-MANGA- Kagami no Kuni no Harisugawa (Harisugawa in Mirror World) Review

Hey there! This is Crimson Guitar checkin' in again for a manga review!

This time, I would be reviewing a manga series entitled 'Kagami no Kuni Harisugawa' (Harisugawa in Mirror World in English) written by Kano Yasuhiro. Fans of romantic manga series will definitely like this manga for it has an interesting plot with a blend of mysteries that will keep you thinking your brains out.

"Boys are creatures whose sight will follow the girl they like wherever she is. And if there comes a chance that the boy realizes that the girl is in danger, and if he is able to save her, they will feel the ultimate bliss in life." These are the words that Harisugawa Tetsu has pointed out, and true enough he has always been following with his eyes the girl named Satomi Mao.

Thanks to certain situations from their childhood, Satomi  has been always friendly to Harisugawa and developed a very nice relationship with him, completely unaware from Harisuagawa's feelings towards her. And as for Harisugawa's part, he preferred to stay friends with Satomi because of him being afraid of what might Satomi's reaction would be, and also, he wouldn't want to destroy their current closeness as friends. At first, its seems that this situation, a "stalemate" if you would compare it to a chess game, will never be broken until one day, Satomi saw a mysterious mirror from a thrift store which gives her a feeling that she must have that mirror. So Satomi bought the mirror without any second thoughts. But she is completely unaware about a very unexpected situation that she will be involved with, and that the mirror has a vital role in changing Harisugawa and her life.

So,  the two things that, for me, really stands out in this manga are the themes of love and mystery. Having these two genres mixed up together created the most exciting and yet a very romantic plot. And also, having a little, just a little, twist of 'ecchi'-ness and a lot of comedy involved in the story, made this manga more exciting to read, and that you would really anticipate the next events that would occur. Also, with Kano Yasuhiro using the range between semi-realistic to almost-'chibi' style of drawing in this manga will really let you appreciate the story even more because of the right amount of details included in his work.

So, if you're having trouble on searching a manga that has romance, mystery, and comedy, I would really recommend this manga series. With this manga being released last 2011, and has already published 27 chapters, who knows what great surprises that this manga might still have hiding under its sleeves waiting for it to be revealed

Overall Rating: 9/10

-Crimson Guitar

*edited by Red Hood

-GAME (MMORPG)- Tales Of Pirates review

Hello guys, this is a review of 'Tales of Pirates', a fantasy 3D MMORPG published by IGG.

'Tales of Pirates' is a simple game to pick up and also simple to  play, but also has plenty of content to keep you coming and the game's setting is played at land and at sea.

New players choose one of the four characters: Ami, Lance, Phyllis or Carsise. When you reach level 10, you can select from four beginner classes. A certain character has a certain class. These are:

Explorer- Ami, Lance, Phyllis
Hunter- Lance, Phyllis
Herbalist- Ami, Phyllis
Swordsman- Lance, Carsise

Players have 5 stats in the game:

Str-Damage
Con- Hp and Defense
Acc- Hit Rate
Agi – Attack Speed and Dodge Rate
Spr- Mana Points and Magic Damage

Players receive 2 stat points per level. Players can advance their class when they reach level 40. The following advances are:

-Explorers to a Voyager.
-Hunters to a Sharpshooter.
-Herbalists to a Cleric or a Seal Master.
-Swordsmen for Lance to a Crusader.
-Swordsmen for Carsise to a Champion.

After making a character you will choose from 3 starting cities which could either be Argent city, Shaitan City, or Icicle Castle.

'Tales of Pirates' is an awesome game because of Bosses and the PvP system. The cool thing about bosses is that you can't kill them by yourself, because you will always have the need for friends, guildmates, or other players to help you because the battles in this game are very challenging.

What I like about Tales of Pirates is the PvP system. You can have PvP battle in a certain area, which is like dueling with a single player, or using the party vs. party mode. When you are fight another player, you will be transported to an arena. When dueling, the first one to kill his/her opponent wins, in  Party vs Party mode the parties must kill all the members of the opposing party to win! There are maps and dungeons where you can get more experience, better loot of things, and equipment, but this zones are open PvP areas which is either on land or at sea. There are some maps which when you survive till the very end you’ll get a prize or a bonus if you call it.

If simple graphic styles and the pirate/sailing theme interests you, or you at least like PvP, give this game a try. 

-Dark Slayer

*edited by Blue Rose
*edited by Red Hood

-MANGA- Kimi no Iru Machi (A Town Where You Live) Review

Whats up people? Crimson Guitar here for a review on a manga. This review is about a manga series entitled Kimi no Iru Machi or A Town Where You Live in its English translaltion. For all the readers of manga out there that has a very tight grasp on romance, this is a must-read manga for its interesting plot and a number of very unexpected twists and turns.

