Okay, let me get this out of the way now. I've been watching this show since episode one, and by 'this show' I mean X-Play. I've never seen Extended Play, or whatever the show was called before that. Now that I've clarified, let me move into the review.
I'm not going to go over the show for you. If you want to know what the show is about, read the info page. I'm hear to tell you my personal opinion about X-Play, which would be that this show is quite possibly the greatest video game related program on television, and certainly the best show on G4TV, a network that has gone from decent, to bad, to Cheaters and the Man Show.
Pros: Throughout the entirety of it's run, X-Play has been reviewing games sharply and thoughtfully. Each game that appears on the show is given a fair chance, but is not forgiven when it has obvious glaring flaws. Some have said in their reviews that this seems to give the show an "anti-video game" vibe, that it makes it seem like Adam and Morgan dislike everything. I ask you this, if this was a review show where everything got at least a three, and the two hosts focused on how wonderful everything about each and every game was, would it be of any use at all? I have repeatedly used the advice given to me by X-Play when buying a game, and I have been saved from certain disaster several times over. Besides providing excellent game reviews, the show also provides entertainment value through the use of (for the most part) clever and well written skits. Adam, Morgan, and all the actors that accompany them, tackle each of their roles and skits with an infectious enthusiasm that makes X-Play a show worth watching.
Cons: I'm sure most of you keyed in on the "for the most part" in my previous statement. This does hold some ground, as X-Play has been known to recycle some of their own material, or just make the occasional 'un-funny' joke. In addition, Adam and Morgan make no qualms about offending their audience. Trust me, if you're a fan of Fullmetal Alchemist, just try to listen to one of their oversimplifications of the show without getting peeved.
Overall it's my opinion that those that complain about this show, saying "Oh, Adam changed his personality so much," or "Oh, Morgan is so boring, she obviously doesn't play games," are either A. Elitist pricks that are under the assumption that they are gaming gods, or far more intelligent than they actually are or B. Humorless nerds that long for the old days of TechTV, where shows were meant to exclusively inform, and not to entertain.
My only answer to both is this: Get over yourself. Those of you that complain about Adam's personality change, are you actually aware of -how much- he has a say in the workings of X-Play? Maybe the show's heading in the precise direction that he wants, and he enjoys having a little more fun with it. Maybe Morgan Webb being a fairly attractive woman doesn't automatically make her ignorant of geek culture.
When looking at X-Play for a reasonable position, one finds a quality show, now over 4 years in the running, that provides the viewer with some of the quality that G4TV has been desperately lacking for the past few months.
