homer Simpson, every time he shaves it it just springs right back
Definitely a nod to Before your Eyes
I've been an avid viewer since I first watched Who's Afraid of Modern Art. That video made me interested in art, and subsequent videos sparked my interest in literary analysis. Jacob, thank you for producing quality content and showing that analysis of art doesn't need to take the form of a soulless paper identical to every other one; it can be art in and of itself. Here's to another year of fantastic videos.
"Analysis of art as art unto itself" really hits the nail on the head. Well said, king. 👑
OH MY GOD UNEARTHU! I met the developer at a conference and attended their talk and haven’t been able to remember the name of it until now 😂
I remember them saying that all the asset reuse was part an attempt to make an unsettling aesthetic, but also part their attempt to make a ‘sustainable’ game made entirely of recycled materials. Wild game.
Ah yes, the growing digital asset scarcity crisis, I'm so glad someone is finally doing something about it.
@@excrubulent if NFTs take off then your comment will become unironic. gross.
@@GreebusBleeb but they won't, thankfully.
@@bb010g as a Blockchain Dev, you're mistaken :^)
@@placeholder6811 as a sane human it wont
You say you love engagement? Here's engagement.
My best friend, while we were talking about something, directed me to your Golem video. We watched it together and paused halfway through to have a lengthy discussion about how the alt-right repackages hate language used by the nazi party in ways people don't realize. Since then, we keep coming back to your videos and watching them together as a pastime whenever we have a moment. It's made me feel much happier during these times when the world is pretty lonely.
My personal favorite video of yours is the one about Anatomy.
My friend's favorite video is "there's so many. Can I give like five videos? I really like ape out. And who's afraid of modern art. And I like the one about outer wilds. I'm just listing videos! I can't pick a favorite. Oh I also really like uncanny reality. And- oh- which one is it. And I like the golem- the jewish one. Because jew. And the Simpsons one because it's like comics. And then I saw the dark souls one AFTER watching thinking about ending things, and only then I got it. And then the one about shadow of the collosus' last secret. It just seems really cool to love a game that much you know?" And then I cut them off because I got tired of typing. They really love all your stuff. Me too :)
Ape Out video is poetry
This is such a sweet respond. I think such responds give creators a lot of motivation!
You had me except that “alt-right” stuff. Oh, and ALSO a Jew. Very much a Jew. Went to an orthodox Jewish school for 8 years and a conservative/reform one for another 4 years. Voluntarily served in the IDF. Trust me, 70% of the things/people you think are alt-right, aren’t.
They exist for sure, but the term is applied wildly loosely now.
Also the alt left repackages Marxism in buzzwords like “equity” once you see both sides do it it’s terrifying.
Sable is actually incredibly. After 10 minutes of it I remember thinking "this scratches every itch I didn't know I had". Easily one of the best games I've ever played
Choosing a mask was the easiest thing for me in Sable, because the game scratched my "become a skyrim horse" itch I didn't know I had. If it could be climbed, I was gonna climb it, dang it!
@@thomaspinkerton3450 went for the beetle mask myself.I loved the beetle quests
As a romansch speaker, I would definitely like to confirm that the folktale references used in this game are real and yes, we have a straw boogeyman
You're in the top 1%!!!
hey sali! Vo wo in Graubünde chumsch her?
grüessi us züri
My favorite game of the year is Jacob's beard. Dude can squeeze it out like a Play-Doh extruder.
I see what you did there. Every time the video ‘blinked’, we jumped forward in time to experience more of your beard growth. 10/10
As one of the devs of Before Your Eyes, this comment made me very happy. Did not connect blinking with beard growth lol
@@SuperBrainzilla Wait...you actually are one of the programmers!!
You guys have had one of the best ideas i've seen implemented in a videogame in..ever pretty much!
@@Diskhate yep! Lead designer and programmer.
@@SuperBrainzilla I love your game so much! Sat down to play it with my family, who is not too familiar with videogames. They all had an absolute emotional blast, same as I. Thank you so much for such a unique experience.
@@meridiasbeacon7669 "Make sure our moms could play" was one of our design goals, so it's great to hear that your whole family enjoyed it together
10. Mundaun 1:44 , Resident evil vr 4:11
9.
