Ep 11. Hunt Down the Freeman

Zero Punctuation is a web series produced by Australian comedian and game critic Yahtzee Croshaw. The show is known for its fast-paced, brutally honest reviews of video games, with a focus on humor and sarcasm. In season 12 episode 11, Yahtzee reviews Hunt Down the Freeman, a first-person shooter game developed by Royal Rudius Entertainment.

The episode begins with Yahtzee explaining that he received many requests to review Hunt Down the Freeman, and that he initially thought it was a joke game due to its nonsensical title. However, he soon discovers that the game is indeed a serious attempt at creating a new entry in the Half-Life universe, albeit one that is not officially sanctioned by Valve.

Yahtzee starts by criticizing the game's opening cutscene, which he describes as "wanky and pretentious". He then goes on to explain that the game's story is confusing and poorly told, with characters and plot points introduced with little explanation or context. Yahtzee also comments on the game's use of profanity, saying that it is overused to the point of becoming meaningless.

Moving on to the gameplay, Yahtzee is similarly unimpressed. He describes the shooting mechanics as "floaty and unsatisfying", with enemies taking too long to kill and weapons feeling underpowered. He also criticizes the game's level design, saying that it is needlessly confusing and often leads to the player getting lost or stuck.

In addition to these flaws, Yahtzee also takes issue with Hunt Down the Freeman's technical issues. He notes that the game frequently crashes and glitches, sometimes to the point of making it unplayable.

Despite its numerous shortcomings, Yahtzee does have some praise for Hunt Down the Freeman. He enjoys the game's soundtrack, which he calls "fairly decent" and appreciates the occasional moments of humor that are scattered throughout the game.

Overall, however, Yahtzee concludes that Hunt Down the Freeman is a "terrible game". He calls it a "waste of time and money" and says that it is not worth playing even for fans of the Half-Life series.

In the episode's final moments, Yahtzee jokes about the possibility of Valve releasing Half-Life 3, saying that it is likely to happen "around the time the sun explodes". He then signs off with his trademark catchphrase, "Thank you for watching, and I'll see you next week for more Zero Punctuation".