Remembering Totalbiscuit

I have never enjoyed writing these. Aside from the sense of obvious loss, all too often it seems selfish. Using another's death to promote this blog, even as a sign of respect, is something which seems at odds with my writing. The few times I have written obituaries on here, it was to help promote those who I felt deserved greater acknowledgment in this modern generation. Even the last one, paying tribute to Terry Pratchett, spent more time discussing his successful style of writing over the man himself. Yet, John "Totalbiscuit" Bain is someone who is both renowned an unknown at once. 

Speak to a person on the street, someone in public or just a general gamer and they would not know who John Bain was. Speak to many a Youtube fanatic, or even those with successful channels, and he was both a powerful figure and a major inspiration. This goes for me as well and, in truth, a video of his partially influenced my aversion to commenting on deaths. Specifically a statement about how others should not earn their money on the backs of dead individuals. While I might have submitted a more professional obituary to Starburst Magazine, so that others might have known of his accomplishments, I still feel the need to say more on a personal level. He was an inspiration and his impact on my own work cannot be denied. So, as a form of tribute, I wish to discuss what I felt were his greatest qualities.

One thing about Totalbiscuit's format was that he rarely wasted time. Save for the odd video where he discussed stories, thoughts or the history of video games, typically his format was quick and to the point. The WTF Is...? series reflected this exactly, offering a quick and neat examination of a game's mechanics and direction for others to absorb. One which, while he only offered first impressions, was often far more detailed than many official reviews. Part of this was down to how he delved deep into facets all too often ignored by the gaming press, such as a game's optimisation, options menus, and player customisation options. Up to half of the video could delve deep into this, and he would always make the point of praising those who went the extra mile with their work. The likes of Dust: An Elysian Tale granting colour blind options is one which always stood out in my mind, along with the depth of Metro: Last Light's configuration options. It's an aspect of gaming, an essential detail, which he continually strived to focus on and improve with every video, shining a spotlight on it for others to think of.

At the same time, there was never a moment where he did not pull his punches for a game's budget or status. It did not matter if a release was an indie title, a freebie or a major AAA release with a titanic budget behind it. If it failed, he would cite its failings and offer detailed reasoning as to where he felt it went wrong. If it succeeded, he would cite its exact accomplishments, the benefit of its ideas and just how it had managed to remain head and shoulders above its competition. Most importantly, he could do so without compromising his standards. If he felt a game succeeded in one area and yet failed in others, he would not mince his words. If he felt that it was inherently flawed and yet still displayed a few signs of promise, that would be made abundantly clear. This often allowed him to have a far clearer perspective of a video game than others, and never allowing one element to blind him to another part's problems. For one, while he fully praised the artistic direction and story of Bioshock Infinite, he never allowed it to distract him from what he saw as a weak combat system.

Totalbiscuit did not discriminate, and in doing so he offered a far fairer and often more reliable opinion than some of his contemporaries. This harsh but fair approach constantly outlined and made it clear where he stood, and rather than seeking to be the sole voice of criticism in other's lives, he wished to be one of many. While he might have held extremely opinionated views on subjects, he would never seek to allow his view to dominate it, and often encouraged discussion. This was especially evident with his constant self-depreciation of puzzle games. Yet, if a developer failed or released a problematic game, he would not let that colour future releases. However harsh a verdict, whatever problems he cited with it, if their next game genuinely fixed its problems, he would be among the first to say so. While he constantly pressed to inform the public of a game's benefits, much of his commentary would be laced with suggestions and analytical elements for developers to cite if needed.

Most impressively still, his channel was not used to purely focus on the biggest of releases. Countless B-list titles, indie games, and first-timers found themselves in his spotlight, and he would make every effort to benefit those he felt deserved more attention. The likes of One Finger Death Punch, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, and The Sexy Brutale all benefitted from his exposure, with the developer of the first of those games citing him as the reason they did not go bankrupt. He could have so easily emphasised the biggest releases to earn him to the most attention, and yet he instead took every opportunity to make his audience more aware of how many hidden gems this industry held. This commentary would often extend into other series, notably the Co-Optional Podcast, where he would further expand on his points and openly debate them with others.

Yet, while he was a consummate professional, he would always break from that image when with friends while still it clear where he stood with his audience. He never pretended to be their personal friends, constantly pushed to deconstruct the mob mentality all too many fandoms retain, and made it certain that they knew what he was: Someone who provided a service to them, and tried his best to have their interests at heart. Nothing more. He would break from his image to make it clear that there was a person behind his reviews, make it evident that he was perfectly capable of having fun, and yet he never compromised his integrity on any front. Well, unless it was for the odd joke or two. Or when he was shanghaied into singing for charity.

Yet, perhaps more than anything else, what stood out was Totalbiscuit's devotion to his work. There was no time when he would not vocally speak out against what he saw as wrong, for the customers, industry or even individual developers. When minor channels were damaged by Sega he boycotted them for years on end. When the developers of The War Z attempted to censor a small Youtube channel while other controversy distracted the public, he dragged the story kicking and screaming into the light. When he saw the possible damage growing industry trends would bring about, he would speak out and repeatedly warn others of them. He would never claim he was infallible, never imply that he was always right, and he admitted to his mistakes, but he always strove to do the right thing no matter what. Many will remember him for the man who strove for years to keep doing his job despite having terminal cancer, right until the very end. I will personally remember him as the one with enough willpower and self-respect to do the right thing for the industry. Not because John Bain had to, not because he wanted the glory, but because the industry needed more honest voices speaking out to gamers.

The gaming media is a lesser place with his loss, and I only hope that his actions inspired others to place higher standards on the entertainment they receive.