Hey all, it’s Kern here, coming at you with another video game fan song. It’s made with humans written lyrics, and with Generative AI for the music and vocals. As always, Kresh worked really hard on this one to get it as perfect and relatable as it could be.
Return to Monkey Island is a very strange game, because it doesn’t really answer any of the questions that we, as fans, had been waiting for. The game and the journey itself was, in a word: wonderful. The puzzles were moderately challenge, most of them were fairly clever. In a puzzle based point-and-click adventure franchise it played beautifully. The visuals were great, and the game had some great new character additions that really fleshed out the universe in ways that really appeals to us.
However, for all of the amazing additions to this game, and the fandom even received it, there is one major problem that just smacked both Kresh and I in the face while playing.
The ending… or rather, the entire lack of it.
I can’t even begin to name the ways in which Monkey Island as a franchise, and this particular game in general goes on completely unresolved. There are a handful of story elements that make no sense at all because they didn’t receive firm closure. We could easily look beyond that somewhat small issue, but the ending itself was so abrupt that it makes the above complaint jarring… even infuriating.
Now some may claim that the ending of this game is certainly the average Ron Gilbert that fans could come to expect, and we shouldn’t have expected proper conclusions because of this… and you know what? I’m not against that viewpoint entirely. I just wish (and Kresh does too) that we had a much more conclusive and satisfying ending than the one we received.
This fan song was a long time coming, lyrics are in the video… hopefully, if you’re like us, it brings you some level of catharsis… lol.
Hey everyone, it’s Kern here. I’m coming to you with something a little different today because it’s not “fandom” related, and more related to us, The Demented Ferrets in a general sense. Over time, we’ve released our first set of fan songs. Truth be told, we’ve been having a lot of fun doing it.
Along with “fan songs” which currently make up the bulk of the music that we’ve been working on, Kresh has been working on songs that hit closer to the home and the heart of the matter. This song is the first in what we hope will be a long line-up of music about the human element, heart and soul. We wanted it to be relatable, but also about a personal journey. We hope you enjoy listening to it.
About Unveiled: This song was written as a reminder that dark times do not define us, and shouldn’t hold us down. That our minds and self-imposed prisons need not hold us back from being who we truly wish to be. We wanted it to be a “feel good” song for the moments when someone needs to hear a positive and heartfelt sentiment the most.
Make sure to follow our YouTube for more songs like this one. On Tuesday, we’ve got a new single coming out, which will be a song about the transgender experience in general. Until then, though, enjoy this one for what it is, and accept it for what it isn’t… it was the first song we made that wasn’t fan related.
Until next time, this has been Kern of the Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course.
This is the Tomb Raider fan song that we’ve be teasing on the Twitch channel. Now that the remasters of 4, 5, and 6 are out, that means Tomb Raider Tuesdays (or Thursdays given my life situation at the moment) are back with a vengeance over on Twitch… in the meantime enjoy the song and consider subscribing to us on YouTube to keep up-to-date on music as it releases!
Hey all, it’s Kern here. As you might know, Kresh and I have been working on music for various kinds of fandom, mostly video game music for now. However, what you may not know is that we have original stories that we’d like to share with you all.
This is the latest project from Kresh known as City of Shadows.
This 19 song story will slowly unfold over time, culminating in a four act saga that’s just a little over an hour long from start to finish.
If you want to follow the story more closely you, should subscribe to our YouTube channel where two songs will be released every week. The songs will also be posted up here on this page as they release.
Lyrics are on the actual YouTube pages for people who need them. Just go to the YouTube link!
City of Shadows: Act 0: The Beginning
City of Shadows: Act 1: The Rise and Fall
City of Shadows: Act 1: Rise of the Twin Flames
City of Shadows: Act 1: Shadow of the Voryn Steppes
City of Shadows: Act 1: Fall of the Twin Cities
City of Shadows: Act 1: A Spark in the Dark
City of Shadows: Act 2: The Songbird
City of Shadows: Act 2: Whispers of the Songbird
City of Shadows: Act 2: Gathering in the Plaza
City of Shadows: Act 2: Song of Rebellion
City of Shadows: Act 2: Shelter of the Echoes
City of Shadows: Act 2: The Echo’s Story
City of Shadows: Act 3: The Rise
City of Shadows: Act 3: The Tyrant’s Move
City of Shadows: Act 3: Chains and Wings
The City of Shadows: Act 3: From the Ashes
City of Shadows Act 4 (Final): The Fall of the Tyrant
Hey everyone, it’s Kern here. A little while ago we released this fan song to YouTube, and we hope you’ll enjoy it. This is a fan song about Final Fantasy XI, and a nostalgic trip through memory lane from during what FFXI players call “Aggro to zone days”, a time in FFXI history when you trailed mobs to the zone after being aggroed they didn’t despawn, they merely walked back to the spawn location.
