ValkiriForce

Reverie - A New 32-Level Megawad For Doom II.

2011-12-13T14:32:00.000-08:00

Reverie is a brand-new 32-level add-on game for Doom II. Explore massive cityscapes and ravaged battlegrounds to conquer the ultimate challenge.

Features:

-32 all-new levels.

-new textures and graphics.

-challenging gameplay elements including puzzles, traps and surprises.

-new music and more!

Additional screens:

Download Now!

The Most Outstanding Doom II Levels

2011-04-22T00:02:00.000-07:00

I've decided to talk about some of the better third-party Doom II levels I've played. There are a TON of Doom II levels out there so I've narrowed it down to the levels that feel the most original to me. These aren't exactly my favorite levels ever, they're just levels that stand out the most for me in originality.

Mephisto's Maosoleum (The Master Levels) - Not only a good inspiration for a MAP30 concept but useful in coming up with a good MAP07 tag use. Awesome progression and a great challenge.

Black Tower (The Master Levels) - Can't put a floor above the other? You don't have to, but of course this is made possible with Boom's silent teleporter, but before that we had the ordinary teleporter to work with. The way this level was built makes you feel as though you were progressively climbing higher. A good, difficult level with many great ideas by an innovative author.

Titan Manor (The Master Levels) - This level for me introduced a sort of "Metroid" mind set when searching to complete the level. It's stuff like this that later lead to people creating ultra-complex levels like "Excalibur" This was the first I had ever played and it still stands out as a pretty solid level from someone who would later become one of my favorite authors in the world of Doom II PWADs.

Trapped On Titan (The Master Levels) - Another great level from the same author of Titan Manor, implementing many interesting puzzles and linedef triggers. Add to that quite a large and epic layout and you've got an awesome level. To me, it's almost like a space version of Industrial Zone, being that it's large and has plenty of different looking areas interconnected in such a way as to not feel too out of place.
Congo (Final Doom: The Plutonia Experiment) - We thank The Plutonia Experiment for coming up with this wonderful, Earth-themed level. The design is simplistic but aesthetic enough to just work with all the vines and rocks intertwining one another.
Hunted (Final Doom: The Plutonia Experiment) - This level makes for a good showcase of how Doom levels don't have to revolve solely on switch hunting and killing zombies. Much like that of Cyberdreams and Arch-Vile Jump, it has the specific theme of being lost in a maze with Arch-Viles and having to navigate your way out. An interesting concept well executed by the authors of Plutonia.
Pharoah (Final Doom: TNT: Evilution) - A great feeling of place here. Probably the first great Egyptian-themed level as well as being a good source of inspiration for those looking to make a Doom level that takes place somewhere in the world.
Caribbean (Final Doom: TNT: Evilution) - Another one that has the feeling of place down. This also makes for a good showcase of what people can come up with when creating a new Doom level from scratch.
City Of The Unavenged (Memento Mori) - Like switch hunting? This level pretty much makes very good use of it. It never gets boring cause the author makes sure there's more enemies waiting for you each time you navigate the map for another switch. Lots of great linedef actions and triggers put to good use here, very well thought out.
Viper (Memento Mori) - A great example of originality in making a last level for a Doom II mapset. Should make for good inspiration for those looking to make an original Icon of Sin-styled map.
Blessed Are The Quick (Icarus: Alien Vanguard) - Great mansion level with a rainy atmosphere. This is actually probably one of the only levels I've ever played that had rain in it. Now in terms of gameplay not everyone would like this level, but I still feel the style was well executed and really stands out in my mind as one of the great mansion-styled levels.
Brutality (Icarus: Alien Vanguard) - This is probably my primary inspiration for levels that constantly impress the player. This is the kind of level where something interesting is always happening and the player never gets bored. Great use of linedef actions and great fast-paced action make this a great level. Add to that the clever details and structures and you're not likely to forget this level.
Town Of The Dead (Requiem) - Everyone knows this one for introducing plenty of clever tricks including a double 3D bridge, the fake 3D bridge and plenty of interesting tricks. Another case of someone coming up with something amazing when starting from scratch.
Escape From Chaos (Requiem) - More tricks on display, though this one also falls in the category of constantly impressing the player by keeping things interesting with lindef actions and tricks as you progress your way through the level.
Skinny Puppy (Requiem) - I'd say this is aesthetics taken to a whole new level here with the tech base theme. Very awesome texture use and yet again well thought out in execution.
Doorway To Quake (Requiem) - This brings Doom II as close as it can ever get to being 3D. Plenty more interesting tricks as well as being a good inspiration for secret levels taking place in a different game entirely.

I might do more of these at some point - there are seriously LOTS of great levels I've played, and I'd like to share more of these at some point. I may even share a little of what I've been doing at some point. Of course you can always refer to my YouTube channel to check out plenty more action-packed levels. :)

Doom Core on the Horizon

2011-03-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

Looks like this megawad is for real. I'm very excited and can't wait to see what everyone thinks of these levels. All this time working on it (mostly secretly) I wondered what anyone would think of these levels. Now I'm just looking through the WAD and I will be sending it to some playtesters before I can put it up on the idgames database. I will be sure to post a link here on this blog when the time comes for the release of this long-awaited megawad.

Words

2010-10-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

I am writing this for the benefit of the people who care to read my posts, and hopefully to re-establish a new heart before the Lord our God. May the hearts of this generation be restored unto Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

So often you have asked yourselves, "How can a Loving God allow such wickedness?" Is God evil, you ask? This is preposterous and technically impossible. Light and dark cannot be; as sure as night and day cannot be. Yes, they come together for sunrise and sunset, as sure as the world itself holds good and evil. God created our souls, and it is to his heart that we should be children of the light. But as you know, since the Garden of Eden, we the people have the free will to accept or reject God's new covenant; that which is Christ Jesus' sacrifice. Anyone who has rejected Christ practically has to push his dead body aside, just to reach hell's gate. But I tell you the truth, on this side of glory, it is never too late to accept Christ's sacrifice for atonement of your sins!

A man or woman who rejects the covering of Christ opens theirself for destruction. It is true that even we, as believers have sometimes wavered from the will of God, and sometimes it is for the very reason of our good that great and terrible things must happen. It is for our purification, I myself wouldn't have learned this if it hadn't happened to me. I have often asked, "My God! My God! Why was I saved?" I am no different than anyone else my age. Yet He has beautifully orchestrated such miracles right before my eyes, in my own lifetime. And yet I myself do not claim to be greater than anyone else, in fact, I am just as terrible as anyone else! The difference is that I recognize the simplicity of my belief, which can be summarized in two words; just believe.