8. Sable 6:21
7. Bowser's Fury 9:21
6. Inscryption 11:15
5.. and half. Pistol whip : smoke and thunder. 12:35
4. Metroid dread 16:34
3. UnearthU 18:56
2. Returnal 21:03
1. Before your eyes 24:04
33:16 the most important result in the video
you kinda forgot 5
Oh hot damn. You’re da best. Thank you for this one.
Jacob Geller is easily the best creative writer on TH-cam. One of the few that actually get me to go out and play or watch or read whatever it is that your videos are about so that I can watch them with the full context of the work (and to avoid spoilers, of course). Keep up the fantastic work. 👍
I'm so used to seeing Jacob with his powerful beard, but I didn't expect clean shaven Jacob to also have great power. Man has a jawline that will give BJ a run for his money.
10. Mundaun 1:35
9. Resident Evil 4 VR 3:56 (Title card says 10 lol)
8. Sable 6:00
7. Bowser's fury 8:50
6. Inscryption 10:29
5.5. Pistol Whip: Smoke and Thunder 12:32
5. It Takes Two 13:38
4. Metroid Dread 16:30
3. UnearthU 18:47
2. Returnal 20:59
1. Before your eyes 23:56
Much obliged. I can’t grow a beard anyway.
I’ve been a fan of yours since someone shared your video “Anatomy, Control, and the Legacy of the Haunted House.” Jacob Geller videos are drop-everything-and-watch events for me! There’s no one else like you on this site and I can’t believe I get this content for free. Hope the next year treats you well!
Your videos helped me through a really hard year! My dad passed in late November last year, and last month and all of this current month have been full of the low energy days I'm bitterly used to. But I've kept productive somehow, and again, your videos are just so thoughtful and interesting to watch, and inject more energy and motivation into my brain so that I can get back to writing. So thank you Jacob! Happy holidays from Canada.
The Sable love is much appreciated, and I’m so glad you brought up the soundtrack. Japanese Breakfast did such a good job
Not only are your video essays incredible, but you are an endless gold mine of incredible recommendations. Thank you.
I'm so glad A Short Hike had a little mention in this video, just shared my account with that game on it with a bunch of my buds and one of them said that they haven't enjoyed a game like it in such a long time, i hope as many people as possible get to experience it.
I just came to comment something very similar! A short hike is a pocket breath of the wild, with speedboat instead of horse. I love it so.
can't wait to hear about Before Your Eyes Ten (and a Half) times
I was surprised to hear Mesh in the background as you started the last list item. It seems like so long ago that Before Your Eyes came out. It was the fist game I ever cried at, and I still recite the storyteller’s last plea to the Gatekeeper. “He began to worry that he hadn’t lived enough-, which only made him forget the great life he already had.” The directing in that scene is brilliant, I think it can only be fully experienced when crying, blocking tears away and flashing between the afterlife and your childhood bedroom. I paused the video before I heard the reason you love this game so I’ll go back to that now.
It's nice to think that all the warm things you said at the end echoed backward through each segment to the beginning of the video.
I have myself thought of ending things this year, for a whole lot of reasons, and yes 2021 has been rough for me.
Still, you were, at each of your realeases, a source of inspiration. You made me cry, you made me cry a lot, actually. You made me laugh too. You made me laugh even more. In a way, you were one of the small lanterns that, without changing my life, made it brighter, made it worth it. And I can't stress enough how much I feel grateful toward you.
Thanks Mr Geller. May I be still alive all of next year to witness your next video essay.
With much love,
Happy New Year ! :)
Keep on keeping on. It’s worth it :)
I hope to see you here again one day in the future. I can relate much with your comment, so let's cry and laugh with Geller's work together for the next month, year, decade, ...
I know those feelings. Just want to say you're not alone and I'm glad you're here.
No pressure at all on him
Outer Wilds' dlc is my game of the year, because it managed to add something to what I considered an already perfect game, and managed to make me feel like the game could only be called complete with it's new mechanics and stories.
Same for me! While not quite on the base game's level imo, it still gave me the exact same increadible sense of exploration and curiosity and had me very teary eyed by the end.
The jaw-dropping moment when you first enter the Stranger, followed 10 minutes later by another equally jaw-dropping moment, will forever have a place in my memories.
