The Angry Video game nerd is one of the most endearing internet personalities when it comes to video game culture, and has provided entertainment for so many years now. In 2013, ScrewAttack Games teamed with FreakZone Games to develop an official game based on the series, with Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures, for PC, and Nintendo Systems, which was well received.. A Sequel, AVGN II ASSimilation followed a few years later for PC and was considered by some to be even better than the original. Now Screenwave Media and FreakZone Games have teamed up to create a reimagining of the two games with more content with Angry Video Game Nerd 1 & 2 Deluxe.
The first thing to be aware of is that these games are hard, and are intentionally designed as punishment platformers. One of the new changes is a series of new difficulty settings, so you can make the game even harder, or make it easier. There are also a host of new accessibility options, such as toning down some of the effects for instance, so they will not be so intense to the eyes. The music has also been touched up in some areas, and considering how good it was before, that is a very nice touch on the remasters.
When it comes to the games themselves, quite a bit was adjusted. For instance, the first game now is a bit more forgiving and does not have the death quotes every time you die. Some people loved that part of the game, and others hated it. I personally liked it, and am sad to see it go, but it does make the game move faster now. All references to ScrewAttack are gone, as Cinemassacre has no ties to Rooster Teeth ( as far as I know), and ScrewAttack is not around anymore in any case. Instead, some cameos have been changed and new secrets can be found. Power ups from the sequel can be found in the first game in some areas, and even bosses have been changed to some extent, including a whole new one. Concepts from the second game, like collectible are also found here, so keep an eye out for those as well.
The game is still punishing as ever though, so do not feel bad if you want to play on easy mode. The game is hard enough that even on easy, you will die repeatedly and still have a challenge. The visual designs of some of the levels are also given a changeup, and look better in many cases. Minor touches have been added throughout that some many not notice right away compared to the bigger changes as well. Some of these are just quality of life changes, but some do affect the outcome of a level. The deathblocks have also been adjusted for instance, and are not the frustration inducing objects they were originally. The storyline itself has a slight change as well, to better reflect the current Nerd episodes but I will not spoil in what way that does happen.
When it comes to the sequel, things take on a more notable change. In the original version, the Nostalgia Critic was a recurring character and boss fight, but has been replaced for this version. I will not get into the whole controversy over Channel Awesome here, as that is a massive story in its own right, but rather will simply say the game does differ for what was changed. In any event, this game is far bigger than the first, since while the first had a small set of levels you picked from, this game now has a world-map based of the satanic game that is Super Mario Bros 3, with worlds broken into smaller levels. The levels are a bit smaller than the first game but in this instance, the levels were made with multiple playthroughs in mind for full completion. The worlds are based on different games and themes from the AVGN series, including a level based on TMNT for the NES. There are also worlds based on Board James and Cinemassacre’s Monster Madness series and even the AVGN movie.
Many of this game’s levels are easier, but some are far more challenging than the first game in other ways. The game was designed with a different challenge in mind, and while some parts will make you rage, others will be able to be beat with no issue if you have the right skill. If you manage to get the powerups that are hidden in the game, the game does become a lot easier, and encourages you to replay older levels for more content. This is not exactly metroidvania, but does bring in quite a bit of backtracking as well. Like with the first game, the music has been given some fine tuning and sounds so much better here, The sounds are amazing and it even finds a way to incorporate some of the more infamous songs the nerd has complained about and turns them into awesome level theme songs.
There is also a new section in this collection as well that is unlockable by beating the two games. This new part acts as a finale to the nerd game trilogy and references much more from AVGN episodes and even more from Cinemassacre. It is clear that Screenwave Media and FreakZone games wanted to give fans something new along with the older games and this was a nice treat. I will not spoil it, but it is worth playing to unlock.
Aside from some minor quibbles, such as the death quotes, I love Angry Video Game Nerd 1 & 2 Deluxe. It is everything a remaster collection should be and more. This is great for fans of the originals and new fans alike, and I give it my personal seal of approval. Highly recommended.
Available on PC And Nintendo Switch. Reviewed on Nintendo Switch. PlayStation and Xbox versions will come soon.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided