Everratic's Reviews

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2 Game Reviews

Billy Bob: Green Hill Zone

2020-12-28 22:32:06

I like the music and scenery. I find it difficult to do the objective though.

larrynachos responds:

It's certainly more fun with a controller, I struggle with the keyboard controls myself. Thanks for the review!

Playing With Letters

2017-02-15 23:53:16

This was by far my favorite game out of the few I played tonight! :D I got lost on some levels, though I completed the other ones within ten seconds. I searched for some of the answers, and I was actually disappointed in myself for doing so because I realized I was on the right track; I just needed a little more time. I can see the mental benefits of playing what you call "psychology" games. I realized that on each of the difficult levels, I tended to think outside the box for about the first minute or so, but over the course of a few minutes, my thinking would become more rigid, and then solving the puzzle seemed impossible. I recognize this tendency of mine from my high school math courses: if I was able to solve complex algebraic problems within the first one or two attempts, I would seem like an expert, but if I failed the first couple of attempts, I would seem like a quitter.

The puzzles are well designed. I think the game's difficulty is perfect, and I actually like that the levels are not in order of increasing difficulty. The storyline seems to be generic (I don't know why I'm saying this when I've barely played any games of this genre); however, the narrator is a very interesting character! It's interesting how you were able to put yourself in the position of such as person in order to make the narration so engaging.

Did you make the typeface? You might not want to follow my advice on this because, as I told you, I have poor vision that can't be fixed with glasses, so I'm of a small minority, but the text was extremely difficult to read. The size is fine; the problem is that the individual letters aren't distinct enough. I think there should have been more contrast in the type design.

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

Thank you very much! For playing the game, and for leaving this nice review :D

The difficulty definitely doesn't increase exponentially, which is an interesting touch on my part. I'm not even sure myself exactly why I did it, but I do remember me wanting the first puzzle to be first, and the last puzzle to be last. So when one of the more difficult puzzles was already at the start, perhaps I decided to focus on an interesting game, instead of a perfectly balanced one :)

Don't worry abut looking up answers; a lot of people have done that. Who knows, maybe I would've myself too? If one is unlucky, sometimes a certain puzzle simply doesn't click, whereas the following two might do so immediately. This game also requires quite a bit of patience, I'm sure, along with some free time.

I've come to the conclusion that the difficulty is apt too, and I'm glad you feel the same :)
Since there are about an even amount saying the game's too easy, and too hard, and those who think it's good, chances are it's fairly balanced in that respect, for what kind of a game it is.

I too would place these in the more abstract and difficult to define, "psychological game" sub-genre. Quite obviously, since I've been inspired by games of that same nature. I'm especially happy that you liked this one a bit more than the other games you played last night!

The story itself is quite simple indeed, and has a continuation in the sequel which I released last year. As you analyzed, I placed the focus on the narrator, villain, or what have you. I guess specifically, on making the dialogue interesting, while still being relevant for the "puzzles", if you will. As we've talked about, I enjoy when games have a good atmosphere, which I tried to accomplish in this game. Partly, through the music I composed for this game, before even making it!

I actually took some steps to be able to go into character (some of which included listening to certain types of music, and performing thought experiments). That probably wasn't necessary, but if the result is good I'm not going to complain :D

Sorry about the font. Your criticism is very vaild, not only because of your vision, since other people have complained as well. I think the style was the right to go with, as that got a fair deal of praise. But the actual execution could've been pulled off better. A lot of people try pressing "2" instead of "Z" in the beginning, for instance.

Thanks again for your well thought out and written review! I appreciate it very much :)
Perhaps someday when you feel like it, you'll try out the sequel ^ ^

Recent Audio Reviews

540 Audio Reviews

Windy

2024-10-16 14:34:07

NGADM Round 3 Review

The composition is heartfelt and beautiful. It feels like it’s stream-of-consciousness style, taking the listener on a journey through one’s thoughts and struggles. I admire your ability to compose for piano in a way that deeply resonates with human emotions; it’s not an easy feat. It also seems that you’re not afraid to show yourself through your music, which makes it much more interesting to listen to. The composition style reminds me of great composers like Chopin and Liszt while being distinct enough to be recognized as your work.

You did an excellent job at varying the themes and creating distinct sections. I do think you can go even further with utilizing the full piano register and timbral and dynamic ranges; sometimes it helps to slightly exaggerate shifts in texture and tone. The composition feels a little too tonally consistent over the five-minute duration for my taste.

I have a comment on the mix, but it’s a bit tricky because I don’t know what your mic set up is and how you already EQd them, so take this with a grain of salt. I sense that one of the closer mics might have a bit too much frequency content between 350 to 1k, and a slight cut might help the reverb and higher register notes shine more. But otherwise, the mix is really solid! I particularly enjoy the soft-blur texture of some of the lower dynamic left-hand arpeggios.

It's remarkable how far you’ve come after some setbacks and how much you’ve improved in a short time! Good luck with the rest of the contest!