The story primarily revolves on two of its main characters, Haruto Kirishima, a self-conscious teenager, and Yuzuki Eba, an extroverted teenage girl. Yuzuki moved from Tokyo to his father's rural hometown in Hiroshima Perfecture. Having Haruto's father an acquaintance with Yuzuki's father, the Kirishima family has taken care of Yuzuki into their home. Haruto is not keen of the situation because he believes that Yuzuki who is a complete stranger, a girl at the same age as his, who is not a relative, and living under one roof will make complications for him. The misunderstanding that he wants to avoid most is that people to think of them as a couple because he already likes one of his classmates, Nanami Kanzaki. The only problem is that Yuzuki has romantic feelings for Haruto and is not timid in pursuing a relationship with him.
 
 For me, this manga really catches the attention of the readers mainly because of the story's twists which will make you continue on reading because of its unpredictable reasons on how the story will advance. Another thing that catches my interest is that the romance genre of the series is blended with comedy and a little twist of 'ecchi'-ness (search for the meaning of this term to avoid wrong ideas :D) that sets the mood of readers. Also, with its author Seo Kouji using semi-realistic drawings and a lot of chibi drawings for this manga, it perfectly fits the genre of the story.

I'm not a really big fan of romantic stories, this had me going for them. To sum this up, Kimi no Iru Machi is a great start-off for those people who loves romance and comedy. :D

Overall Rating: 8.5

-Crimson Guitar

-GAMES- Super Meat Boy

 

Hey guys, here for a review of 'Super Meat Boy' for PC, Xbox 360, MAC, and Wii

'Super Meat Boy' is an independent video game developed by Team Meat. It is the successor of Flash Game; 'Meat Boy'. In 2010, 'Super Meat Boy' received award for 'Most Challenging Game' from IGN and 'Most Downloadable Game' from GameSpot and GameTrailers.


In this game you play as Meat Boy, a red cube-shaped character, who attempts to rescue his girlfriend, Bandage Girl, who was kidnapped by the game's antagonist, Dr. Fetus. The gameplay is characterized by fine control and split-second timing as the player reach its goal through over 300 'Levels of Doom' while avoiding obstacles.

                                          Super Meat Boy with Bandage Girl and Dr. Fetus


If you think this game is easy, well it isn't. Seriously. Super Meat Boy provides tons of challenge to gamers especially me, that makes you glued to the screen. If you did play this game believe me, you'll die a lot. Death is unavoidable in this game. Every level is easy at first but when time passes, it gets harder. The game is divided in chapters, along with 300 levels. Each level is needed to reach Meat Boy's girlfriend Bandage girl while avoiding obstacles which let you die. Player can also jump and slide through walls. Upon reaching Bandage Girl, you've reach the end of the level. The gameplay has been compared on most known platformer Super Mario Bros. and Ghost n' Goblins.


When you completed certain number of levels, you'll be able to access boss stages which you need to finish to advance to the next chapter. The player will have unlimited number of attempts to finish each level. When Meat Boy is killed, the player goes back to the start of the level. Completing a level with A+ grade unlocks a harder version of the level in the Dark World, which is an optional difficulty level. Going to a Warp Zone warps you in a bonus level with a limit of three lives, which you control Meat Boy itself. You can also unlock different characters, with different attributes. You can unlock them by collecting Bandage Items which are placed throughout the levels. Some levels, such as Warp Zones and boss levels, are only played with specific characters.

                                                    First Boss Level. Run Meat Boy. RUN!


The game is great actually, it's just extremely difficult. The game doesn't lack sense of humor too. The only question is how they made such an extraordinary game. The bad part of it is dying alot. The game also motivates you to finish the game. You may play this to kill time. This game is great 'nuff said.


OVERALL RATING: 9/10 

-musicgamer


*Edited by Red Hood*

-COMICS- Batman #5 Review

"Now... Please."
Okay. Guess who said that? I'll give you a clue: he's close to The Bat. Well? Still nothing? Fine. It's Damian. Yup. Lil' Damian said that. Who would've thought that spoiled brat would say that? Definitely not me.

'Batman #5' just hit the stores recently with its monthly schedule due at every third week of the month, if I'm not mistaken. And so far, the arc hasn't disappointed me, unlike some of the titles that I'm currently reading.

