Review #11 - Parallax (Teamtage 8) By Evolve Stunting
Part 1 Stunts:
xCudzy Behemoth Opener: 2/5
Dark's Wallclimb to Crane Top: 4/5
Plex's 4X Crank: 4/5
Aero's Tank Launch to Weazel: 2.5/5
Lobbin/Kyscreth Car/Plane Launch to Weazel: 3.5/5
xCudzy Hill to Roof to Lombank: 2.5/5
xCudzy Canal Wallclimb to Factory Top: 0.5/5
Lobbin's Backwards Wallclimb to Crane: 0/5
Marston's BF400 Double Bump to Chimney: 0.5/5
Forest's Moto Handlebar to Grind: 2/5
Part 2 Stunts:
Network's Behemoth: 4/5
Extaze Double Bump to Building: 0/5
Lobbin's Z Type Double Bump to Badger Tower: 3.5/5
Forest's Wallride to Grind: 3/5
Vanilla/Plex Casino Quad Wallride to Pillars: 5/5
Marston's Rail Bump to Motel Precision: 1.5/5
Lobbin/Gauss Car/Jet Launch to Aiport Building: 0/5
Gauss Green Bridge Bakcwards Jet Combo: 0.5/5
Dark's Panto Sawmill Chimney: 5/5
Part 3 Stunts:
Zeeb's Bump to White Building: 1/5
Gauss Dock Cranes Jet Combo: 1/5
Momatt's Boat Wallride to Crank: 5/5
Albert's Jet Bump to Hangar Wallride to Slide to Billboard Grind: 3/5
Dark's Adder Double Bump tp Windmill: 1.5/5
Gauss/Viper Miles High Jet Combo: 0.5/5
Viperz's Power Station BMX Combo: 0.5/5
Zeeb's Bump to Chimney: 1.5/5
Marston's Bridge Bump to Chimney: 2.5/5
Momatt's Blue Crange Peg to Handlebar: 1.5/5
Aero's USB: 5/5
Part 3.5 Stunts:
Kyscreth/Lobbin Insurgent/Tank Launch to Brown Building: 2.5/5
Network Mountain Drop to Radio Tower: 1.5/5
Plex' Handlebar to Wallride to Ass Grind: 2/5
Yellok's Triple Bump to Blue Crane: 1/5
Overall Stunt Score: 72.5/170 ≈ 4.5/10
Part 1 Edit: 1/5
Part 2 Edit: 5/5
Part 3 Edit: 1.5/5
Part 3.5 Edit: 0.5/5
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Final Thoughts and Score: I'd like to start this one off by explaining how I rate stunts, especially when dealing with older videos. I do indeed take the time period into context, some things are bound to age better or worse and I try to balance those things out when I'm giving a score. For example, Yellok's finisher used to be regarded as the pinaccle of moto gliding stunts, and I will admit that I once found it impressive for sure, and from a techincal is still is, but from a viewing experiencing and taking into account the landing and other stunts landed to the blue crane top since (and even before with a stunt like Taz's from "V") , it's hard to deny how poorly it has aged even if it was once regarded as the best stunt landed in the game. And I think that's sort of my point with a lot of the reviews I'll be doing, an old video can be a 10/10 back then but with the changing landscape of stunting styles, which I feel are at the highest peaks they've been at ever, it should be normal for older videos to somewhat age poorly and I don't think that's a bad thing, it's just the natural cycle of pushing a game to its limits. So yes, I'd probably give Parallax closer to a 9/10 back when it released (and I think I'll go back to some older reviews and add something like that because I can see why my reviews seem harsh), when in actuality, I'm just giving my honest opinions when rewatching these back years later. Something newer videos definitely can't compete with is charm/nostalgia, and most of these videos haven't lost that trait, but I'm more stunt focused, and most of it is just objective at the end of the day, I might not like a stunt you like or vice versa, but we can at least discuss about it and explain our reasonings, and I hope we can get more interactions like that on this site because stunting is a fun topic for me personally, whether it's V or older installments (and I definitely plan on reviewing some SA/VC content on here, I think a lot of my stunting preferences stem from the older games, stylishness is everything. Getting back to my main point and elbaborating more on my viewing on Parallax, this video, in my opinion, marks a big step up stunt wise. We start to see stunts that are just mindblowing for their time and still would be to this day. Stunts like Plex's/Vanilla's Casino Wallride or Aero's USB (the first to ever do it) are huge standouts to me. We also begin seeing the early proto-types of special ability stunts that don't just involve point a to point b gliding, rather using PC physics to get some smooth double bumps like Lobbin's Z-Type to Badger Tower or Dark's Sawmill Chimney (which is also a huge standout). I think the majority of these stunts have aged okay, in fact, I'd even say many of these spots are iconic. Some