Hey guys, it’s the final week of November! Starting today, I’m going over all the content I have planned to review for December. It’s nowhere near as much as I had last year, but hopefully I’ll have more time to make the reviews in question better. With that said, here’s another review of a show that I bought from Connecticon. I had a much easier time going through this one than I did with Tenchi In Tokyo. So, grab some wine and a little chocolate, and enjoy this lighthearted review of Ah My Goddess: Flights of Fancy (A.K.A. Season 2).
Story/Setup
Starting just after season 1, we find that normality has returned (I’m using the word returned rather loosely) to the lives of Keiichi Morisato, and the goddesses Belldandy, Urd, and Skuld. However, with the arrival of a new goddess, old friends & new enemies, life immediately goes back to a quirky state, where something oddball happens just about everyday. For better or worse, the gang’s bond strengthens, and life stays is wonderful yet weird self.
Yeah, the story isn’t necessarily one of the most in-depth. However, it’s simplistic, easy to understand, and you can get into everything rather quickly.
Setting
As with season 1, Flights of Fancy takes place in what I believe is Tokyo. I say “Believe”, because I don’t think the show actually says where it takes place (If it does, then I’ve never noticed). The temple/house where the group lives is one of the most inviting places you’ll ever see. It’s calm, serene, and it just beckons you to live there, or at the very least stay for a day or two. The city & school are rather lively, as there are lots of people around, and things are abuzz with activity.
There are plenty of other places the show goes to, including a country vacation home, a hot spring resort, and a extra-dimensionally enhanced version of the group’s living room (Watch episode 20 to understand). Though they aren’t the focal points of the show, they still have the same positive qualities as the other places.
Characters
The cast within Flights of Fancy is the exact same group of characters that came from the first season. You’ve still got Keiichi, Belldandy, Urd, Skuld, and all of their friends & enemies. For the most part, the character’s character (That looks & sounds weird, I know) has remained the same: Keiichi is still a humble & nice guy, Belldandy is still sweet & naive, etc. The 2nd season introduces one new character, and that’s Peorth, another goddess that lives with the gang for a bit. She’s actually a lot like Urd (Sultry, sexy, and kinda has an eye for Keiichi), but she has a rivalry of sorts with Belldandy, and doesn’t seem to have as many inhibitions. She’s not in the spotlight as much as you think, but when she’s on screen, she has a presence.
Animation
The animation quality remains the same as that of season 1, but for anyone who’s never seen the first season, here’s a quick tidbit. The animation goes for a realistic/bright color pallet, which in turn creates a warm & inviting atmosphere (Despite the more serious moments). The backgrounds & environments look nice, and the characters look & move great (Especially the ladies). For what the show is trying to do, the animation fits with everything else.
Voice Acting
Flights of Fancy, unlike Tenchi In Tokyo, contains all of the original voice actors. They do the exact same voices in this show that they did in season 1 (Which actually wasn’t that bad), and so there really isn’t much else to say.
Episodes & Episode Length
Like Tenchi In Tokyo from last week, Ah My Goddess: Flights of Fancy is a long show. 24 episodes that run at 22 to 24 minutes each, to be exact. Whereas Tenchi In Tokyo feels long, this series go by at a slightly quicker pace. Perhaps because it’s 2 episodes shorter than Tenchi In Tokyo, or because of the faster pace of the series in general, I don’t know.
Availability & Pricing
The availability of Ah My Goddess: Season 2 is a curious case. The original season was released by Anime Works, and like many of the series they put out, are now difficult to find. In regards to season 2, it was re-released back in 2011 by Funimation under their S.A.V.E. (Super Amazing Value Edition) program. You can find it in places like Best Buy & FYE, or on websites like Amazon, where new copies currently start at 18 dollars, which is a really good deal.
Extras/Other**
The complete collection of Ah My Goddess: Flights of Fancy comes with a bunch of stuff, including commentaries, interviews, and trailers for other shows. It’s a good amount of bonus content, and will definitely satisfy anyone who finished the show, but want something else afterwards.
General Impression & Rating
Ah My Goddess: Flights of Fancy is perhaps one of the sappiest titles I own. I’m not a fan of romantic comedies, mostly because of how irritating they can be. Every once in a while, a title will come along, and whether because of it’s story or originality, Ah My Goddess hooked me in. Hell, I watched this series twice before I finished Tenchi In Tokyo! It does have it’s faults, but they in no-way tarnish how funny, sweet, and charming Ah My Goddess is.
Ah My Goddess: Season 2 gets a 9 out of 10.
See you next time, when the holiday season arrives on our doorstep. Until then, stay Otaku!
**
I know that most of what I said in this section is a repeat from last week’s review (Apart from the name change), but I honestly couldn’t think of anything different to say.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
Tenchi In Tokyo Review
Hello anime fans!
I purchased today’s show back at Connecticon this year, and it was the last show I bought from that con I completed. It was perhaps the most conflicting thing I’ve ever watched, as it has many good things about it, along with some bad things as well. All together, this created for a fun, weird, and slightly uncomfortable experience. With that said, let’s look at the 3rd entry in the Tenchi franchise, Tenchi In Tokyo, and see if it’s as conflicting as it’s legacy says it is.
Story/Setup
Taken from the wikipedia page:
“On a bright and otherwise cheerful morning, Tenchi Masaki assembles his extended household in the backyard of the family home for a group photograph. To their confusion for the suddenness of this, Tenchi makes a shocking revelation: after careful thought, he has made up his mind to move to Tokyo for two years on behalf of his grandfather, Katsuhito, to train as a kannushi, so that he may better care for the family Shinto shrine. The reaction is a predictably devastating one, with Tenchi's father, Nobuyuki, even forcibly considered a replacement. His son's unyielding stance on the situation spares him the trouble, however, and with that the girls' come to terms with arrangements.
That afternoon, Tenchi and Katsuhito commute to Tokyo to meet with Dokuzen Tsuchida, the priest who the apprenticeship will be served under. After the two are sent to participate in an exorcism, which ultimately enlists the girls to perform, Tenchi goes to bed, ready to attend the school the following day. Much to the delight of Yugi, a supernatural child monitoring him high above the skies of the city, Tenchi takes a seat beside Sakuya Kumashiro, a girl who takes an almost immediate liking to him.”
While this is a cohesive story like all the other shows, Tenchi In Tokyo moves along at a considerably slower pace. For example, you meet all of the girls in the first episode, and it isn’t until the 6th or 7th episode when you find out how they all arrived at Tenchi’s house. When you first meet the main villain (Yugi) of the show, you’re only given tiny bits & pieces of her character. It’s not until about halfway to exactly halfway through the show where you’re given a clearer vision of her goals & background, and even then it’s not until about a couple episodes towards the end when you fully learn about her. This is a disappointing aspect of the show, but it’s not the only thing that disappoints me.
Setting
In a strange move, Tenchi In Tokyo remains mostly on Earth, both at Tenchi’s house and the City of Tokyo. Tenchi’s house, and the surrounding countryside, look’s much like what you’d see from the previous series. The only exception to Tenchi’s house is Washu’s lab: you only get glimpses this time around, and from what I was able to see, it wasn’t as out-there as it was in previous iterations. Tokyo looks & feels rather standard, but it’s nothing ugly. There’s more of a realistic approach to everything, and is actually kind of charming.
