Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Screenwise Verdict

Brad Colburn has carved out a genuinely respectable niche: he's the anti-PewDiePie, delivering calm, thorough game walkthroughs without the performative chaos that dominates gaming YouTube. For a teen who's curious about a new release or genuinely stuck in a game, his videos are legitimately helpful.

That said, this is YouTube gaming content, which means it's fundamentally passive entertainment. Your kid isn't building, creating, or even playing—they're watching someone else do it. And the games Brad covers skew heavily mature: horror, violence, complex narratives meant for older teens and adults.

The channel itself is professionally run and non-toxic, but it lives on YouTube with all the attendant concerns: open comments, algorithmic recommendations that can lead anywhere, and the very real risk of "just one more video" turning into an hour of screen time.

If your teen is genuinely into gaming and uses Brad's content as a research tool before buying games or to get unstuck, that's defensible. If they're just passively consuming walkthroughs of games they'll never play? Time to redirect. Brad's one of the good ones in his category, but the category itself is still just watching someone else play video games.

Age Fit

This is solidly teen territory (13+). The creator is appropriate, but the games covered—Death Stranding, horror titles, mature action games—are rated M for good reason. Not for younger kids unless you're pre-screening specific videos for age-appropriate titles.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

72

Brad's commentary style is calm, friendly, and authentically enthusiastic without manufactured hype or toxicity. He doesn't swear or rage, which is refreshing in gaming content. However, the games he covers often contain mature themes—violence, horror, strong language—so the wholesome score reflects the creator's tone rather than the underlying content.

Imaginative

58

Walkthroughs are inherently reactive rather than creative—Brad follows game narratives rather than building or exploring freely. The 'blind playthrough' format does showcase genuine discovery and problem-solving, which has some imaginative merit, but viewers are watching someone else play rather than engaging their own creativity. It's educational for gaming literacy but not particularly imagination-sparking.

Safe

55

Brad himself is a safe, reliable presence with no toxicity or inappropriate behavior. However, the channel has no kids mode, comments are open (typical YouTube risks), and most critically, the games featured are mature-rated titles with graphic violence, horror elements, and strong language. A kid clicking through could easily land on a Dead Space or Resident Evil walkthrough with intense scares and gore. Parents must pre-screen specific videos.

Enriching

68

For teens considering a game purchase or stuck on a level, Brad's thorough walkthroughs are genuinely useful—they teach problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and game mechanics. His calm narration models patience and persistence. That said, passive watching doesn't build skills the way active play does, and there's limited broader educational value beyond gaming literacy. It's enriching within its niche but not transformative.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Brad's commentary is refreshingly non-toxic: no rage-quits, no swearing, no manufactured drama—just genuine enthusiasm and problem-solving
Incredibly useful for teens deciding whether to buy a game or stuck on a tough level; his walkthroughs are thorough and clearly narrated
Models patience and persistence—Brad works through challenges methodically rather than button-mashing or giving up
With 13.9 million subscribers and 15 years of consistency, he's a known quantity in gaming YouTube—reliable and professional

⚠

What to Watch For

The games themselves are often M-rated: horror titles like Resident Evil, violent action games, mature narratives—Brad doesn't create kid content
Comments are enabled, so typical YouTube comment section risks apply (though his community skews older)
It's passive consumption—your kid is watching someone else play rather than developing their own gaming skills or creativity
With nearly 9,000 videos, it's easy to fall into an endless rabbit hole of game walkthroughs

Conversation Starters

"If you're interested in that game, would you rather watch Brad play it or save up to try it yourself?"
"What do you think makes a good walkthrough? How does Brad explain things differently than other YouTubers?"
"Do you think watching someone beat a game is as satisfying as doing it yourself? Why or why not?"

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