I can only teach you what I myself have received through the word of God and through whom God has chosen as instruments for his truth. God knows I have no words to offer, I cannot speak to people, for loss of words. Only in writing can I truly be sure of where these words are coming from, and that is through the fruit of the spirit. I invite and ask the Holy Spirit to come upon me, that I may speak such revelations of the truth for all to hear and understand. You are God's children, his own special possession. It is true that God chose Israel as his children, but they were to be the priests and prophets of the world. But as you may well know, they too have fallen short of God's great plan, for they worshiped idols. In the Old Testament, the day the law of the ten commandments were given, three-thousand people lost their lives. But it is in the New Testament, when Christ Jesus was given as a lamb of sacrifice for the world's sins, and when the Holy Spirit descended upon the people, that three-thousand were saved. It is by this that we know we cannot expect to follow the rules and commandments God has given by the Old Testament, but by God's grace and Christ's sacrifice in the New Testament, that we, too, can be made right before the Lord, our God.

We are but humans, the dust of the Earth. How can we possibly expect to conceive of God's divine purpose for our lives? Did he not stretch the skies over the Earth? Has he not offered to rescue us? But knowing humans, they pride theirselves in their handling of life's troubles, and so God takes his hand away from that person. So you ask why God allowed such evils? Why, you should ask yourself! For even I have made such decisions, like a fool. Why work a lifetime for wealth and profit, only to lose them to the world? So not everyone can agree that there is indeed a God, but I must remind you of this irrefutable fact; everything dies. These people will reap what they sow. If it is your decision to live your life to the end in all emptiness of the truth, so it will be for an eternity. And those who seek to believe and receive God's grace, they will inherit eternal life.

I am not condemning you by making such accusations, for I would be condemning myself. For even Jesus reminded us, "The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged." And, "Do to others what you would like done unto you." This is the golden rule of all that is taught in the law and in the prophets. You can be sure that God has his will for your life, but are you willing to accept and trust him? His hand will be placed on your life, putting all things in it's right place. For those who are persecuted for doing right, recognize that the trouble does not happen to you, it happens for you. There is a great difference in receiving said troubles with this kind of mindset, for it reminds us that there is still a divine purpose for each breath God has placed in our bodies. And there is a great reward for those who run the long race of humanity.

God's commandments can be summarized by this one command: Love each other. This is nothing new that I speak of, but I remind you for the sake of remembrance, for many have wandered, and need to be brought back before the Lord, our God. He is not angry with anyone, why, Jesus himself revealed the heart of the father through the story of the prodigal son. The father saw him at a distance, and ran to embrace him and celebrate his return home. He did not condemn him for wasting away his inheritance, the father rejoiced in his son's safe return, for, "My son was dead, but now he is alive!" God is waiting eagarly for his children to return home. Remember when Jesus spoke, "You who are without sin, cast the first stone." Jesus was the only one there permitted to cast stones at the woman caught in the act of adultery; but he never touched a stone. So Christ abides in the Father, and the Father in him, so Christ has revealed to us the heart of the father, for he himself is the Father and the Son. The divine trinity of God that which is the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit. It is not three gods, but one God manifested in three forms, for nothing is impossible for God. It is my hope that you should receive these words of truth in your heart, and understand them. By God's grace we are saved, and by his Love we are strengthened, and by this commandment we can follow closely. Do not act, do not speak, do not do anything except out of Love for one another. For Love is the greatest commandment, for God is Love. It is his presence we feel for the affection of our family and our friends. What do people seek most in life? Whether we know it or not, it is true that everyone seeks Love, and therefore we all seek God. Why does a man buy a car? Was it merely for the transportation or for the faint hope of being recognized, and therefore being appreciated? Was it for the praise of the people, that he seeks to be worshiped? You can be sure that these things and more are rooted to the recognition and appreciation and ultimately, for the Love we seek in other peolpe. But we are never satisfied because this world cannot offer these things; and we surely cannot be worshipped, for all glory belongs to God, even for our own sakes. We seek God, and so we seek Love, and Love is everything we want and need. Only God can provide these needs and more, as surely as he has blessed me with this wonderful truth.

I am writing this so that many may be led to the truth that which is Christ, for he is the Word of truth in the flesh. It is my hope that those of you tired of the world in all that it cares for may find such hope in these words. When the time comes that you should find yourself alone and hurt, with not a friend in the world, who then, will care for you? Surely it couldn't be this world, for as a majority, the world doesn't care for such people because they're everywhere. But as sure as there are many who wouldn't care for you in your hour of desperation, I can surely tell you the truth when I speak of the one who does and always will care for you, and that is the Lord, our God; Christ Jesus.

I did not write this to argue with those who disagree. For if I should find myself argueing against such people, I would prove myself as foolish as they are. Though it is possible that I write to you again for those left unsure of your beliefs, so as to clarify any such points left unclear. I have come to speak the word of truth, for the truth has always been hard to receive, and so many will reject it. But I shall continually plead with the Father on your behalf, that your eyes may be opened and your heart made right before the Lord, our God.

May the Lord, our God, bless you with joy and may his grace abound in your lifetime.

Let's Listen - Icarus: Alien Vanguard

2010-09-22T00:21:00.001-07:00

I thought I should post that I did a let's listen series for the soundtrack to the game Icarus: Alien Vanguard. :)

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A7D9AF5E84E7D458

The link is to the entire playlist I've recorded. Enjoy.

Formspring!

2010-09-03T23:01:00.000-07:00

Found this website recently: I'm addicted.

http://www.formspring.me/Valkiriforce

Bad Dream

2010-08-31T01:16:00.000-07:00

I want to know that I know that I know that I know FOR SURE that I am saved. If you'd have experienced what I had months ago you'd no doubt feel the same. You have NO IDEA how frightening it was to be (literally) attacked by demons in my sleep. It's that sort of thing that no one will ever get or understand; not even I know for sure what really lies out there in the spiritual realm. I wouldn't go as far as to call it a dream or even a nightmare; this was a full-fledged attack in my sleep. I remember waking up shivering so greatly I felt like my mind was twitching with the most insane, twisted thoughts. I tried so hard to recover by focusing on a prayer and trying to think of the face of Jesus. I felt so greatly disturbed that night I had to sleep in the same room with my sister. I hadn't done such a thing in a very, very long time. Like any child who's had a nightmare and slept with his or her parents (and I have done this at around 5-6) only now I'm at an age where I thought nothing scared me anymore. That is until this happened to me some months ago.