@@parchmentengineer8169 if you got to the second moment in 10 minutes after entering the stranger you're either a god gamer or you looked up a walkthrough
@@acblook I don't know what moment you're talking about, but I assume parchment Engineer was talking about (you know what) breaking
@@parchmentengineer8169 when I first entered the stranger in that beautiful moment, I actually cried because of how beautiful it is. This has never happened to me before. I've cried because games were very sad or emotional or shocking, but I was so overwhelmed and in awe I didn't know where to put it
I love how Jacob can go from serious, intelligent, and philosophical to goofy little boy who loves talking about video games
That energy just really can't be feigned. LOVE IT SO MUCH!
I watch your videos with my younger sibling- we don’t have a lot of games in common that we both like playing, but appreciating the craft together has been great for our relationship
I couldn't think of a more poetic reality than to have someone who values and admires so much the artistic discussion of games as you to become such an amazingly talented writer and content creator. It's... Inspiring.
Love that you pointed to the writing in Sable. It's so good and regular conversations didn't feel like they would happen in real life, but they felt so human in a surreal way and made me tear up frequently.
For the hours of content and insightful dialogue, I wanna say thank you! Your channel has become one of favorites over the past year and has joined my very own top ten for content creators in 2021. You’ve made me think more about the work that goes into story telling, the messages that can be found in art, and how much impact people can have on the world. You’ve also made me reflect on what actions I’ve taken, what kind of person I’ve been, and how I can move on to confront the future. You’ve helped me grown as a person, so I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me!
Thank you so much, Jacob Geller! I hope the next year and all the ones to come treat you well until we cross paths again.
I got Time Loop Nihilism on my TH-cam home page, watched it, and fell into the rabbit hole that is Jacob Geller's existential video essays. Did I cry a couple times? Yeah, yeah I did. I also downloaded Outer Wilds and Disco Elysium- I'd already bought them before watching his essays and then thought 'dang I guess I should actually play those if Jacob Geller thinks they're amazing' (I haven't, but I'll get around to it eventually).
There really is just Something about watching Jacob Geller's essays. Something more personal, and personable. It's nice.
Sable is the first game that I literally havent been able to put down for two days. I find it hard following a solid storyline when it comes to rpgs etc, and sable just really hit exactly what I was looking for. The no combat, the fact you are able to do everything at your own pace. The bloody beautiful writing and story lines. Everything about Sable is beautiful (apart from yaknow the numerous bugs as of so far )
Always amazed at how Jacob makes thing sound so interesting, genuine and deep without seemingly trying.
That is an excellent point about climbing. I love running, jumping, and climbing in games like Borderlands but they took a little shine off that fun by putting colored ledges in almost any game with a climbing mechanic.
It's nice to see Sable get the rep it deserves, I haven't really seen anyone talking about it. The writing is so solid that when I encountered MULTIPLE game breaking bugs I powered through because I was so determined to see where Sable go, how she'd grow, who'd she meet.
idk but it seems like its not really that spectecular outside the unique style.
@@Exel3nce Fair, the art is a major plus of the game. But like I said the writing for me is the big thing that makes the game good. Like the video says, it feels really intimate.
@@Exel3nce To me the best feature of this game is its naturalistic tone. For a game set in a post apocalyptic alien whatever world, it was so personal and humane and melancholic and mundane in its coming of age tale. It created a pretty refreshing lens for us to see the BOTW-style exploration through.
idk, i didnt feel the writing nor the world. i was turned off by the style and animation, while i couldnt care about the gameplay or text boxes :/
unfortunately it's only available on Xbox or PC, so those of us with PS4/5 or Switch can't play.
I'm so glad you recommended Before Your Eyes, It's a game that means so much to me. The themes of the game are just a beautiful expression of some of my most deeply held principles. not to mention that multiple mechanical twists left me in awe. just, wow, heck, it's so good
Yeah, the best game(if you call it so) i have ever played. I was bawling when the wolf stared explaining my life at the end.
you have pavlovianly trained me to nearly tear up every time you start talking with your calm reflective voice
Before Your Eyes was a source of great comfort during a rough patch this year, and I wouldn’t have found that game if it wasn’t for your video on it.
