CineScope
Monster Factory

Monster Factory

2015 - 2024

Randomly Generating Horrifying Faces in Dark Souls 2

4th May 2015
Episode 1
In this pilot for a soon-to-be smash hit video franchise, Justin and Griffin create Squirtle using the character creation tools in Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin.

Exploring Skyrim with Garfield

12th May 2015
Episode 2
Griffin and Justin create a cybernetic Garfield and kill roughly two-hundred horses in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in this installment of Monster Factory.

Recreating a Beloved Sitcom in The Sims 4

29th May 2015
Episode 3
Justin and Griffin turn their dark Monster Factory arts toward The Sims 4, and recreate a beloved television sitcom in the process.

Prepping for Fallout 4 by Ruining Fallout 3

4th June 2015
Episode 4
Fallout 3 is a really great game, so Justin and Griffin have decided to destroy it from within during this installment of Monster Factory.

Failing to Clone The Rock in WWE 2K14

29th June 2015
Episode 5
Justin and Griffin attempt to clone Rock "The Dwayne" Johnson, but spill a little big of Gogurt into the mix, birthing a Monster Factory creation they've lovingly named "The Pebble."

Exploding Shepard's Face Bones in Mass Effect 2

13th July 2015
Episode 6
Justin and Griffin rebuild Commander Truck Shepard into something non-human and non-killable when they take Mass Effect 2 into the Monster Factory.

Dino-crime in Ark: Survival Evolved

7th August 2015
Episode 7
In this episode of Monster Factory, Justin and Griffin try to solve a few dino-mysteries with the help of a time-traveling Angela Lansbury in Ark: Survival Evolved.

The Boy-Mayor of Second Life

11th September 2015
Episode 8
In this harrowing episode of Monster Factory, we shape a new dictator for Second Life out of some primordial ooze we found in a dumpster behind the Citgo.

Surviving Bloodborne with a Gun-hating Toucan Man

12th October 2015
Episode 9
In this installment of Monster Factory, Griffin and Justin abuse the character creation tools of Bloodborne and somehow end up with a human-bird hybrid who adheres to a strict anti-gun platform.

Creating an Army of Banana-Men in Oblivion

27th October 2015
Episode 10
Justin and Griffin create an army of beautiful banana men to fight against the noodly final boss of The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion in this episode of Monster Factory.

Fallout 4 - Episode 1

12th November 2015
Episode 11
Griffin and Justin play around with Fallout 4, and incidentally create one of the most horrific creatures to ever roam the wasteland.

Fallout 4 - Episode 2

25th November 2015
Episode 12
Having accepted her terrible losses in the last episode of Monster Factory, The Final Pam carves a path of destruction across the Commonwealth. Things get very, very, very violent.

Fallout 4 - Episode 3

15th December 2015
Episode 13
The Monster Factory ballad of The Final Pam comes to a close as we quite literally destroy Fallout 4 from the inside out.

Melting Bart Simpson in Black Desert Online

14th January 2016
Episode 14
Griffin and Justin discover the beautiful, intricate character creation system of Black Desert Online, and, naturally, use it to produce a nightmarish version of a beloved cartoon character.

Throwing Everyone in Dragon's Dogma Off a Cliff

29th January 2016
Episode 15
Explore the world of Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen with a team of legendary heroes: All-Star pitcher Randy Johnson, a boy named Panpan, Elsa from the movie Frozen and TV's Dr. Phil.

Horrors of All Shapes and Sizes in Blade & Soul

11th February 2016
Episode 16
Griffin and Justin make a couple of Monster Factory children in the new MMO Blade & Soul, but end up getting completely shut down by Big Analog.

What If Dark Souls Were Made Of Pizza?

7th March 2016
Episode 17
Justin and Griffin play through an absolutely ruined version of Dark Souls while role-playing as a pizza-destroying mascot. Please note that framerate hiccups are on our end, not yours. Because, like we said, this version of Dark Souls is sick.

Recreating Ourselves in WWE 2K16

29th March 2016
Episode 18
Justin and Griffin attempt to recreate themselves in WWE 2K16, but along the way, something goes horribly wrong.

Making a Rowdy, Dirty Boy in Dark Souls 3

15th April 2016
Episode 19
Griffin and Justin play Dark Souls 3 on launch day, create a rowdy, dirty boy version of The Joker, and then get absolutely manhandled by every enemy in the game. Welcome to Monster Factory!

Second Life, Second Chances - Part One

16th May 2016
Episode 20
Welcome to Second Life, Second Chances, a three-week miniseries Monster Factory event, sponsored by Totino's. Can the Boy Mayor of Second Life reclaim his throne on the hard, hard campaign trail? Or will the endless march of Second Life sex clubs finally wear him down?

