Can You Escape The Dark Room?

You awake to find yourself trapped in a dark room. If that weren't scary enough, there is a floating head shouting unkind things at you.

The head belongs to Australian comedian John Robertson - and he's not helping you at all.

It's all part of a new frustratingly addictive YouTube game based on a series of interactive story books. In the Create-Your-Own-Adventure books, readers pick from a list of options to influence the storyline. But Robertson's take is less child-friendly and much more insulting.

This version of the game uses YouTube's annotation feature to link players to another video that responds to their choice. Usually with cutting mockery.

Robertson is a masterful dungeon keeper, using cunning wordplay and cyclical links to frustrate the player and keep them trapped in his gloomy cell. As the game continues, Robertson becomes more outrageous, throwing a torrent of 'your mum' jokes and generally being unhelpful.

Apparently, it is possible to escape from The Dark Room, but it may be enough fun just staying to hear the unending tirade of insults.

Choice-based gameplay on YouTube is nothing new, an ad for computer game Heavy Rain used it in 2010, while an 8-bit style Mad Men game also did the rounds recently.

However, although it may not be the first game on YouTube, The Dark Room is certainly the funniest.

Scoring over 298,000 plays in a month, the game doesn't directly promote anything, but it has certainly made John Robertson a few more fans.

See if you can outsmart the floating head.

Christmas TV Adverts Get The Adam Buxton Treatment

British comedian and radio host Adam Buxton has put together a very funny compilation of Christmas ads into a festive sing-song.  

Buxton tackles the onslaught of Christmas ads we experience from November onwards every year in a hilarious poke at the advertising world. 

This time around he includes Morrissey and The Smiths in his comical rant. The use of The Smiths' track in the latest John Lewis Christmas ad has been somewhat controversial with fans of the 80s rockers. 

My favourite line has to be with regards to the celebrities being roped into fronting these ad campaigns. 

"Please give them all your money, cos times are getting kinda tough."

Good work Buxton, maybe let Joe get in on the next one. 

Merry Christmas, Dr Buckles.