Hi, I'm Dranzerstorm
Welcome to the Video Game & Music Lounge
This world is dedicated to Video Games and Music as I'll be showcasing the following.
Video Game Reviews set to the same tones as Retro Retrospective's Anime Reviews
Music reviews of Anime Openings & Closings
Western Cartoon music
Vocaloid Classics.
We may even have some Top Tens
I hope this World entertains you.
Now for the next title Cuphead
Released in 2017 as an Indy title, Cuphead is a run and gun game famed for it's notorious difficulty and a graphic style inspired by 1930s cartoons from the likes of Disney, Warner Bros, Felix the Cat and most prominently Fleischer Cartoons.
It's about brothers Cuphead and Mugman whom after a casino gamble goes wrong they end up being owned by the Devil, eager to not get dragged to hell they convince the Devil that they can help him retrieve the souls of a number of colourful cartoon characters.
Pros
Art style is really pleasing to see especially next to current day cartoons
To back it up everything is hand drawn
Memorable bosses with their own fanbases
Gameplay is easy to pick up despite the difficulty curve
If you've played classic Megaman this will be easier
Cons
Some battles try and pack so much on screen that it's impossible to know what's going on
If you've not played classic Megaman then you're going to have a bad time
Being honest if you cannot even pass the tutorial then you've wasted your money
I don't exaggerate the notorious difficulty
Overall
Worthy of it's accolades and reviving a lost style, Cuphead is a worthy and welcome addition to the current era of gaming.
I admit the lack of action is mostly me going through a busy, rough patch but I return with some reviews. Starting with Smash Ultimate.
Released to a glorious fanfare in 2018, Smash Ultimate is the latest in the biggest crossover game of all time.
Pros
Every character from every Smash Brothers is here with new characters
So well balanced no one character is too overpowered
Solid gameplay as is standard for the franchise
Any new character is treated with the same hype as a new console
Spirits mechanic works well
World of Light is massive with high replayability
Cons
Always a risk of chaotic fighting that cannot always be followed
You feel with the cutscenes they did make, there was meant to be a story as epic as Brawls
Online can be a pain in the ass
The hype of new fighters can lead to fake leaks which are extremely irritating
Lack of customization for Miis
Once you 100% everything you will have nothing to do until the new fighter/spirits/new modes show up
Overall
Still a fantastic game despite the obvious faults, it'll have way more staying power than most AAA games
This feature I hope will become as regular as others dubbed Games Menu will be my reviewing platform for games, this isn't the same as cartridge diaries which is me trying to see old titles return.
To start with we review Dawn of the Breakers.
Released in 2018 back in the summer, possibly earlier in Japan, Dawn of the Breakers is a free to play Nintendo Switch game in which a band of colour coded heroes fight and defeat ghouls.
The gameplay is broken down between the hack and slash style battles and the influences of a dice roll board game where a number of factors can influence the next fight; as this is free to play it is reliant on two things, it's weekly updates continue to build the game with new content and events; obviously paying does net you bigger rewards quicker.
Pros
Easy to pick up for new players.
The choice of characters is incredibly diverse and no one character is too weak or too strong.
Clever level up system means that even a less rare character can take out a super rare.
Very colourful and energetic, you always feel encouraged to play.
The capsule system doesn't always leave you feeling cheated.
Always compensation for server maintenance.
Co-op has been fixed.
The random element of dice rolling has been removed.
Cons
Story is hard to follow.
You can't play as your own character.
Some heroes are event exclusives.
The game always requires an online connection which cuts out frequently.
Between events and new chapters can easily be a drought of no content especially if you've already done everything.
Will screw you out of exclusives if you are unlucky enough to not get any through tickets and hide behind an absurd paywall
Game has been hijacked by virtual YouTubers
Will no longer be playable after October.
Overall
I'm not sold on the games as a service model but the fact that I'm not paying for Dawn of the Breakers and it doesn't force me to pay anything to get through the game, I feel happy to play it.
Since the last review left me feeling blue lets kick up some music with the top ten english covers of anime songs
Updated with video
10. Bentley Jones:- Cruel Angels Thesis from Neon Genesis Evangelion
I put him quite low on the list as he covers it in it's original language but points for his quote "this is how we do it in the UK!"
9. TeamFourStar:- Spirit vs Spirit from Dragonballz
For their most recent season finale they covered the song played over Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 scene and it is way more intense than the original.
8. Erika Harlacher:- Masayume Chasing from Fairy Tail
This is a fun one to sing along to and the English lyrics work wonders.