Second Life, Second Chances - Part Two

23rd May 2016
Episode 21
The Boy-Mayor and his campaign manager, Totino's, do a quick makeover, then make some highly targeted appearances all across the wonderful world of Second Life.

Second Life, Second Chances - Part Three

31st May 2016
Episode 22
The day of reckoning is upon the Boy-Mayor of Second Life. It's Election Day, and we're honestly unsure whether Totino's and the Boy Mayor's actions have gained or lost them votes. Either way: We're going to throw the greatest party this video game has ever seen.

Cosplayers and Leather Daddies in Soul Calibur 5

24th June 2016
Episode 23
Can Mëlissa complete her nearly perfect Sly Cooper costume before the big con? Or will her attempts at cosplaying be thwarted by her nemesis, Leather Daddy Voldo? Find out in this installment of Monster Factory, featuring the character creation tools of Soul Calibur 5.

Making a Golf All-Star in Tiger Woods '08

8th July 2016
Episode 24
Now we're getting into our core competency: Being good at Golf. In this episode, we borrow the core facial structure of a late, great character actor, and then mold it into something dark and profane. Behold: DAZ.

Stopping All of the Crimes in Saints Row: The Third

22nd July 2016
Episode 25
There is one thing you need to know about Trüllbus — this tough dude absolutely hates crime. He hates it nearly as much as he loves Dairy Queen, and boy, does he love Dairy Queen.

Creating The Sequel To Dogs in Spore

9th August 2016
Episode 26
Look at your current household pet. What a sweetheart! Now, pick them up and put them in the garbage can. Because here at Monster Factory, we dream big. Why would you ever own a dog or cat or a fish or a bird when you could own ... a JAA'M? Thanks to Spore, that dream can be a reality.

Reviving The Shrek Franchise With Spore

30th August 2016
Episode 27
We weren't anticipating our encounter with Spore to turn into the latest three-part Monster Factory saga, but here we are. The game is so rich with potential, but also so rich with game-ruining crashes and design problems that it makes it difficult to stick with any one creation. Hence our abandonment of the "Sequel to Dogs" project — our apologies, Jaa'm — and our migration to a new cause: The long-overdue revitalization of the Shrek intellectual property.

Building an Even Better Shrek in Spore

7th October 2016
Episode 28
Justin and Griffin perfect their Shrek-like creation, and — thank God — bring their time in Spore to a close.

Training a Perfect Super-Athlete in Wii Sports Resort

28th October 2016
Episode 29
Meet Turbovicki: Sports Champion, Ruthless Warrior and our latest Monster Factory creation. None can stand in her way on her quest for Wii Sports Resort domination — though a particular former vice president will try.

Turbovicki vs. The Foot Clan in Wii Sports Resort

14th November 2016
Episode 30
In this, the second part of our exploration of Wii Sports Resort, Hyper-Athlete Turbovicki faces her greatest challenge yet: The endless hordes of the Cheney Foot Clan.

Saving the World One Knife at a Time in Champions Online

13th January 2017
Episode 31
Knife Dad is not the hero that the world needs, but he is also not the hero the world deserves. It MIGHT be a stretch to call him a hero at all — he could be more accurately described as "a bunch of knives stuffed into a shirt."

Forming a Super Group With Knife Dad's Family

27th January 2017
Episode 32
In the last episode, a legend was born — a legend made out of knives and, like, rat fur. But leveling up in an MMORPG takes too long, so in this episode we seek help from dozens of monstrous, heroic strangers.

Having a Nude Bonanza in Conan Exiles

17th February 2017
Episode 33
Please do not tell on us to YouTube for this episode. We tried to hide every bepis that we saw, but we saw A LOT of them.

Flying Through Dragon Age Inquisition with a Slime DJ

10th March 2017
Episode 34
WARNING: Individuals with photosensitive epilepsy should be advised that this video contains flashing lights and could be dangerous to those susceptible to seizures. Viewer discretion is advised.

Monster Factory Wrestling Federation: MONSTER MANIA

2nd April 2017
Episode 35
In this special episode, Eleven of Polygon's most dangerous monsters collide in the squared circle at Monster Mania. See friendships tested, rivalries unleashed, and barriers broken. This is the grandest stage-- the final confrontation. This is Monster Mania!

Sweeps Week Ep. 1: Improving Your Favorite TV Sitcoms

7th April 2017
Episode 36
We're kicking off a new miniseries here in the Monster Factory! It's called Sweeps Week, and it's going to CHANGE THE FACE OF TELEVISION AS YOU KNOW IT.

