The Problem with Penny Arcade

This week, gaming's most caustic reviewer Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw took on the realm of web comics.

Yahtzee's usual disdain filled ranting was mostly directed at Tim Buckley's "Ctrl-Alt-Delete". In particular, the lazy drawing style, odd humour and foray into a more serious subject matter was dissected by the corrosive reviewer. However, Penny Arcade is spared a well deserved share of the onslaught.

Of course, both Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik of Penny Arcade have done many favours for the gaming community. They successfully launched their own gaming exposition that has become more prominent with the implosion of E3. Outside this area, the founding of the charity "Child's Play" by the creators has raised over two million euro for entertainment in children's hospitals.

This philanthropy does not, however, excuse the slipping quality of their web comics. Frequently, weekly strips include ridiculous "in-jokes", needlessly obscure references to video games and a dull colour palette. By publishing two web comics a week, Penny Arcade gets constant praise from a fan base that blindly follows the authors due to their fame. By contrast, competing comics such as VG Cats are keeping their work fresh, bright and consistently funny. In this way, it is becoming quite obvious that PA have fallen from grace.

We should all endorse Holkins' and Krahulik's kindheartedness, but to continue to hold the title of "web comic", Penny Arcade must rebuild the quality of their publications.

-The English Student