I found you channel by chance, around March, and I’ve been an admirer since. The depth with which you treat ideas, the intertextuality you find between games, books, art and your own experiences, the excitement and fun that you radiate….
I guess just, thank you Jacob, commenting for the engagement
Thank you SO much for loving Metroid Dread. As one whose favorite thing in the world is Metroid, my heart is so full to hear how many people are finally helping put it in the spotlight.
I'm not really sure why Dread is the one that makes the series big-time... I thought it was one of the worst Metroid games. As far as the original series goes, Dread is better than only 1 and 2... And the remakes of each are still better than Dread.
@@NikosiaMateas It's probably because of a bunch of factors, really. It was on the Switch (many of Nintendo's series sell better here than on their previous consoles), what seems to be smooth and fluid combat and movement (wouldn't know for sure, have not played the game), it might've had better/stronger marketing, and there has been a recent growth in popularity experienced by Metroidvanias.
@@NikosiaMateas I’d place it somewhere around the middle myself. I had some pretty big issues with the controls (no remapping, complicated inputs for some of the abilities, the return of those awful shinespark puzzles) but other than that, I enjoyed it a lot.
I totaly agree. Metroid is incredibly special to me. I've played other Metroidvanias, but nothing quite has the same feel and emotion of this series. That same intoxicating flirtation with horror, that same sense of loneliness and isolation, all that jazz. I loved, loved, loved Hollow Knight, got 112 percent and sank more hours into it than I do most triple A games. But it wasn't Metroid.
Dread though, I wouldn't call it perfect. But that game. Was. METROID.
I dunno what you guys are talking about- all the new controls and shinespark puzzles made it my new favorite game in the series. Difference in preferences, I guess? It definitely had weaknesses, but first and foremost, it's a game, and I think the gameplay is the strongest in the entirety of the series. It just... feels so good.
Hadn’t managed to hear about Mundaun, and the textures all being hand-drawn is kind of gorgeous??
And thank you for a year of interesting & thought-provoking videos. I started watching your stuff this year while idly browsing & they really hit with me. I’m a very depressive person, even outside of COVID, and they’ve been a spot of good as I’ve fought through some life-junk and worked to make changes for the better.
Here’s to hoping for a better, or at least warmer, year ahead for all of us.
thank you for your videos this year, your writing never ceases to amaze me! 💗 i started playing video games mostly because of you - i didn't grow up playing them, so my interest in starting as an adult was very limited, but you made me realise that i'm missing out!! also your book recommendations are so good, i think both my last year's and this year's top books came from them 😀 thanks!
I appreciate that you included Sable which is my personal game of the year 2021. I wouldn't have gotten angry if you didn't include it, but I would've strongly recommended you to play it because it's possibly one of my favorite games of all times.
The beginning where you left the Iibexi camp and said farewell to your family actually made me cry.
The golem video is one of my favorite videos of yours, I love learning about other cultures and religions and how that influences games and media especially.
I absolutely love the fact that you're a real person and that you say things. The ending got me so emotional.
What a great list, man. Such cool games to check in on, especially when you break down towards the end exactly why they belong on the list and what the list is exactly for. There's no metric that tallies the difference between favorite or best or most fun, and that's because those in no way fit into the same columns. I love that you've made the list in exactly this way. Your opinion is always rife with recognition of innovation and I appreciate that so much. -- As for the heartfelt conclusion, I think I speak for all of the subscribers, all of the followers, all of us who check these videos out regularly... thank YOU for sharing them. Glad to be a part of the team. Glad to know you're out there.
Your style is inimitable and I absolutely adore it. Combining pop culture (usually a video game), fine art, and scholarship the way that you do makes every video a delight.
Like Before Your Eyes, Jacob Geller is a once in a generation type thing. He will also color my perception of all games/videos/art I engage with in the future.
the power move of "idk any other holidays where you give gifts but--" SO true king
Dark Souls 3 is thinking of ending things is genuinely one of my favorite pieces of game writing ever, thank you so much for that video.
that and his before your eyes video are top tier video game essays
This is the first channel in all the time I’ve spent on TH-cam that has actually made me, a being afflicted by severe ADHD, pay full attention to a sponsorship ad. Jacob, you have my absolute thankfulness and respect, I wish you, and all the other amazing people who help make this possible the absolute best of luck, and a happy new year
When you were talking about climbing, I had a similar thought as I was first playing Half Life about four years ago. I was stacking boxes to get over lasers and I just went “Is this what I’m supposed to be doing or is it just working?”