Sweeps Week Ep. 2: Making Full House Too Full

5th May 2017
Episode 37
In the second episode of Monster Factory "Sweeps Week", Griffin and Justin play a fun game with the Full House family and make Dharma and Greg pay the blood price.

Sweeps Week Ep. 3: Boba Fett Hates Raymond

19th May 2017
Episode 38
"Everybody Loves Raymond"? Not Boba Fett, he HATES HIM. Featuring the cast from the OC.

Sweeps Week Ep. 4: Todd Coolbody's Sitcom Spectacular

2nd June 2017
Episode 39
In the conclusion of Monster Factory Sweeps Week, television exec Todd Coolbody wraps up his streak of improving all the classic sitcoms you know and love. And Family Guy.

CoolGames Inc Presents: Super Mario Bros. Maker

12th June 2017
Episode 40
Nick, Griffin and a team of anonymous external contractors have collaborated to create the most exciting piece of software to come out of E3 2017: Super Mario Bros. Maker.

Cid Finalfantasy’s Cat Man Quest

30th June 2017
Episode 41
Griffin and Justin create a sad brain man who yearns to be a cat man.

Stang Is Totally Not Sting Trying To Play Basketball

18th August 2017
Episode 42
Griffin and Justin play some b-ball with Stang, who is absolutely not Sting in a disguise.

Just Like Art: The Pink Man

13th September 2017
Episode 43
Welcome to Monster Factory: Just Like Art, a new series where we push Skyrim's character customization to the limit in an attempt to create genuine, gallery-worthy masterpieces.

Making a SWEET ALIEN BOY in Everybody's Golf

15th September 2017
Episode 44
Griffin and Justin try to teach a small alien boy how to play golf in a respectable way.

Just Like Art: Chomp Mom

20th September 2017
Episode 45
Welcome to the second episode of Monster Factory: Just Like Art, a series where we push Skyrim's character customization to the limit in an attempt to create genuine, gallery-worthy masterpieces. This week, we learned two very valuable lessons: a) art isn't always beautiful, and b) motherhood is its own reward.

Just Like Art: Jerry Potter

27th September 2017
Episode 46
Welcome to the third installment of Monster Factory: Just Like Art, a series where we push Skyrim's character customization to the limit in an attempt to create genuine, gallery-worthy masterpieces.

Just Like Art: Snakel from Frands

11th October 2017
Episode 47
What's the one thing that could make Skyrim better? Recreating one of the most popular '90s sitcoms inside of it. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Snakel from Frands.

Just Like Art: The Real Boogerman

18th October 2017
Episode 48
In the final episode of Monster Factory: Just Like Art, Griffin and Justin give themselves an easy task: creating the most powerful and poignant work of art in the history of mankind.

Tony Hawk???? The Skateboarding Flat Man

20th October 2017
Episode 49
On the latest episode of Monster Factory, Griffin and Justin make a rebellious, long-armed skateboarder whose three dimensions are seriously in question.

Zeke Teenweed Takes Us To Fart School

3rd November 2017
Episode 50
Zeke Teenweed is just your typical teen. He loves skateboarding, drawing Shrek graffiti, and not being an undercover cop.

Adult Cool Needs More Hats

8th December 2017
Episode 51
Griffin and Justin's galactic adventure with Adult Cool is just getting started.

Adult Cool's Powerful Kicks Are Unstoppable

15th December 2017
Episode 52
Griffin and Justin take Adult Cool on a galactic kicking adventure in part two of their Phantasy Star Online 2 extravaganza.

Arby "The Meathead" McDonald Is Back in the Ring

2nd February 2018
Episode 53
It's been a while since Arby "The Meathead" McDonald donned his wizard shirt and stepped in the ring. So maybe it's high time Griffin, Justin, and special guest Wrestling Expert Patrick Gill bring Arby's famous tooth out of retirement.

Arby McDonald Dearly Loves His Sons

23rd February 2018
Episode 54
Griffin and Pat get Arby ready for his first match by spending entirely too much time on his intro. Still worth it.

Arby's True Nemesis is Revealed

9th March 2018
Episode 55
Alliances are broken. Enemies become friends. Will Arby be able to pull off his special finisher? All that and more on the exciting conclusion of Arby "The Meathead" McDonald's epic trilogy.

Halo 666 Finishes the Fight

13th April 2018
Episode 56
Monster Hunter: World is so metal and it doesn't even know it.

Dr. Sexgun's Menagerie of Deadly Secrets

5th December 2018
Episode 57
The boys are back in town, baby! Gather the children 'round, cause this new hidden object game is guaranteed to be fun for the whole family.