examples include: Dark's Wallclimg to Crane Top, all of Cudzy's stunts, and all of Network's stunts. I think this is a testament to how impactful this video was when it released, and along with Dark Horizon, it is one of Evolve's crucial benchmarks in my eyes. Talking about the edit a bit, this era of Evolve editing (along with Teamtage 7) is not one I'm very fond of nowadays. I don't think anyone had angles down until Masa joined the scene and it really shows in this one. The first part is better than Teeqy's previous edit on TT7 but I sense it lacks identity just like the last one as well. There was a lot of drawing from inspirations but not making it their own or just completely ripping it off back then that doesn't really get talked about. Rz's edit on the other hand was the freshest breath of air the V editng scene had seen in a long time. It is a style that is unique to it's time period and still holds up extremely well in my eyes. The little 3D animation at the beginning is a miss but I like the fact they tried something new even if it didn't work out completely. Also that Madeon song is just a banger so it definitely enhances my enjoyability of that part. Penguin's edits suffer from the same thing Teeqy's edits did back then, and this is a shame given how much I enjoy the edit on Dark Horizon, a video where you made one of the moodiest atmospheres of any video. I just don't think COD style edting fits extremly well in V montages, makes it feel more like watching a cool moments video rather than viewing something more personalized (and that's just my little personal bias on editing). Going back to the very start talking about how I rate stunts, there's five criterias I try to implement: orginality, innovation, stylishness, longevity, and the time period. That's all I gotta say for now.
I'm feeling a 6/10!
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Review #10.5 - Before The Dawn (Teamtage 7 Part Two) By Evolve Stunting
Stunts in Order:
Dark's Adder Chimney Opener: 3.5/5
Lobbin's Clock Tower Top: 1/5
Marston's Double Bump to Tower: 0/5
Jeri's Canal Wallride to Blue Bridge: 2.5/5
Spaz's Handlebar Grind to Backwards Cog: 0/5
Momatt's Framebounce to Handlebar to Dock Crank: 2/5
Nightmare's Plane Tunnel Line: 0/5
Dark's Car Prison Water Tower: 0/5
Playboyz/Lobbin Panto Launch to Electricity Tower: 0/5
KegDog/Jocko/Teeqy Boat/Jet to Maze Bank: 0/5
Lobbin's Curb Bump to Building Satelite: 0/5
Penguin's Wallclimb to Watertower: 0/5
Playboyz Garbage Bump to Chimney: 0/5
Forest's Faggio Handlebar to Grind: 1.5/5
Vanilla/Kegdog's Plane Tunnel Line: 0/5
Yellok's Ferris Wheel Finisher: 2/5
Overall Stunting Score: 12.5/80 ≈ 1.5/10
Editing Score: 1.5/5
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Final Thoughts and Score:
I'm mirroring what Lena said, this just feels like scraps in comparison to the first part. Dark's opener is truly the only stunt to age somewhat well. Editing is better but not by much. Credits hella overrated.
I'm feeling a 1.5/10!
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Review #10 - The Night is Darkest (Teamtage 7 Part One) By Evolve Stunting
Part 1 Stunts:
Dark's Superbump to Tinkle Tower Top: 4.5/5
Forest's Airport Wallride to Garage Entry: 0.5/5
Part 2 Stunts:
Jeri/Albert's Panto Jet Launch to Lombank: 2/5
Plex's Jet Boost to Wallride to Crane Thread: 0/5
Part 3 Stunts:
Jeri's Hakuchou Bump to Chimney: 2/5
Dark's Slide to Crane Top: 4/5
Marston's Double Bump to Grind: 0/5
Ornage's Wallride to Cog to Wallride: 2.5/5
Robmom's Triple Crank to Fence Precision: 0/5
Lobbin's Adder Double Bump to Building: 2/5
Albert's Moto Cog to Wallride: 0/5
Part 4 Stunts:
KegDog's Faggio Wallride to Moving Bus Wallride to Wallride: 5/5
H8Mex Jet Airport Double Thread Control Tower: 3.5/5
Dada's Triple Moving Bus Wallrides: 1.5/5
Part 5 Stunts:
Penguin's Bump to Sign: 0/5
Momatt's BMX Double Handlebar Grinds: 0/5
Penguin's Bump to Building Water Tower: 2/5
Kyscreth's Framebounce Water Gap: 0/5
Jocko's Windmill Finisher: 1.5/5
Overall Stunting Score: 31/95 ≈ 3/10
Editing Score: 0/5
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Final Thoughts and Score:
I remember this whole part two saga and thought this was the shit as a kid. This might be one of the worst edits on any team video period, talk about ripping off someone. KegDog's run needs to be studied.
I'm feeling a 2/10
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