About this season
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.
Episodes (101)
1. Randomly Generating Horrifying Faces in Dark Souls 2
Aired 4 May 2015 • 22 min
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.
2. Exploring Skyrim with Garfield
Aired 12 May 2015 • 22 min
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.
3. Recreating a Beloved Sitcom in The Sims 4
Aired 29 May 2015 • 22 min
Justin and Griffin turn their dark Monster Factory arts toward The Sims 4, and recreate a beloved television sitcom in the process.
4. Prepping for Fallout 4 by Ruining Fallout 3
Aired 4 June 2015 • 22 min
Fallout 3 is a really great game, so Justin and Griffin have decided to destroy it from within during this installment of Monster Factory.
5. Failing to Clone The Rock in WWE 2K14
Aired 29 June 2015 • 22 min
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."
6. Exploding Shepard's Face Bones in Mass Effect 2
Aired 13 July 2015 • 22 min
Justin and Griffin rebuild Commander Truck Shepard into something non-human and non-killable when they take Mass Effect 2 into the Monster Factory.
7. Dino-crime in Ark: Survival Evolved
Aired 7 August 2015 • 22 min
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.
8. The Boy-Mayor of Second Life
Aired 11 September 2015 • 22 min
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.
9. Surviving Bloodborne with a Gun-hating Toucan Man
Aired 12 October 2015 • 22 min
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.
10. Creating an Army of Banana-Men in Oblivion
Aired 27 October 2015 • 22 min
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.
11. Fallout 4 - Episode 1
Aired 12 November 2015 • 22 min
Griffin and Justin play around with Fallout 4, and incidentally create one of the most horrific creatures to ever roam the wasteland.
12. Fallout 4 - Episode 2
Aired 25 November 2015 • 22 min
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.
13. Fallout 4 - Episode 3
Aired 15 December 2015 • 22 min
The Monster Factory ballad of The Final Pam comes to a close as we quite literally destroy Fallout 4 from the inside out.
14. Melting Bart Simpson in Black Desert Online
Aired 14 January 2016 • 22 min
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.
15. Throwing Everyone in Dragon's Dogma Off a Cliff
Aired 29 January 2016 • 22 min
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.
16. Horrors of All Shapes and Sizes in Blade & Soul
Aired 11 February 2016 • 22 min
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.
17. What If Dark Souls Were Made Of Pizza?
Aired 7 March 2016 • 22 min
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.
18. Recreating Ourselves in WWE 2K16
Aired 29 March 2016 • 22 min
Justin and Griffin attempt to recreate themselves in WWE 2K16, but along the way, something goes horribly wrong.
19. Making a Rowdy, Dirty Boy in Dark Souls 3
Aired 15 April 2016 • 22 min
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!
20. Second Life, Second Chances - Part One
Aired 16 May 2016 • 22 min
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?
21. Second Life, Second Chances - Part Two
Aired 23 May 2016 • 22 min
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.
22. Second Life, Second Chances - Part Three
Aired 31 May 2016 • 22 min
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.
23. Cosplayers and Leather Daddies in Soul Calibur 5
Aired 24 June 2016 • 22 min
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.
24. Making a Golf All-Star in Tiger Woods '08
Aired 8 July 2016 • 22 min
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.
25. Stopping All of the Crimes in Saints Row: The Third
Aired 22 July 2016 • 22 min
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.
26. Creating The Sequel To Dogs in Spore
Aired 9 August 2016 • 22 min
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.
27. Reviving The Shrek Franchise With Spore
Aired 30 August 2016 • 22 min
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.
28. Building an Even Better Shrek in Spore
Aired 7 October 2016 • 22 min
Justin and Griffin perfect their Shrek-like creation, and — thank God — bring their time in Spore to a close.
29. Training a Perfect Super-Athlete in Wii Sports Resort
Aired 28 October 2016 • 22 min
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.
30. Turbovicki vs. The Foot Clan in Wii Sports Resort
Aired 14 November 2016 • 22 min
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.
31. Saving the World One Knife at a Time in Champions Online
Aired 13 January 2017 • 22 min
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."
32. Forming a Super Group With Knife Dad's Family
Aired 27 January 2017 • 22 min
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.
33. Having a Nude Bonanza in Conan Exiles
Aired 17 February 2017 • 22 min
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.
34. Flying Through Dragon Age Inquisition with a Slime DJ
Aired 10 March 2017 • 22 min
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.
35. Monster Factory Wrestling Federation: MONSTER MANIA
Aired 2 April 2017 • 22 min
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!
36. Sweeps Week Ep. 1: Improving Your Favorite TV Sitcoms
Aired 7 April 2017 • 22 min
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.
37. Sweeps Week Ep. 2: Making Full House Too Full
Aired 5 May 2017 • 22 min
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.
38. Sweeps Week Ep. 3: Boba Fett Hates Raymond
Aired 19 May 2017 • 22 min
"Everybody Loves Raymond"? Not Boba Fett, he HATES HIM. Featuring the cast from the OC.