Solacitude responds:

Most parts included in the final mix come from moments that I happened to be recording while reaching a kind of meditative state of mind. It's how I manage to create the most authentic mindful musical expressions that I can. It's not always what is wanted, but most of the times when I'm "in the zone" I tend to play in a romantic style. I also think the more I manage to connect to the subconscious, the more the music produced can connect with people listening. I'm really glad when it does! I know that I'm far from Chopin and Liszt level, but they are composers that I really like and they sure have an influence on how I play. Romantic music influenced my style a lot. I'm quite flattered that this piece reminds you of them!

It was in my thoughts that 5 minutes of C# might be too much, but then also thought that the chromatic elements would compensate, creating a little disturbance in the perceived root, and alternating between C#min natural to harmonic, and quick pass through C#Maj. I recorded some variations with more than accidental key changes as well as higher register that I didn't keep in the final mix. I was feeling like I was losing consistency, the darker vibe, so I kept them out. Maybe in a future version, adding a "Takeoff" chapter so the wind is put to good use instead of just blowing out things, we could fly gracefully into it! Would also maybe make it sound more like an actual rhapsody. :)

I get what you say for the mix. I didn't update yet, but I've cut a bit in this range on the close mic, and added a bit of lower freq, making some tests. It was the first upload with this piano sound so I'm very glad you appreciate the mix quality! It was making me a tiny bit anxious haha!

Getting to the round of 4, and the appreciation of what I create, it's way beyond my expectations! I was getting into these contests pretty much to get feedbacks and improve where I can, not thinking about the podium at all. It was not in my thoughts all along, but now that we're there! I own nothing that is proposed in the prize pool, so I'm quite happy about that!! Added to all the positives that already came out of it. It's convincing my inner voice more and more, that distributing my music is worth it! This inner voice can be stubborn, perfectionist, doubtful. It feels good when it gets tamed a little bit.

It's been quite an adventure since the beginning! I'm very glad of the results so far! You also helped a lot with your tips to get back on the boat! Thank you again!! :D

Joy Ride [NGADM Round 3]

2024-10-14 17:59:15

NGADM Round 3 Review

This sounds so nostalgic and blissful. The composition is sublime. The melodies, solos, counterlines, and bass lines are fantastic. I can sense a lot of passion written into each line. I like how the drums contribute to the composition rather than simply being a rhythmic bed. The track is very unique despite some resemblance to video game styles, and once again, you crafted a distinctive, memorable melody.

The structure is solid, and there’s a lot of excellent variation in instrumentation and melody, with some solos and melodic breaks. I do however feel that the track can get tiring after a few listens because of how centered it seems around a single theme. As far as I can tell, there isn’t a distinctive B theme to provide some contrast and break from the A theme. I believe a solid B theme that explores some different territory would make the track more engaging and replayable.

I know you’ve expressed some concern about your mixing in the past. I believe you made a lot of good decisions in this mix on an individual track level, but one problem I found is overall frequency buildup between 400hz to 1khz and some resonances around 2khz. By cutting or compressing these areas, and affecting the track’s tonal balance, some important elements of the mix, like the drums, should feel more prominent, like in the example I shared on Discord. I suggest using multiband compression on the bass to stabilize it, and a subtle instance on the master or drum bus to control the high end spikes from elements like cymbals. I also found a slight cut on the master around 150hz to improve clarity in the low end; you can use a narrow band to not affect the snare at 200hz.

It's always a delight to listen to your music. Good luck in the remaining rounds!

trixelbit responds:

Thank you so much for the indepth and technical feedback! Honestly they have been incredibly helpful in my growth this competition and as a music maker in general.

You catch so many things I would have missed even after a 100 listens. That ear for detail really is impressive!

I can't wait to revisit these tracks and apply your feedback as well as try implementing it this round as well!

As always, thank you for the feedback and I'm glad you enjoyed this work!

Love Once Lost in a Dream

2024-10-12 21:45:28

NGADM Round 3 Review

The intro effectively sets a dreamlike scene. It sounds like there’s a cluster of adjacent notes on the strings, but, perhaps due to the high register, it doesn’t feel dissonant. It’s suspenseful yet calming. The piano phrases convey a mix of emotions, which reflects the idea of a hazy memory. When the piano’s lower register enters at :49, it feels very satisfying. I like how the next section transitions the composition into a more melodic and harmonic state. The buildup into the climax is remarkably well done. I’m impressed by the composition’s storytelling and accurate reflection of the description.

The mix is outstanding. It feels warm and rich but not too muddy. I love the reverb on the strings. I just have three minor points of feedback. I think the piano could benefit from automation on the mic positions and/or EQ so it doesn’t feel so close after the intro. I like the intimate sound in the beginning, but during the climax, it feels a little disconnected from the room the other instruments are sitting in. Second, I think the climax could use a little more bass presence, or perhaps a more consistent bass presence. I recall you mentioning this, so I think you’re clear on what to do. Finally, I think the bass drum in the intro could benefit from more release/reverb to better fit the dreamlike atmosphere.

I think the dynamic automation of the violins in the 2:48 section could use some work to better follow the expression and direction of the melodic line. It feels too static to me.

This is an overall excellent submission that again showcases your ability to follow through on a rich story. I can imagine this working quite well in a short film or cutscene. Keep up the amazing work!