0:51 OMG HE'S PLAYED CHICORY!!! this game is so so underrated. like like i'm in this one fan server and it basically encompasses this games entire fandom... like no joke.
Your videos really mean a lot to me. When I watch one, I feel like I'm listening to somebody who's able to see sharper colors and deeper hues, and that, in a weird way, helps my eyes to see those vivid colors in the stories I experience and in my life. Thank you for all that you do, and especially thank you for repeatedly making me cry during your videos.
Honestly, I'd buy a real Inscryption deck to play with friends. It's that well thought out.
The fact there's so much more to it than a card game is an amazing bonus.
"Knife not included"
@@aragonnetje *"(sadly)"*
Jacob just casually dropping a Mary Oliver reference in the first minute and a half is really peak Jacob content
What about that Welcome To The Internet reference
Gotta love that the 10th spot is held by a game from my homeland and im so glad to see that region of the country get attention.
Also im glad to see Sable here cause its been on my radar for awhile now. Great list. Also thanks for showing some games that arent triple A. It's refreshing.
I don't know why I chose to skip this video at first, I guess it didn't strike me as the type of Jacob Geller-ry type of Jacob Geller video. But I actually teared up in this one hearing him being so thankful for his viewers. Jacob gives me a reason to look at life in new beautiful perspectives and I've always wanted to thank him for that. I guess this time he let us see his work life in a beautiful perspective and I can tell he loves what he does. I'm just happy to be a part of a community that does that for an amazing man like him!
I just had my first kid 3 day ago, and I can already tell that Before you Eyes is gonna hit me in the face with an emotional brick. I'm ready for it. It's on my list with 3 underlines.
Jacob, your content is the Outer Wilds of TH-cam channels.
Thanks for making some of the best videos on this platform.
Psychonauts 2 is my game of the year. Just an amazingly creative platformer with charming characters and writing, good combat, and no frustrating sequences. Just a joy to play the whole way through.
YES! I was hoping someone would mention that! (I’m a fan if you couldn’t tell by my pic)
Double you on that. Just love it. A long waited sequel to a beloved game. I wonder if there is a reason why mr. Geller didn't play it.
same
There's few TH-cam channels where I'll watch every video, regardless of subject matter, but this has been one since I found it. I respect and trust both that the ideas presented will be interesting, and the delivery will be enthralling, and I have yet to be let down. Thank you for the great quality content.
seeing a new video from you for real always turns my day around. the intimacy of everyday objects showed up randomly in my recommended videos one day and i was hooked immediately. your last guardian video made me ugly sob alone in my room and trying to describe to someone why a youtube video about some random game i'd never heard of made me feel more like things might be ok someday than anything had in a long time is like. i mean, it maybe comes off as a bit intense. but like, i'd show up for basically anything you want to throw at us at this point because i know it'll be an absolute blast. happy Best Games of 2021, yall
a bit intense pal
@@TheLastStand001 thanks i practiced for weeks
unearth u is like the first season of within the wires! it’s in the form of meditation casettes that slowly reveal that you are imprisoned somewhere and the voice is someone trying to help you escape. it’s really cool!
In gauge mint.
(Seriously, that was surreal getting called out, even just as part of a group. Thank you and all those that support you, it's the highlight of my day to see a Patreon/TH-cam notification for "Jacob Geller". And thank you for letting us know commenting like that works, I don't always remember to comment, but I'll remember better knowing it helps.)
Jacob, you became one of my all time favorite content creators this year and I cannot wait to see what else you create. Im especially excited to play Sable, because who can resist open world Moebius art! Let's kick next year's ass together
Hey Jacob, I just wanted to say you have really truly inspired me as a writer, your essays on architecture in games, as well as the emotional responses games provide have been hugely influential in what I write about as well as how I write it, so much so, that I'm actually using many of your essays as a sort of source for points on how to write good atmospheric horror, because knowing what you're trying to achieve is to me as important as knowing how to get there.