Again, this show mostly takes place on Earth, but there are some trips into space. Earlier in the series the group travels to the moon, and later on Ryoko has a journey in space with an new ally for a few episodes. The moon looks as you’d expect, but the episodes where you see Ryoko in space takes you to a variety of planets & locales. There’s even an episode where she breaks into the Galaxy Bank, which is a rather behemoth structure.
Overall I was a little disappointed with the approach to the setting (I wished it was more like Tenchi Muyo/Tenchi Universe), but it’s really nothing to pitch a fit about it.
Characters
Here is where I have the biggest gripe with the show. Like Tenchi Universe, Tenchi In Tokyo has changes within the cast’s profile, but these are some of the biggest character changes I’ve ever seen in a show. For example, Tenchi** and his grandfather are not descended from Jurian royalty, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Here are the rest of the changes:
- Ayeka is no longer searching for her brother & is more emotional like Ryoko (Not this version)
- Ryoko is far more emotional than past incarnations, requires air to breathe when she’s in the vacuum of space, and actually hires Washu to work with her
- Sasami is even more child-like than her Tenchi Universe incarnation, prone to fits of shouting when she gets angry or upset (She still retains her skills of cooking & cleaning)
- Washu is far more stable than incarnations from the past, has less of an ego (She still has her moments, but they happen nowhere near as often), and did not create Ryoko
- Mihoshi is still clumsy, but she now acts incredibly child-like, almost to the point where she could be considered a child
- Kiyone is more manipulative & gets angry more quickly at Mihoshi, and also seems to be more attached to Tenchi than she was in Tenchi Universe
Just about all of these changes are completely unnecessary. In fact, most of the changes have caused me to dislike almost all of the characters (Except for Washu, which is actually a pleasant change, and Sasami, but that’s because I’ve always been a fan of her). I understand changing the characters a little with each iteration, but this is far too drastic a change.
There are also some brand-new characters in Tenchi In Tokyo. The main villain, Yugi, is highly mysterious, and holds a grudge towards Tenchi’s family. Sayuka is another key player in the show, and is the girl that Tenchi falls for after he moves to Tokyo. She’s very attractive and intelligent, but she’s also incredibly emotional in ways that are good, as well as bad (She’s very clingy, and can get rather upset if noone replies to her affections). We round out the new characters with Yugi’s minions: Hotsuma, Matori, and Tsugaru. They all have their own personalities & features, but they are utterly loyal to their master. With perhaps the exception of Yugi, none of these other characters are interesting, but they do add some substance to the series because they’re new.
Animation
The animation in Tenchi In Tokyo is pretty good! It’s a minor improvement over the original OVA, and a big improvement over Tenchi Universe. Although the color palette seems to be roughly the same in terms of color variety, it doesn’t quite have that grainy/muted look that the older shows had (Much more so with Universe than the OVA). Colors seem brighter, characters & things move more fluidly, and overall still feels like it was hand-drawn (The show came out in 1997, when computers started to take over the animation process). My only complaint about the show’s animation is the faces. For the most part, all of the faces seem to look the same. This is much more noticeable among the female characters of the show (Especially among the main girls of the show), as the male cast of the show have faces that are somewhat different from one another. I wouldn’t call this bad, but I would say that it’s very noticeable, and maybe a little odd.
Voice Acting
For the most part, the voice acting remains the same. Most of the voice actors you know from previous Tenchi entries have stayed along, with only three characters (Tenchi’s Father & Grandfather, and Kiyone) have different voice actors. Bob Papenbrook is the new voice for Tenchi’s Grandfather (And Tenchi’s father.......lazy move, isn’t it?), and Wendee Lee is the new voice for Kiyone. Wendee Lee does a good job with the role she was given, as she really embraces the character, but Mr. Papenbrook doesn’t do as good of a job. The only difference between the two roles he was given is a slight change in pitch (Tenchi’s Father sounds a little louder, while his Grandfather is slightly quieter), and I consider this to be nothing more than a money-saving move, and a bad one at that.
Episodes & Episode Length
Tenchi In Tokyo shares something in common with Tenchi Universe, and that’s length. This show is 26 episodes long, with each individual episode running at about 22 to 24 minutes. Tenchi In Tokyo will last you for a pretty long, as this one took quite a while for me to view (More on this in a bit).
Availability & Pricing
Like Tenchi Muyo & Tenchi Universe, Tenchi In Tokyo was re-released last year along with the two previously mentioned shows. You can find this show in places like Best Buy & FYE relatively easily, or online at places like Amazon. Currently on Amazon, the complete collection starts at 25 to 30 dollars for a new copy, which is actually pretty damn good for the amount of content on it. The older Geneon/Pioneer editions are harder to find, but not impossible. Every once in a while I’ve been able to find individual DVDs (From what I’ve seen, pricing usually ranges from about 7 to 10 dollars, and sometimes 12 to 15), but finding the complete collection from Geneon/Pioneer is relatively easy to find on Amazon. New copies start at 40 to 45 (More expensive than the Funimation re-release, but possibly worth it), while used copies start at the more respectable 7 dollars. I would highly suggest the Funimation re-release, but if you’re interested in the older release, I’d say go for it.
Extras/Other
The complete collection of Tenchi In Tokyo comes with a bunch of stuff, including commentaries, interviews, and trailers for other shows. It’s a good amount of bonus content, and will definitely satisfy anyone who finished the show, but want something else afterwards.
General Impression & Rating
Tenchi In Tokyo definitely deserves it’s reputation, but for me, it doesn’t completely deserve it. At it’s best, the show feels like the other Tenchi series before it (Charming, Goofy, Sexy, etc). At it’s worst, it can either be above average. At it’s very worst, it can be somewhat uncomfortable to watch. If you are willing to put some of it’s problems on the shelf, then you’ll find a fairly respectable show. As for me, I enjoyed watching the series, but Tenchi In Tokyo is the entry I enjoyed the least.
Tenchi In Tokyo gets a 6 to 8.5 out of 10.
See you next time, when I’ll review a show that was easy to watch. Until then, stay Otaku!
**
I’ll quickly tack this on: Tenchi for the most part has remained the same (Apart from not being Jurian), but there’s a point where he becomes incredibly insensitive/asshole, and after that seems to return back to normal, but seems oblivious of the other girls’s feelings, and is somewhat unstable as far as his emotions are concerned (Nowhere near as much as Ryoko is). If you haven’t seen the show, watch it and you’ll understand.
I purchased today’s show back at Connecticon this year, and it was the last show I bought from that con I completed. It was perhaps the most conflicting thing I’ve ever watched, as it has many good things about it, along with some bad things as well. All together, this created for a fun, weird, and slightly uncomfortable experience. With that said, let’s look at the 3rd entry in the Tenchi franchise, Tenchi In Tokyo, and see if it’s as conflicting as it’s legacy says it is.