The Bad Dream:

There was a nightly investigation, much like Silence of the Lambs. Somebody knew that someone else was going to be killed and the situation was very dangerous. So this investigator realized this and rushed out with a group of cops, SWAT team members, etc. Then this woman walking out by this alley gets pulled over by a man with a scar. He had his hands on her head and pulled her head off. Only, she was still alive and hanging below her head was a new body; she had become some sort of twisted, grotesque creature. She was in horror of becoming something she was not, and just then some more men came along with the scarred man. They pulled their own heads off to reveal their new bodies, these men exposed themselves to be demons clothed in human skin. They started howling and shouting at the woman who was already frightened at what had happened to her. They moved her and grabbed her head and placed it in a deep, dark hole somewhere by the alleyway, and they blocked all light with their heads peaking in the hole, screaming terrible screams at her while she sunk lower and lower into the darkness and beyond...

The feeling was like that of drowning; when you've reached the point where you think you're going to die, the feeling gets deeper still. And when you really believe that now you're going to die, the feeling gets worse; and it gets worse and worse still, and it never, ever ends. Every moment in hell is like that of the moment of death reaching deeper and deeper into nothing and never being released. That feeling of being stuck and never being able to crawl out again. It's enough to drive anyone insane and that alone is only one quality of such a place outside of our imagination and all that we are able to conceive of as mere humans on earth. We don't know what's going on in the spiritual realm and we don't realize how deep the darkness is; but the news is that God always provides us a chance at salvation. God isn't forcing anyone to love him or believe in him; for God himself is true love and true love doesn't force others against themselves. The truth is everyone has that responsibility of making that decision; and I hope and pray that many will turn to God so they can really know him for the first time. For all who don't love God or even hate him simply don't know him, and yet, he still loves you.

Because of all this, I feel that I think about hell all the time now; that is one of many truths that no one knows about me. I am typically a mysterious person because I've never had much of a chance to open up to others. Or rather, I don't open up because no one asks me to; I don't want to bother people or force them to hear about the truth about myself because I know not everyone is interested to hear about it. So this is just some of the mysteries revealed: I am greatly disturbed at the behavior of this earth and I wish all people knew God the way I do (or better). For I now sympathize with God's feelings on this well-known scripture:

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

If I could find the right words, I would tell you how I feel about this. All I can say from here is based on my experience through life, there's absolutely no doubt that there is a God. I want to seek righteousness, love, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, loyalty, honesty, self-control, etc. All truly wonderful qualities come from God and all truly good things come from God. That is the truth I know about him, and I love him. I will not hide this about myself and where I stand. I am not condemning anyone or telling anyone what decisions to make; this is just my two cents about myself I wanted to reveal. Take care, God bless and may God speed be with you.

I Didn't Mean To Neglect This Blog...

2010-08-21T22:41:00.000-07:00

I really wish I'd update my blog more often. I also really wish I'd post more reviews on here, as I enjoy speaking favorably about the things I like that I believe should get more attention. I might do another video game review since I'd only written that one for Conker: Live & Reloaded. I've been playing Jet Force Gemini lately so I feel that's on my mind for reviewing.

On a side note, some weeks ago I contributed a map to the project, "Plutonia Revisited." It's going to be a 32-level game compatible for the original Final Doom engine. It's a tribute to The Plutonia Experiment, which was one of the two games that made the whole of Final Doom. The map I made is a tribute to map 22, "Impossible Mission" and in reflection to that I decided to call mine Suicide Mission. I'm very pleased with how the map turned out and I hope it makes it in all right. I also worked somewhat on a map that was supposed to be a map 32 slot. Map 32 of Plutonia was the toughest map of the set; and as tradition has it (well, at least for Plutonia 2 and this project) the level typically is a remake of an older doom map with tons of monsters and new areas. I worked on it some of the way and I sent it to someone else to work on it, so I guess you could say I'm doing a collaboration map. I basically took the first area of the first three Plutonia maps and blended them together with a couple new areas (plus I re-textured the thing). Though I wish instead of pasting them together I should have just created them from scratch based on memory; I'm absolutely certain I could have done so. Anyway, maybe when I get the map back I'll fix those areas up and add some new ones as well.

At some point, I'd also like to post about my spirituality. I'd like to be honest with people who are curious about my character since I've never had the opportunity to open up to anyone. The way I see it, I don't want to pour myself out before anyone who doesn't want to hear about it, so I'll just post some things on here. More likely I'll just recommend some great sources as to where I like to look when I need some encouragement or to learn more about God. He is a very interesting guy. :)

Anyway, I guess I'll leave it at that for now. Hope to return with some great things.

CC4 Map And Master Levels Recorded On UV.

2010-05-11T19:51:00.001-07:00

A little update that I'm doing a series of videos of the Master Levels for Doom II maps played on Ultra-Violence. Most of it is already done so if you don't already know where to find my YouTube channel here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/user/valkiriforce?feature=mhw4 You can find the Master Levels playlist there.

Also, I made another contribution to the Community Chest 4 megawad. You can find the thread updates here: http://www.doomworld.com/vb/community-chest-4/50745-cc4-cybernetics-compartment/

Community Chest 4 Contribution - Matthaios' Spirit

2010-03-12T19:22:00.002-08:00

I feel it was kind of unfair to remove that older post I made about my work on Doom Builder, so I'd like to update you on my work. I'm making a contribution to Community Chest 4 (as you may tell from the map above) you can see my updates and posts on the Doomworld forum here: http://www.doomworld.com/vb/community-chest-4/49998-cc4-matthaios-spirit/

So yeah, and I did upload a YouTube video, though I removed it for bad quality. I'll see if I can try and upload another one without losing the video quality. I'll try to keep you guys posted on this stuff, until then, later!

~Valkiriforce

The Goo Goo Dolls - Superstar Car Wash

2009-09-07T20:23:00.000-07:00

Don't make the mistake I made and buy it on itunes; I always find the real pleasure in purchasing an album is actually getting the CD itself from the store or ordering it online. I've rarely ever bought any album twice, and right now I am considering getting this CD. I've only done that with few albums like Moving Pictures by Rush, Superunknown and Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden. I always describe this album as if it were really a hits collection of The Goo Goo Dolls because each song on this album is good enough to fool someone into believing it really is a hits collection (though I don't actually come out and lie like that, but you know what I mean). I also find that this album goes great in the background of a lot of things like driving, playing video games, doing homework, whatever the case might be. This album may also take some time to get into; when I first got this on itunes I blew through the whole album and found that I liked the first few songs maybe. I think the best way to maneuver through this album is to do what someone else suggested in these reviews: listen to the first seven songs then take a break and finish with the next seven songs. If you like the good old-school rock 'n' roll fun stuff like The Replacements, I'd say it's essential to add this to your collection.