39. Sweeps Week Ep. 4: Todd Coolbody's Sitcom Spectacular
Aired 2 June 2017 • 22 min
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.
40. CoolGames Inc Presents: Super Mario Bros. Maker
Aired 12 June 2017 • 22 min
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.
41. Cid Finalfantasy’s Cat Man Quest
Aired 30 June 2017 • 22 min
Griffin and Justin create a sad brain man who yearns to be a cat man.
42. Stang Is Totally Not Sting Trying To Play Basketball
Aired 18 August 2017 • 22 min
Griffin and Justin play some b-ball with Stang, who is absolutely not Sting in a disguise.
43. Just Like Art: The Pink Man
Aired 13 September 2017 • 22 min
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.
44. Making a SWEET ALIEN BOY in Everybody's Golf
Aired 15 September 2017 • 22 min
Griffin and Justin try to teach a small alien boy how to play golf in a respectable way.
45. Just Like Art: Chomp Mom
Aired 20 September 2017 • 22 min
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.
46. Just Like Art: Jerry Potter
Aired 27 September 2017 • 22 min
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.
47. Just Like Art: Snakel from Frands
Aired 11 October 2017 • 22 min
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.
48. Just Like Art: The Real Boogerman
Aired 18 October 2017 • 22 min
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.
49. Tony Hawk???? The Skateboarding Flat Man
Aired 20 October 2017 • 22 min
On the latest episode of Monster Factory, Griffin and Justin make a rebellious, long-armed skateboarder whose three dimensions are seriously in question.
50. Zeke Teenweed Takes Us To Fart School
Aired 3 November 2017 • 22 min
Zeke Teenweed is just your typical teen. He loves skateboarding, drawing Shrek graffiti, and not being an undercover cop.
51. Adult Cool Needs More Hats
Aired 8 December 2017 • 22 min
Griffin and Justin's galactic adventure with Adult Cool is just getting started.
52. Adult Cool's Powerful Kicks Are Unstoppable
Aired 15 December 2017 • 22 min
Griffin and Justin take Adult Cool on a galactic kicking adventure in part two of their Phantasy Star Online 2 extravaganza.
53. Arby "The Meathead" McDonald Is Back in the Ring
Aired 2 February 2018 • 22 min
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.
54. Arby McDonald Dearly Loves His Sons
Aired 23 February 2018 • 22 min
Griffin and Pat get Arby ready for his first match by spending entirely too much time on his intro. Still worth it.
55. Arby's True Nemesis is Revealed
Aired 9 March 2018 • 22 min
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.
56. Halo 666 Finishes the Fight
Aired 13 April 2018 • 22 min
Monster Hunter: World is so metal and it doesn't even know it.
57. Dr. Sexgun's Menagerie of Deadly Secrets
Aired 5 December 2018 • 22 min
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.
58. Dr. Sexgun is back with a brand new invention
Aired 2 January 2019 • 22 min
If you thought you'd seen the last of Dr. Sexgun and his clandestine cache of audacious armaments, think again.
59. Jim "Captain Cool" Johnman's Don Bradman Cricket 14
Aired 6 February 2019 • 22 min
Donny, you're out of your element.
60. Jim Johnman is playing baseball in Don Bradman Cricket 14
Aired 6 March 2019 • 22 min
At long last, it's Jim Johnman's turn at bat. And also pitching. And also refereeing.
61. Freddy "Slimeburger" Jr. emerges from Vault 76
Aired 3 April 2019 • 22 min
On this episode of Monster Factory, the brothers try very hard to create a character in Fallout 76 despite Todd's best efforts.
62. Nothing will stop Slime Burger from going to Camden Park
Aired 1 May 2019 • 22 min
Slime Burger goes on a journey through Todd's twisted vision of West Virginia in search of legendary Camden Park in Fallout 76.
63. Tammy Radbody loves tree beef
Aired 5 June 2019 • 22 min
A wise forest elf, Tammy Radbody always knows the best places to find river Skittles.
64. Tammy Radbody will absolutely set a forest on fire
Aired 3 July 2019 • 22 min
Tammy Radbody may be a protector of the forest, but she'll totally start a forest fire for a new dress and some baguettes.
65. Yoba Skywalker Starwars goes to infinity and beyond
Aired 7 August 2019 • 22 min
Boldly going where no forehead has gone before.
66. The search for Yoba Skywalker Starwars' cool outfit
Aired 5 September 2019 • 22 min
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!
67. Invite your friends to the inescapable world of Avakin life
Aired 16 October 2019 • 22 min
You're losing money by NOT signing up, come on!
68. Finding the video game in Avakin Life
Aired 6 November 2019 • 22 min
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!
69. Snack Braff is Zach Braff if he'd just commit to going to the gym an hour a day
Aired 4 December 2019 • 22 min
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.
70. Sweet Gene can have little a revenge, for Snack
Aired 15 January 2020 • 22 min
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.