Story/Setup
Taken from the wikipedia page:
“On a bright and otherwise cheerful morning, Tenchi Masaki assembles his extended household in the backyard of the family home for a group photograph. To their confusion for the suddenness of this, Tenchi makes a shocking revelation: after careful thought, he has made up his mind to move to Tokyo for two years on behalf of his grandfather, Katsuhito, to train as a kannushi, so that he may better care for the family Shinto shrine. The reaction is a predictably devastating one, with Tenchi's father, Nobuyuki, even forcibly considered a replacement. His son's unyielding stance on the situation spares him the trouble, however, and with that the girls' come to terms with arrangements.
That afternoon, Tenchi and Katsuhito commute to Tokyo to meet with Dokuzen Tsuchida, the priest who the apprenticeship will be served under. After the two are sent to participate in an exorcism, which ultimately enlists the girls to perform, Tenchi goes to bed, ready to attend the school the following day. Much to the delight of Yugi, a supernatural child monitoring him high above the skies of the city, Tenchi takes a seat beside Sakuya Kumashiro, a girl who takes an almost immediate liking to him.”
While this is a cohesive story like all the other shows, Tenchi In Tokyo moves along at a considerably slower pace. For example, you meet all of the girls in the first episode, and it isn’t until the 6th or 7th episode when you find out how they all arrived at Tenchi’s house. When you first meet the main villain (Yugi) of the show, you’re only given tiny bits & pieces of her character. It’s not until about halfway to exactly halfway through the show where you’re given a clearer vision of her goals & background, and even then it’s not until about a couple episodes towards the end when you fully learn about her. This is a disappointing aspect of the show, but it’s not the only thing that disappoints me.
Setting
In a strange move, Tenchi In Tokyo remains mostly on Earth, both at Tenchi’s house and the City of Tokyo. Tenchi’s house, and the surrounding countryside, look’s much like what you’d see from the previous series. The only exception to Tenchi’s house is Washu’s lab: you only get glimpses this time around, and from what I was able to see, it wasn’t as out-there as it was in previous iterations. Tokyo looks & feels rather standard, but it’s nothing ugly. There’s more of a realistic approach to everything, and is actually kind of charming.
Again, this show mostly takes place on Earth, but there are some trips into space. Earlier in the series the group travels to the moon, and later on Ryoko has a journey in space with an new ally for a few episodes. The moon looks as you’d expect, but the episodes where you see Ryoko in space takes you to a variety of planets & locales. There’s even an episode where she breaks into the Galaxy Bank, which is a rather behemoth structure.
Overall I was a little disappointed with the approach to the setting (I wished it was more like Tenchi Muyo/Tenchi Universe), but it’s really nothing to pitch a fit about it.
Characters
Here is where I have the biggest gripe with the show. Like Tenchi Universe, Tenchi In Tokyo has changes within the cast’s profile, but these are some of the biggest character changes I’ve ever seen in a show. For example, Tenchi** and his grandfather are not descended from Jurian royalty, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Here are the rest of the changes:
- Ayeka is no longer searching for her brother & is more emotional like Ryoko (Not this version)
- Ryoko is far more emotional than past incarnations, requires air to breathe when she’s in the vacuum of space, and actually hires Washu to work with her
- Sasami is even more child-like than her Tenchi Universe incarnation, prone to fits of shouting when she gets angry or upset (She still retains her skills of cooking & cleaning)
- Washu is far more stable than incarnations from the past, has less of an ego (She still has her moments, but they happen nowhere near as often), and did not create Ryoko
- Mihoshi is still clumsy, but she now acts incredibly child-like, almost to the point where she could be considered a child
- Kiyone is more manipulative & gets angry more quickly at Mihoshi, and also seems to be more attached to Tenchi than she was in Tenchi Universe
Just about all of these changes are completely unnecessary. In fact, most of the changes have caused me to dislike almost all of the characters (Except for Washu, which is actually a pleasant change, and Sasami, but that’s because I’ve always been a fan of her). I understand changing the characters a little with each iteration, but this is far too drastic a change.
There are also some brand-new characters in Tenchi In Tokyo. The main villain, Yugi, is highly mysterious, and holds a grudge towards Tenchi’s family. Sayuka is another key player in the show, and is the girl that Tenchi falls for after he moves to Tokyo. She’s very attractive and intelligent, but she’s also incredibly emotional in ways that are good, as well as bad (She’s very clingy, and can get rather upset if noone replies to her affections). We round out the new characters with Yugi’s minions: Hotsuma, Matori, and Tsugaru. They all have their own personalities & features, but they are utterly loyal to their master. With perhaps the exception of Yugi, none of these other characters are interesting, but they do add some substance to the series because they’re new.
Animation
The animation in Tenchi In Tokyo is pretty good! It’s a minor improvement over the original OVA, and a big improvement over Tenchi Universe. Although the color palette seems to be roughly the same in terms of color variety, it doesn’t quite have that grainy/muted look that the older shows had (Much more so with Universe than the OVA). Colors seem brighter, characters & things move more fluidly, and overall still feels like it was hand-drawn (The show came out in 1997, when computers started to take over the animation process). My only complaint about the show’s animation is the faces. For the most part, all of the faces seem to look the same. This is much more noticeable among the female characters of the show (Especially among the main girls of the show), as the male cast of the show have faces that are somewhat different from one another. I wouldn’t call this bad, but I would say that it’s very noticeable, and maybe a little odd.
Voice Acting
For the most part, the voice acting remains the same. Most of the voice actors you know from previous Tenchi entries have stayed along, with only three characters (Tenchi’s Father & Grandfather, and Kiyone) have different voice actors. Bob Papenbrook is the new voice for Tenchi’s Grandfather (And Tenchi’s father.......lazy move, isn’t it?), and Wendee Lee is the new voice for Kiyone. Wendee Lee does a good job with the role she was given, as she really embraces the character, but Mr. Papenbrook doesn’t do as good of a job. The only difference between the two roles he was given is a slight change in pitch (Tenchi’s Father sounds a little louder, while his Grandfather is slightly quieter), and I consider this to be nothing more than a money-saving move, and a bad one at that.
Episodes & Episode Length
Tenchi In Tokyo shares something in common with Tenchi Universe, and that’s length. This show is 26 episodes long, with each individual episode running at about 22 to 24 minutes. Tenchi In Tokyo will last you for a pretty long, as this one took quite a while for me to view (More on this in a bit).
Availability & Pricing
Like Tenchi Muyo & Tenchi Universe, Tenchi In Tokyo was re-released last year along with the two previously mentioned shows. You can find this show in places like Best Buy & FYE relatively easily, or online at places like Amazon. Currently on Amazon, the complete collection starts at 25 to 30 dollars for a new copy, which is actually pretty damn good for the amount of content on it. The older Geneon/Pioneer editions are harder to find, but not impossible. Every once in a while I’ve been able to find individual DVDs (From what I’ve seen, pricing usually ranges from about 7 to 10 dollars, and sometimes 12 to 15), but finding the complete collection from Geneon/Pioneer is relatively easy to find on Amazon. New copies start at 40 to 45 (More expensive than the Funimation re-release, but possibly worth it), while used copies start at the more respectable 7 dollars. I would highly suggest the Funimation re-release, but if you’re interested in the older release, I’d say go for it.