These days, aggroing a monster to the zone in FFXI doesn’t mean the mob will walk back to the place the monster is meant to be, it will simply despawn and fade away. This ends up saving other players a lot of headaches in key zones like the dunes and crawler’s nest. All in all this song is meant to be a fun musical romp down memory lane for the people who fondly recall those days.
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier. If you don’t care for Patreon, and don’t care about perks, you can always support us through PayPal too… links below.
Those who join via Patreon get special perks, such as extra content, quicker updates, and more.
It’s October 31st, and that means it’s Halloween. To celebrate the holiday Kresh made a song for it. Happy All Hollows, may the candy be plentiful, the spooks frightful, and don’t forget to keep your animals indoors. Black cats are in the most danger this time of year of being harmed due to superstitions regarding them, so keep them safe.
Hey everyone, it’s Kern here with our next fan song. First a little backstory. Kresh and I both really like the Resident Evil series, but when it comes to the third game in the franchise Kresh never played the original… only I did. As someone who played the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, I have some pretty strong opinions about why I think the original game is far and away the better game. Those opinions lead to this fan song. The glam-rock song is meant to be taken “in good fun”, and its not something to take super seriously.
About the Song: “Where’s The Fear? (Nemesis No Show)” is a song that depicts Kern’s two largest complaints of the Resident Evil 3 Remake. First of all, the Nemesis in the remake doesn’t feel nearly as threatening as his original counterpart. The original used arguably clunky tank controls, but the fact that Nemesis moves incredibly fast made him feel much more difficult to get away from, provided that you did choose to run from him. The second reason he feels much less threatening in the remake, and far less scary, is the lack of branching pathways and the overall improved enemy design when it comes to basic zombie encounters… the remake beefs up the usual zombie fodder a fair bit, but that means in context Nemesis feels weaker. While this song is obviously poking fun at the remake, it’s supposed to be “in good fun”, and not something to take too seriously.
There are some reasons why other people may find the remake to be the better of the two Resident Evil 3 games. That opinion has a fair bit of credence, but to me the original will always be better, and that’s why the remake was the one I chose to make the dis-track for. It’s the weakest of the remakes by far in my opinion, but that’s a statement I make in-context…. the “weakest game” is by no means a “bad game”, and please let that distinction stand as the nuanced opinion that it is.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is my all time favorite Resident Evil game in the franchise. The remake couldn’t have hoped to live up to my personal enjoyment as a player, and that’s not the game’s fault. When the things that make it my favorite were cut entirely, it’s fair to assume I’d find the remake lackluster. Visually, it certainly looks better… overall I just don’t find that it feels better to play.
The Strengths and Weaknesses Both Games Have
The Resident Evil 3 Remake isn’t a bad game, it’s just balanced differently. In an attempt to make the remake linear, they cut out the freedom of choice options that allowed players to interact with Nemesis in a much more organic way. This single action streamlines the remake into a completely solid experience for anyone intending to only play the game once. For those that have never touched the original, it’s a streamlined and simple approach to a very convoluted story. Resident Evil 2 and 3 take place both simultaneously, and separately, depending on timeline and lore.
While Nemesis was heavily scripted in both games (and it would be foolish to think he wasn’t heavily scripted in the original game too), he doesn’t feel as scripted in the original because the player is given distinct options when it comes to dealing with him. Choosing to battle him, incapacitate him briefly, or escape him for the moment are usually the crux of the choices presented. These set pieces offer a special way to enjoy the game during a replay because you can choose other options to begin with. While I will be the first to admit some choices have very little impact compared to others, I will also say that I prefer the attempt that the original game made to expand upon its story telling process.