71. The one where they actually play WWE2K20
Aired 16 February 2020 • 22 min
Well, it's come to this. Griffin and Justin are actually going to do the unthinkable and play WWE2K20.
72. Creating a seriously scary vampire in Code Vein
Aired 11 March 2020 • 22 min
Don't talk to me or my vampire son ever again!
73. Exploiting the gig economy in Code Vein
Aired 8 April 2020 • 22 min
Dugls n’ Richard are adventuring with their friends, fighting weird slime boys and hunting for that magical elixir we all crave, Awake MJ018.
74. Making a physical manifestation of the word ‘meh’ in Dark Souls 3
Aired 20 May 2020 • 22 min
Yep, let's go into battle. *long sigh* See you guys in the adventure.
75. Pushing Dark Souls 3 EXTREME EDITION to the limit
Aired 8 July 2020 • 22 min
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.
76. Can Gil forge a sword big enough to kill God?
Aired 19 August 2020 • 22 min
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!
77. Crafting a monster in Woodworking Simulator
Aired 30 September 2020 • 22 min
Monster Factory is de-industrializing and making a bespoke, handcrafted monster for a change.
78. jIM jELLY is doing gymnastics their way
Aired 28 October 2020 • 22 min
jIM jELLY likes two things: Buffalo Wilds Wings and completely re-writing the rules of gymnastics... and jIM's all out of wings.
79. Ronnie Faeburger is a fresh take on Ronald McDonald
Aired 16 December 2020 • 22 min
The first NEXT GEN Monster Factory fully utilizes the power of the PS5 to create an updated version of McDonald's burger clown.
80. Creating a baby monster in Crusader Kings 3
Aired 27 January 2021 • 22 min
In a Monster Factory first, the boys create a monster that's zero years old: a baby king that everyone hates. Huzzah!
81. Making Whoville's Anti-Grinch Guardian in Elden Ring
Aired 25 March 2022 • 25 min
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?”
82. Humdinger The Grinch Hunter WILL find the Elden Ring
Aired 20 April 2022 • 22 min
The Humdinger returns. He’s shirtless and ready to hunt Grinches, collect fingers, and snack on his beloved prawns.
83. Saving the Avatar franchise with Chimeraland
Aired 9 November 2022 • 28 min
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.
84. Uncleberry dabbles in the dark cuisine in Chimeraland
Aired 7 December 2022 • 25 min
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!
85. Creating a Beefy Prince in Street Fighter 6
Aired 5 July 2023 • 25 min
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.
86. Unleashing Prince Legday on Metro City
Aired 2 August 2023 • 22 min
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.
87. Creating a Toothsome Warrior in Starfield
Aired 6 March 2023 • 20 min
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.
88. Molar Mike da Wisdom Toot Takes to the Skies in Starfield
Aired 20 March 2024 • 22 min
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?
89. It's an Any% Killford Speedrun In Dragon's Dogma 2
Aired 23 October 2024 • 30 min
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.
90. Recruiting the Perfect Pupating Gorge Washin in Dragon's Dogma 2
Aired 30 October 2024 • 31 min
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.
91. Discovering Eco-Friendly Combat Strategies in Dragon's Dogma 2
Aired 6 November 2024 • 29 min
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.
92. Ripping Huge, Healthy Cotton With Nutricia in Wo Long
Aired 13 November 2024 • 22 min
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.
93. Becoming a Girlboss Vape Wizard in Wo Long
Aired 20 November 2024 • 25 min
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!
94. Crafting a Man-Park in Indoorlands
Aired 27 November 2024 • 23 min
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?”
95. Searching for the heart of the Man-Park in Indoorlands
Aired 4 December 2024 • 22 min
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.
96. Bringing Peter Point to life
Aired 11 December 2024 • 25 min
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.
97. The Return of Pam
Aired 12 November 2025 • 25 min
Ten years ago we left her in a watery pocket dimension. Today, The Final Pam returns to see what, if anything, can be salvaged of her Sanctuary.
98. Where's the Action? Where's the Game?
Aired 19 November 2025 • 25 min
Pam is back and facing her greatest challenge yet: finding an actual completable quest on the critical path.
99. Mission: Adult Fatherson
Aired 26 November 2025 • 20 min
Pam grapples with her morality as she continues on her mission, and faces an unexpected conflict with Justin and Griffin’s actual responsibilities as fathers.
100. Pam's Last Dance
Aired 3 December 2025 • 24 min
It’s the final installment of Pam’s redemption mission. Can she beat the game and earn the approval of Adult Fatherson at last? Will Todd succeed in his quest to thwart our efforts to see the final cutscene? And what will happen to our beloved large Dean? The only way out is through.
101. Monster Factory LIVE: Tomodachi Life
Aired 30 April 2026 • 73 min
Griffin and Justin are clocking in for a shift in everyone’s new favorite game, Tomodachi Life (sorry, Pokopia). Join them as they test the limits of creation, and then set their newfound angel free.