Extras/Other
The complete collection of Tenchi In Tokyo comes with a bunch of stuff, including commentaries, interviews, and trailers for other shows. It’s a good amount of bonus content, and will definitely satisfy anyone who finished the show, but want something else afterwards.
General Impression & Rating
Tenchi In Tokyo definitely deserves it’s reputation, but for me, it doesn’t completely deserve it. At it’s best, the show feels like the other Tenchi series before it (Charming, Goofy, Sexy, etc). At it’s worst, it can either be above average. At it’s very worst, it can be somewhat uncomfortable to watch. If you are willing to put some of it’s problems on the shelf, then you’ll find a fairly respectable show. As for me, I enjoyed watching the series, but Tenchi In Tokyo is the entry I enjoyed the least.
Tenchi In Tokyo gets a 6 to 8.5 out of 10.
See you next time, when I’ll review a show that was easy to watch. Until then, stay Otaku!
**
I’ll quickly tack this on: Tenchi for the most part has remained the same (Apart from not being Jurian), but there’s a point where he becomes incredibly insensitive/asshole, and after that seems to return back to normal, but seems oblivious of the other girls’s feelings, and is somewhat unstable as far as his emotions are concerned (Nowhere near as much as Ryoko is). If you haven’t seen the show, watch it and you’ll understand.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Nirvana: Nevermind Review
Hello everybody!
Originally, I had intended to review Metallica’s album “And Justice For All” on today’s post, but I have since decided to save that review for another day as part of a special event for next year (Hint Hint!!). With that said, I had to look through my library of music for a new album. I was having a bit of trouble looking for the right album, until I stumbled upon my folder for Nirvana, and within the folder was an album that was practically staring me in the eye. Not wanting to disappoint, I figured that perhaps it was time to review their iconic album Nevermind. Hope you like it!
Background
First formed back in 1987, the band that would be known as Nirvana was composed of 3 core members: singer/guitarist/songwriter Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic (Who was also the co-founder of the band), and drummer Dave Grohl (Who went on to have a successful career after the band parted). The band immediately established themselves with the growing Seattle Grunge scene of the late 80s, and in 1989, released their first album Bleach. Though it did quite well amongst music critics, the album never charted in the U.S. on it’s first release.
Their next album, Nevermind, was released on September 24, 1991. Wanted to make music outside of the confines of the Seattle Grunge scene, Kurt Cobain instead drew influences from bands like the Pixies, along with their use of song volume dynamics.
“Despite low commercial expectations by the band and its record label, Nevermind became a surprise success in late 1991, largely due to the popularity of its first single, "Smells Like Teen Spirit". By January 1992, it had replaced Michael Jackson's album Dangerous at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album also produced three other successful singles: "Come as You Are", "Lithium", and "In Bloom". The Recording Industry Association of America has certified the album Diamond (over 10 million copies shipped), and the album has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. Nevermind was responsible for bringing alternative rock to a large mainstream audience, and has been ranked highly on lists of the greatest albums of all time by publications such as Rolling Stone and Time.”***
Songs
Smells Like Teen Spirit: What I am about to say may in fact be the most blasphemous I’ve ever said on this blog, and perhaps ever. A comment so black, so unholy, that even the devil would go “No!”. With that said, here we go.......................I think Smells Like Teen Spirit is overrated.
*Hides behind riot shield. Looks up after 5 minutes.*
Huh, guess that wasn’t as bad as I thought. *Sits back in chair*
It’s not that I think that this song is bad, because it isn’t. The slow & grungy instrumentation, combined with Kurt’s distorted voice & oddball lyrics, creates a weird but interesting song. My problems with the song is twofold: the lyrics are odd, and they don’t feel like effort was put into them. It almost seems like Kurt was have a hallucination, and just wrote down what he was hallucinating about. Secondly, Smells Like Teen Spirit has received too much radio time. Despite being one of 4 single hits off Nevermind, this one has garnered the most attention, leaving the other 3 in the dust & shadows.
In Bloom: A crucial difference between this song and Smells Like Teen Spirit, is that In Bloom has a faster pace to it. The instrumentation is faster, Kurt Cobain’s singer is faster (Not by much), and the pacing in general is just faster. On top of that, this song is considerably less chaotic that the previous tune. In Bloom sits on a considerably more stable foundation than SLTS, and it doesn’t feel like Mr. Cobain is rambling on this time around. A nice song regardless!
Come As You Are: Remember my comment in the first song, saying that Smells Like Teen Spirit is a overrated song? Well, consider Come As You Are to be the exact opposite.
Granted, I’m a little opinionated in this regard, as I consider this song to be the best off of Nevermind. It’s got a great mix of slow & fast instrumentation, it’s grungy but not overpoweringly so, Kurt Cobain’s singing flows along nicely, and is just as stable as the previous song. The main reason why I think Come As Your Are is so underrated is because of radio play. Smells Like Teen Spirit gets tones of air time, as well as In Bloom & Lithium, but Come As You Are doesn’t get quite as much. Sure, you hear it on the radio from time to time, but it doesn’t come on the airwaves enough, making it something of a black sheep among this album’s hit singles. Doesn’t make it bad though!
Breed: Though this song isn’t one of their hit singles, Breed is definitely a tune that I’ve heard on the radio plenty of times, and I can’t blame the radio stations! It’s fast-paced, the instrumentation is intense, and Kurt’s singing has an edge that can cut all four of the elements at once! Though it feels more like punk (That’s just me) than grunge, Breed is more that dingy enough to hang out with the grungy kids.
Lithium: What surprises me is just how laid back Lithium sounds. About 1/4 to ½ of the song has some rather mellow instrumentation & vocal work, while the rest comes back to the typical loudness of previous songs. If I had any problem with Lithium, it would be it’s pacing. The mellow sections going along rather smoothly, and the pace is very steady. When it gets to the faster sections, it feels more random & chaotic. If the song focused more on the mellow sections, and just had one or two faster moments, the combination would be perfect.
Polly: Easily the most basic song on Nevermind, Polly is brilliant in how simplistic it is. Coming in at almost 3 minutes, this song is composed of nothing more that Kurt Cobain singing, and him playing the guitar (There is drum work, but it’s hardly used, so I don’t count it). Polly never raises it’s tone, and opts for a laid back sound & feel. If this song was anymore laid back, it would fall out of the chair.
Territorial Pissings: If Polly was a laid back song, then Territorial Pissings is the exact opposite. A 2 minute & 23 second bombastic display of noise, confusion, and nonsense, this is the weakest song of Nevermind, and I have nothing more to say about it.
Drain You: For starters, the name of this song is something you expect to hear a porn star say during a movie shoot. Secondly, Drain You seems to backtrack back to Lithium in terms of pacing. For the most part, the instrumentation moves by at a fast pace, but this time there’s a sinister vibe to the instruments, almost as if they tap into the dark. The only real “mellow” parts of the song (I’m using the word loosely in this regard) are when Kurt just lowers his voice. He still keeps his singing in key with the instrumentation, but it’s his tone that changes. Not one of my favorites, but nothing bad.
Lounge Act: When I first heard this, I thought that Nirvana had ripped off The Offspring, so I listened to it again. Nope, still think they ripped off The Offspring!