7. Kelly Mahoney:- Papermoon from Soul Eater
Another good track nothing else to say.
6. Natewantstobattle:- Sorairo Days from Gurren Lagann
Nate does this song justice even if it's meant for female vocals. He also does a good Blue Exorcist as well.
5. Sapphire and Friends:- Hikaru Nara from Your Lie in April
This cover is better than the original and each part is sang so well.
4. Caleb Hyles:- Haruka Kanata from Naruto
He sings this in both English and Japanese what a legend. Does a decent Yuri on Ice as well.
3. Lee & Lie feat. Natewantstobattle:- Strike Back from Fairy Tail
Nate back again this time with Lee & Lie and this guy can rap well. Lee & Lie has probably covered the most anime songs in English.
2. Y.Chang:- Flyers from Death Parade
This one is spot on, you'll be convinced that it's the original singer speaking English.
1. Jonathan Young:- The Hero from One Punch Man
He made this song his that's the huge difference between him and the other entries on this list, he's also covered the Pokemon theme song with the original singer, that's awesome.
Considering that I named a blog Video Game and Music Lounge, there's very little music. Lets change that with the top 10 most bizarre animated music videos. Rules are that the music video must not come from an existing animated franchise or be simply a music video for a film or borrow from an animated series, so no Daft Punk.
Honorable Mentions
Vocaloid and Gorillaz: Both of these have their own seperate lists
Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel: - Iconic more than bizarre
Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul: - Features MC Skat Kat but little too much live action to count.
Yellow Submarine by The Beatles: - Since it became a movie in it's own right it's disqualified from this list.
We're Going to Ibiza by The Vengaboys: - Despite the overly exaggerated body types this doesn't seem that weird.
Object of my desire by Dana Rayne: - I found this recently and it's about a crazy boy obsessed blue haired girl, it's surprisingly catchy.
10. Take On Me by A-Ha
This features a comic book come to life as the heroine is dragged into the comic by the lead character who is a 50s style street racer, low on the list as it's less weird more pleasant romance.
9. Heroes by Mans Zelmerlow
The 2015 winner of the Eurovision Song Contest painted a picture of stick figure school children painted on stage through fancy light work, it was unique, made a great story and was a worthy winner but not nearly as bizarre as the other entries.
8. JCB Song by Nizlopi
A music video told through kids drawings about Mr T, Bruce Lee, Transformers and the singer's father's JCB Digger. It's a nice little folk song that makes the world feel alot better.
7. The Wall by Pink Floyd
The image of the marching hammers sticks with many a music video fan in the same vain as Michael Jackson's Thriller or the previously mentioned Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.
6. Fly On The Wings Of Love by XTM Presents Annia
A guy late for his girlfriend's party imagines his BMX is a motorcycle. Girlfriend plays tune while he waits only to attract the weird locals including rappers, fighting toddlers and hooded people who are actually speakers, this is only number 6 by the way.
5. Blue by Eiffel 65
Blue Aliens abduct the lead singer so it's up to the other band members to free him yet they put on a concert for the aliens anyway, I'm amazed this was one of the best songs of 1999.
4. Sweet Like Chocolate by Shanks & Bigfoot
Human in a chocolate world, not really much else to say really although the human chocolate people are arguing for some reason, least that's the impression I get.
3. Money For Nothing by Dire Straits
If you think Animated Music Video, then chances are you've probably seen this video as it's the one that most frequently pops up in conversation. Using rather primitive computer animation and very blocky graphics features two removal men as they clear out a home of it's furniture while the band are singing on a very early MTV channel.
2. Zorba's Dance by LCD
This one needs a youtube video to be believed,
LCD stands for Large Cool Dudes featuring a computer animated band of obese people named Ed, Zed, Ted and Ned. They even have chipmunk voices. I do own this single and I still got it and I have to ask my past self what possessed him to buy this single in the first place.
1. Viva Forever by Spice Girls
While the song itself is somewhat beautiful yet strangely melancholy, it stands as one of the most bizarre of moments in music videos. The Spice Girls are portrayed as animated fairies in a rather strange and slasher like manner as their grins and body shapes give that impression of impending doom but it doesn't end there, the poor teenager that gets seduced by the fairies ends up being spirited away in a Rubik Cube leaving his poor friend to try and work out what just happened so he puts the cube in a capsule and throws it into a capsule dispenser. Yep it's that kind of weird, unexplained, It stands as the most bizarre of Music Videos to ever feature animation.
