The Guild 

For those who haven’t seen it before, ‘The Guild’ is an internet comedy that satirises hardcore gamers and their lifestyles. The episodes are brief and snappy, designed for comfortable viewing on a web browser.  

Series creator Felecia Day plays Codex, a member of the ‘Knights of Good.” The supporting cast represent a variety of stereotypical gamers, most with a funny twist: Zaboo is a part Hindu/part Jewish stalker, while Bladezz is a mopey teenager who has been forced into a modelling career by his mother.

At the start of series 3, the Knights of good are attempting to restore their morale by queuing up to buy the newest expansion pack for their game. But when a rival guild called the ‘Axis of Anarchy’ cuts in front of them and use foul play to receive the expansion first, the group starts to fall apart. Vork abdicates from his position as guild leader, and goes on a voyage of self-discovery (stealing other peoples’ wi-fi along the way.) The title goes to Codex, placing the responsibility and the limelight solely on her. With the group fracturing even further, Codex tries to hold her guild together, at the same time fighting a vicious hate campaign by the Axis of Anarchy. 

Wil Wheaton as Fawkes provides just the kind of bad guy that the series needed: A kilt-wearing, quote flinging, sneering, supremely confident antagonist. The other members of the Axis are equally psychotic in hilarious ways, such as the Korean Starcraft veteran (complete with hand masseuse) and the super-aggressive cop. They make a great foil for the hapless Knights of Good, baddies that you can hate and admire at the same time.  

As a web-based show making a transition to DVD, The Guild was never going to appear as polished as a made-for-television product. The series was filmed with inexpensive equipment, in parking lots and bedrooms, and that’s just what it looks like. The audio is humble stereo, which won’t excite you.  

But of course it’s the content, not the lighting or the sound design, that will keep you coming back. The Guild can be very clever in its humour; it can also be crude and ludicrous and everything in between. Felicia Day uses her expressive face to great effect, especially in the monologue scene that precedes each episode. She can overplay it at times, but most of the jokes are spot-on.  

Special features: 

I suppose the real question to ask if you’re a fan, is why buy a DVD which contains content I can still watch for free online? Well, the producers have pre-empted these concerns by including a heap of fun, interesting and useful bonus features. As well as the fairly standard gag reel and commentary, there is a music video (complete with making of), interviews with the cast and the script as a PDF. Also very cool is the tutorial video, which shows you how to build Vork’s sword using easily attainable craft supplies.  

Closing comments: 

If you’ve ever stuck your toe in the water of an MMO, then you’ll find something to laugh at in The Guild. It’s not quite LMAO funny, but it’s definitely worth a few LOLs.