Yeah, as you can kinda tell, this isn’t my favorite song. While I was a fan of The Offspring back in the late 90s & early 2000s, I don’t like them anymore. To this song’s credit, the instrumentation & vocals flow along smoothly, with the volume changing flawlessly. However, I call this song a Offspring rip-off because it sounds too much like that band. The instrumentation has that punk vibe, and Kurt Cobain’s singing, while not completely matching that of vocalist Dexter Holland, occasionally matches up with the tone of the previously mentioned singer. Not my favorite song, but one that’s at least well done.
Stay Away: I was relatively close to calling this song a jumbled mess. The instrumentation seems to go all over the place, and Kurt Cobain’s singing ranges anywhere from loud to mumbling (Not to mention some odd lyrical choices). However, I decided to listen to Stay Away a couple more times, and afterwards, I’ve decided to “reluctantly” not call this song a jumbled mess. The reason I recanted my belief on the song is that the title matches perfectly with the instruments & singing. If you want people to stay away, sometimes to need to look/sound like a mess.
On a Plain: For a song named On a Plain, you’d expect something that sounded somewhat peaceful, and that was something I was thinking when looking at the title. Boy was I proven wrong!
For one thing, this sound never let’s up in volume. Apart from the first few seconds, and a little over the halfway point, On a Plain assaults you with some loud instrumentation. Secondly, Kurt’s singing rarely lets up in terms of noise. He pretty much keeps his voice at the same volume for most of the song, apart from a break or two. Lastly, this song sorta shares the same jumbled vibe that Stay Away has, only this one seems to be more stable & cohesive.
Something in the Way: Nevermind concludes with Something in the Way, one of the slowest songs I’ve ever heard. You get a very apathetic vibe from Something in the Way, as the only instruments you hear include a guitar (Played by Kurt, I think), and some drums played by Dave Grohl. As you listen to this song, you feel as if the band almost didn’t want to perform this piece, as it’s dark energies would have overcome them to the point that they’d never be able to see light again. Yet at the same time it’s that dark aspect that lends to the brilliance of Something in the Way. Not only that, but the way the song feels matches surprisingly well with the title, thus completing a perfect circle of darkness & depression.
Overall Impression & Rating
Nevermind was an album that was a product of it’s time. A dirty little rock that, when polished, became a shiny gold nugget. The album has only gotten better as time passes, and despite the passing of Kurt Cobain & some flaws with certain songs, Nevermind is a intriguing little title that more than deserves it’s place in the pantheon of legendary albums.
Nevermind gets a 8 to 8.5 out of 10.
***
Taken from Nevermind’s Wikipedia Page (Click “***” to read)
*****
Is it just me, or is a naked baby in a swimming pool chasing a dollar bill on a fishing line as an album cover a little creepy?
Originally, I had intended to review Metallica’s album “And Justice For All” on today’s post, but I have since decided to save that review for another day as part of a special event for next year (Hint Hint!!). With that said, I had to look through my library of music for a new album. I was having a bit of trouble looking for the right album, until I stumbled upon my folder for Nirvana, and within the folder was an album that was practically staring me in the eye. Not wanting to disappoint, I figured that perhaps it was time to review their iconic album Nevermind. Hope you like it!
First formed back in 1987, the band that would be known as Nirvana was composed of 3 core members: singer/guitarist/songwriter Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic (Who was also the co-founder of the band), and drummer Dave Grohl (Who went on to have a successful career after the band parted). The band immediately established themselves with the growing Seattle Grunge scene of the late 80s, and in 1989, released their first album Bleach. Though it did quite well amongst music critics, the album never charted in the U.S. on it’s first release.
Their next album, Nevermind, was released on September 24, 1991. Wanted to make music outside of the confines of the Seattle Grunge scene, Kurt Cobain instead drew influences from bands like the Pixies, along with their use of song volume dynamics.
“Despite low commercial expectations by the band and its record label, Nevermind became a surprise success in late 1991, largely due to the popularity of its first single, "Smells Like Teen Spirit". By January 1992, it had replaced Michael Jackson's album Dangerous at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album also produced three other successful singles: "Come as You Are", "Lithium", and "In Bloom". The Recording Industry Association of America has certified the album Diamond (over 10 million copies shipped), and the album has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. Nevermind was responsible for bringing alternative rock to a large mainstream audience, and has been ranked highly on lists of the greatest albums of all time by publications such as Rolling Stone and Time.”***
Songs
Smells Like Teen Spirit: What I am about to say may in fact be the most blasphemous I’ve ever said on this blog, and perhaps ever. A comment so black, so unholy, that even the devil would go “No!”. With that said, here we go.......................I think Smells Like Teen Spirit is overrated.
*Hides behind riot shield. Looks up after 5 minutes.*
Huh, guess that wasn’t as bad as I thought. *Sits back in chair*
It’s not that I think that this song is bad, because it isn’t. The slow & grungy instrumentation, combined with Kurt’s distorted voice & oddball lyrics, creates a weird but interesting song. My problems with the song is twofold: the lyrics are odd, and they don’t feel like effort was put into them. It almost seems like Kurt was have a hallucination, and just wrote down what he was hallucinating about. Secondly, Smells Like Teen Spirit has received too much radio time. Despite being one of 4 single hits off Nevermind, this one has garnered the most attention, leaving the other 3 in the dust & shadows.
In Bloom: A crucial difference between this song and Smells Like Teen Spirit, is that In Bloom has a faster pace to it. The instrumentation is faster, Kurt Cobain’s singer is faster (Not by much), and the pacing in general is just faster. On top of that, this song is considerably less chaotic that the previous tune. In Bloom sits on a considerably more stable foundation than SLTS, and it doesn’t feel like Mr. Cobain is rambling on this time around. A nice song regardless!
Come As You Are: Remember my comment in the first song, saying that Smells Like Teen Spirit is a overrated song? Well, consider Come As You Are to be the exact opposite.
Granted, I’m a little opinionated in this regard, as I consider this song to be the best off of Nevermind. It’s got a great mix of slow & fast instrumentation, it’s grungy but not overpoweringly so, Kurt Cobain’s singing flows along nicely, and is just as stable as the previous song. The main reason why I think Come As Your Are is so underrated is because of radio play. Smells Like Teen Spirit gets tones of air time, as well as In Bloom & Lithium, but Come As You Are doesn’t get quite as much. Sure, you hear it on the radio from time to time, but it doesn’t come on the airwaves enough, making it something of a black sheep among this album’s hit singles. Doesn’t make it bad though!
Breed: Though this song isn’t one of their hit singles, Breed is definitely a tune that I’ve heard on the radio plenty of times, and I can’t blame the radio stations! It’s fast-paced, the instrumentation is intense, and Kurt’s singing has an edge that can cut all four of the elements at once! Though it feels more like punk (That’s just me) than grunge, Breed is more that dingy enough to hang out with the grungy kids.
Lithium: What surprises me is just how laid back Lithium sounds. About 1/4 to ½ of the song has some rather mellow instrumentation & vocal work, while the rest comes back to the typical loudness of previous songs. If I had any problem with Lithium, it would be it’s pacing. The mellow sections going along rather smoothly, and the pace is very steady. When it gets to the faster sections, it feels more random & chaotic. If the song focused more on the mellow sections, and just had one or two faster moments, the combination would be perfect.
