Ep 3. Seaman

The show Angry Video Game Nerd is a video game review series hosted by James Rolfe, who plays the character of the Nerd. In season 9 episode 3, titled Seaman, the Nerd reviews a bizarre game released for the Sega Dreamcast in 1999.

The episode begins with the Nerd introducing the game and expressing confusion about its premise. He tells the audience that it is a virtual pet simulator, but with a twist: the pet is a bizarre hybrid creature that lives in a fish tank and talks to the player through a microphone. The Nerd is immediately skeptical of the game's appeal, but decides to dive in and give it a fair chance.

The Nerd starts the game and is greeted by a strange alien creature with a human face named Leonard Nimoy. Nimoy explains that the player's goal is to take care of the Seaman, which is a creature that starts out as a fish with legs and evolves into a more humanoid form over time. The Nerd is taken aback by the game's weirdness, but decides to press on and see what it has to offer.

The gameplay consists of the player interacting with the Seaman by speaking into a microphone and answering its questions. The Nerd quickly realizes that the game is designed to be played over a long period of time, as the Seaman takes a while to evolve and requires daily check-ins to keep it healthy and happy. He finds the gameplay to be slow and tedious, and expresses frustration at having to wait for the Seaman to ask a question or grow a few more segments before he can progress.

As the Nerd plays the game more, he begins to appreciate its charm and ingenuity. He notes that the Seaman AI is surprisingly advanced, and that it can recognize different voices and respond to them in unique ways. He starts to get attached to the Seaman and begins checking in on it every day, even though it's just a computer program.

Throughout the episode, the Nerd takes breaks from playing Seaman to provide commentary and backstory on the game's development and reception. He explains that the game was developed by a Japanese company called Vivarium and was a commercial and critical success in Japan, but was largely overlooked in the US due to its bizarre premise and unconventional gameplay. He also notes that the game was notorious for its use of Leonard Nimoy as the game's on-screen narrator, as Nimoy's voice acting was considered wooden and uninspired.

As the episode progresses, the Nerd encounters a few challenges in his Seaman gameplay. He struggles with keeping the Seaman alive, as it requires consistent temperature and food treatments to survive. He also becomes frustrated with the game's slow pace and lack of variety, as the Seaman seems to repeat the same questions and actions over and over again.

Despite these challenges, the Nerd remains determined to see the game through to the end. He becomes increasingly invested in the Seaman's development and starts to see it as a real living creature, rather than just lines of code on a screen. He reflects on the strange, emotional journey he's been on with the game and thanks the audience for joining him on it.

In the end, the Nerd concludes that Seaman is a flawed but fascinating game that breaks all the rules of conventional video game design. He praises the game for its unique concept and innovative gameplay, even if it falls short in some areas. He encourages viewers to check out the game for themselves and make up their own minds about it.

Overall, season 9 episode 3 of Angry Video Game Nerd is a hilarious and insightful look at a forgotten gem of video game history. The Nerd's commentary is sharp and witty, and his journey with the Seaman is both touching and absurd. It's a must-watch for any fans of retro gaming and offbeat humor.