FinaLee's Reviews

[Waterfall from Grace episode 1 WIP]

I don't think I could give you a good assessment with what I have to work with here. The outlining seems nice, but there isn't enough dialogue for me to really latch on to and understand the setting and story.

So I say go for it!

[S]

I don't know why, but the sucking sound really did me in.

[Time's Destiny clip #1]

This is a really cool animation! I was really impressed with the changes in perspective. One issue I have is that the audio seems to have a little bit of clipping going on. I don't know if you can hear the slight crackling like I do, but that's usually indicative of an issue with the quality or db's of the track.

It's really easy for me to overlook though because the music itself is cool and mysterious enough to add to the atmosphere of the animation. I really like it!

Lunora-OpTer responds:

Thanks for the feedback! The audio is lower quality because of the rendering but in the finalized version it won't be.

[olskoo game 2.0]

Truly humbled to have played a small part in this amazing work of art.

[War of the Worlds | Episode 1: The Arrival]

Just an FYI, this game is actually playable on desktop too.

Luminem responds:

You're right, but best experience is on phone due resolution I used and way controls were thought

[Dominion Ex]

Really fun game! Sunk about half an hour into this trying to get past the third level. Wish I was better at these vertical shooters. This is a good one for sure!

Extar responds:

Glad you're enjoying it! If you're having trouble maybe try picking different upgrades. You can increase your max lives if you upgrade the ship hull. :)

[Flare Settles Into Ash [Mashup]]

Good mashup!

There's a lot of things going on here that ultimately culminate into a solid synthwave beat. The mixing is there, the panning of the instruments gives interest, and the song structure is distinct in each section while remaining cohesive enough to flow well from one to the next. I want to particularly note that listening for the first time did not give the impression of the song being 3 minutes and 50 seconds, and that is something worth remarking in a time when many listeners are gravitating towards songs only lasting as little as 2 minutes and change.

There were some things that would have been done differently if I were behind the computer screen, and I believe it to be partially a matter of stylistic choice, especially considering you appear to have a decent grasp of production techniques and mixing. First, as someone who thoroughly enjoys compression, I wonder if the amount of compression you're using on some of these channels can maybe be dialed back or at least reexamined. It's not a vibe-killer, and doesn't really get too distracting with the one exception being the first verse of the vocals. I think that because of the lower register singing in this section, the weight of the vocals sound like they are submerging the bass. If not the compression, then maybe another look at a HPF EQ? Either way, there is a noticeable difference in clarity between the two verses.

My only other complaint would be the autopanning that is deployed on certain vocal phrases. I know it adds a lot of dimension to the singing, but as a matter of taste, it makes it sound more sporadic to me, and that somewhat detracts from the overall mood as it relates to what I think you're going for in this track.

Other than that, I'm vibin' 🌆

Ziondiac responds:

Thanks for taking the time to make this in depth review, really appreciate it

[shopping at the mall]

I'd say that if you were going for a retro game menu/shopping/safe zone kind of sound, the essence of it is very much there. The grooving bass and melody slides, the "heel/toe" kicks of the drums, the brief use of chromatic scale; all of these really tie together for a pretty cool vibe!

For me, my main issue is how conflicted I feel about the mono sound. It certainly adds to that retro quality that you may have been going for, and I could easily picture it coming out of a very old radio. Despite this, I think even an additional splash of subtle panning could give it some much-needed dimension. I already hear some slight panning in the snare, and while I'm not sure if that was intentional or not, if you considered that then maybe look at something like the hi-hats as well. Your lead synth opened things up a little bit, but in totality I don't think it was quite enough for me.

You mention in your comments that you went a little overboard with the synth melodies, but in my opinion you could have added more melodic interest with an additional lead instrument noodling around after the synth and piano took their turns. The division between the synth and piano taking the lead was really neat (and that solo fill at 00:53 was easily my favorite part!), so why not grab the listener again with a third instrument butting in?

I say these things with the spirit of your piece in mind, and I don't believe they would conflict much with the style you have going on here. Good luck at the competition!

From one amateur to another,

Lee

Crysstal712 responds:

thank you for the review! I was thinking about adding a third lead but i had spent a REALLY long amount of time trying to get the vibe that i wanted, and I was feeling tired overall. I can definitely try a panning effect in my free time though! As always, good luck on the competition, <3

[Into The Depths of Zelzar]

I can see some video game application in a track like this. It is a perfectly simple minor-sounding melody, but it does hearken to some kind of disturbing setting, and the atonal sound effects used throughout certainly complement this theme well.

If this is not a completely finished work, I would encourage you to expand upon this idea because the main issue that this track suffers from is its lack of dimension. The main melody, while great, seems to be a little too heavily relied upon, and the track sounds like it is struggling to flow from one section to the next without sounding forced.

The loud production also does not lend any favors to this problem. As a stylistic choice, I think it is fine for something like this, and I happen to like it. However, if a track is sounding a little too one-note, taking dynamics out of the picture can also put a spotlight on that issue.

My favorite part, however, was the reverse bass sound effect at the end. I had to play that back a couple of times because of how cool it was!

From one amateur to the next,

Lee

coquettishconcubine responds:

thank you so much for taking the time to write all that!!!<33

[Newgrounds Rumble: BBS edition]

Sick as fuck my dude. The sprite for @sparkey10984 is my fav.

[Plague]

I've been looking at this for a few days now, and while I can't explain every aspect of the picture, the overall mood of something that was once pure and cherishable is now being corrupted really jumps out at me. The dead birds, the leg and hair becoming tainted by some sort of black, amorphous entity; it all seems to reflect something good coming under attack and losing, very gradually. Even the red tones around the girl's face and neck seem to imply that something incredibly sinister is assaulting her and the environment around her.

I don't think I've looked into any sort of Newgrounds work of art like this is an incredibly long time. Absolutely spectacular.

[Tattoo]

Awesome detail for a tattoo! What part of the body is it going on I wonder?

zephyo responds:

the upper arm :D