Polly: Easily the most basic song on Nevermind, Polly is brilliant in how simplistic it is. Coming in at almost 3 minutes, this song is composed of nothing more that Kurt Cobain singing, and him playing the guitar (There is drum work, but it’s hardly used, so I don’t count it). Polly never raises it’s tone, and opts for a laid back sound & feel. If this song was anymore laid back, it would fall out of the chair.
Territorial Pissings: If Polly was a laid back song, then Territorial Pissings is the exact opposite. A 2 minute & 23 second bombastic display of noise, confusion, and nonsense, this is the weakest song of Nevermind, and I have nothing more to say about it.
Drain You: For starters, the name of this song is something you expect to hear a porn star say during a movie shoot. Secondly, Drain You seems to backtrack back to Lithium in terms of pacing. For the most part, the instrumentation moves by at a fast pace, but this time there’s a sinister vibe to the instruments, almost as if they tap into the dark. The only real “mellow” parts of the song (I’m using the word loosely in this regard) are when Kurt just lowers his voice. He still keeps his singing in key with the instrumentation, but it’s his tone that changes. Not one of my favorites, but nothing bad.
Lounge Act: When I first heard this, I thought that Nirvana had ripped off The Offspring, so I listened to it again. Nope, still think they ripped off The Offspring!
Yeah, as you can kinda tell, this isn’t my favorite song. While I was a fan of The Offspring back in the late 90s & early 2000s, I don’t like them anymore. To this song’s credit, the instrumentation & vocals flow along smoothly, with the volume changing flawlessly. However, I call this song a Offspring rip-off because it sounds too much like that band. The instrumentation has that punk vibe, and Kurt Cobain’s singing, while not completely matching that of vocalist Dexter Holland, occasionally matches up with the tone of the previously mentioned singer. Not my favorite song, but one that’s at least well done.
Stay Away: I was relatively close to calling this song a jumbled mess. The instrumentation seems to go all over the place, and Kurt Cobain’s singing ranges anywhere from loud to mumbling (Not to mention some odd lyrical choices). However, I decided to listen to Stay Away a couple more times, and afterwards, I’ve decided to “reluctantly” not call this song a jumbled mess. The reason I recanted my belief on the song is that the title matches perfectly with the instruments & singing. If you want people to stay away, sometimes to need to look/sound like a mess.
On a Plain: For a song named On a Plain, you’d expect something that sounded somewhat peaceful, and that was something I was thinking when looking at the title. Boy was I proven wrong!
For one thing, this sound never let’s up in volume. Apart from the first few seconds, and a little over the halfway point, On a Plain assaults you with some loud instrumentation. Secondly, Kurt’s singing rarely lets up in terms of noise. He pretty much keeps his voice at the same volume for most of the song, apart from a break or two. Lastly, this song sorta shares the same jumbled vibe that Stay Away has, only this one seems to be more stable & cohesive.
Something in the Way: Nevermind concludes with Something in the Way, one of the slowest songs I’ve ever heard. You get a very apathetic vibe from Something in the Way, as the only instruments you hear include a guitar (Played by Kurt, I think), and some drums played by Dave Grohl. As you listen to this song, you feel as if the band almost didn’t want to perform this piece, as it’s dark energies would have overcome them to the point that they’d never be able to see light again. Yet at the same time it’s that dark aspect that lends to the brilliance of Something in the Way. Not only that, but the way the song feels matches surprisingly well with the title, thus completing a perfect circle of darkness & depression.
Overall Impression & Rating
Nevermind was an album that was a product of it’s time. A dirty little rock that, when polished, became a shiny gold nugget. The album has only gotten better as time passes, and despite the passing of Kurt Cobain & some flaws with certain songs, Nevermind is a intriguing little title that more than deserves it’s place in the pantheon of legendary albums.
Nevermind gets a 8 to 8.5 out of 10.
***
Taken from Nevermind’s Wikipedia Page (Click “***” to read)
*****
Is it just me, or is a naked baby in a swimming pool chasing a dollar bill on a fishing line as an album cover a little creepy?
Monday, November 4, 2013
Call of Duty: World at War Review
Hi everybody!
With Borderlands 2 month completed, we can get back to some normal reviews, and with Call of Duty: Ghosts coming out in just a day or two, I thought it would be nice to review another title in the Call of Duty series. Looking through the list, I can across a title that has tragically fallen into the shadows. A title that came about due to the success of Modern Warfare, but fell short because of it’s subject matter (And perhaps a couple other things). So, as a way of celebrating it’s 5-year existence, here’s a review of the vastly underrated Call of Duty: World At War.
Story
World at War is split into two separate campaigns, with one for the Americans, and one for the Russians. The American portion takes place during the final years of the Pacific Campaign, and the Russian portion begins with the invasion of Stalingrad by the Germans, then transitions into the invasion of Germany & the conquering of Berlin. Both stories are completely separate from one another, have their own vibes & feelings, and would actually work as their own game if stretched out properly.
Setting
Like I said above, World at War takes place in the Pacific, Stalingrad, and Germany (Including Berlin), with each locale having it’s own vibe. For the first in Call of Duty’s history, the player fights the Japanese Imperial Army in their own territory. Much of the combat in the American portion takes place within the jungle, where ambushes are rather common. You also come across the Japanese amongst mortar pits, cliff/ridges, beach heads, trenches, and small villages (The last level of the American Campaign takes place within Shuri Castle). There are also plenty of bunkers within the Pacific Theater, and they’ll often pose a danger to you & your squad unless you have some high explosives or a flamethrower.
Stalingrad is only given a single level, but it is the bleakest level I’ve ever gone through. Once a glorious city filled with life, now it’s a ruined husk. As you traverse a portion of the city, everything is suffering through various stages of decay, with the worst sight you see is a fountain filled with the bodies of Russian soldiers (The fountain of bodies is where the players begins the Russian portions of the game). It’s a dark but quick romp, and the action never let’s up.
After Stalingrad is completed, you trample over & through the German countryside. There’s forests & fields, the German town of Seelow (A focal point during the war), and the city of Berlin. Berlin changes things up a bit, as the fighting becomes more up-close, mirroring the urban warfare that the Russians went through. Not only that, but you can see the remnants of the Nazi regime everywhere. From the posters to the flags, you can tell that they’re still trying to hold up their beliefs, even as they are getting demolished by the Red Army.
Characters
Though Call of Duty has been accused of not having characters, World at War is something of an exception. True, there are only a tiny few characters, but there are characters. Sergeant Tom Sullivan and Cpl/Sgt Roebuck are very tough individuals. They have little humor in their character, they know that the job needs to get done, and have a respect for those under their command. Corporal Polonsky is a much younger individual. He knows how to fight & get his hands dirty, but he’s a little more optimistic that the soldiers around him, and there’s a vigor that doesn’t seem apparent in the other characters (Both in the American portion & Russian portion).
