After a long hiatus, Tenacious D returns with a remarkable new tune. Video Games by Jack Black and Kyle Gass is an ode to gaming and its storytelling prowess. The lyrics are superb, but the accompanying video takes it to another level. Animated and immersive, it leads us through iconic games like God of War and Red Dead Redemption 2, celebrating the art of gaming.
WARNING: THERE BE F-BOMBS AHEAD.
You might not want to play this in front of the kids. Or the boss. Just saying.
It’s a tour de force of animation by a brand new animation studio called Pinreel, so new that they don’t even have a web site yet. The art style shifts to mimic each game as Jack Black describes it. Each segment is sheparded by a different animator, and the whole thing was animated using Unreal Engine rather than more traditional animation and rendering software..
In a statement, Tenacious D had this to say about it:
It’s about growing up and leaving childish things behind…. But then realizing that video games are more than just mindless toys…. In fact, they can be a true expression of huge ideas that belong in the pantheon of great works of art! It’s about time someone defended the honor and integrity of this bold new horizon. Leave it to the greatest band in the world… Tenacious D!!!
Video games are so much more than just a way to while away the time. They can be as frivolous as a game of Blackjack, or as immersive as Skyrim or Fallout 4. Games today are a storytelling medium as much as any other, and, it’s the only medium where you are invariably cast in the starring role.
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