FightingSeraph's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[R-Type Stage 2]

An accurate remake of the IREM classic.

Finally, a good flash remake of R-Type, but it could use a few improvements. Firstly, using shift, space, and ctrl is really outdated considering that a lot of Flash games use the letter keys for player commands. I think you could learn how to assign the fire and force keys to those, that would make this even better. Second, is it just me, or does this game seem to feel slower than the actual arcade version? Other than that, you did a great job on importing the music, graphics, and game mechanics. However, you might want to consider optimizing your game in some way because three megabytes on two levels seems to be a bit inefficient considering that OCD+ had a lot of content for a 2.3 MB file.

What I do like:
-Finally, a praiseworthy remake of R-Type
-Great job on importing the sprites, music, and gameplay.
-Underused subject

What I don't like:
-Needs a better key configuration.
-Filesize seems a bit big for a two level demo
-Seems slower than the real thing.
-Flash resolution could be a bit smaller.

Overall: A good remake, but with some minor adjustments, it would be excellent. Here's an eight out of ten for the effort resulting in a good result.

[Human Centipede: The Game]

Nice spin on an arcade classic!

RoG, I have to hand it to ya, you sure know how to breathe new life into old arcade games, especially what Atari has done. It's a damned shame that too few people remember Atari and what they accomplished during the '70s, '80s, and the early '90s. Hell, there are people making homebrews for their systems from the VCS/2600 to the Jaguar. Even though I never seen that movie, this is a great spoof of it and it shouldn't be trashed because of the parodic nature.

In terms of graphics, it's similar to the original Centipede by Dona Bailey, the first woman in videogames (Christine Donofrio was the second*). However, you did a great job on the spritework, which was all custom made. In other words, don't listen to those snotty sprite haters if they dare knock this down. The sound is pretty much the same as the arcade game, which isn't really a bad thing. Of course, there was the use of Text-to-speech voices, which not everyone will like. Of course, the gameplay makes this brilliant in a sick, Rats on Cocaine kind of way. It may be like the original, but the falling objects and police cars keep this from getting stale. The only gripe I have with this is the huge flash resolution, which doesn't seem necissary seeing that old arcade games don't have that big a resolution when emulated in MAME or Raine.

What I do like:
-Enjoyable gameplay
-Excellent spritework
-Great control setup
-Fitting sound

What I don't like:
-The fact that it's the same as the arcade game. Note: I don't have a beef with video game flash (or any kind of derived projects) as long as they are good.
-The flash resolution seems a bit big.

Overall: I-Mockery, Rainbow Cemetary, how would you like a nine out of ten for a new take on an old favorite? Besides, I personally would like the see the NG community do more new takes on old arcade games such as Battle Pong.

[Reincarnation: AHH]

An improvement on the last mini!

It's good to see more people from Louisiana making flash cartoons and games, but that's beside the point. As for programming for future projects, I'm not that much of a programmer, but I know a few of them who are sorely overlooked such as DrNeroCF (he happens to be from Metairie, by the way), MaelstormM (but he's too busy with Megaman Next Remix, and Doomhammr to name a few. With that out of the way, on with the review...

In terms of art and animation, it's just like the previous installments, which isn't really a bad thing. However, as Phantasmagor said, it felt way too slow at certain parts (a method of speeding the action up in the vein of The Neverhood Chronicles could have helped). However, that may have been too much for your programmer for this minigame to handle. Plus, the part involving the bear eating the hillbilly killer could have been a bit nastier, but I have a hunch that you aren't into violence or shock comedy. Other than that, it's all good. The music and voices are pretty good as well: no complaints here. Then there's the gameplay, which puts up a challenge, although like every other point-and-click adventure, tends to get confusing at parts. However, what may be confusing the first time will be easily beaten within the second run. A second difficulty setting could add to the replay value.

