I recently realized that it's rare to watch something on YouTube unless there's a unique hook or challenge attached to it. When it comes to games, it's usually attempts at speedrunning, Nuzlocke running around, catching a shiny of each Pokémon before moving on (that kind of thing) and this probably explains why I found GeoWizard, a channel that introduces self-imposed restrictions for explore. The real world, very entertaining.
Their series of headlines has a simple premise: try to cross an entire country in as straight a line as possible. As you can imagine, the obstacles when walking from coast to coast through European countries are many and varied; There are fast-flowing rivers, clear-cut forests, acres of farmland patrolled by diligent farmers, and fences of both thorny and artificial varieties. Even with a few meters of leeway on either side of the imaginary path to help navigate the worst dangers or most serious intrusions, GeoWizard (real name Tom Davies) does its best to stay on track and tackle anything. that is presented to him. with enthusiasm and camera in hand.
While each attempt naturally lends itself to drama at regular intervals, they are also a serious test of endurance, with early starts and long days walking across fields, valleys and hills. It helps that Davies is an effective storyteller and a nimble editor to make these long expeditions fast and exciting, compressing hour-long walks through the countryside into neat, fast-paced montages, before deftly identifying the next trouble spot to keep you watching.
In the first few missions, insurmountable problems eventually arise and everything is cancelled. But with more attempts under their belt and lessons learned, preparation improves, largely in the form of a small support team bringing vital equipment such as kayaks to help cross lakes or offering a brief respite from the elements with a snack loaded. van. Over time, the adventures expand from just Davies to a larger cast that, like any good series, you'll love to see keep coming back.
Fortunately, even when attempts begin to succeed and countries are removed from the list, the channel maintains its low-budget charm. Everything continues to be filmed on a rain-splattered GoPro, and the recaps are annotated with Microsoft Paint-style scribbles over Google Earth images, giving it a down-home feel that boasts a million subscribers.
If you're interested, I recommend starting with attempt two in Wales or Norway, then moving on to more adventures in Wales, Scotland, and finally England, and once you've had your fill, moving on to other GeoWizard challenge videos, from exploring Cities without using roads to see how far you can go with just a few pocket change. And, if you prefer your adventures to be more sedentary, as the channel's name suggests, he's also a competent Geoguessr player, although a recent video hints that the two worlds could soon be combined and, if so, it could become his set of most interesting challenges so far. .