Hunter's Moon: A Story of Foxes by Garry Kilworth.

2009-08-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

This really is easily one of my favorite books. When I reached the last couple chapters of the book I wanted to finish the book so I could pass it on to someone else and spread the word. But at the same time I didn't want to finish it because I really wanted it to keep going; and I'm not much of a book person. I've only just gotten into reading full-length stories about a year or so ago. I have to agree with everyone else here this really is the best book about foxes. So if you are fascinated with the creature (like I am) then you'll definitely like this book. It makes you feel the large amounts of fear and risk they constantly have to live through in their lives. There are a lot of great characters in this book; they even have their own traditions and rituals they go through as well as having their own beliefs about the world around them. There is so much to be said about this wonderful book, but it's hard to say for sure without spoiling it. I'd have to say if you love foxes or animals in general I strongly suggest you make this great book a part of your collection. You won't regret it.

Soundgarden - Superunknown

2009-04-17T22:27:00.001-07:00

This is seriously THE definitive grunge album by one of my favorite bands. Soundgarden was very much a Zeppelin/Sabbath inspired band, with brilliant song structures, wonderful songwriting, and an incredible singer - Chris Cornell. Soundgarden had been around since 1984 but split up in 1997 due to musical differences when their music had reached a softer, more mature sound that would be Down On The Upside. But Superunknown is truly one of their strongest, most hard rocking albums to date.

Let's take a look at the tracks:

1. Let Me Drown - My personal favorite, the opening song for this album is just killer. You've got Chris already weiling his vocals around the music, Matt Cameron's awesome percussion, Kim Thayil's ingenius guitar solo and Ben Shepard's heart-pumping bass work. A song like this should have gone down as true grunge in the alternative rock hall of fame.

2. My Wave - Love the bass line, the guitar work again is catchy, and Chris again gives a few good screams here and there. Shoulda been on the A-Sides hits collection.

3. Fell On Black Days - One of the softer-edged songs on this record. Has a great melody and a wonderful chorus. Some songs on here may take a few listens to appeciate, I would consider this one of those tracks. But overall, this is another great song by Soundgarden.

4. Mailman - This song was awesome when performed live; and it no different here in the record studio version. This is a much more steadily-paced hard rock song, Chris using his softer voice for the heavy guitars just sounds great.

5. Superunknown - A great example of Chris's singing ability. The chorus is very catchy and makes for a good song on a road trip. Listen to this song enough times you might just sing along!

6. Head Down - Some people consider this song filler but I don't think I'd look at this album the same without it. A much darker song with some accoustics and electric guitars. Chris's singing voice again sounds soft for most of the song, but as it builds up upon the climax of the song he'll sing louder, eventually reaching his signature scream. :) I also think this makes for a good track to hear before hearing this next song...

7. Black Hole Sun - A classic, this was actually (like many other people) the first time I had ever heard Soundgarden's music and Chris's singing ability back in 1994. It has a beautiful, airy guitar sound with a rock 'n' roll chorus. Not quite sure how to explain the song as a whole but it takes listening to it to really get what I mean. You won't regret it.

8. Spoonman - I remember my brother singing this song to me, I remember thinking he made it up cause it sounded silly. "Spoonman"? That is until I heard the killer rock song itself is when I realized how awesome it actually is. :)

9. Limo Wreck - I think this song is extremely under rated. Another favorite of mine with Chris's killer singing and Matt's drumming ability make this song worth quite a few listens.

10. The Day I Tried To Live - This song took me some time to grow into for some reason. But since I've really come to understand the sound of this song it has become another favorite of mine. It's one of those loud chorus-soft verse type songs; and they perform it incredibly on this amazing record.

11. Kickstand - Don't be fooled by the fact this song is one minute - this song rocks fast and rocks hard for a solid minute and 34 seconds. You'll just have to hear it for yourself to really get the gist of what I mean.

12. Fresh Tendrils - I used to look at this song the wrong way and thought it said, "Fresh Entrails." Eww. Anyway, this song is probably another one of those overlooked songs. Has a deep (but slightly softer) rocking sound, an echoey singing performance by Cornell, and...well, don't miss out! :P

13. 4th of July - VERY distorted guitar sound, much darker song (lyrically) and typically another great song with Cornell's vocals. I forgot to mention the way the album is structured (again, lyrically) each song just gets darker as it goes on. Not only is it Soundgarden's darkest albums but I would say one of the darkest albums I've ever heard. Not that that makes it the best record ever, I'm just saying! :P

14. Half - It's easy to assume this is a filler song, but again, I don't think I'd see (or hear) this album the same without it. Has an eastern guitar sound for about half (get it? HALF) of the song, while the other half sounds Pink Floyd-ish with the soft, echoey guitar sound in closing. Sounds really nice.

15. Like Suicide - Well...here's the closing song. Another sort of build-up song structure, but a good one at that. Not sure what else to say other than it's another dark song about...dark stuff. There's also an accoustic version in their EP, "Songs From The Superunknown" if you're interested.

Well, in closing to this review, I would like to say if you even like any music relating to rock or hard rock in any way whatsoever, get this album! You won't regret it; and even if you did, you could always sell it on ebay and buy yourself an ice cream. :P

Be sure to check out Soundgarden's other records; I did and I ended up getting them all - and they're all great! Amazing!

Get this album! It's great!

Some Beginner's Drumming.

2009-04-16T14:38:00.001-07:00

Again, I'm new to this stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFYPaoaSKgc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KxtbbEm7tQ

Hello! Wassup!

2009-04-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

Random picture of justice.

I know I have shut up for too long. It's time now to see just what have I done since...my Guster review?

Well, I moved to California for a couple months with my dad. Then I moved out (unexpectedly) to Lake Tahoe with my mother and her boyfriend. So my dad is still in California and I'm just here on the Nevada side of Tahoe. Everything looks so beautiful.

I'm reading a book right now called, "God's Messengers: What Animals Teach Us about the Divine." It's a really good book and it explains certain things about animals. Like on the back it reads:

"As the Bible reveals, animals are complete and man is not. Animals required no instructions from our Creator. Angels are messengers sent to teach and direct us so that we may acheive completion and learn to love. Indeed, animals are angels." ~Bernie Siegel

Well, I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say it is a great book. I'm not much of a book person, but I saw this book at Borders and after reading a little of it I had to pick it up. And I've been reading a little bit every now and then to save up on the incredible stories within.