What I like about this:
-Good art and animation
-Great soundwork
-Nice setting

What I don't like about this:
-The animation could have been a bit faster.
-A second, more challenging difficulty setting would have added some replay value.
-The Reincarny's death could have been more visceral, but you're probably not into disgusting levels of violence. In that case, I won't bump you down for that.

Overall: For my hundredth review, how about a nine out of ten?

["Battle Pong"]

How did this get overlooked?

Sure it may be Atari's old Pong game, but this adds a "versus space shooter" twist to it; and a well-executed twist at that. It's a damn shame that too few people on NG remember Atari and what they accomplished; they made some great games during the '70s, '80s, and early '90s. However, it pretty much declined when the Jaguar was released due to its lack of proper 3D acceleration hardware, bad development tools, and bad management. Of course, there were Hasbro and Infogrames who kept the name alive, but I heard that Infogrames has dropped the Atari name some tiem ago. Enough ranting about Atari, on with the review...
Graphically, the sprites are decent with some nice background variety, and a cool-looking energy ball. However, the paddles themselves could have been designed and shaded better. On the other hand, video games don't need to have phenomenal graphics; just enough to get the point across. Then there's the music, which makes use of what I think is the Guilty Gear soundtrack, but could have used more songs. However, that would have jacked up the filesize considerably. The sound effects, on the other hand, could have used some more variety. I think some sound effects from RayForce would be fitting to use for this. Then there's the gameplay, which in spite of the fact it was Pong, was top-notch if I do say so myself. Many may complain about the difficulty, but I like how this put up a challenge without being cheap. As for the "Versus Space Shooter" twist: it adds another element of strategy that adds to the replay value. Plus, I also like the power-ups in this as well, which can turn the tide to you advantage/disadvantage.

What I did like:
-Above-average graphics, with some nice level variety.
-Fun to play with an added element to keep things fresh.
-Good music selection
-The two-player option was a wise decision for those who have friends over.

What I didn't like:
-The fact that it's Pong, which a few snotty-ass pricks will whine about.
-Needs more sound effects, along with some voice samples.
-The paddles could have used an orange hue for the the jet exhaust.
-Could have used more songs, but that would have jacked up the filesize unless cut up into loopable pieces in Acid, Goldwave, or Audacity.

Overall: Here's a nine out of ten for doing something new to an old classic, Maelstormm.

maelstormm responds:

( ^_^)b

[Unleash Your Imagination]

Good, but I have major gripes with this.

I really like where you were going with this, but this tutorial is a bit too ambitious for its own good. Almost to the point of pretension, to be exact. While it has a lot of helpful animation tips; it just doesn't have as much content as The Big Fat Tutorial by Helbereth, and that was much more informative. I see that you have good intentions, but this tutorial feels like that you are bludgeoning people with your "Flash Politics." However, you did it in a way that wasn't overly nasty and hateful like RTil. The sound button doesn't really work because after you press it to stop, it starts playing at least twenty seconds after it was pressed to stop. Not to mention that the music you chose was distracting to the point of annoyance. Another issue is the filesize: just why is this 7.8 Megabytes, when it could have been Four MegaBytes or lower? On the other hand, I like how you shown the NG audience how you do things in the Flash animation department along with helpful tips.

What I do like:
-Informative
-Good intentions
-Well-written
-Good examples

What I don't like:
-Huge Filesize
-Distracting music and needs better programming in the on/off department.
-Too ambitious with the whole Film Festival deal. Not everyone wants to make the next Ark, Renaissance, District 9, or Moon.
-A lot of the information was already explained in tutorials that were made before this.
-A bit too opinionated for my taste. And no, it has nothing to do with the Bible quote.
-Helbereth's tutorial was much more helpful.

Overall: In spite of the numerous faults, this is still getting an eight.

[-Shooting Range-]

Excellent for what it is.