Dr. Sexgun is back with a brand new invention

2nd January 2019
Episode 58
If you thought you'd seen the last of Dr. Sexgun and his clandestine cache of audacious armaments, think again.

Jim "Captain Cool" Johnman's Don Bradman Cricket 14

6th February 2019
Episode 59
Donny, you're out of your element.

Jim Johnman is playing baseball in Don Bradman Cricket 14

6th March 2019
Episode 60
At long last, it's Jim Johnman's turn at bat. And also pitching. And also refereeing.

Freddy "Slimeburger" Jr. emerges from Vault 76

3rd April 2019
Episode 61
On this episode of Monster Factory, the brothers try very hard to create a character in Fallout 76 despite Todd's best efforts.

Nothing will stop Slime Burger from going to Camden Park

1st May 2019
Episode 62
Slime Burger goes on a journey through Todd's twisted vision of West Virginia in search of legendary Camden Park in Fallout 76.

Tammy Radbody loves tree beef

5th June 2019
Episode 63
A wise forest elf, Tammy Radbody always knows the best places to find river Skittles.

Tammy Radbody will absolutely set a forest on fire

3rd July 2019
Episode 64
Tammy Radbody may be a protector of the forest, but she'll totally start a forest fire for a new dress and some baguettes.

Yoba Skywalker Starwars goes to infinity and beyond

7th August 2019
Episode 65
Boldly going where no forehead has gone before.

The search for Yoba Skywalker Starwars' cool outfit

5th September 2019
Episode 66
Yoba Skywalker Starwars has a killer outfit, but Starfleet is making him wear nerd armor. Where did his sick fashions get too? THE SEARCH IS ON!

Invite your friends to the inescapable world of Avakin life

16th October 2019
Episode 67
You're losing money by NOT signing up, come on!

Finding the video game in Avakin Life

6th November 2019
Episode 68
Avakin Life let's you do a lot of things, but is there a video game in there? Join your friend Nanci Budin 73 as we found out!

Snack Braff is Zach Braff if he'd just commit to going to the gym an hour a day

4th December 2019
Episode 69
Zachary "Zack Boy Bradley" i.e. SNACK BRAFF is really just Zach Braff if only he'd just get off his duff and commit to going a little harder at the gym in 2020.

Sweet Gene can have little a revenge, for Snack

15th January 2020
Episode 70
We gather here today in memory of Snack "Zachary Zach Boy Bradley" Braff, not to mourn, but to celebrate his brief but exceptional life, and in his memory raise a bright new star, burning with revenge for Snack.

The one where they actually play WWE2K20

16th February 2020
Episode 71
Well, it's come to this. Griffin and Justin are actually going to do the unthinkable and play WWE2K20.

Creating a seriously scary vampire in Code Vein

11th March 2020
Episode 72
Don't talk to me or my vampire son ever again!

Exploiting the gig economy in Code Vein

8th April 2020
Episode 73
Dugls n’ Richard are adventuring with their friends, fighting weird slime boys and hunting for that magical elixir we all crave, Awake MJ018.

Making a physical manifestation of the word ‘meh’ in Dark Souls 3

20th May 2020
Episode 74
Yep, let's go into battle. *long sigh* See you guys in the adventure.

Pushing Dark Souls 3 EXTREME EDITION to the limit

8th July 2020
Episode 75
He might have to become large, indestructible, and turn all his enemies into barrel, but dang it, Hungry-Faced Gil is going to beat Dark Souls 3 EXTREME EDITION.

Can Gil forge a sword big enough to kill God?

19th August 2020
Episode 76
Can glitches and crashes prevent Gil from beating Dark Souls 3 EXTREME EDITION? Unfortunately the answer is yes, but there's still a lot of fun to be had along the way!

Crafting a monster in Woodworking Simulator

30th September 2020
Episode 77
Monster Factory is de-industrializing and making a bespoke, handcrafted monster for a change.

jIM jELLY is doing gymnastics their way

28th October 2020
Episode 78
jIM jELLY likes two things: Buffalo Wilds Wings and completely re-writing the rules of gymnastics... and jIM's all out of wings.

Ronnie Faeburger is a fresh take on Ronald McDonald

16th December 2020
Episode 79
The first NEXT GEN Monster Factory fully utilizes the power of the PS5 to create an updated version of McDonald's burger clown.

Creating a baby monster in Crusader Kings 3

27th January 2021
Episode 80
In a Monster Factory first, the boys create a monster that's zero years old: a baby king that everyone hates. Huzzah!