This channel is by far my favorite on TH-cam. Such high quality and always so interesting.
I feel as though I owe you thanks in some way.
The first video I’d ever seen of yours was “Who’s afraid of modern art?” video, and that was honestly life changing. Not, specifically that video on it’s own, that video is phenomenal, but it only began my journey through your expansive and diverse array of videos.
The way you talk, and the way you structure your discussion of video games, an experience-based medium, around being an experience in themselves, is genuinely next level. I deeply admire your ability to not only propose questions that frame your argument coherently, but to ask questions and induce experiences that illicit the feeling of the argument is baffling. What you do on this website is immaculate, and I wouldn’t change a single thing. I ensure to watch all of your videos that won’t spoil me on contents of games or movies I haven’t already seen/played, and I think that my critical thinking skills have legitimately improved because of it.
If you see this comment, thank you.
Watching your videos regularly has inspired my to make a channel of my own, and I feel it’s only right to thank you for helping me awaken a passion for creating and writing.
I'm doing pretty good. It's always interesting to watch these kinds of videos because I never manage to play more than maybe 8 games in a year, if that. I love seeing what games other people found and loved that I never even heard of. Thanks for the video, and I hope you have a happy holiday.
"The Long Dark and Existential Dread" is a video I will patiently wait, for as long as it takes
How is this video not an exception to the "Jacob's videos will always give me chills at one point" rule?! Wonderful work, I love this channel.
I truly love your work, Jacob. So few people can tell stories like you do.
Also, commenting for the engagement.
Responding for engagement, and this fantastic youtuber
Hey buddy, as one of your patrons (A3) just wanna say, you already know you've done more than pay us back for the opportunity to help you keep creating these incredible pieces of art. Appreciate the fact that you're a thankful person though, but please, don't ever feel like you're not far exceeding at least my expectations! They've truly helped me by just being a comforting place to come and explore new ideas. There aren't many things I get excited about, but seeing a new drop does. So take pride in that, okay?
Your recap of videos you made this year really made it hit home just how much your vids have meant to me in this crazy year, thank you so much for the content you make! I’ll never stop supporting your Patreon and loving your vids!
"There's a scene [...] that was so audacious [...] that I started cackling" is such a Jacob Geller thing to say
I just finished Before Your Eyes yesterday after it's been on my backlog for a while. Such an amazing game with how the mechanic and storytelling blends in nicely.
you're my top 10 and a half youtubers of the year jacob
I hate to compliment through comparison, but it needs to be said. Every other person on TH-cam, I watch their videos while I cook, while I clean the house, while I get ready for work. Jacob’s videos are an event, a work that I sit and watch and absorb the best I can. Thank you, and happy new year all.
Also, I’ll never skip in my life skip credits with Japanese Breakfast playing over them.
”I could wake up tomorrow and completely reshuffle this list, but it’s not tomorrow it’s today.”
*proceedes to grow beard*
It was a very long day.
Alternatively, since he was standing still for the whole taping, he diverted all non-seeing, speaking, and thinking skill points into the Bread Growth trait.
Thank you Jacob!! I just finished my dissertation and I’m left with a strange hunger for detailed, creative arguments on niche topics. I love video games, so your channel has really hit the spot for me, every single video. Happy New Year!
Congrats on finishing!!
if i were to make a list of my favourite discoveries this year, your channel would undoubtedly be there. your video a thousand ways of seeing the forest inspired me more than i can express. thank you so much, looking forward to what you are bringing us next ❤️
Much as I sometimes turn on one of your videos just to let the words roll over me, I have gotten so much insight from your work. I cannot know how things would have gone without your work, perhaps much the same, but I remember looking at a comment I made on the first video of yours I ever watched: who's afraid of modern art, and finding that in the year or so between my perspective on art had changed. I have come to appreciate art which doesnt make me happy but brings out all sorts of emotions i never thought could or should be reached by an art piece of any kind. I started to appreciate theme and imagery and vibes in a way english class could never teach me to. Maybe it is just me growing up a bit but i think to think your work was part of that.
You mentioned how you look for that game that reframes the concept of what a game can be, but I just want to say that finding your channel and watching your videos this year has been the thing that reframes what talking about games can be to me. Your videos have inspired me to reconsider how I think and talk about games and set the standard for me, and I've also enjoyed every single one of them, so thank you!
