History Webcomic / VirtualShackles

* AIIsACrapshoot: The Kinect's a [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/18 bit murderous]], but fortunately the UsefulNotes/Xbox360 is [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/264 suicidal]], so things balance out in the end.

* DumbassHasAPoint: [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/59 Parodied]] with the StoppedClock analogy - a backwards clock is right 4 times per day, and backwads as 7200 RPM is right 864002 times per day. [[note]]Math is off; it should be right 20736002 times per day.[[/note]]

** The comic constantly pokes fun at its own similarities to ''PennyArcade'', such as the authors' similar names, the typically three-paneled TwoGamersOnACouch format, and even the [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/22 similar fonts]].

* RunningGag: Various strips show what depths Jack will sink to due to his ''WorldOfWarcraft'' addiction.

* TropaholicsAnonymous: Jack's wife sends him to a [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/43 support group]] for his ''WorldOfWarcraft'' addiction, where he encounters characters such as [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] and [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Link]] who have far bigger problems.

* ImpossibleItemDrop: Made fun of in [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/76 this comic]]. "What the fuck ''{{Darksiders}}''. Why does everything I smash have a soul in it?"

* AIIsACrapshoot: The Kinect's a [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/18 bit murderous]], but fortunately the Xbox360 is [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/264 suicidal]], so things balance out in the end.

* FreudWasRight: Invoked in the console wars, where apparently Sony's end-goal is the "Playstation: Giant Penis".

* SuperPrototype: Why ''Franchise/{{BioShock}}'''s Alpha Series [[http://virtualshackles.appspot.com/23 is so badass]]:

* RefusalOfTheCall: [[TheForceUnleashed Starkiller]] decides to ignore his destiny and just use the Force to [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/68 open a beer]].

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Upon being told of the horrific things done by a ''DungeonsAndDragons'' player, [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/141 Jack's response]] is shock - at the fact that people still play it.

* SuperPrototype: Why ''Franchise/{{BioShock}}'''s Alpha Series [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/23 is so badass]]:

* DumbassHasAPoint: [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/59 Parodied]] with the StoppedCLock analogy - a backwards clock is right 4 times per day, and backwads as 7200 RPM is right 864002 times per day. [[note]]Math is off; it should be right 20736002 times per day.[[/note]]

''[[http://www.virtualshackles.com/ Virtual Shackles]]'' by Jeremy Vinar and Mike Fahmie is a webcomic about video games. It occasionally strays into RealLife issues.

* BottomoftheBarrelJoke: You wouldn't ordinarily think [[http://www.virtualshackles.com/421 a joke]] about the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heisenberg_uncertainty_principle Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle]] would be one of these, but the creators of the strip agreed that if they ever used the joke, they would stop making the webcomic, and they passed the comic on to a new team altogether.

* MyFutureSelfAndMe: Peter Molyneux travels back in time to warn his past self that the video game he is working will throw the world into chaos. The past Peter simply replies with "Dammit not again!"