Anyway, I recently attended my cousin's wedding. The first wedding I have ever been to. It wasn't all that boring, but it wasn't all that entertaining. It was good though, at some points. My cousin is an incredible singer and she sang like I've never heard her sing before. She reached this range that just blew me away; I never knew I was related to someone so talented! Anyway, I wish her and her husband (who is also a singer) great success and I hope to see them live when they reach it.

It was also great to see my grandparents, my uncle, my brother, and a lot of the family while I was visiting. The wedding was in California and they got married by a cliff in a park where you could see the ocean. It was beautiful, there seemed to be a lot of people around walking their dogs, including this huge dog. I can't remember what the name of it was, but it was huge.

And I finally got my Nintendo Wii (picked it up while in California) so I can confirm with my friend my very late Christmas gift (wii points).

So yeah, been playing a lot of drums too. Some guitar and singing when I get the chance. I might post a video sometime of myself playing drums. Until then, CUL8R.

Hey, that picture looks kinda good there. I may have to do something like that every now $ zen. =D

Guster - Lost And Gone Forever

2008-10-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

I love this album, just look at the reviews on amazon or itunes, I think it should be pretty obvious by now how great these guys are. I love the bongo beats and unique melodies they've created; I think that's what helps sink the audience into their music. They've really pulled it off well, to me it's one of those albums that I think everything was done right. I'll make a brief and careful review of each song because it's that great.

1. What You Wish For - This was actually the first song I heard before I got this album. I heard my mother listening to it and I heard it on the radio. Very well written and a great start up song for this magnificent album. I will always hear a song like this on repeat every once in awhile.

2. Barrel Of A Gun - Very catchy bongo beats, nice guitar sounds and a wonderful chorus. You can't go wrong with catchy songs like this!

3. Either Way - Very beautiful addition to this album. One of the more intense and sad themed songs from Guster. That's the other great thing about this album. The intense songs sound so great and really get you excited as it goes on. What a wonderful, wonderful song. Another I will hear on repeat for awhile.

4. Fa Fa - Very nice sound! It should be obvious this is one of the hit songs that made it on the radio. I like the idea of the song and the structure was carried out really well. Another one of Guster's greats.

5. I Spy - A more settle song. This one would be for the more calm of mood, but a wonderful addition to an album with such strong variety.

6. Center Of Attention - A good song at most. Has an interesting sound at some parts.

7. All The Way Up To Heaven - One of the more strange additions to this collection of songs on this album. This is probably my least favorite but it still has a good sound that may take some getting used to. The same applies to Center Of Attention.

8. Happier - Beautiful start to this song! I've heard this one countless times, despite the title being "Happier," the lyrics are a little sad. It's about those people who think they'd be happier without their friends. An attractive sound set to a very well written song.

9. So Long - Guster just can't stop making good songs, can they? This one focuses more on the message of the album I believe. About losing somebody, now they're, "Lost and gone." I especially love the transition it makes at the end.

10. Two Points For Honesty - The transition to this song is so great. The song itself is amazing, the lyrics make me wish I wrote the song, and the overall feeling and intensity of this song will really sink you into it. This is probably their most intense song, and one that I've heard countless times. This is one of my favorites like almost every other song on this album.

11. Rainy Day - The closing song has a fitting sound to go with the title. A nice, calm lullaby, which carries on to grow more intense. I love that about Guster's songs. This song is no exception (also one of my sister's favorites).

I could say the first few songs are my favorites, or the last few songs are my favorites, but on this album everything is just great altogether. I've heard each song countless times and I have yet to tire of it...and I've had this almost over a year! That's really saying something for my taste in music. This album will always be right up there in my top 10 list. You can't go wrong with Lost And Gone Forever, give it a listen and see if you like; I highly recommend it.

Vertical Horizon - Running On Ice

2008-07-31T17:57:00.001-07:00

Finally, the long awaited Running On Ice review. I had forgotten I promised to review my all-time favorite Vertical Horizon CD (right there with Live Stages).

Vertical Horizon is a very under rated group, their music as many may not know, spans well over a decade. They started in 1991 and made their first CD in 1992 titled, "There And Back Again." Basically an acoustic CD with two vocalists, and it sounds a lot like James Taylor. Running On Ice, their second studio album, sounds more like DMB. Also, the drummer who plays for most of their songs on Running On Ice is Carter Beauford of DMB. Matt Scannell (now lead vocalist) and Keith Kane sing on Running On Ice. I'll Make a brief review of each song carefully.

1. Heart In Hand - The starter for this album "Heart In Hand" is sung by Matt Scannell. I've heard this song countless times on repeat. Matt sings with a lower range on Vertical Horizon's earlier albums than he does nowadays; and it's beautiful. Everything from the low tone of Matt's early days with Vertical Horizon to the emotional setting of the album (including it's front cover) fits all too well. I think the opening song was performed perfectly.

2. Wash Away - And THIS is a good follower to a song like Heart In Hand. Kieth sings the second track titled "Wash Away." You'll notice right away his raspy voice, I always thought it was the best when Matt combines his voice with Kieth's raspy voice. It just sounds beautiful fitted all together, and Wash Away is no exception.

3. Fragments - One of Matt's more serious takes on songwriting. Not that Matt's songwriting is typically silly or anything, just that Fragments was written with a deep tone of depression. That's basically how the song flows, it sounds kind of depressing, not in a bad way, that's just how it's supposed to be. It doesn't take too long for the song to suddenly change shape. At some point the song shifts sound and things lighten up, as if things just suddenly got better for the singer. Whereas the song then sounds much more happy, and Matt begins to say, "It's better now..." I just love that about this song. The way it suddenly shifts is amazing and wonderful.

4. Famous - I heard somewhere that Matt and Kieth don't really like this song anymore (or that they never really did to begin with). Either way, this is where you'll get to hear Matt and Kieth sing different parts at the same time, and it sounds beautiful. I'm not sure I could use any better words to describe it, but the song itself is mostly sung by Kieth Kane.

5. The Man Who Would Be Santa - This song is probably the most deep and personal song I've ever heard. There's actually a long story behind this song and as to what it means, but I won't get into details as to what it was. The song is just so emotional and sad sounding it makes you want to cry. It's another beautiful song sung by Matt, the chorus just gets me every time. "All I want is for you to have a life you love and live. Take from me all I have to give, cause you are in my heart..."

6. Angel Without Wings - Another Kieth song, probably my least favorite song on this album, but not a bad song in any way. Only that it could be mistaken for a country song, but that's ok. It's mostly just an acoustic guitar with vocals by Kieth Kane (and some vocals by Matt).