I'm surprised that you never did another game with this engine, Doomhammr. It runs nicely even on a machine that is under the system requirements. Even though this was just a school project, I can see a whole lot of untapped potential with this fun little diversion. Enough with the gameplay, now it's time for the graphics. While they may be simple drawings and photographs, you put those pictures you used to your advantage. Plus, I liked the left-handed view, which is a sign of creativity in my book. However, the gun didn't line up with the perspective, but having to redraw that gun would have been tedious. The sound is also fitting and nice use of white noise/static sound.

What I liked about this:
-Great game engine, of course you have competition from BoMToons (Portal Defenders), MaelstormM (Mega Man Next), RiftMaster (Cereus Peashy), FrostedMuffins (Red Baron), Luka M(OCD+), etc.
-Nice use of photography and gradients
-Fitting sounds

What I didn't like:
-The gun in your hand is off-perspective, but you didn't have the time to do something about it.
-The fact that the game engine has loads of potential that is just asking to be tapped into.

Overall: I don't usually review more than two entries from the same author, but I think that what I had to say was necissary. Here's a ten for what this is: A fun little diversion.

[Social Networking Wars]

Social Network lampoonery at its finest!

It looks like Dustball and Gel have done it again, and this time with SuperNews! Even though I'm not familiar with Super News; I got a lot of enjoyment out of trashing the likes of MySpace (synonymous with lack of aesthetics), Facebook (I rarely ever use it anymore), Twitter (why use this when MSN, YIM, and Skype are available?), etc. With that out of the way...

Graphically, the art and animation may not be the best, but they get the point across. In other words, the way it should be on here. Plus, the atmosphere makes up for any art/animation shortcomings. The same can be said about the sound, which was also perfect for this kind of mockery. Gameplay, it's been a long time since there was a noteworthy FPS on Newgrounds, and while it's no Combat Instinct; it still reminds me of the old Flash games of 2000-2001. Plus, I also like the enemy variety you had going on, along with 'civilians' that you can't shoot. Did I mention that it had a bit of a challenge even if it was a tad easy?

What I like about this:
-Above-average art and animation
-Good voice acting
-Nice enemy variety
-Somewhat challenging
-The atmosphere
-Decent length

What I didn't like:
-None at the moment

Overall: Here's a Ten for all three of you involved!

[Sketch Tucker Tribute]

This isn't bad by any means.

Larry McKee, I would like to say "Welcome Back." With that out of the way, I'll start with the critique. First of all, the menu is very smooth, consistent, and well animated. I think you've improved quite a bit in the flash drawing department since Mega Man and Pompous Robots. However, the various designs of Sketch over the years needed some actual shading. You should study how light works, perspective, and probably anatomy. That will make your character even better over time. A lot of people will scoff at this for not having much in animation, but the fact that it's different than what you see here makes up for that. As for the fanart, it could be improved upon quite a bit. If there is one other thing that could be improved upon is the needlessly huge filesize. Three Megabytes for something like this is ridiculous.

What I liked about this:
-Something different
-Smooth lineart
-Slick-looking menus
-Original character

What I didn't like:
-Character could have used some shading.
-The fanart isn't as good as the flash-drawn art.
-Could have used some sound effects.
-Needs optimization
-Not everyone will like the anthro-styled character.

Overall: Here's a Seven out of ten, and if you have the time; try doing some still lifes.

Malamite-Ltd responds:

Thanks for revieving it. Permit me to make a few arguments and a few other admissions.

Sure, I admit the file size could have been a bit smaller, and I could have spent a bit more time on the modern art by giving it some shading. I've never been much into shading, and the best I've done is toon shading.

And maybe I could've added some sounds. I was trying to set a goal for myself at the time; I wanted to finish the whole thing before the year ended. I've started stuff before and never finished it...I admit to trying a Flash cartoon featuring the Ice Climbers and never completing it. So finishing things is like a personal accomplishment for me.

All that aside, there's not much I can do about the fan art. I put up the best of what I got from folks; it could only get worse. Trust me...if I had gotten better art, I'd have displayed it. I'm usualy pretty easily impressed. And this was part of the reason the file size is big; they're resized raster images.