Making Whoville's Anti-Grinch Guardian in Elden Ring

25th March 2022
Episode 81
Monster Factory is back! We’ve got a fistful of boiled prawns and we’re diving into the world of Elden Ring to see if we can answer the age-old question, “What if a Who kicked ass?”

Humdinger The Grinch Hunter WILL find the Elden Ring

20th April 2022
Episode 82
The Humdinger returns. He’s shirtless and ready to hunt Grinches, collect fingers, and snack on his beloved prawns.

Saving the Avatar franchise with Chimeraland

9th November 2022
Episode 83
Someone call Jimmy Cams - we used Chimeraland to make a new version of Avatar 2 starring Uncleberry, the uber-sexy sharkman made exclusively of fins.

Uncleberry dabbles in the dark cuisine in Chimeraland

7th December 2022
Episode 84
Join Uncleberry as he tackles Chimeraland’s many fantastical challenges, like cleaning, cooking, caring for pets, and playing video games! Try to kill a 500 year-old demigod, learn the importance of following the recipe, and unwind with some aspirational home decor programming. It’s Chimeraland!

Creating a Beefy Prince in Street Fighter 6

5th July 2023
Episode 85
Lower body? Check. Pudding fist? Check. Turbo cupping scars? Also a check. We used only the most powerful shapes to build this ass-kicking prince, and he’s gonna give Prince Friday what for.

Unleashing Prince Legday on Metro City

2nd August 2023
Episode 86
Prince Legday hits the streets, putting pros, death robots, and lit majors alike to sleep, in hopes of getting enough sweet sweet cash to step up his fashion with some truly haute couture looks.

Creating a Toothsome Warrior in Starfield

6th March 2023
Episode 87
Toddddddd, we fixed your game – you’re so welcome. Just jammed in a whole buncha extra sliders for our own personal uses, so we can create the twisted villain of a man we needed. You know how it is.

Molar Mike da Wisdom Toot Takes to the Skies in Starfield

20th March 2024
Episode 88
He’s here to fight tooth decay but he’s not above taking a little cereal treat for himself when he can find one. Everyone needs little treats sometimes, you know?

It's an Any% Killford Speedrun In Dragon's Dogma 2

23rd October 2024
Episode 89
Despite Capcom's efforts to the contrary, we're kicking off a new season of Monster Factory with some pro strats and manips to speedrun building our new friend Killford in Dragon's Dogma.

Recruiting the Perfect Pupating Gorge Washin in Dragon's Dogma 2

30th October 2024
Episode 90
Killford is preparing for his quest by recruiting the perfect squad: our pupating lord Gorge Washin, the teacher's pet Speical Boy, and the ever-judgemental Dr. Hotdog. Surely they'll find something productive to do other than throwing people to the brine eels.

Discovering Eco-Friendly Combat Strategies in Dragon's Dogma 2

6th November 2024
Episode 91
Killford and the gang rely on the kindness of strangers as they head into the questionable frame rates of scenic Vermund and take on a foolproof plan for regicide that may in fact be a little foolish.

Ripping Huge, Healthy Cotton With Nutricia in Wo Long

13th November 2024
Episode 92
Our newest creation is bringing a real Lord Farquaad silhouette and a new non-nicotine, non-branded, nutrient-rich, cool-for-kids vape product. It’s definitely not a pyramid scheme.

Becoming a Girlboss Vape Wizard in Wo Long

20th November 2024
Episode 93
The Vita-Vape CEO is back and she’s out to spread the good word of her powerful, nutritious vapes. The marketing strategy is a little heavy on the violence, we’ll admit, but there are also free samples!

Crafting a Man-Park in Indoorlands

27th November 2024
Episode 94
This time around, Justin is in the driver’s seat. He’s taking big swings and asking big questions like, “What if the man is a park?” or “Where can you go if you want to get wet AND you want to prove the existence of ghosts and aliens?”

Searching for the heart of the Man-Park in Indoorlands

4th December 2024
Episode 95
Come for the super sloppy meditation experience, toilet toes, and Sprute’s drink it al, stay for the kid-friendly greasy prices and the horridor.

Bringing Peter Point to life

11th December 2024
Episode 96
Justin’s inadvertent love affair with fences continues as the boys construct a coaster that swiftly reaches into the realm of non-euclidean existence, and discover the face of their monster at last.
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Monster Factory is a web series available in Polygon.com's official YouTube channel. The show is hosted by Griffin McElroy and his older brother Justin McElroy, Polygon's senior video producer and editor-at-large, respectively. The show's premise consists of both brothers opening character creation tools from several video and computer games and use their creations in-game as they cause all sorts of havoc.

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