7. Answer Me - This song is a little slow going, but not in a bad way. It's how the song builds up for the chorus that Matt sings on this song. Kind of like Fragments it sounds like depression, only things don't get better from there on out.

8. Life In The City - This is where the balance from Matt to Kieth Shifts mostly towards Matt. As the album starts of with Matt singing then switches back and forth from Matt to Kieth. The album from here on out focuses more on Matt's singing then it does Kieth. This song really brings some great memories and fits the title perfectly. Sounds a lot like a city song acoustically, and Matt captured it perfectly here.

9. Japan - Now it's back to Kieth with Japan. This is actually based on his trip to Japan for several months; as you might tell from what he says in the song (you'd have to check the lyrics to know what I mean) you could tell he didn't have a very pleasant experience. Basically, it's a song about lack of identity in an unfamiliar land. Things can get quite confusing, and they sure did for Kieth. He also happens to speak Japanese at the end of the song.

10. Call It Even - Back to Matt with Call It Even, this one's based on a party Matt had in college. The incredible ignorance of people and how rude they could be around others is just amazing, and Matt certainly didn't like it. It's about people pushing others to get their way and typically, neglect. All the negative impacts you could get from a simple party with too many people. A good song overall.

11. Sunrays And Saturdays - Another Matt song, this time completely acoustic. No drums or anything else here. This is probably the most like their previous effort "There And Back Again." Which of course, sounds a lot like James Taylor, and it sounds most wonderful.

12. Candy Man - Now back to Kieth Kane with Candy Man. There's this really awesome acoustic solo in this song that's hard for me to pass. It's one of those moments in music where you just have to keep rewinding the song just to hear that one part again. Much like Neil Peart's drumming on Tom Sawyer, you just have to hear it over and over again. Other than that, I once heard someone say that Candy Man is sexual, but I have no idea of that's true or not. I personally don't think it is though.

13. Falling Down - Back to Matt with a killer song. Both the live version and the original studio version of this song is just over the top awesome. The lyrics, the sound, the vocals...everything in this song was just done right. This is one of those songs I think pretty much everyone can follow. There are times we all feel small as a molecule in the pavement, but it doesn't mean you don't have what it takes to be someone.

14. Goodnight My Friend - My mother's personal favorite song; Matt sings the last song as well. This is a good closing song for the album, although you will notice the song is well over 6 minutes long, after about 3 minutes the song will stop. There is a hidden track on here called "The Reprise" which is a cover of some of the songs from the overall album Running On Ice. And let me tell you this hidden track is amazing...it's like a summary of the entire CD. It takes a few songs and mixes them together, as it may sound like it doesn't work, it actually does...and it works very well. It's the chorus from The Man Who Would Be Santa (of all things to surprise me by) and the end segment to the song Fragments. Also, Matt and Kieth sing together with Jack O'Neill and Cary Pierce, along with a few other people. Everything just sounds beautiful and emotional...it's all just an emotional masterpiece.

Overall, everything sounds perfectly fitting for it's own title; meaning songs like "Life In The City" Really does sound like a city song. Everything was just done right on this album. One of the other things I love about Vertical Horizon is their album art. The picture of the car wreck on the album cover fits nicely with the theme of the music. It's emotional, sometimes dark, but in a good way. It just fits nicely. And the pictures in the manual to accompany the lyrics like a poem looks beautiful; it's all photography of landscapes like a sunset in the desert, or a spiraling staircase of a city. It just all makes out to be a wonderful CD to have in your collection. This album, along with my other review for Switchfoot's New Way To Be Human, is one of my top 5 favorite music albums ever. It's that good, and I hope you'll look into getting this wonderful CD. For some odd reason, Vertical Horizon's older efforts can't be found on itunes. All the more reason to purchase and own the actual CD than to virtually own the tunes on the computer. Trust me on this one, get this CD, you won't be disappointed.

Also check out my re-written review on Switchfoot's New Way To Be Human; I wanted to say more good things about the album, so check it out in one of the older posts here.

Links

2008-03-28T21:34:00.000-07:00

Just thought it would be necessary to provide links to the other websites I go to since I seem to be much more active on the other websites instead of my blog.

YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/valkiriforce

Deviant Art:
http://gunrunner2.deviantart.com/

New Way To Be Human-Switchfoot

2007-10-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

I've been around this album since it's original release date back in 1999. I still love Switchfoot's New Way To Be Human even today; I'm listening to it right now as I'm writing this review. Switchfoot is said to be a Christian group, but don't let that scare you away. Switchfoot's music is not preachy in any way, and you don't hear them praising Jesus or anything over and over again. This music is meant for people of all religions; even Switchfoot's lead singer Jon Foreman said, "Christian is a belief, not a genre." So that tells you they're not all over the Christian genre. As a matter of fact some of their songs sound more like love songs anyway, which is something that pretty much almost every band does anyway, so nothing unusual there.

It's quite an experimental album; each song sounds different and wonderful in it's own way. There is a variety of acoustic and electric guitar sounds, synthesizers and many other elements of tone for each song. Some songs like Company Car, Incomplete or New Way To Be Human sound optimistic and happy, some of them are songs about emptiness like Sooner Or Later or Let That Be Enough. Switchfoot manages to slip their variety of music tastes into each song while altogether being consistent in their production. Everything fits nicely and transitions to each song beautifully. I cannot possibly point out any highlights, as each song is equally powerful in quality and meaning. But I will review each song individually.

1. New Way To Be Human - Wonderful opening about how much the world has changed it's outlook and opened up a new meaning to life in priority and performance.

2. Incomplete - I love the optimistic sound of this song. This one talks about always running away from your problems and trying to leave it all behind. But the song cuts to the chase and says, "Cause you're a missing person now, step outside your doubt and let yourself be found!"

3. Sooner Or Later (Soren's Song) - Sooner Or Later is supposed to be based upon the Danish Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. Jon Foreman displays Soren's thoughts upon the emptiness of the world lyrically in Sooner Or Later. Soren's Song is about having to face the world's problems and interfaces Sooner Or Later. Sooner or later you'll find out there is much wrong with the world we live in today.

4. Company Car - This one always puts me in a happy mood whether I'm angry or sad. A good song for almost any mood whatsoever.

5. Let That Be Enough - Another song about emptiness; don't you just love those songs? This one is about being young and under prepared to face what lies ahead (AKA real world). It's a sad but wonderful acoustic song well written.