The Russian portion of World at War only has two notable characters, but they are key characters. First is Captain Viktor Reznov: you can tell that the man has gone through hell, as his voice sounds quite serious, and the humor that rarely comes from him is rather dark. Reznov is also quite merciless, as he enjoys killing off the Germans. The other character with the campaign is Private Chernov. Chernov is much like Corporal Polonsky from the American campaign: he’s more optimistic than everybody else. The one thing that separate Chernov from Polonsky is that Chernov is more hesitant to blindly kill, and to a certain extent wishes for peace more than war.
Gameplay
Gameplay for the most part has remained the same as Modern Warfare (And the other releases from the Call of Duty franchise), but there are a couple differences. For starters, the enemy A.I. has some different quirks. While not realistically intelligent, both sides have certain qualities that separate them from one another. The Japanese, for example, have more of a stealth bent, often hiding in tall grass or trees. They are also more likely to charge the player if their officers are shot. The Germans are more gun-ho than the Japanese, as they’ll stand their ground a little more stubbornly. Though small, there is a difference between the two A.I. forms.
This next aspect applies to the A.I. in general, and was one of the complaints when the game first came out. The A.I. has a habit of throwing out numerous grenades, and they often land where the player doesn’t expect it. Most of the time you can avoid them easily, but there are times where they somehow land right in front of you, and it immediately explodes. Whether this is because of the selected difficulty, or because of the game’s coding, remains unknown.
Another aspect that is different is the mission style of the two campaigns. For the American side, you have a relatively even mix of stealth & action. There’s plenty of missions that range from sabotaging a supply post, to taking over an airfield, and working with a crew of a PBY Catalina Black Cat to take out Japanese boats, as well as rescuing American sailors. The Russian campaign is more rough-and-tumble, and you’re always right up in the thick of it. There’s only one mission that requires stealth, but then it’s only for the first part of it. Practically the entire Russian portion of the game is loud, bloody, and brutal. Speaking of bloody.....
World at War is perhaps the most violent Call of Duty game to date! Arms & legs can be shot off easily, and ugly gory stumps take their place. When an enemy is wounded, they’ll often activate a death animation. Sometimes they’ll wriggle around in agony, or they’ll pull out a pistol, trying to kill you before they die. To ramp up the blood factor, pools of the crimson liquid can accumulate around a body, creating a more grisly scene.
Seeing as how this is a WWII game, World at War’s arsenal is quite authentic, and it covers all sides. Long time fans of Call of Duty will recognize many of the guns immediately, and in a pleasant surprise, the MG42 (Long been a stationary weapon in previous entries) is a weapon you can finally pick up & use. In another pleasant surprise, this game marks the first time you can use Japanese guns of WWII. Breaking historical accuracy, all of the guns the Imperial Army use work perfectly, but it is nice to finally use weapons like the Type 100 SMG or the Arisaka bolt-action rifle in a FPS. New additions to the game arsenal include bayonets for many of the rifles, and the M2 Flamethrower, which has unlimited ammo, but can only be used in bursts.
Now it’s time to go into multiplayer. The major thing about WaW’s multiplay is that it still had dedicated servers, and thus has more stable games to connect to (Dedicated Servers still exist, if you were wondering). With that said, the game remains the same as Modern Warfare. You still have a selection of perks (With many having a WW2 theme) and weapons (With a minimalistic selection of perks for each primary gun), as well as tactical/lethal grenades to pick out. What is drastically different is that multiplayer includes tanks to drive (Simply create a game that has this option, or join a server that has them available. Also, World at War is the only Call of Duty to date that has driveable vehicles), and special tank perks you can select to give you a special ability (Better turret speed, increased speed, etc). Though the more recent Call of Duty games have improved multiplayer, World at War’s multiplay is still fun to romp around in.
The last aspect of World at War I’ll quickly talk about is the introduction of Zombie Mode. Known originally as Nazi Zombies, this mini-game pit one lone player or a group of four against a ever increasing horde of the dead. While this mode was quite the treat when it first came out, this particular version hasn’t aged well, as much of the content in the newer editions isn’t within this one. Though it’s more minimalistic, Zombie Mode in World at War can still be fun to play, especially if you don’t want to deal with the larger levels in Black Ops/Black Ops 2.
Graphics & Sound
The graphics of World at War is something of a interesting creature. With Modern Warfare released the year prior, that game had it’s own look and feel, and World at War is much the same way. Whereas Modern Warfare looks & feels like a action movie from the 80s/90s, World at War looks & feels like a gritty war film. The game does not attempt to have a over-the-top look & vibe, and the graphics reflect that. Not many bright colors are used, and a more gritty looking pallet is used instead. On top of that, everything looks very serious, and nonsense is rarely if ever used or seen. World at War was also released back when the texture issues today were nowhere near as apparent, and there’s more of a fresh look as well.
The sound quality is fantastic! There’s a musical score that sounds pretty damn authentic (Minus a little used in the American campaign and some of the Russain campaign as well), weapons & explosions sound realistic, and the voice acting is great! For the first time in the Call of Duty series, you hear the player character speak, and there is some Hollywood power behind some of the roles. You have Kiefer Sutherland voice the no-nonsense Sergeant Roebuck, while Gary Oldman draws out the power & fury of Captain Viktor Reznov. They really bring something to the table, and overall sound like they want to do the role they were given.
Overall & Rating
It’s such a shame that World At War never quite received the respect it deserved, because this was a solid game. Granted, there are a couple issues here and there, but they’re small enough that they really don’t impact the game as a whole. Coupled with a multiplayer that has no strings attached, and a fun mini-game that has improved overtime, and World at War is a game that still has some weight to it. Even if you’re not interested in the FPS genre, at least give the first few levels a try.
Call of Duty: World At War gets a 8 to 8.5 out of 10.
See you all next week, when we’ll look at one of the most iconic grunge albums of all time. Until then, stay Otaku!
With Borderlands 2 month completed, we can get back to some normal reviews, and with Call of Duty: Ghosts coming out in just a day or two, I thought it would be nice to review another title in the Call of Duty series. Looking through the list, I can across a title that has tragically fallen into the shadows. A title that came about due to the success of Modern Warfare, but fell short because of it’s subject matter (And perhaps a couple other things). So, as a way of celebrating it’s 5-year existence, here’s a review of the vastly underrated Call of Duty: World At War.
Story
World at War is split into two separate campaigns, with one for the Americans, and one for the Russians. The American portion takes place during the final years of the Pacific Campaign, and the Russian portion begins with the invasion of Stalingrad by the Germans, then transitions into the invasion of Germany & the conquering of Berlin. Both stories are completely separate from one another, have their own vibes & feelings, and would actually work as their own game if stretched out properly.
Setting
Like I said above, World at War takes place in the Pacific, Stalingrad, and Germany (Including Berlin), with each locale having it’s own vibe. For the first in Call of Duty’s history, the player fights the Japanese Imperial Army in their own territory. Much of the combat in the American portion takes place within the jungle, where ambushes are rather common. You also come across the Japanese amongst mortar pits, cliff/ridges, beach heads, trenches, and small villages (The last level of the American Campaign takes place within Shuri Castle). There are also plenty of bunkers within the Pacific Theater, and they’ll often pose a danger to you & your squad unless you have some high explosives or a flamethrower.
