If you’re like me, YouTube has become less of an occasional distraction and more of a default “TV channel.” While I browse a wide variety of content, Let’s Plays are hands down the thing I watch the most of.

There’s something about watching someone play through a game, especially story driven or strategy heavy titles, that often beats what traditional TV shows can offer.

However, I’m a bit picky when it comes to commentary style, pacing, and overall vibe. In this post, I’m sharing my favorate Let’s Players and why I like them.

Criteria for a Good Let’s Player

None of these channels are “no commentary” content creators, who don’t really count as “Let’s players”, and are more “long players.” I prefer proper commentary that provides the following:

• They are softly spoken without shrieking or jarring volume spikes.
• Offers intelligent insight and progresses the game at about the same pace I would if I were playing (not including boss battles, which I’m naff at).
• Enhances the gameplay experience rather than overshadowing it.

All of these Let’s Players feel like having a non-intrusive conversation going on in the background. They don’t scream and tear you away from your workflow, but they also don’t drone on so monotonously that you tune out. For me, that balance is perfect.

Christopher Odd

Christopher Odd is probably my longest standing subscription. I’ve even financially supported his channel for multiple years. His commentary style is excellent, steady, thoughtful, and perfectly paced for the types of games he plays.

These days, it seems he might be winding down his YouTube presence; he’s dropped a few hints in videos about doing consultancy and other game industry work. It’s a logical transition for someone with deep experience in gaming and Let’s Plays, but it does seem that we are getting just 1 video a day which is “odd” for someone doing this full time.

What He’s Best At:

XCOM and other turn-based combat titles, he’s simply the best out there.

Long, story driven adventure games, if you dive into his back catalog, you’ll find fantastic full playthroughs with great commentary, but alas, these have dropped off hugely of late.

Even if he’s posting less frequently now, his older videos are absolute gold if you’re looking for comprehensive coverage of epic adventure games.

Eltimar Gaming

If you love long form RPGs, think 80, 90, or even 100 hours per game; then Eltimar Gaming is your channel. This Let’s Player tackles completionist runs and even double runs (trying different paths in a single RPG), so you can immerse yourself fully in each title.

The commentary style is soft and soothing, which can be both a positive and a slight drawback if you want something lively in the background while working.

But if you’re up for a more relaxing vibe, Ultima Gaming’s calming voice can be the perfect companion for those sprawling role playing epics that most other channels barely cover.

Laila Dyer

I discovered Laila Dyer while searching for playthroughs of more obscure games. They see those titles through to the very end, offering a soft-spoken, almost ASMR-like commentary that’s incredibly soothing.

Their Pathologic series is especially noteworthy. The Let’s Plays focus on adventure and slower-paced narrative games, with thoughtful insights that make each episode both informative and calming.

Fighting Cowboy

Fighting Cowboy is the hardest-working Let’s Player on this list. While other creators might produce one or two videos a day, Fighting Cowboy seems to clock in and pump out content with the consistency of a 9 to 5 job .

You get multiple runs on the same game: blind, Let’s Play, full walkthrough, and completionist streams.

If you want Souls like games dissected from every possible angle, Fighting Cowboy is your person.

His coverage is comprehensive, making it perfect for players who want every detail or strategy.

Tip: Because he produces so much content, you can easily burn out if you try to keep up with everything in real time. Pace yourself, and don’t mistake fatigue for a lack of quality. It’s just that listening to any single voice for eight hours straight can get overwhelming!

Positron plays

Positron, as far as I know, has a background in quality assurance testing, and it shows. The channel excels in meticulous playthroughs of Metroidvania and side scrolling adventure games.

Positron’s commentary style is incredibly kind and friendly, making it a joy to watch or even have on in the background. If you’re looking for an extensive library of 2D titles, Positron’s catalogue is a must see.

Note: They’ve been dealing with some real life issues recently, which might affect their upload schedule. But whenever they do post, it’s worth your time.

Horifik

Horifik is a newcomer to the Let’s Play scene but clearly a long-time gamer, especially drawn to horror and sci-fi games.

The charm of their channel lies in the cultural references, the funny English colloquialisms, and the genuine, down-to-earth humour, especially when characters do something bizarre or unrealistic in-game.

Horifik is also easily startled and not a fan of being chased in horror games, which translates into comedic gold for viewers. With a schedule of at least one video a day, plus occasional bursts of extra content, Horrific is someone to watch if you like spooky games with a humorous twist.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for new channels to subscribe to, I highly recommend giving each of these creators a try. Whether you want the calm, story-focused approach or a full, in-depth teardown of game mechanics or even insights into the inspiration of game creations, there’s something here for everyone.

As someone who paints mainly Warhammer miniatures, I often paint in what’s known as “Grimdark” style. This term applies both to the narrative (“In the grim, dark future, there is only war”) and to the painting style itself, which emphasises a gritty, weathered look with battle damage and grime.

Within grimdark, there’s a spectrum, from simply shadowed effects just using things like “Nuln Oil” shading, to the intense enamel painting that embodies the full “Grimdark” experience that you see with Kendon Oates work.

But I’ve always been curious about the opposite of this style: that bright, clean, shiny 80’s aesthetic seen in settings like Star Trek and exemplified in Corvus Belli promotion pictures. ¹

I recently discovered that the narrative name for this is “hope punk”. Settings like Star Wars and Star Trek fall into this category, but I could never find a painting equivalent or good guides on achieving such a look. Thankfully, I’ve recently found both.

And while I’m not completely satisfied with the term ², “iPod Future” seems to fit: it’s that sleek, chrome, brand-new world look I was after.

As for guides, there were many subpar resources, but Corvus Belli came to the rescue for a formal book, specifically through Angel Giraldez’s Masterclass Volumes 1 and 2 ³.

Some key features that distinguish “iPod Future” from “Grimdark” are:

1. Glazing with lighter colours instead of dark tones.
2. Highlighting up to near-white layered highlights.
3. Using coloured washes instead of traditional dark shades.
4. layered highlights ⁴

So there you go, hope this helps someone else on the same search as me, I finish with a definition of “iPod Future painting” :
“It’s a nightmare realm of none metallic metals, glazes, and prodigious tactical use of off-whites and pure whites to create lens flare effects.”

1. I used a couple of them for the banner of this post.[↩]
2. , it feels aged rather than timeless[↩]
3. ,I ended up buying my ones from element games as the official site had broken SSL[↩]
4. ,My definition of hell[↩]