Speaking of which, I think the design of Sketch has been quite refined since his origins. And I have the sinking suspicion that you may not have seen *everything* the gallery had to offer. Did you see the other pictures featured in each page? Among the eight pages, there's 30 total to see, and that REALLY added to the filesize. This can really show that I've made improvements on his looks over the years. It's baby steps, but it's at least something. Also, I placed a "Hidden Fact" in each page that caused most of the Sketch Tucker variations to *change.*

I've never been the best at character art, and I don't put this up flaunting such a talent. It's just a self-made presentation dedicated to a favorite character of mine. I consider myself a jack-of-all-trades; I draw, write, design, compose, animate, and organize things primarily on my own, within my own limitations. It worked okay so far.

Regardless, I appreciate the mainly positive input. I never paid too much regard towards drawing still-lifes, mainly because the experience actually doing them has made me feel rather uncomfortable in the past. So I'll probably end up doing some research in other manners. I may reupload the thing with smaller raster images and a few sounds, but for now I'm just trying to regain my composure. It was hard putting all this together!

[Mario-Combat]

Just when sprite flash was oversaturated...

...You managed to make something that rivals the coding skills of the big-name programmers such as NegativeOne, BoMToons, and Maelstormm. Graphically, it may not look like much, but I liked how you made cracks in the celing, columns, and Pipe; as well as Mario's custom run-cycle and the koopas' facial expressions. What I didn't like is that Bowser looked a little bit distorted, but I can overlook that. However, this could have used some more custom sprites here and there. The sound is a little bit of a mixed bag; on one hand you chose Super Mario Galaxy music, which I think is great. On the other hand, the sound effects could have used a bit more variety. Then there's the gameplay, which is well done for something like this. There's no bugs to speak of, but could have used customizable controls. However, I can overlook that because this is a demo, and a badass one at that.

What I liked about this:
-Use of Super Mario Galaxy music
-Custom graphics
-Nice gameplay engine
-No lag
-Well-executed zoom effect

What I didn't like:
-Not enough sound effect variety
-Could have used some more custom sprites

Overall: This is one example how a sprite flash should be done. It may not be perfect, but if you keep at it (whether you use sprites or hand-drawn vectors is up to you); you could put Proxicide, Alvin Earthworm, and a shitload of others to shame. So, here's a nine out of ten.

[Megaman Next (Remix) Test]

Great game!

MaelStormm, this is easily your best game to date. The only reasons that I can think of regarding those who didn't like are:
-Use of Mega Man
-Use of Sprites
Just fuck what they think for now, seeing that you did an excellent job on the graphics. Most of this game's graphics are custom made and those that weren't were redrawn to look nicer. However, many of the sprites look out of place, but I can overlook that. On the other hand, I think you should learn how to use colored outlines which will make the game's graphics look even better than before. The sound effects are nice enough as is, but not everyone will like them. By contrast, the music selection kicks major ass and I liked the "Duel of Top" song from Thunder Force 5 (you need to make a ThunderForce game in Flash sometime). Now, for the gameplay, it may not be for keyboards, but you succeeded in making something badass!

What I did like:
-No bugs
-Excellent Spritework
-Great music selection
-Fun to play

What I didn't like:
-Background graphics could have been touched up a bit.
-A bit too dependent on a gamepad, but I can overlook this.

Overall: A nine out of ten I say. You should consider a Thunder Force Next sometime, seeing that you used TF5 music in the boss battle.

maelstormm responds:

Glad you enjoyed it. Lots more on the way as the version on my site keeps going through revisions. Since you mention it, it is kinda surprising that Adobe hasn't made a gamepad interface for flash since it's used in so many games these days (at least not one that I've seen directly from them).

Dunno about a TF Next, kinda got my plate full at the moment. Time will tell I guess.