#reverie reviews

[seregios-seer]

Monster Review: Dalamadur

So, it's been a good while, but I'm back and starting off big! Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate was my first ever game in the series, and young me didn't get much further than the single player campaign, and that is frankly a tragedy because if I'd encountered this thing when I was 10 it would have shattered my kid brain. The presentation behind Dalamadur is exactly what an end game monster deserves, right on par with World's cutscenes for the black dragons. I kid you not I had shivers entering this fight for the first time because of how badass the cutscene was. The design for this monster is top tier by far, taking an incredibly simple creature, and giving it a unique scale ridge and arms is such an easy change but also so famn memorable. I actively have to try and keep this intro short because I could (and probably will) rant about Dalamadur and how much I love it for several stand alone posts. When I first beat this fight, with well under 5 minutes left and no clue if I was even close, I sat there for literal minutes, staring at my ceiling and wrote quite literally a full (I think 2-3k word) essay to my friends about how incredible this capstone fight is.

4u (IG): It's gonna be hard to keep this to a purely mechanical review, but I'll damn well try. The first thing to talk about is just how fighting this colossus even works, which is where one of biggest strengths and weakness of this fight both come into play. The ability to climb on Dalamadur, jumping on and off at the bottom and top of a massive rock spire is a surreal experience, and gives great, and in most fights the only, access to body parts for breaking. Being able to leap onto Dalamadur's head from so high up really sells the massive size of the monster, and it's just incredible. There is however a pressing issue with Dalamadur's size, and that would be the tedium in running around the map after it. This fight is incredible, and certainly feels it, but it's also consistently about 40-50 minutes, and over that time, there's a good deal where you'll just be running from end to end trying to get a hit in before Dalamadur moves again. It's a notable gripe, but ultimatley won't hurt Dalamadur's rating because of just how amazing the rest of the fight is. For Dalamadur's actual attacks, the majority being physical is both fitting and terrifying. During the periods where Dalamadur sits on the upper left and right of the arena, not coiled around the spire, it can swing its arms in just a casual sweep, and that attack hits like a truck. It's not impossible to dodge, and is rarely followed up quick enought to set a kill, but it can come damn close. Dalamadur's sliding across the stage is perhaps its weakest attack, only dealing a small amount of damage, if it even connects, but this attack does run interferance for a move I'll discuss later. I was actually unaware of this, as it had never come up in any of my fights, but apparently standing too close to the head risks paralysis from Dalamadur's tongue, which I can't evaluate without personal experience, but that sounds terrifying. The tail also poses a threat, but really only if you are actively attacking it, which can honestly be an infuriating process when farming for drops due to how much it moves. But the tail attacks in much the same way as the arms, with a sweep that deals less damage, but is certainly nothing to scoff at. The last physical attack worth talking about is the scariest by far, Dalamadur's bite rush. Dalamadur sets its head, coils, and springs forward, twisting to the side as it goes, slamming its jaws on anything so unfortunate to get in the way. This attack is massive, incredibly fast after the windup period, and almost certain death. With armor from well into G Rank I would routinely be carted if I was hit by this attack unless I was at peak health. This attack is awe inspiring, grandiose, and among my favorite attacks in the full game. It doesn't feel unfair, it feels balanced in all the right ways while also being the peak threat of the entire fight. Dalamadur is not, however, fully physical, and has a host of incredible energy attacks, foremost being the meteor swarm. The meteors Dalamadur summons will rain in droves during several periods of the fight, and give a kind of white shrinking display to show where they'll fall, with some tracking the hunter, forcing them to stay moving. These meteors are terrifying if you're unprepared, but if you stay moving, you should escape unscathed. This is where Dalamadur's movement becoems a threat, as that's typically when most meteors fall, and being stumbled into the path of a meteor is a considerable threat, so avoid the snake's body. Dalamadur is also capable of producing fireballs (that I don't think are actually elemental) that it aims at hunters from its mouth. These blasts are, in my experience, wildly inaccurate in my experience, and hardly much of a threat, more a spectacle than anything. Dalamadur's chest can also give off a heat barrier, much like Teostra when the snake is enraged, which deals slow, constant damage. This barrier isn't much a threat on its own, but when it prepares a stronger attack, the damage taken from ignoring this flame aura can be just enough to send you packing to base camp.

