Kerrin's Commentaries

[Kerrin Clearloch]

Well, I love to review applications and we got so many awesome ones, I couldn't resist sharing my thoughts on at least some of them.

First up, the Dewhurst Players!

Risk

Those two foxes definitely remind of the Weasley twins...

Alright that said, my first impression of this character was that he felt a bit familiar- I mean, just the fact that he's a super skilled warrior with a sense of humor makes me feel a bit of deja vue, especially since we don't get to see or feel  his darker side or his faults. Other than that, I like him simply because he feels like a real, solid character and the writing in this app is very good. I'll admit I was more interested in the fox twins than in Risk for a while but still, I can feel what Risk is thinking and feeling in the context of this app and that's good.

All in all, Risk is a good character but I want to see some faults out of him, I want to know if he has verminy tendencies or if he always has the amount of restraint and respect that he shows in the application. I know he killed a bunch of beasts but the fact that he tells the twins to respect the dead and responds pretty mildly to Hoc's reprimands tells me he's not your average snarling vermin.


Poko


I love Poko. I have a weak point for quick-thinking maids with disguise skills and attitude. After I re-read the app, I realized Poko doesn't have a whole lot of lines and ended up wondering what grabbed me so much out of her app. But grab me she did and she's still my favorite out of the actors. I'm wondering what will happen to her parents and how that could affect her attitude. Will they survive the landslide? Is Poko going to have to deal with losing her parents or at least being separated from them for a while?

The only critique I have here is pretty much what everyone else said- Poko has little lines and there's a lot of supporting characters which take up space in the app that could have been devoted to her. But all in all, I think this app still does a very good job of conveying what Poko's like and I'm looking forward to seeing more of her.

Vist


Ye know, I'm not quite sure what to make out of this character... I don't know, it just felt like the writer was more conveying a story or scene than an actual character, if that makes any sense. I don't get a real feeling for what Vist is like in day-to-day life because really, his lines tell me he's doesn't like fighting all that much and then he stabs someone right after. I mean, it's understandable why he did it, but it kind of cancels out the character building he'd done so far. I don't know if he's going to be ready to take someone else's life anytime after this or whether he's still the more quiet, despondent ferret we see at the start of the app.

I'm sure I could get to like this character though, as long as he doesn't stay just as the guy with a tragic past and evolves into his own personality, habits, relationships, etc.

Shortstack


First off, I'm not a fan of characters with bad morals unless he's really a really evil guy like Goragula, so I'm a bit biased. Still, Shortstack is a solid character and I get a good feel for him, just like I did for Risk. He's quick to get angry, likes to take it out on some other beast and doesn't really have any remorse about cutting an otter's tail off as payment for a loan. By the way, I'd have liked to see how Shortstack beat Skip- I know the otter was drunk but still, Shortstack is well, short, and I'd have like to see how he fights bigger beasts. I can't say I really like this guy's character, overall, but just that fact is proof that he has a definite character and that's good.

[Kerrin Clearloch]

Alright, on to the Yew Guard!

Maxine Honeydouble

A true badger type but also an original character- I like this gel. She's got this gruffness and exasperation with criticism and impertinence which was such an integral part of many Redwall badgers- at the same time, it's tempered by her obvious concern for young ones and those under her command. And then I feel hints of quirky habits coming through the app; the spice racks, bottles of mead, etc. hint that she's a beast who has her own pastimes and environment. All of this makes her a nicely balanced character and it doesn't hurt that a badger could make stuff a lot more interesting in the contest.


Grainger


I don't really have a lot more to say about this warrior other than what is already being discussed in the other threads. I really like him, and although the app was a bit confusing at first, I understood his character really well after a second read. A serious and dedicated leader figure in the group would open up a lot of venues for inter-character tensions, too.

Captain Noonahootin

I gotta hand it to these guys, these apps are fantastic. And I like his name. Really I do. At first, I was like, what? And then I started saying it in my brain and it sounded real good. I think it's great for authors to go for something unusual once in a while and in this case it worked.
This owl doesn't seem like an overly complex character which is nice sometimes. Just a good old owl captain who's happy doing his job and passing on his skills. I would love to see him among the cast. He could act as something of a father figure to some of the younger beasts, perhaps.

Istvan

This otter is creeping me out. Besides that, I will say that he is interesting and the writing is exceptionally good. The only thing bothering me is the non-canon feel of this character. Personally, I like characters that feel like they could have just come out of one of Brian Jacques' books and this one doesn't.

Ben Slider

The setting's is tragic and sad and all, but I don't really like this character. Perhaps I have the same problem I had with Vist- his story and circumstances just overshadow his personality. But really, I just don't seem to enjoy characters who are all mopey, even if they have a good reason to be. But that's just my preferences, this app is well written and original nevertheless.