6. Something More (Augustine's Confession) - Another song based upon a philosopher; this time it's about Augustine's book series called "Confessions." This one talks about living with the same things in life and having to cope with them. Asking the world if there is "Something More" in store for him in life (at least that's the best I could interpret the song).

7. Only Hope - This song was beautifully written; Jon begins the song telling the listener he's been trying to write the same song over and over again to get things right. The song is about hope for acceptance from the one you love, basically. It's hard to say for sure though.

8. Amy's Song - like a sequel to Concrete Girl from The Legend Of Chin (Which by the way, is also a masterpiece). Amy is a fictional character that according to Jon Foreman is based upon all the heroes in his life. She is a modern day rebel who "Burns to live and inspires these flames in everyone she meets." As Jon said.

9. I Turn Everything Over - This one just makes me want to ride my bike, don't ask why. This is a fun song about having to deal with more of the same problems and eventually turning everything over. Sounds like another song about problems but it sure sounds fun.

10. Under The Floor - The meaning behind this song is quite a mystery; but that's just what I love about it. The way it's written is kind of creepy; he talks about a strange presence in the room that can hear him, even when he sings. Not sure what it is he's talking about, but it's there, under the floor.

Overall, everything ranging from the sound to the overall production of this album is all great. I don't think I've ever heard any other music album as much as New Way To Be Human (other than Snowflakes Are Dancing). And this is coming from someone who has well over 7 days worth of music on itunes (over a dozen albums). New Way To Be Human is one of my top 5 favorite albums ever. So anyone with the slightest interest in anything Switchfoot, if any one CD of theirs to buy, get this one. Better yet check out the 3-disc package "The Early years 1997-2000" which comes with the first three Switchfoot CDs (including this one) all for the price of one.

Sting-Brand New Day

2007-10-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty good album, not Sting's best CD though. I'd have to say that there are three songs on this album that stand out; A Thousand Years, Desert Rose & Ghost Story (My favorite). I guess I don't like this as much as I used to, I'm thinking it's those three songs that made me rave about it at first. I think A Thousand Years is actually the first Sting Song I've heard, so that one song alone really means something to me. Desert Rose has it's own unique sound I'm sure most people can agree with, and I'm sure many people believe this to be one of his best songs (If not Fields Of Gold or something else). Ghost Story I think is Sting's most under rated song, it has such a beautiful sound that I can never stop listening to. There are still even some nice songs on here, not my favorite but still nice to hear. Big Lie Small World is strange but has a pretty good sound. After The Rain Has Fallen has a great sound too, with all the beats and symphonies in the background to entice the overall sound. I'm sure Brand New Day was meant to stick out more on this album, but I don't think it sticks out as well as the other songs mentioned. Overall, I think this is a pretty good album, with some great sounds here and there (great lyrics too) Ghost Story is probably my favorite above all though.

Track listing (favorites marked with *)

1. A Thousand Years*
2. Desert Rose*
3. Big Lie Small World
4. After The Rain Has Fallen*
5. Perfect Love...Gone Wrong
6. Tomorrow We'll See
7. Prelude To The End Of The Game
9. Fill Her Up
10. Ghost Story*
11. Brand New Day*

Rating: ****

Vertical Horizon-Live Stages

2007-09-08T16:50:00.001-07:00

Oh my, this is it, Live Stages. The ultimate album, the almighty straight shot in glorifying their earlier hits. This is the live album of Vertical Horizon (so to speak) this has got to be my all time favorite Vertical Horizon album. (alongside Running On Ice) They sing the songs exactly the way you want them to sing it, without becoming too predicable. Everything is executed very well, plenty of beats to get stuck in your head and repeat, and lovably strong lyrics. Yeah I know it sounds weird, but I can't help it, I'm even listening to it as I type this review; I can't stop. Words cannot do this album justice, if you even like music at all, do yourself justice and buy this album; right now. Matt Scannell and Keith Kane both have great voices and are well worth listening to. Everything you want is actually right here, on this album.

Anyways, here's the list of songs on this album. (the ones marked with [*] are my favorite)

1. The Man Who Would Be Santa*
2. The Ride*
3. Falling Down*
4. On The Sea*
5. Japan*
6. It's Only Me*
7. Candy Man*
8. Fragments*
9. The Unchosen One*
10. Heart In Hand*
11. Wash Away*
12. The Great Divide*

Rating: *****

Vertical Horizon-Go

2007-08-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of fun listening to Vertical Horizon again. Especially since I've really been into the "Everything You Want" album; I just couldn't wait to hear more from them. To my surprise I'd have to say I enjoyed this album just as much. It almost felt like the continuation of Everything You Want. The music seems so consistent in it's own theme of rock music and it's usage of the chorus within the lyrics. (I love it when music has a chorus) That is something I failed to mention last time; Vertical Horizon uses the chorus a lot. To me it's not a bad thing, I love hearing some of the same parts of a song over and over again; they really carry the message all the way through with their poetry.

Yes, this may be a continuation of the same style of music they've been doing since their 1999 album. But it still maintains a fresh breath of new air; it's not a bad thing that they're making more of the same music. They manage to make each song memorable in their own unique ways, such songs as "When You Cry" or "Forever." It's one of those things where the second release of something is just as great as the first, but that's my opinion. Anyway, I have to say if you own the album "Everything You Want" you'll definitely have to check this out.

Again, here is the list of songs. (ones marked with a * are my favorite)

1. When You Cry*
2. I'm Still Here*
3. Forever*
4.Sunshine
5. Goodbye Again*
6. Echo*
7. It's Over
8. One Of You*
9. Won't Go Away
10. Inside*
11. Underwater*

Rating: ****1/2

By the way, they re-released this album under the Hybrid label called "Go 2.0" which includes an extra track and has a re-arranged track listing which looks like this:

1. When You Cry*
2. I'm Still Here*
3. Forever*
4. Better When You're Not Here*
5. Goodbye Again*
6. Echo*
7. Sunshine
8. It's Over
9. One Of You*
10. Won't Go Away
11. Inside*
12. Underwater*

Rating: *****

Yet again, I also ordered the album "Running On Ice" Which I will eventually talk about. Maybe not so much on the next update seeing as I've already made 2 about how good Vertical Horizon's music is. I also bought an album today by Third Eye Blind A Collection, so far I don't know what to say about it but maybe I'll get to it; just maybe.

Edit: On a side note, I'm extremely hyped about the new Contra 4 coming to the DS. I never thought Contra would ever come to the DS. To me, it's literally a "dream" come true.