Stalingrad is only given a single level, but it is the bleakest level I’ve ever gone through. Once a glorious city filled with life, now it’s a ruined husk. As you traverse a portion of the city, everything is suffering through various stages of decay, with the worst sight you see is a fountain filled with the bodies of Russian soldiers (The fountain of bodies is where the players begins the Russian portions of the game). It’s a dark but quick romp, and the action never let’s up.
After Stalingrad is completed, you trample over & through the German countryside. There’s forests & fields, the German town of Seelow (A focal point during the war), and the city of Berlin. Berlin changes things up a bit, as the fighting becomes more up-close, mirroring the urban warfare that the Russians went through. Not only that, but you can see the remnants of the Nazi regime everywhere. From the posters to the flags, you can tell that they’re still trying to hold up their beliefs, even as they are getting demolished by the Red Army.
Characters
Though Call of Duty has been accused of not having characters, World at War is something of an exception. True, there are only a tiny few characters, but there are characters. Sergeant Tom Sullivan and Cpl/Sgt Roebuck are very tough individuals. They have little humor in their character, they know that the job needs to get done, and have a respect for those under their command. Corporal Polonsky is a much younger individual. He knows how to fight & get his hands dirty, but he’s a little more optimistic that the soldiers around him, and there’s a vigor that doesn’t seem apparent in the other characters (Both in the American portion & Russian portion).
The Russian portion of World at War only has two notable characters, but they are key characters. First is Captain Viktor Reznov: you can tell that the man has gone through hell, as his voice sounds quite serious, and the humor that rarely comes from him is rather dark. Reznov is also quite merciless, as he enjoys killing off the Germans. The other character with the campaign is Private Chernov. Chernov is much like Corporal Polonsky from the American campaign: he’s more optimistic than everybody else. The one thing that separate Chernov from Polonsky is that Chernov is more hesitant to blindly kill, and to a certain extent wishes for peace more than war.
Gameplay
Gameplay for the most part has remained the same as Modern Warfare (And the other releases from the Call of Duty franchise), but there are a couple differences. For starters, the enemy A.I. has some different quirks. While not realistically intelligent, both sides have certain qualities that separate them from one another. The Japanese, for example, have more of a stealth bent, often hiding in tall grass or trees. They are also more likely to charge the player if their officers are shot. The Germans are more gun-ho than the Japanese, as they’ll stand their ground a little more stubbornly. Though small, there is a difference between the two A.I. forms.
This next aspect applies to the A.I. in general, and was one of the complaints when the game first came out. The A.I. has a habit of throwing out numerous grenades, and they often land where the player doesn’t expect it. Most of the time you can avoid them easily, but there are times where they somehow land right in front of you, and it immediately explodes. Whether this is because of the selected difficulty, or because of the game’s coding, remains unknown.
Another aspect that is different is the mission style of the two campaigns. For the American side, you have a relatively even mix of stealth & action. There’s plenty of missions that range from sabotaging a supply post, to taking over an airfield, and working with a crew of a PBY Catalina Black Cat to take out Japanese boats, as well as rescuing American sailors. The Russian campaign is more rough-and-tumble, and you’re always right up in the thick of it. There’s only one mission that requires stealth, but then it’s only for the first part of it. Practically the entire Russian portion of the game is loud, bloody, and brutal. Speaking of bloody.....
World at War is perhaps the most violent Call of Duty game to date! Arms & legs can be shot off easily, and ugly gory stumps take their place. When an enemy is wounded, they’ll often activate a death animation. Sometimes they’ll wriggle around in agony, or they’ll pull out a pistol, trying to kill you before they die. To ramp up the blood factor, pools of the crimson liquid can accumulate around a body, creating a more grisly scene.
Seeing as how this is a WWII game, World at War’s arsenal is quite authentic, and it covers all sides. Long time fans of Call of Duty will recognize many of the guns immediately, and in a pleasant surprise, the MG42 (Long been a stationary weapon in previous entries) is a weapon you can finally pick up & use. In another pleasant surprise, this game marks the first time you can use Japanese guns of WWII. Breaking historical accuracy, all of the guns the Imperial Army use work perfectly, but it is nice to finally use weapons like the Type 100 SMG or the Arisaka bolt-action rifle in a FPS. New additions to the game arsenal include bayonets for many of the rifles, and the M2 Flamethrower, which has unlimited ammo, but can only be used in bursts.
Now it’s time to go into multiplayer. The major thing about WaW’s multiplay is that it still had dedicated servers, and thus has more stable games to connect to (Dedicated Servers still exist, if you were wondering). With that said, the game remains the same as Modern Warfare. You still have a selection of perks (With many having a WW2 theme) and weapons (With a minimalistic selection of perks for each primary gun), as well as tactical/lethal grenades to pick out. What is drastically different is that multiplayer includes tanks to drive (Simply create a game that has this option, or join a server that has them available. Also, World at War is the only Call of Duty to date that has driveable vehicles), and special tank perks you can select to give you a special ability (Better turret speed, increased speed, etc). Though the more recent Call of Duty games have improved multiplayer, World at War’s multiplay is still fun to romp around in.
The last aspect of World at War I’ll quickly talk about is the introduction of Zombie Mode. Known originally as Nazi Zombies, this mini-game pit one lone player or a group of four against a ever increasing horde of the dead. While this mode was quite the treat when it first came out, this particular version hasn’t aged well, as much of the content in the newer editions isn’t within this one. Though it’s more minimalistic, Zombie Mode in World at War can still be fun to play, especially if you don’t want to deal with the larger levels in Black Ops/Black Ops 2.
Graphics & Sound
The graphics of World at War is something of a interesting creature. With Modern Warfare released the year prior, that game had it’s own look and feel, and World at War is much the same way. Whereas Modern Warfare looks & feels like a action movie from the 80s/90s, World at War looks & feels like a gritty war film. The game does not attempt to have a over-the-top look & vibe, and the graphics reflect that. Not many bright colors are used, and a more gritty looking pallet is used instead. On top of that, everything looks very serious, and nonsense is rarely if ever used or seen. World at War was also released back when the texture issues today were nowhere near as apparent, and there’s more of a fresh look as well.
The sound quality is fantastic! There’s a musical score that sounds pretty damn authentic (Minus a little used in the American campaign and some of the Russain campaign as well), weapons & explosions sound realistic, and the voice acting is great! For the first time in the Call of Duty series, you hear the player character speak, and there is some Hollywood power behind some of the roles. You have Kiefer Sutherland voice the no-nonsense Sergeant Roebuck, while Gary Oldman draws out the power & fury of Captain Viktor Reznov. They really bring something to the table, and overall sound like they want to do the role they were given.
Overall & Rating
It’s such a shame that World At War never quite received the respect it deserved, because this was a solid game. Granted, there are a couple issues here and there, but they’re small enough that they really don’t impact the game as a whole. Coupled with a multiplayer that has no strings attached, and a fun mini-game that has improved overtime, and World at War is a game that still has some weight to it. Even if you’re not interested in the FPS genre, at least give the first few levels a try.
Call of Duty: World At War gets a 8 to 8.5 out of 10.
See you all next week, when we’ll look at one of the most iconic grunge albums of all time. Until then, stay Otaku!
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