Furthermore, even though I do believe that Resident Evil 3 Remake contains a weaker showing of Nemesis as a looming threat, let me be clear: both games are worth playing.
I think the story of Resident Evil 3 is much better represented in the original game. However, I think players will find the remake to be a better balance of overall enemy design and combat related immersion. It’s true that Nemesis is a weaker threat in the remake compared to his original counterpart, but, let’s not forget that in the original game he’s about the only real threat that there is. Once you’ve played the game a few times, every other enemy feels predictable. He needs to feel much more organic because to an experienced player he’s about the only element of surprise that we actually need to be careful of… all of the other enemies lack a feeling of real danger once you know the maps and the routes.
That isn’t to say an experienced player won’t find themselves in a thorny situation or two. Unless you’ve perfectly optimized all the runs and possible enemy placements in your head, and plan accordingly, the original game can and will provide its challenges. It’s merely that the difficulty threshold then increases based on player error, rather than the enemies themselves. Using too many bullets early might mean ending up shorthanded when you really need them later. The same would be true of healing items. That’s usually how the original Resident Evil games scale difficulty, so it’s no surprise. While it’s a good idea, it’s an unbalanced idea for anyone who plays the game repetitiously.
Zombies in the original aren’t too bright, and sometimes they will just go after the walls instead of the player. Unless you’ve encountered a large pack of them in a tight space, they’re not a huge problem. Crows are almost non-threatening completely since they show up sparingly, and the poisonous enemy types like spiders become crippled in the face of certain weaponry. The only enemies in the original game that might be just as dangerous as Nemesis are the hunters, and they show up rarely.
Contrasting that difference, in the remake zombies and other enemy types are a much greater threat than they ever were in the original. While I’m a little sad Nemesis felt like he became a little too nurfed in favor of other enemies of the game, all of the enemies in the remake feel at least somewhat formidable. By trading off branching paths and the real power-house threat Nemesis provides in the original game, the Remake was able to offer a linear and cleanly portrayed experience. For some players; the much more balanced combat, lack of tank controls, and on-rails story may prove to be the more entertaining experience for them.
For me personally, the original is just the better game, that’s how I feel. Others may disagree, and that’s completely fine. For Kresh, the remake was her first experience with Nemesis, and for that reason alone I’m glad we were given the remake. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is an old game, and its age shows. Beyond that, the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis had its failings within the initial trilogy too. Even though I love it, the original, it was still a step down objectively from its predecessor, Resident Evil 2. That was true of the original trilogy, and we see the remakes following that same pattern. Objectively Resident Evil 2 Remake is far and away better than the Resident Evil 3 remake… but that’s just history repeating. Nothing more than a true testament of what an amazing Game Resident Evil 2 actually was, and the source material that its own remake had to work with in spades.
I’m happy so many people like the Resident Evil 3 Remake, and I’m profoundly grateful that modern gamers who would never have touched the original, now have their own version of the story. I also genuinely hope one-day far in the future they will recall Resident Evil 3 Remake with the same loving fondness that I have for the original all these years later…
Still though, my personal opinion stands firm. In the Resident Evil 3 Remake, the titular enemy was ripped from not only the title of the game itself, but he was also knocked down a few pegs. Nemesis ultimately lost a little bit of what made him so formidable, and we decided to poke fun at him for it…
This has been Kernook of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you next time!
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier. If you don’t care for Patreon, and don’t care about perks, you can always support us through PayPal too… links below.
Those who join via Patreon get special perks, such as extra content, quicker updates, and more.
Hey all, our Mass Effect Fan Song: Dream Team is out on our Patreon now. Below is just a small preview of the full song. Those interested can join our Patreon at the $1 tier to get access to mp.3’s for all of our music. We hope you enjoy it!
About the fan song “Dream Team”: Kresh and Kern wanted to make a fan song paying tribute to the characters we like the absolute best in Mass Effect, and this song is the result. We hope you like this little tease and it inspires you to want to hear the full song as a Patreon member. Fan Songs release two at a time, every other week. One song is released publicly as Ode to Clanfok was, and the other song is Patreon exclusive… stupid me (Kern) just forgot to write up the post for this song during weak of release, so I’m doing it now.
