These introductory scenes from open-world adventure game Destroy All Humans! encapsulate the early 2000s, featuring referential humour, slick futurism and experimentation with 3D visuals.

Set in 1950s America, the game parodies Cold War-era alien invasion stories, as reflected in the humour and aesthetics of this gameplay clip. Staple images of UFOs, middle America and big-headed aliens are given a satirical spin: in this game, the player is the alien invader Cryptosporidium 137 ('Crypto'). Crypto's voice-over is characterised by the pop culture-inflected snark typical of the era.

Poop gags and Crypto's attempts to read the mind of an average farm cow reinforce the goofy tone, which contrasts with the sophisticated graphics and gameplay. Developed for PlayStation 2, Xbox and mobile phones, the game prioritises exploration and environment, influenced by the popularity of Grand Theft Auto.

Destroy All Humans! was developed by Pandemic Studio, the Australian satellite studio of US-based Pandemic Studios. The open-world game has sold over a million copies, spawning multiple sequels and a remake of the original.