Rating: 10/10

What the hell do you mean the meownster hunters have discovered a new target?

[mariocki]

Betty (1992)

"You know, I wanted to ask Thérèse when I saw her in the cellar. I wanted to say: 'Show me your wound.' I wanted to have a wound, too. I've always been chasing that wound. I must be looking for pity. I'm not a victim. I'm not to be pitied. No one ever hurt me. I'm the one who did the hurting. I'm a fool. Say it! I blew it all. I've soiled everything, myself included."

[reverie-quotes]

reviews

here's where you'll find my semi-unhinged ramblings about books i read! for reviews of a specific book, search up "[title] review" in the search bar (might only work on the separate tumblr-provided url and not the general tumblr website)

arcs (advanced reader copies) - occasionally updated to remove books that have already been published

god-tier books

pretty good books

mediocre books

dumpster fire books

[ohc-and-the-music-tapes-archive]

Reviews of The Apples in Stereo’s “Her Wallpaper Reverie” and Music Tapes’ “1st Imaginary Symphony For Nomad”, Reno Gazette Journal, 6 August 1999

transcript:

The Apples in Stereo “Her Wallpaper Reverie” (EP) SpinArt Records ***1/2

Music Tapes “1st Imaginary Symphony For Nomad” Merge Records ***

Here are the latest two releases from the Elephant 6 Collective, an inventive loosely tied troupe of musicians who are re-writing the rules of psychedelic pop. These two records are good examples of how far these groups are pushing the envelope instead of just revisiting Lucy in the Sky for some quick bucks.

The Apples in Stereo contribute more brilliant pop, although it’s a departure from their previous work. It’s like a microcosmic version of the Beatles’ “White Album.” Songs like “The Shiney Sea” and “Strawberryfire” are slower and more deliberate than the band’s peppier work, and the album is strewn with odd electronic blips and bloops linking the songs (to be fair, most of these are irritating). Still, fans of the Apples’ hook-happy tunes will love “Ruby,” “Questions and Answers” and the great tune “Y2K,” which perfectly encapsulates the stupidity of millennial fear.

The Music Tapes features members of Neutral Milk Hotel, the most brilliant Elephant 6 group. But, the Tapes’ debut is very different from the Hotel’s skewered folk-pop: “Nomad” is kind of like those odd cassette tapes children make when they have big imaginations but limited talent, and I mean that in a good way. It’s a fun, challenging record to dive into, with great pop songs like “Aliens” and “What the Single Made the Needle Sing” sharing space with odd skits, surface noise, narration and even strategically placed dead silence. It’s not the easiest listen in the world, but it is certainly distinctive and creative.

[reverieaudios]

Neo video is up! You can watch it here:

(Attempting To) Bake Autumn Desserts with Your Fox-Shifter Boyfriend [M4A] [ASMR RP]

[reverie-starlight]

15% ON MY PHYSICS MIDTERM LMFAO

all we can do is laugh at this point 🤠

I’m one of 4 class reps and we all failed horrifically this is our legacy

[hardcoregamer]

Review: Harmony: The Fall of Reverie

Blending an absorbing tale across worlds, with a novel but mechanically-engaging interpretation of player-choice, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie sets a new standard for Don’t Nod with what might be their best, most rewarding work to date. A narrative chock full of interesting characters and equally-interesting curve-balls to manage — with truly great performances from its cast to match. A game that spends as much time on the smaller moments as it does the grandiose ones, what truly gives Harmony that cutting edge, is its puzzle-like subversion on offering choice to its player.

Read more!

