What the f is up with that?
First, here’s a little about the Critical Role:
If you’ve ever played Dungeons and Dragons, you know that it can be one of the most fulfilling, exciting, and downright hilarious experiences you can have with a group of friends.
Critical Role is a show where eight voice actors play D&D together. The show features Matthew Mercer as the Dungeon Master, who oversees the campaign and its events. The other voice actors include Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Marisha Ray, and Travis Willingham.
The show started streaming in March 2015, partway through the cast’s first campaign „Vox Machina“, with each episode consisting of three or four hours of gameplay. When that campaign finished in October 2017, they started another one, called “The mighty nein” which finished in June 2021. So they started a 3rd campaign that is ongoing. You can follow their twitch or youtube streams.
Critical Role has made a name for itself as the first truly successful D&D live-streaming show. They all got their start in voice acting and animation, but they’re just regular people who love playing games together. They do this every Thursday at 7 pm Pacific time, so if you’re interested in playing yourself (or if you already do!), it’s a great way to get inspired and see what kind of stories unfold in a campaign.
Why should you watch It?
Well, first of all, it’s just fun! It’s a bunch of talented voice actors getting together to play D&D. How could it not be fun? But beyond that, you should watch CR for the same reasons you read books or play video games. To get lost in an epic story.
It is an incredible way to get into D&D yourself. There are plenty of resources out there to learn how to play but if you are like me watching other players not only helps you understand the rules of the game but gives you an example of the solutions and actions you can make.
There are many things you can learn by watching the show. The players are incredibly talented at storytelling, improvisation, and building characters. All skills that any performer or writer can use. They know how to create drama, tension, comedy, and romance, at the moment and it makes for some very entertaining viewing.
But even if you’re not interested in writing or acting, there’s still something for you to enjoy about it. The most valuable thing I learned from CR is the importance of being true to yourself. Even though they are playing characters, each character has a unique personality that reflects the real-life personalities of who’s playing them. They’re not afraid to show people what they’re really like, and that’s something we should all strive for.
That’s not all you can learn from watching Critical Role. You can also learn how to work with others in a way that recognizes each person’s strengths and weaknesses. Critical Role isn’t just entertaining, it’s educational!
Critical Role is for you if:
- you’re someone who has ever wanted to start playing D&D and just never quite got around to it.
- you’re a veteran D&D player who wants to see what a game run by a master Dungeon Master can look like.
- you want to see a fantastic, thoughtful story told by some of the best actors working today.
In the end, Critical Role is a show that anyone can enjoy. It’s a typical D&D game, with friendly teasing, and lots of laughs. But it’s also more than that. The friendship and bonds that have grown out of this game are what makes CR such a brilliant success, and why it has become so beloved. These relationships are the real heart of the show, and what makes it really special.
If you’re a creative of any sort, Critical Role is a must-watch. As someone who is just starting to dip his toe into the world of Dungeons and Dragons, I was blown away by the amount of mastery and personality that these voice actors bring to their characters. Each episode is an adventure in itself, with a plot that twists and turns and unfolds before your very eyes. Whether or not you’re into D&D, I strongly urge you to at least try out one episode. Who knows? Maybe it’ll be your gateway to a new passion.