To fully disclose (yet again), we’re using Suno to make our music because Kresh and I cannot sing for the life of ourselves (and neither can Ruka). Using an AI voice, we can bring our lyrics to life. We know that not everyone agrees with using artificial intelligence this way, but for us creating music is both a cathartic act and a passion, so that’s why we use Suno.
Until next time, happy gaming everyone!
This has been Kern of the Demented Ferrets, Where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are par for the course… seriously though, we really hope that people like the song.
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier. If you don’t care for Patreon, and don’t care about perks, you can always support us through PayPal too… links below.
Those who join via Patreon get special perks, such as extra content, quicker updates, and more.
Hey all, It’s Kern here. For those of you who don’t know, I absolutely love the video game Clanfolk, which you can check out and buy on steam if you don’t have it already. No paid promotion here, I just genuinely love the game. In fact, we Demented Ferrets like it so much, we made a fan song about it using Suno. The song was made using AI, since Kresh and I can’t sing very well at all.
Clanfolk takes place in 1300’s Scotland. The central mechanics revolve around family life and cultivating a homestead for your clan to live and thrive. We wanted the song to reflect that with a cheery, upbeat lyrical tone from the perspective of the player’s clan itself.
(Side Note: with all the content that continues to get added to Clanfolk, you can be sure we’re highly inspired to keep making fan songs about the game, so this won’t be the only one.)
If you’re interested in learning more about Clanfolk, the official discord is both very helpful and active. Furthermore, the game can be purchased on Steam for anyone interested in playing it.
At the time of making this post, the game is currently in early access and receives updates with new content often. Clanfolk is made lovingly by Blorf, a solo game dev, and it’s published by Hooded Horse. The intended focus is upon the clan itself, usually a small family under 40 members in size. Although players like myself often build larger homesteads of over a hundred, the game itself truly shines when the focus is kept to a small or middling clan size. The game is cozy, without a heavy emphasis on warfare. You shouldn’t let that deter you. Clanfolk may be cozy, but it’s not overly simple or “too easy”.
The testing branch is available to all players, meaning if you are okay to deal with a couple of bugs here and there you can see what’s in store for the main branch early. All you need to do is opt into the testing branch on Steam once you’ve purchased the game.
I can’t get into an in-depth breakdown of the game here or this post would be far, far too long. What I will say is that there’s a skill tree that allows you to unlock all kinds of things for your clan. You’ll focus on survival in your first year starting in Summer. From there, your job is to prepare your clan to make it through Winter by stocking up on food and water. Ensuring your clan is warm enough not to die to the bitter chill of the cold is another key aspect to focus on during the early game.
A filthy clan is an unhappy clan, so you might want to build a tub for them to wash in, and a water dipper for them to drink from. If that’s too difficult for you to accomplish in time, water jugs for satiating thirst will do to get you through the winter. Just make sure you have enough of them. The water Dipper is far more efficient, though.
The September 2024 update included the “wake and funeral” system, further cementing the “family bonds” aspect of gameplay by including a period of mourning when someone from the clan passes away. This isn’t a colony sim based in raw numbers, but rather in the unity of the clan members and the preservation of those emotional bonds. Taking the time to get to know your clan and optimizing their routine is truly one of the more rewarding aspects of the game.
If you want to see gameplay footage, just ask Kresh and Kern when we’re live on Twitch, and we’ll show off the game… we do that often enough since I’m such a huge fan of it.
More Demented Ferret News:
Okay, so on to some of the typical “ramble-ramble” TDF self-promotion nonsense….
If you want to download the song “Ode to Clanfolk” to listen to it any time, it’s up on our Patreon for free. We have more music in the works too. If you want to support what we do, consider becoming a member of ourPatreon. Music will release as we make it, but be assured there will be plenty more where this came from. We hope to see you there!
Some songs will be Patreon exclusive for paying members of the $1 and above tiers.The first Patreon exclusive release is Dream Team, a song about the game Mass Effect. It’s up for Patrons now.
This has been Kern of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. Don’t forget to follow us on social media.
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier. If you don’t care for Patreon, and don’t care about perks, you can always support us through PayPal too… links below.
Those who join via Patreon get special perks, such as extra content, quicker updates, and more.
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