Ever since the New 52 started, 'Batman' has been on mind and I ordered it right away. Tony Daniel, the previous writer of 'Batman' (pre-New  52/DCnU), switched places with Scott Snyder, previous writer of 'Detective Comics' (pre-New52/DCnU), so that leaves Daniel with 'Detective Comics' and Snyder with 'Batman'. I have to say, wherever Snyder may go, he never fails to bring a very eye-catching, mind-boggling story. To prove this, he's written the last arc of 'Detective Comics' (pre-New 52/DCnU) so well, it made me think about the last page too hard! Yeah, that's how good Snyder is. Not to mention, he also wrote 'American Vampire', which I have yet to read. The script in this issue shows Bruce's drama and his will to survive. Every corner, you will see Bruce pleading in desperation or him fighting back the Court of Owls. Never will you see Batman in this situation, not at least the way Snyder does it. But wait a minute, Bruce isn't the only one in despair. There's Jim Gordon pleading for The Bat's help, and Damian, searching for his father. Snyder, in my opinion, has done Damian better than anyone else that I have read. In this issue, you will see Batman's true strength and willpower to destroy the Court of Owls; the reason for everything that has happened in his life... at least that's what The Bat thinks.

But it's not all about Scott Snyder. We  also have Greg Capullo as the artist of 'Batman'. Out of all the titles I'm currently reading, Greg Capullo and Jim Lee are my favorite artists. Capullo has a style that captures my eye so much, I just want to stare at his art. His version of Batman is so dark, yet looks cartoon-ish, but very satisfying. I completely adore the way he makes Bruce crawl in desperation and plead for focus. It shows just how weak and human The Bat really is, especially at the second-to-the-last page. You can clearly see how beaten up The Bat is, with the rips and tears in the Batsuit (which is practically indestructible, if you ask me). Oh, and another thing. Thomas and Martha. Wow. The art of Thomas and Martha in this one's great. You see them really old, and when they have a "family reunion", they suddenly phase out into a owl-like monster which freaks the hell out of Batman, and then he "wakes up" from his "nightmare". And the way they twist the pages. It actually brings you into the comic, like you're experiencing what Bruce is experiencing! If I have one thing to say, it'd be this: "Greg Capullo, keep up the damn good work! I am eternally a fan of yours!"

 Long story short, 'Batman #5' is the best issue I have read in a long time. And do I mean long. Really, really long. I can't wait for the next issues, and find out how Batman takes back Gotham City, his city, his home. Gotham belongs to Batman, and no one else.

-Mikey McMike

-BROWSER GAME (MMORPG)-RuneScape Review

Hey guys I'm back for another review of another MMORPG called RuneScape!
RuneScape is a free epic 3d MMORPG browser game with P2P subscription options!
For it's graphics, is not really great but consider the fact that it is a browser game so it is not really a big deal. At first players get to Lumbridge as their starting area in the world of Runescape, players get to do various activities such as woodcutting, fire making, fishing, cooking, mining, smithing and other activities which are the skills in RuneScape and they get to train it anytime they want, like cutting trees to get logs and at the same time woodcutting experience points to level up your woodcutting skill and able to cut more specific trees as you level up and after woodcutting you could either sell the logs you get to get money or even use the logs for the skill fire making so you would also be able to get firemaking experience points! For combat, it has six divisions which is attack(higher chance of hitting), strength(higher chance of hitting with a high damage), defence(lower chance of being hit), constitution(amount of hitpoints 1 level equal 10 hitpoints), magic(using spells, the higher the level the higher the chance of hitting and higher damage and use stronger spell) and range(using bows and crossbows for weapon and using arrows and bolts for ammo, the higher the level the higher chance of hitting and use stronger ammo). Players could also do quests to have more adventure through out the game and it also have mini games that you could play in the world of RuneScape!
For it's subscription options, players get extra benefits getting a larger world compared to free players! They get to train 9 more member-only skills, access to 29 minigames, 100 more quests, full screen mode, exclusive member-only equipment and one of the best aspects of being a member is getting a skill cape or cape of achievement where players could get a skill cape when they achieve the highest level of a skill for example you achieved 99 woodcutting, you are now certified to wear the cape and able to show it to the people you pass by and the first thing that will pop up in there mind is "you got 99 woodcutting!" also, skill capes has a specific emote on a specific skill!
So basically this game is more on adventure! Try it out and start your journey today!

-Blue Rose

-GAMES- Minecraft

Okay, what's up? This is Ruich checking in for my first review on a game. A review about Minecraft. Yeah, yeah I know; everyone knows about Minecraft. But just in case you've never heard of...wait who cares if you've never heard of it or not, I'll just do a review on Minecraft 1.1.



Since its Beta release, Minecraft has become a gaming sensation for both hardcore and hobby gamers. Notch and his team have created Mojang; an independent game producer to back up the Minecraft project. Since then, Mincecraft has changed lives, ruined lives, or occasionally did nothing. But don't take it as a bad thing, Minecraft is Minecraft. But fuck it, Notch might be God's best creation in the world of gaming.



So, Minecraft is basically a game- a never ending sandbox FPS that practically lets you do anything under the game's destroy and create play style.




