They say that parody is the sincerest form of flattery, and when it comes to video games that adage seems to hold true. In fact, there are whole games or downloadable episodes that are built specifically as parodies, and many of them find success simply because of their satirical nature.
However, sometimes the parodies are much cruder in nature, and meant to poke fun at a game's core feature or gameplay element. Case in point: the Josh and Jay Show's parody of No Man's Sky.
In order to "get" the No Man's Sky parody, you first have to understand what exactly Hello Games' title is trying to do. The game uses procedural generation to craft a vast and reportedly infinite universe that players can explore, finding new planets and whatnot.
However, what we've seen of the game so far focuses on three very specific elements: plants, dinosaurs, and a distinct color palette. And as a result, the parody (play it here) boils those elements (in text form) down to their essential parts.
So, rather than actually visit any planets, the parody simply pops up with text that says something like, "You are on a yellow planet with green trees and green dinosaurs." The sentence is always the same, but the colors will change every time the player hits the "Explore" button.
Obviously, the podcasters are being extremely reductive in their portrayal of No Man's Sky, but the parody is funny nonetheless. However, what the parody is trying to poke fun at is actually happening in-game, in real time, within No Man's Sky's universe, which is an impressive feat in and of itself. And for the record, the visual design of No Man's Sky is one of its most appealing elements because the game uses a limited color palette.
Regardless of its predictable color palette, No Man's Sky is easily one of the games to watch next year, because it brings something new to the table and it's ambitious ideas actually seem feasible. And now that the title is starting to get some support from big publishers like Sony, who included the game in their E3 2014 Press Conference, it appears the sky really is the limit for Hello Games' upcoming title.
What do you think of this No Man's Sky parody? What most impresses you about the game?
No Man's Sky is headed to the PS4 but currently has no release date.
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Source: Josh and Jay