Before I start talking about Verdict TeleReviews I feel I should say that it's stupid to call 1-900 numbers and I hope that none of you reading this article will be tempted to throw your money away like this. If you absolutely must throw your money away, I suggest you toss it in an envelope and send it my way ... you'll get a lot more out of a site like Defunct Games than you would listening to some bonehead read you his thoughts over the telephone. Of course, I don't even think they have 1-900 numbers anymore, but just in case you live someplace where you can get tricked into spending your money over the phone, let me be the first to say: DON'T DO IT!

Having said that, this commercial for Verdict TeleReviews is one of my all time favorites. Who cares if they couldn't be bothered to come up with some flashy graphics, screenshots, or even a logo for your company? Who cares that this advertisement looks more like a classified ad in your local newspaper than something you would find in Electronic Gaming Monthly? All I care about is that this commercial tries its hardest to convince me that it's a good idea to give them money to listen to their views about games.

At one point in this advertisement they suggest that it's actually cheaper to pay this company money than to buy a bad game, completely ignoring that you could read game reviews in magazines (like the magazine this advertisement came in). Heck, if you're really desperate you can rent the game and try it out, and even if you don't like it you still have the satisfaction of actually playing a game. My favorite part is when they answer the person who is confused by the menu system. "We'll happily send you a VTR user guide that will lead you step by step through the entire service," Verdict TeleReviews says. I'm sorry, but if you can't figure out how to use a phone, then maybe you shouldn't be spending your time playing video games.

FROM: Aliens in Bad Advertising