Okaay. I've been putting to much time on the introduction stuff that I might have drifted off the topic. Alright, what is new about Minecraft 1.1? Well, it's still addicting as ever with a lot of new items on the list. Aside from the new items, what I've recognized while playing in Creative Mode was the eggs. From those oval spheres of genetics, you can spawn mobs like pigs, squids and the like. Hell, you can even spawn Creepers! (and I made an army of them) But what interested me the most was an egg named "Spawn Villager". Basically, villagers are a bunch of harmless mobs that doesn't do much. But they might be of some use. We'll find out.




Minecraft 1.1 has new and interesting Title Menu phrases, and a very slick language option system.



So that's basically it. It's not much but dont think that this is the last Minecraft article around here. I'll get you guys some new intel next time. Peace!

-Ruich 

PS. Beware of Creepers!

-GAME (MMORPG)-Atlantica Online Review

Hey guys, this is a review of the F2P MMORPG Atlantica online Developed by Ndoors

Atlantica Online is one of the best F2P mmorpg ever made, and it was voted as best MMORPG of 2008.

Atlantica Online is like a different planet when it comes to the MMORPG universe since it is a turn-based strategy tactical MMO, unlike other MMORPG which has the usual smash and hit combat style.

Players of Atlantica online has a good story line for them to enjoy the world. You play as an one of the descendants of the Atlantians and find the lost city of Atlantis! At first they get to pick their main class, as they  progress get to hire up to 8 mercenaries from specific NPCs found all over the game and some mercenaries are just walking around that you can hire having a total control of 9 characters! The great thing about the mercenary system is that it has tons of mercenaries so you could basically make infinite strategies to take down your opponent in PvE or PvP!

Atlantica Online's gameplay is excellent due to it's turn-based combat style where the enemy has its turn and you have your turn limited to 30 seconds and it also has amazing graphics and has awesome combat animations for every action you make during your turn in a battle!

So for all people who likes to use strategy or tactics when playing, try Atlantica online!

-Blue Rose

-MUSIC-The Drug in Me is You Review

                                                                         -MUSIC-

"I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!"
This line is from the opening of the second track of Falling in Reverse's debut album, 'The Drug in Me is You'.

A quick recap of what is Falling in Reverse. Well, FiR is the second major band of vocalist Ronnie Radke. Ronnie Radke's first major band was Escape the Fate with a lineup of Monte Money and Omar Espinosa on guitars, Max Green on bass guitar, Robert Ortiz (who strangely looks exactly like Slash) on drums, and Radke on vocals. After releasing their first album, 'Dying is Your Latest Fashion', trouble soon arose.  Radke was filed for a case and was given 5 years of probation and 2 years in prison. Because of this, EtF was forced to kick him out and have Craig Mabbit, former vocalist of Blessthefall, fill in, until he became the permanent vocalist of the band. After serving his sentence, Radke is out with a new lineup of Jacky Vincent and Derek Jones on guitars, Mika Horiuchi on bass guitar, and Ryan Seaman on drums, and with a vengeance with his piercing lyrics and dark melody.

I really admired the lyrics for this album. 'Raised by Wolves' is the opening track and has lyrics that clearly say 'FUCK YOU, ESCAPE THE FATE.' Actually, the whole album implies that exact thought. One of the good things about the lyrics are the catchy lines, such as 'I heard a knock upon my door the other day. I opened it to find Death staring at my face. The feel of mortal-stalking still reverberates. Everywhere I go, I drag this coffin just in case.' and 'What if the Devil was alive? What if God did not exist? So with all due respect, tell me what is death, if life is just a bitch?' Some just tells the story of Radke himself. 'The Westerner' seems to serve as 'The Day I Left the Womb' Pt. II with its story-telling lyrics. More or less, the lyrics are great and can be used to say 'Fuck you' to a person without them knowing it.

Well, I didn't fully appreciate the sound of some of the songs, due to it becoming a bit 'Pop'-ish. It feels so alternative and such. But nevertheless, most of them are still heavy and still Ronnie. Notable ones would  be, 'Don't Mess with Ouija Boards', 'The Westerner', 'Sink or Swim' and 'I'm Not a Vampire'. 'Caught Like a Fly' sounds creepy at first, but builds up to be a very emotional song. Whenever I listen to it, it never fails to remind me of Avenged Sevenfold's 'A Little Piece of Heaven' which both sounds like you're in a circus. The use of a synth can be heard here, which was never heard in Radke's previous album in EtF.

This album served as a great counter-attack to EtF, and I think it hit'em hard. You'll be having fun and thinking you're jumping around when listening to this album. This is just proof that Ronnie Radke truly is the 'King of the Music Scene'

-Mikey McMike

HI

-Ruich

Hello

Hey there. Just wanted to drop by and say "hi" to the universe. We're a new group focused on reviews about anything and do I mean anything. So yeah. Feel free to read the blog. Also join our message boards located here. Hope you have fun!

-Mikey McMike