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The Angry Video Game Nerd: Season 7
R0 - America - Cinemassacre/Screenwave Media Review written by and copyright: James-Masaki Ryan (23rd February 2017). |
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The Show
 “The Angry Video Game Nerd: Season 7” (2012) The web series “Angry Video Game Nerd” has been a continuous mainstay on YouTube for over 10 years now - a lone white button-up shirt wearing nerd that plays terrible retro games and takes out his frustration with Rolling Rock beer and loud outbursts of obscenities. Conceptually it sounds like many other YouTube channels of useless videos of so called critics commenting haphazardly and without merit, but writer/director/star James Rolfe sets his show apart from others with creative production work, witty scriptwriting, great editing, and rewatchability. While episodes used to come every two weeks, Rolfe started to slow down the pace of AVGN episodes to concentrate on other work - other web series such as “Board James” and “James & Mike Mondays”, and the theatrical feature film “Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie”. The AVGN web series had been released on the DVD format in separate volumes 1-8. Recently, they have been re-released with new artwork and newly remastered discs along with the release of the 9th collection. The re-released collections are now labeled “Season” rather than “Volume” and the latest release is coined “Season 9”. For all the re-released seasons, the discs have been re-authored completely. "Volume 7" had 3 single-layer DVDs with the episodes and extras divided along the discs. The reissued "Season 7" has all the content on 2 dual-layer DVDs, with the episodes and commentaries on one disc and all other extras on the second disc. The menu screen on the left is for the older DVD release. The one on the right is the reissued DVD release. 
Both releases contain the same following episodes. - "Ghosts n' Goblins" (17:02) - "Atari Sports" (12:40) - "Ikari Warriors" (20:38) - "Toxic Crusaders" (14:40) - "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" (17:50) - "Tiger Electronic Games" (18:38) - "Alien 3" (10:16)
Video
All episodes moved to being shot in high definition in widescreen from the last DVD set onward. The episodes are presented in anamorphic 1.75:1. The menus are also presented in widescreen. Unlike the previous DVD Volume/Season comparisons, "7" is an improvement everywhere for the newly reissued "Season" set. For the following screenshots the original "Volume" release is first, the reissued "Season" release is second: 
Both the older "Volume" release and the "Season" release have progressive transfers with identical framing at 1.75:1 having thin black borders on the left and right portions. At first glance there does not seem to be much difference but looking side by side, the new "Season" release has a sharper picture, with the most noticeable being the Nerd's glasses being rounder on the newer transfers. The older transfers are not bad but the newer transfers are definitely improved visually.
Audio
English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo Both releases offer the same Dolby Digital track. Both use stereo separation for the background music, effects, and introduction while almost all the video game music and dialogue is center based. There are no issues to speak of except in terms of original source material fidelity. There are no subtitles offered.
Extras
The extras are slightly titled and ordered differently on the releases. All content that is in widescreen is presented in anamorphic widescreen. "Volume 7" "SNES vs. Genesis Debate" featurette (26:26) “Commentary on the Year” featurette (13:02) “The Original Nerd Room 2004” featurette (4:15) “Nerd Room Tour 2013” (8:34) Outtakes for “Atari Sports” (3:50) Outtakes for “Ikari Warriors” (6:23) Outtakes for “Toxic Crusaders” (7:32) Outtakes for “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” (1:12) Outtakes for “Tiger Games” (0:59) Outtakes for “Alien 3” (2:38) “Magfest 2013 Panel” Q&A (13:02) “SGC 2013 Panel” Q&A (21:37) “TooManyGames 2013 Panel” Q&A (18:00) The Angry Video Game Nerd Clip Collection (with Play All function) “Top 5 Most Ingenious Nerd Ideas” (3:42) “Top 5 Musical Episodes” (7:45) “Top 5 Worst Gaming Accessories” (6:20) “Top 5 Worst NES Music” (2:21) “Top 10 Epic Nerd Moments” (22:23) “Top 10 Hardest NES Games” (9:18) “Top 10 Moments the Nerd Lost His Mind” (6:03) “Top 10 Most Hated Weapons or Items” (6:49) “Top 10 Most Unfair Gaming Moments” (5:36) “Top 10 Nerd’s Game Abuse” (8:53) “Top 10 Nerd’s Most Unexpected Moments” (12:40) “Top 10 Problems with Games” (12:33) “Top 10 Toughest Video Game Jumps” (7:47) “Top 10 Worst NES Games” (7:55) “Top 10 Worst Video Game Consoles” (10:16) “Top 10 Worst Video Games Controls” (16:16) “Top 10 Worst Video Game Endings” (7:30) “Top 20 Weirdest Video Game Moments” (12:17) "Season 7" “2013 Commentary” featurette (13:02) “Nerd Room Tour 2013” (8:33) “TooManyGames 2013 Panel” Q&A (18:00) “Magfest 2013 Panel” Q&A (13:02) “SGC 2013 Panel” Q&A (21:37) "SNES vs. Genesis Debate" featurette (26:26) “The Original Nerd Room 2004” featurette (4:15) Outtakes (with Play All) - “Alien 3” (2:38) - “Atari Sports” (3:50) - “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” (1:12) - “Ikari Warriors” (6:23) - “Tiger Games” (0:59) - “Toxic Crusaders” (7:32) Top 10's Collection (with Play All function) “Top 5 Most Ingenious Nerd Ideas” (3:41) “Top 5 Musical Episodes” (7:45) “Top 5 Worst Gaming Accessories” (6:20) “Top 5 Worst NES Music” (2:21) “Top 10 Epic Nerd Moments” (22:23) “Top 10 Hardest NES Games” (9:18) “Top 10 Moments the Nerd Lost His Mind” (6:02) “Top 10 Most Hated Weapons or Items” (6:49) “Top 10 Most Unfair Gaming Moments” (5:35) “Top 10 Nerd’s Game Abuse” (8:53) “Top 10 Nerd’s Most Unexpected Moments” (12:40) “Top 10 Problems with Games” (12:32) “Top 10 Toughest Video Game Jumps” (7:47) “Top 10 Worst NES Games” (7:55) “Top 10 Worst Video Game Consoles” (10:16) “Top 10 Worst Video Games Controls” (16:16) “Top 10 Worst Video Game Endings” (7:31) “Top 20 Weirdest Video Game Moments” (12:17) The bonus content offered is completely identical on both sets.
Packaging
Both releases have differing artwork, done by Cinemassacre's Mike Matei. The re-released season sets 1-8 and season 9 have continuous spines which if lined up create the full artwork, similar to that of "Dragon Ball" comics, Oscilloscope Laboratories DVDs, and the “Star Trek” I-VI VHS boxset. 
Overall
"The Angry Video Game Nerd: Season 7" includes all the extras from the older DVD set and also improves the video transfers for the episodes. The older DVDs are out of print and harder to come by, so for fans wanting a physical media release on DVD the reissued "Season 7" set is still recommended for hours of anger filled retro gaming fun.
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