The Tester is a reality show made by Sony Computer Entertainment America, exclusively for the folks out there who play video games, more specifically, games that are on the PS3 platform. The series will feature numerous challenges for a group of gamers with one prize in mind – becoming an official Sony PlayStation tester. Basically, one of low tier and most difficult jobs that anyone can get in the video game industry. I personally wouldn’t mind getting a nice money prize and a free copy of a game. When I first heard of this show, I immediately knew that I was destined to watch the shit. At least the first episode, just to see what kind of idiotic reality nonsense they’re going to subjugate to a group of gamers.
The Tester starts off, and I mean literally, like five seconds after pushing the Play button, with a built in commercial for the popular beverage Red Bull. Even though the commercial slightly amuses me, it still pisses me of, since people watch videos and shows on the internet to escape such commercial manoeuvres. Then the real show starts, thankfully. After informing the viewers that thousands have applied for this prestige dream job, we are introduced to a few of the applicants that made it into the show and the show’s host. Supposedly the lady that hosts the show has talent and has done this before, yet I wonder myself, who the hell is she. The contesters then start exploring the abandoned warehouse the show takes in and are amazed by the presence of a PS3 console, a PS2 console and even a PS1 console as if there had to be some serious financial support to bring these three consoles in one space. A contestant also discovers a copy of Uncharted 2 and proudly holds it in the air, as if he discovered the holy grail. This is where I start doubting that these people ever picked up a game controller in their lives.
There’s a dude all dressed up in serious business clothes (hardcore gamer attire) that doesn’t want to interact with others whilst they’re socializing and chatting. He supposedly has a dastardly evil plan to get to know these people by simply observing them and then stabbing them in the back and claiming the final prize. They also discover that there’s an actual professional gamer among them, which supposedly poses a threat. I also start asking myself why the hell would someone who makes actual money by attending gaming tournaments sign up for this reality show. Finally their first challenge appears and they are introduced to the judges. Where’s David Jaffee? I was promised David Jaffee goddamnit, even if he wouldn’t be swearing and being drunk. The first challenge that these people have to go through is some sort of a weird ocular exam. It’s one of those challenges, where you’re presented with two supposedly equal pictures with slight differences in one of them. Somehow this is gaming related. The suited up dude was sucking at the challenge and that’s all I remember from it.
After a short break, the lady host informed the contestants that it’s elimination time! People started hugging themselves and slowly departed to the next abandoned warehouse/studio where this elimination thing would take place. The judges start a speech where in the world of testers, being serious is the key and scold a dude for joking during his test round. They also scold the suit dude and in defence he states the exact digit number and placement of a parrot. The judges are weirded out by his exclamation yet intrigued for his seriousness. They eventually eliminate the suit dude and in his final interview he has a speech where he states that he is glad that he’ll be reunited with his family (after being separated for a few hours?) and leaves a message in tears that he hopes his two young daughters would be proud of him when they grow up and see this footage of him trying to win this contest. I honestly thought the dude was going to kill himself or something after the interview.
The end of the show informs the viewers that in the next episode they’re going to place the contestants in huge balls, blindfolded and that communication is going to be the key in succeeding in an obstacle course. This is where I discover that I’m going to have to watch this shit till the end, just to see what kind of idiotic series of “gaming tests” they’re going to place these poor senseless souls in. I also departed from the video with one new thing I never knew and that’s the fact that the video game industry is obviously serious shit.
