Revered and beloved, Venture Brothers began over 17 years ago in 2003 and has endeared itself to millions. The series grew and grew, going from a parody of super heroes and 1960s culture to a poignant, but hilarious, satire on familial trauma. The series is rife with pop-culture commentary and perfect for gaming, yet the series has never been adapted nor particularly acknowledged in video games. The only time a Venture Bros. character ever appeared in a game was in 2013's Poker Night 2, a tragically ironic fact given the status of both the game and the series. Adult Swim recently canceled Venture Brothers, and Poker Night 2 was pulled off of Steam a couple years ago, making the crossing of these two properties almost poetic.

Developed by Telltale Games, the Poker Night series is, just as the title sounds, a poker simulator. What makes the series special, however, is its use of characters from completely unrelated properties. The original game featured obscure charters like Tycho Brahe from the Penny Arcade webcomic alongside gaming staples such as the Red Heavy from Team Fortress 2. The sequel, Poker Night 2, built on the concept by introducing characters from more popular and recognizable franchises, including Venture Brothers.

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Poker Night 2 allows players to gamble alongside Sam and Max from the Sam & Max franchise, Ash Williams from The Evil Dead, Claptrap from Borderlands, and, of course, Brock Sampson from the Venture Bros. Also, Portal's GlaDOS serves the role as dealer. Not only are most of these characters voiced by their original actors, including Patrick Warburton reprising his role as Brock, but the game successfully captures their characters' identities as well.

Poker Night 2 Perfectly Captures Brock's Character

Brock is the bodyguard to the titular Venture family and a parody of super-spies like James Bond. Confident, handsome, and ruthless, Brock is the ideal fantasy of many a male teenager, including the series' protagonists. However, in a move of comedic brilliance, the series routinely upends his machismo, poking fun at Brock's existential powerlessness while also adding depth to the character. Poker Night 2 echoes this with a conversation about Brock's appearance in a Mortal Kombat knock-off called “Immortal Bomcat,” which turned Brock into a character called Tutu Blondie who killed people by “smooching” them to death. In retaliation, Brock killed everyone at the game company. He tells his companions, solemnly, “that the company went bankrupt with extreme prejudice.”

One of the best elements of Venture Brothers was how the series took caricatures, challenged them by showing them their blind spots, and then gave them room to grow. Just as Poker Night 2 expertly shows, Brock is terrified of seeming vulnerable, in keeping with his stereotype, and, yet, much of the series is about Brock coming to openly care about the family he protects, even if he is uncomfortable admitting it.

Astute in its psychological observations yet hysterical in its portrayal, Venture Bros. delighted in making audiences cringe and laugh simultaneously. It’s one of those rare pieces of pop art that looks at life head on with blistering honesty and still comes away smiling, and not in a nihilistic manner. The show finds comedy in its absurdity but heart in its people. Thankfully, there are rumors circulating that the series will find a new home on HBO Max. Regardless of the series future one thing is clear, it deserves a greater place in gaming, something made abundantly clear by Poker Night 2.

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