[laughingblue12]

Debussy Reverie

Some Sunday thoughts require the right music. Some Sunday thoughts actually are music. rev·er·ie /ˈrev(ə)rē/ noun 1.a state of being pleasantly lost in one’s thoughts; a daydream:”a knock on the door broke her reverie“ Powered by Oxford Dictionaries I had originally thought to call this post “A Walk with God.” But that would probably offend my Christian friends and alienate my Jehovah’s…

[makhonkit]

Starfavor REVERIE Grand Digital Piano Review by Ray Mak

@Starfavormusic  REVERIE Grand Digital Piano Review by Ray Mak

Such a Beautiful Digital Piano!

Amazon Link : https://amzn.to/3AotrGX

#starfavor #reveriegrand #reverie #grand #piano #digitalpiano #review #raymak

🎹SHEET MUSIC & Mp3 ▸ http://www.makhonkit.com 🎹LEARN MY SONGS ▸ https://go.flowkey.com/raymak 🎹Listen on Spotify ▸ https://sptfy.com/raymak 🎹Listen on Apple Music ▸ https://music.apple.com/sg/artist/ray-mak/1498802526 🎹Full Song List ▸ http://www.redefiningpiano.com

Talk to me : 🎵 Instagram ▸ http://instagram.com/makhonkit 🎵 Facebook ▸ http://facebook.com/raymakpiano 🎵 Twitter ▸ http://twitter.com/makhonkit

[danielleurbansblog]

Review: Until the Star Fall

Synopsis: The last time a fae royal took a human bride it started a war.This time it could prevent one. I have been a loyal servant to the fae crown my whole life–an arrangement that has kept me safe from the violence between our two races…until I kill a fae noble. Sentenced to death I beg the king for mercy and am shocked when it comes from the eldest prince who hates me. But there’s a…

[imperotenebre]

Harmony The Fall of Reverie PS5 gameplay 4K - prime impressioni

Bello ma vecchio

[livingfictionsystem]

-Xanthe

[reverie2020]

Change my mind:

You should only leave a review if you've actually tried the thing, not if you "can't wait to try it!".

[reverie-quotes]

body work - melissa febos

"there is no pain in my life that has not been given value by the alchemy of creative attention." i finished this book a full three days ago; curled up on a couch at a community thanksgiving potluck, i tore through the pages and found myself spilling tears into the sparkling cider. and still, i come back three days later, hoping to have found adequate words, and instead still finding myself at a loss, a crossroads. i don't think the profound emotions of this book will be digested within me until i finally write what i have been meaning to write my whole life; and i don't know when that will be, so it is safe to assume, for now, that this book will stay with me for a long, long time. i do not know how to express my love and admiration for the revelation that is this book. i don't think it's worth it for me to try. it's not necessary; everything that needed to be said about my feelings on this subject have somehow been condensed and distilled into this thin tome. i found myself with a bounty of answers to questions i did not yet have the words for but whose gravity had been making my head—and thus my words—tilt askew since i first learned to pick up a pen (or, more accurately, open up a blank google doc).

as someone who writes but is not yet a "writer" in the colloquial sense of the word, i sometimes struggle to articulate why i must write. why the traumas, the travails that my characters go through on the page are not gratuitous, not commercialized. why it is necessary to write about certain things, even though popular culture would like to have us believe that they are overdone, that we have nothing more to add, that certain topics do not make for good literature. but what historically has been considered "good literature" is but a narrow spectrum of the human existence, and our mission should not be to contort ourselves so that we can find some distorted version of our essences in that trick mirror, but expand our repertoire so that we can see ourselves reflected in the skies.

and this is what melissa febos is arguing for; that we create a literature so representative that nobody has to question if their story holds value, if it is worth telling. thank you, melissa febos. thank you. 5 stars.

[maepolzine]

My Thoughts on Until The Stars Fall (Immortal Reveries, Book 1) by Vanessa Rasanen

Sharing my thoughts on Until The Stars Fall by Vanessa Rasanen

I loved Vanessa Rasanen’s Aisling Sea trilogy, so when she revealed a new series set in the same world but with brand new characters, I was thrilled. Until the Stars Fall is the first novel in the Immortal Reveries series. Each novel in the series is standalone, however they are interconnected. Meaning that while you don’t need to read them all to understand the current story, characters from one…