Score: 9

"Great!"

submission: Alter

date: December 29, 2009

A bit slow, though. But that's really my only complaint (and I only just now read your author comments, warning that it's not terribly fast-paced. I should've paid attention earlier, no?). The idea's great, the art is fantastic (if sometimes jumping's a mess between not knowing exactly where a cliff face "is" and where Quark "is", etc.) and it was really fun to play, the first runthrough. Classic quark? Awesome. Which reminds me, I also rather enjoyed "Awesome" as a secondary bar to "Karma." And the game's storyline, especially the ending, I found rather interesting. I'll probably come back and play this all through again sometime, and I'm sure I'll discover a ton of stuff I missed.

Score: 6

"Ehhh Mochi Games..."

submission: Shopping Cart Hero 2

date: December 29, 2009

The upgrades are expensive as all get out. I figured it'd be fine, since the game saved your progress, until I checked the other reviews and saw that it doesn't unless you have, I assume, a Mochi Games account? The prices wouldn't be too bad if you could return to the game again and again, but I'm just not convinced it's worth playing long enough to get anything good if you don't have an account.

It's a good game, but I think you brought it out in a way that makes unlocking all the unlockables not worth the effort and that doesn't give it any real replay value. I did like the addition of ground tricks, though, and the baseball bat added some comedic point-gathering options as well. So, an improvement in overall ideas and trick varieties, but worse for the reliance on a Mochi account to really play.

Score: 8

"A solid game"

submission: CrazySquirrel

date: December 24, 2009

The only complaint I have is that after a few moments playing it, you've seen it all. I enjoyed the faster falling acorns, that was a good move toward what I wanted to see, but I don't think it quite got there (maybe I just got knocked out before I got to faster falling pinecones? I got to 9250). It was good and fun, and a great way to waste a few minutes while drinking hot chocolate, I just don't see any replay value.

Score: 10

"2:17"

submission: Freefall (Ryukenjin)

date: December 28, 2009

As McDonald's once said: "I'm loving it." I really like how you...roll the tune (if that makes sense? Example at around 2:24). I have to say my favorite part is just before the piano comes in, around 2:17. It's a soothing track the whole way through, and the ending is just excellent (I was pleasantly surprised at the sudden change in the chord around 4:50). I think a lot of what you did with (I assume) filter cutoff in this track was really well done, it definitely worked to change up the synths without getting in the way.

Man, I wish I wasn't listening to this on my laptop speakers, it deserves better haha. I'd say it could use a bigger beat, but that might just be my laptop...either way, beautiful.

Score: 9

"Hmm."

submission: Corridor of the Dark Castle

date: December 28, 2009

I definitely didn't think "dark" until about 2:30. It seemed more fitting of a bright castle before then, but I definitely see it. Coming out of around 3:50, it seems to get brighter again...maybe it's just the way I see music.

The thing about this, I think, is the strings. Strings...I think in FL generally start with a fade in, and so in my experience it's always seemed a bit like they didn't come in at the right time to match the synth tunes. I notice a bit of that here, but I think you've done a pretty great job of setting them up so the timing's great. I think the slight discord you have between the synth tunes and the string background also sets up a pretty suspenseful mood, which (judging by the title) is what you were gunning for. I love the drums, I can't help but think 007 games on the...was Goldeneye on the N64? But the drums make me think of Goldeneye.

I just...something in the song didn't click with me. I couldn't really say what it is. It seems perfect for a really dramatic video game, but...I dunno, I guess it needs a visual component to really fly for me? Still, well done.

Score: 10

"I gotta admit..."

submission: Time Goes On- Ryukenjin

date: December 28, 2009

...I wasn't sure where this was going from the very beginning. I was like, "percussion?" But by the one minute mark, I was pretty convinced it was awesome haha. I really love what you've done with transitions here, and the few soft spots you added in, especially around 3:17, I loved it. It's definitely a good trance song, I'd like to hear it with a good subwoofer just to see how different it sounds (laptop speakers aren't exactly club audio). I gotta say I like how subtle the tune is sometimes. And whatever sample you used for that really faint percussion bit around 2:50-3:00, that's nice.

The tune seems to switch between cold (~2:50) and warm (~3:20) really fluidly, and I think the use of saws and interesting percussion pieces really help to fill the mood. A great piece for working on transitions, and in general.