Vertical Horizon-Everything You Want

2007-07-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

Vertical Horizon is one of my personal favorite bands. I do like other artists like Sting, The Police, and even artists most people don't know like Isao Tomita of albums like "Snowflakes Are Dancing" and "Pictures At An Exhibition"

Vertical Horizon actually has their own history; they started off in 1992 with the album "There And Back Again" then they worked their way up with albums like "Running On Ice" and "Live Stages." But the first album to truly make them famous was the 1999 album "Everything You Want." I'm sure most people know the song "Everything You Want" it's been played hundreds of times on the radio in the year 2000. There were also some other great songs like "You're A God" and "Best I Ever Had" and many others. My personal favorite from this particular album would have be "Miracle" because this was not only the first song I heard from this band, but also the most nostalgic. I used to hear this song a lot when I lived in California. (very long time ago) I actually still hear it for it's nostalgic value, but anyway. Here's the list of songs this album comes with:

(ones with the [*] are my favorites)

1. We Are
2. You're A God*
3. Everything You Want*
4. Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)*
5. You Say*
6. Finding Me*
7. Miracle*
8. Send It Up
9. Give You Back*
10. All Of You
11. Shackled*

Rating: ****1/2

So Vertical Horizon may not be the most popular music artist (nor the most well-known) but I always found them to be very enjoyable. I recently ordered the Vertical Horizon album called "Go" so maybe I'll be able to tell you about it sometime after I've heard the music. I might also do artists like Sting & The Police, but we'll see in the next update. Overall, I just wanted to say the Vertical Horizon album called "Everything You Want" is very enjoyable music. It may not be very complicated, but the overall sound of the music and the way they bring the poetry to life in my opinion is memorable. I recommend this to anyone who likes rock/pop music.

Conker: Live & Reloaded

2007-06-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

Conker: Live & Reloaded is one of my all-time favorite video games. Most people may not be satisfied with it because of Conker's Bad Fur Day, and yes I've played Bad Fur Day, but this game has everything Bad Fur Day had and more.

Let me first say that I like the tagnames a lot more, although some people hate that I find it useful. Sometimes I'll get pissed off when I die in the game, and considering there are tagnames in the game, sometimes I find out it's the same guy killing me over and over again, so I atleast know who to get revenge upon. Not to mention this game also uses xbox live so you can play with your friends from around the world. But I don't have xbox live so I can't tell you everything about that, only that there are plenty of things you can unlock during xbox live like Flame Fire or Purple Streak, (changes the color of the bullets) and lots of other crap like that.

Another thing that I really like about this game is the camera angle, thank God it's not another FPS. I'm completely satisfied with the 3rd person camera angles. Some people also don't like that about the game, like maybe it's hard to see with the character in the way or whatever. It never really bothered me, it's much better than a FPS. Don't get me wrong I like FPS but there have been just way too many FPS games coming out lately that it's hard for me to enjoy the same thing over and over again. What I really like about the 3rd person camera angle is that you could have the controls of a FPS while maintaining other abilities. For example, you've got the sneeker who can do frontflip no problem, but can you do frontflips in a FPS? No, does it really matter if you can do frontflips in a game at all? Not really, but I'd say it's useful for dodging attacks from other players. The Long Ranger and the Sky Jockey can also do sideflips when holding their Krotch 45 and DP500 weapons, but anyway. I'm just saying there's a lot more you can do in a 3rd person game than an FPS game. I really enjoy 3rd person games more too, I'm not saying they're better that's only my opinion. There are actually really good FPS games out there too like Perfect Dark, Quake III Arena, Unreal Tournament 2000, etc. I've just been falling out of the mood lately, I guess.

The Graphics for this game are really smooth, everything looks so neat whether it be Old War or Future War. (I prefer Future War) The game actually does have a lot of glitches, yes, but some of it's funny. Like of you headshoot a Long Ranger or Sneeker on an R-Hog Their vehicle disappears, (that's supossed to happen, considering the player can no longer use it) but the character is still sitting up as if there was one. I'm not trying to make the glitches sound like a good thing here, I'm just saying, there are plenty of weird things that happen in the battlefield, but overall it doesn't bother me. (it never really interferes with the way I play the game)

The gameplay is a whole lot of fun, there are 6 classes you can play as: The Grunt, The Thermophile, The Sneeker, The Demolisher, The Long Ranger & The Sky Jockey. Personally I like the Grunt and the Long Ranger Best, but the other classes offer you a different way to play the game. Like a Sky Jockey of course flies the Steed (or Mule 52) and bombs enemies from above, the Sneeker uses the Sabre sword (whether it be a katana or a light saber) to decapitate enemies or throw knives at them. (they can also run faster than any class) Each class has their upside, basically. (although I think The Sky Jockey and the Sneeker should have more health 'cause they die fast)

Each class also has their own set of special abilities like infravision, self-heal, beserk, and other stuff. The Sneeker seems to have the most differing abilities from all the other classes, like the cloak, which allows you to be invisible for some time. (even though most of the time it can be pretty useless unless used to hide from a Sky Jockey or Long Ranger) They also have this one ability in which they feign death, which never works. I've tried it but somehow they always know I'm not really dead, not sure how, but anyway. Then they also have this disguise which to my suprise, works a lot better than to feign death. The Demolisher can go Beserk, which causes them to use this kind of smashing move. (which for some reason blows players up) There are a lot more abilities I haven't mentioned, but I think you get the idea.

I know I'm leaving out the "Bad Fur Day" part of the game, but basically, the graphics are updated with very few changes made to the game. (like the bat instead of the frying pan, which doesn't bother me because I couldn't care less for what kind of weapon I have) I mostly play the multiplayer more than this anyways, so yeah.

Overall, I love the amount of options you're given in this game better than BFD. I also like that you can manage your team mates in naming everyone whatever you want. (and you can edit the game so you could play around with stuff like how many lives you have, how long the game is, etc.) Also, you can change the classes for each game around so you could play with Sky Jockeys or Grunts only in the game. (whatever class you want it to be) This game never really gets old to me, I've been playing it for about a year and a half now. (I've also managed to get really good at sniping with the Long Ranger, you can see my video at YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dci35kWTubE

I recommend this game to anyone who has an xbox. I give it a 10/10.

Movies & Stuff

2007-06-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hello, this is gunrunner2. This is my new blog I'm going to make about movies, games, poetry, etc. Not sure how to start thing off, but I will say I am heavily into movies and video games, I also enjoy poetry, drawing, and plenty of other things. I don't have much to say about this first post, but I would like to post a link to my dA account if you'd like to check it out.

http://gunrunner2.deviantart.com/