Reviews

Studebaker’s Blacksmith Shop: Nebula

Studebaker's Blacksmith Shop is a rock, indie alternative band that packs a lot of punch. This German band has a nice raspy voiced female for a vocalist and an equally intriguing set of musicians backing her up. Nebula is the group's first full length debut and was recorded some time in 2008. Apart from this compilation, they also have a three track self titled EP which is also available for free download under a creative commons license.

Manos: The Hands of Fate

If you thought you've heard the title somewhere before, well, you probably have. Manos: The Hands of Fate is actually a game based on a horror film of the same title. The original movie was written, produced and directed by Harold Warren. Now, the movie didn't actually set well with most of the public. In fact, according to Wikipedia, it's considered to be one of the worst films ever. So, how does a game based on a "horrible" movie fare? Surprisingly, it's not that bad. Of course, I do have my reservations on fully recommending the game. After all, it's hard to distance yourself if you are remaking a game based on a film that's generally held as "awful" by a huge portion of the public. Nevertheless, it's quite decent and interesting to play at best. Give it a try.

Lungs For Gills: One Man & Thousand Ghosts

Listening to Lungs for Gills feels like you are walking on a frost filled morning with nothing but the beautiful sound of nature and silence to accompany you. That may sound weird, but this four piece group certainly knows how to create an ethereal mood. The band hails from Quebec City and formed during the winter of 2010. Maybe it was the cold weather, but these guys definitely got something to be proud of. One Man & Thousand Ghosts feature songs that contain sweet lyrics, emotional vocals and lovely melodies. There are some that border on the rock edge but still has a sweet touch to it. Of course, the recording isn't as crisp as you'd expect from pros, nevertheless it adds a delicate rawness that makes the band even more endearing. Check out their tracks.

8bit Killer

You can say that 8bit Killer is like playing an NES game. The fact is that it was made to look exactly like an overhaul of an NES game. It features the same graphics and gameplay style that fans will definitely feel as if they have gone back in time. The game is set in AD 2488, in a world where the human race is bracing on extinction. In the hands of Master Brain, the world is being threatened and now, a group of humans have formed to combat this growing evil. The game focuses on the final mission for these group of soldiers. If you are looking for a nostalgic yet awesome NES-like game, then you'll definitely find it here on 8bit Killer. It's definitely worth giving a go.

Laura Stevenson and the Cans: A Record

Listening to Laura Stevenson and the Cans is like lying in a hammock under the shade and drifting away to dreamland. This amazing indie folk/rock artist beautifully mixes relaxing rhythms and melodies beautifully, making it look effortless. This album came about after Laura took several years steering clear from creating a compilation. Hence, when she finally decided to drop the sabbatical, "A Record," was born. In this one, you'll find a great variety of textures, instruments and simply gorgeous vocals from the singer and her crew. Most of her albums are available for purchase, but these are definitely worth it. However, for this record you can enjoy this one free. It's certainly worth the download and so much more.

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.