Reviews

Tiny and Big: Up That Mountain

Tiny and Big might still be in its Beta stages but it's already generating a fairly good buzz among many gamers. For one, the game features beautiful graphics, lovable characters and a cool gameplay; pretty much everything you could possibly want from a game! Created by Black Pants Game Studio, it became a 2011 Student Showcase Finalist. Its amazing graphics, quirky gameplay, and odd storyline add to the beauty of the game. In fact, it's hard to let this one pass by without even trying it out for yourself. The game is available for free download in various formats, including Mac, Linux and of course, Windows. Check out this game now!

Suns: The Howl and The Many

The most distinguishable thing about listening to The Howl and The Many is the thunderous rumble when the toms are played. It's actually two drummers, Clinton Weber and Chris Pagnani who use mallets through a good chunk of the songs. Mikey Russell sings lead vocals as a sing along at times. Nick Enderle's guitar is sometimes sparse and sometimes deafening. Matt Lemke is a jack of all trades playing rhodes, magnus, harmonium, synth, guitar. Kody Nixon plays bass and banjo. There is also mandolin, a violin bow on a guitar and clarinet to round out Suns orchestra.

Paper Dreams

Incessantly compared to Ad Nauseum 2, Paper Dreams is an entertaining handrawn shooter from Zack Banack. The game features three difficulty levels, but even the "Easy" option will test out even the most patient gamers. This shooter was created for the GameJolt Weekend Jam and was done in basically two days. Despite the short creation period, the game is insanely difficult to even finish. According to the developer's site, the game is ported to flash by Kristian Macanga. If you're up for a good challenge, then you might want to give this one a go and see if you can even finish one level.

Sean Luke: Essentials of Metaheuristics

"Metaheuristics" is calculation technique for obtaining optimal solution which gives minimum value (or maximum value) of the function with large number of variables. The features are to carry out the search while mutual relationships are given based on the experimental rule in respect of the multiple points." (Sciencelinks.JP) Essentials of Metaheuristics is an easy to understand book that features lecture notes about metaheuristic algorithms. Written by Sean Luke, the book is available as a free PDF download and intended for helping out undergraduate students gain a better insight about the subject.

Las Canciones de Maru y Roman (Voy a Explotar Soundtrack)

Las Canciones de Maru y Roman is the soundtrack to the Mexican film Voy a Explotar; roughly translated as "I'm Gonna Explode!" The film tackles the story of Roman and Maru, two angry teens who decide to go on an adventure while making a pact to remain with each other at all times. The actual soundtrack which included music from the film, was initially geared for a commercial release, however, this didn't pan out. This current album is a compilation of 22 tracks handpicked by Carlos Reyes, the person behind Latin blog Club Fonograma. It is now the official soundtrack for the film and is offered absolutely free. Like the film, the record is an explosive combination of music genres, moods and instruments. Definitely a perfect accompaniment to this coming-of-age film.

Replica Island

Replica Island is touted by many as "THE" Android game to have, that is if you haven't got it yet. The game is a free, open source game that's available for Android users. It features retro graphics that will definitely get any old-school fanboy lusting after it. Done in 2D and in the same vein as Megaman and Mario, the game is packed with entertainment and will definitely keep you busy for hours on end. The game was originally released back in March 2010. Now, it has garnered quite a following and has solidified its status as one of the most entertaining games in the Android market. There are 40 levels in the game so make sure to clear up a good portion of your afternoon before playing. Because trust me, this is addictive. Give it a go.

Viola: Anything Can Stop Us

Viola is a Finnish electronic duo that knows how to create some fun, 80s infused dance pop electronica sound. On their website, they describe themselves as "Two guys influenced by beautiful heartfelt music, ass-shaking beats, sub-par humor and hidden messages." Indeed, they do create some fancy, danceable beats that make you want to gyrate your way down the dancefloor. There's also a nice blend of vocal work, instruments and electronic beats intertwined in this album. The record is the group's second album and the "first as an electronic duo." From the looks of things, it seems they might want to stick to this electronic sound for some time. Grab the download right now.

Lux Touch

If you loved strategy games like, Risk, back in the day; you might find a new bestfriend in the presence of Lux Touch. This is only the lite version of Lux Deluxe but you'll find that it's more than enough to give you a great time. The game sees you looking to take over the world by expanding and owning continents. It features simple but colorful graphics, a somewhat complex gameplay (especially for those who have not tried Risk before) and a cool interface that's heightened by the touch function of the iPad and iPhone screen. Worth trying out if you love any type of conquest game. The best part is, it's all available for free.

Sweet Mother Logic

Sweet Mother Logic is an experimental indie instrumental quartet hailing from Montreal. The crew is made up of Justin Wright, Eric Kaplin, Jack D. Kelly and Adrian Aitken. Their instrumental sound leaps across genres creating a rich combination of instruments and sounds. With this self-titled album they explore the fields generating, pop, rock, electronic, ambient (even a hint of dance) in the thick layers of their music. So far, the group has been around for four years, creating a sound that is unique, intriguing and certainly entertaining. Give their album a go and check out their previous EP as well.