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Also, this blog may be moving to YouTube.
I will keep you posted.

_e

Hockey Night In Canada

So I finally made my contest entry.
Take a listen.

Is it just me or does it glitch in the middle?...

_ethan

Updated Jesus in Jail Update!

Alright, so I've updated that last sample.

I took out some stuff and made the cymbals quieter.
I also extended it so that it is now as long as it will be until Gabriel starts singing.

I hope you enjoy!

Click here!

_ethan

Number Four

(Ethan's List of the Top Ten Games Ever: Yes, His List is Better Than Yours) 

Alright, so this is a bit of a cheat as I'm placing both main entries from a series in the same slot.

Number 4 - The Kingdom Hearts Series

An emotion-packed, ass-kicking, and suprisingly complex series, Kingdom Hearts defines the modern action-RPG genre.



While the series admitedly has a long way to go before it approaches the realm of near-perfection, it gets a lot of things right.
Firstly, the original pioneered some great scene direction in video games; the first scene in which you meet the villains is beautifully set up.
Which brings me to the point of mood. Truly the aspect of a game that makes it stay with a person, what makes them want to sit down for hours and never let it go.
And while some may write off Kingdom Hearts as shallow due to the Disney worlds, the series is actually beginning to tell some interesting stories of innocence and experience. While the first game encapsulates childhood wonder and dedication, the second game brings in doubt and darkness, loyalty and love. Unfortunately the Disney worlds feel less cohesive in the second game and the Sora story and the Disney worlds start to feel like seperate stories instead of the impressive way the first game melded it all together.
But in both cases, magic is very present and when the story-telling is powerful in KHII, it is very powerful, drawing you into the minds and struggles of the confused youth.
Beyond themes, the game plays like beautiful crack. The first game focused on fun and strategy while the second upped the ante on incredible animations and combos while unfortunately watering down the gameplay.

What needs to be taken from the epic experience, however, is the powerful story that drives the series. Not the plot, necessarily, but the themes and the attention paid to relationships and not just situations. For the latter is either ignored or not dealt with properly in too many games.
I'm excited to see how Sora grows up next.

Agree with me yet?

Speaking of mood, the next game on the list is a thematic masterpiece.

_ethan

First Jesus in Jail update!

So to give you guys the smallest of tiny hints about what to expect from Jesus in Jail, I quickly threw together the first 30 seconds or so of the musical. The final product is likely going to sound much different than what you will download in terms of mixing and the instruments used, but I wanted to throw something out there.

I hope you enjoy. Click here.

The Top Ten video game list continues soon!

_ethan

Number Five

ELotTTGE:YHLiBTY - Number 5 
(Ethan's List of the Top Ten Games Ever: Yes, His List is Better Than Yours) 

Plowing on through this list, I now come across one of the most quotable pieces of media to ever exist. 

Number 5 - Star Fox 64 

The second console game I ever owned turned out to be the game I have beat the most times in my life, and remains one of the most pure, addicting experiences available to date. 




Star Fox 64 just got so many key things right. You could jump right in, you could choose your own path to the end, you could unlock secrets, and you could be drawn right into the experience. Star Fox took a ridiculous premise and made it fun. If you have furry animals fighting a monkey and his followers in space, you have to stay committed to make it work. And all the wacky villains and outright unforgettable quotes made the entire game come together. For whatever ridiculous reason, Nintendo has yet to follow up this formula properly. 
But perhaps it does make a bit of sense. Afterall, one of the reasons Star Fox works is because it feels like an old school game. You must beat it in one sitting. There is no save feature. You have to hash it out and so you have no choice but to get into the world. There doesn't seem to be a place for that sort of adventure anymore. 
Either way, there is no better reminder of the pure sense of exhileration and addictive nature of video games than Star Fox 64. 

Agree with me yet? 

I leave you this time with some quotes off the top of my head. 

_ethan 

"Andross: If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me! 
Fox: AAAaaaAAaaAaaaH!!!!" 

"Pigma: Andross' enemies are MY enemies" 

"Wolf: You can't beat me! I've got a better ship!"

Number Six

ELotTTGE:YHLiBTY - Number 6 
(Ethan's List of the Top Ten Games Ever: Yes, His List is Better Than Yours) 
This is one that just needs to get out of the way. 

Number Six - Super Mario64 

While it is tempting to throw up Sunshine for kicks (I did enjoy it more than most) I will not. And there hasn't been enough time since Galaxy has been out. 

What else can be said? 

While my true love is RPGs now, I'll be damned if it wasn't Mario's first 3D world that made me have wild dreams of what games could accomplish. The coolest part about this game was that for its time, it was the kind of game you could just watch a friend play for hours. It was so fascinating to just take in the whole imaginative experience. It captured my imagination probably more than any medium had yet at that point. So even if I choose to play Galaxy or Sunshine now, there is no denying the absolutely permanent effect Super Mario64 has had on my entire life. 
So let this entry be short and sweet, and describe your experience with the title if you will, even if you somehow hate it. 
The next one might surprise some, but I will be excited to bring it to you all. 

Agree with me yet? 
Thanks for reading, thumbs and comments are welcomed and appreciated. 

_ethan