Your channel is always one of the first ones I think of when I think about how much I hate that people call carefully constructed pieces of media art "content" now.
FIRST THING IS HOW ARE YOU?
NO.
NO IT IS NOT.
FIRST THING IS WHERE DID YOUR FUCKING BEARD GO.
EDIT: oh there it is
can't get rid of it, as hard as I try
I wishlisted Sable purely on its aesthetics and it ＤＥＬＩＶＥＲＥＤ. Also it turns out to just be an awesome game in general and the world is phenomenal. Totally agree that it feels self-directed, and they set that up from the very start, they don't point you towards home, you find it organically yourself. And I love that it keeps the compass out of your way unless you hold the button for it, it makes the world feel so much more real. It's like hbomberguy said out about how omnipresent compass headings can ruin a player's appreciation for the world.
Oh and I climbed the tower for the bike part before I unlocked the hover bubble thing. I was like, "Wow this game is hard. Like, frustratingly hard. I hope it's not all like this." Then I got the bubble and I was like, "Oooooh... I wasn't supposed to do that. But I damn well DID it, and I'm proud of it."
You're video essays have kept me alive these last 2 weeks. Not literally, but figuratively. Wife is away on work, and I am working full time while attending school full time. I am drowning and you are a hairy rubber ducky inflatable life raft. Thank you
Your video on returnal is the definitive lore video and it is so amazing
Thankyou for your work
I really liked Before your Eyes, which is why it was so frustrating that it worked so poorly with glasses. The glare off my glasses made the webcam think I blinked at random intervals. I have really warm, diffuse light in my room, so I couldnt make it bright enough in the room to offset the glare.
One thing I wished was mentioned more is that you can play without the blinking mechanic. I haven't played it because I didn't think you could, I looked it up because of this video. I'm autistic & blink excessively, the game would probably be over in less than 5 minutes for me & I wouldn't have a chance to experience any of it. I understand that it's not the intended experience, but accessibility matters.
@@BlueRoseFaery oh yeah that makes sense. I'm glad that is an option
Y’know Jacob, you never cease to amaze me with what you do. Thanks to you, I’m able to discover games and media I never would’ve on my own. Keep up all the great stuff that you do! You can bet I’ll be there to see it.
Also, consider this comment one for the algorithm. :)
i found this channel when "Control, Anatomy, and the Legacy of the Haunted House" crossed my reccomended, and ive been eagerly consuming every video since. i think about it often, what it is to live in a house that is breathing, breathing laboured, and rotting from the inside out. to this day it's one of my favourite yt videos of all time, and its the video that initially inspired the original writing ive been working on for the past year. you are absolutely one of my favourite youtubers, and i so look forward to what you do in the coming year
Honestly, you're channel is just like a number of games on this list, quite the hidden gem. Something I would never have expected to love. A lot of videos, I never watch once... or at rewind it less than a hundred times. It's not that their confusing, but I don't want to miss what you have to say.
well now I'm gonna have to say "just commenting for the engagement" more often.
Kid A Mnesia Exhibition is probably my vote for game of the year. I'm a big Radiohead fan so being literally submerged in some of my favorite songs was well truly groundbreaking for me. And I don't know of any other games that use music in the way it did. It was an experience.
yeah it's incredible. If this was a top 20, it'd definitely show up.
I went at bought Sable after watching this - it’s such a nice game, really different than the usual stuff that I play!
Have u ever played pathologic? I would enjoy your unique perspective on that weird game haha
As a swiss person I'm honestly delighted and surprised to see something so incredibly local and specific, I wish it had been talked about in the media here!
I just found your videos this past year, and they've been super helpful - combine preexisting health issues with moving across country with remotely finishing grad school, and Good Content TM was incredibly nice to have. The tone of these videos is incredibly rich and complex, and even when they're about existential dread, everything is elegant and thematic enough that my anxiety quiets for a while.
I've also gotten my wife to watch your videos, and the fear of the depths video led her to Underland, her new favorite book!
Also, your haunted houses video remains the only way I can begin to comprehend my friend's family's incredibly cursed house (they're currently building a sub-house inside the apple warehouse that previously was just the back room), so thats been useful