Greetings, and welcome to a very special episode of Week in Review.  With Halloween fast approaching, we have a special guest host this week.

When the Jews return to Zion,
and a comet rips the sky,
and the Holy Roman Empire rises;
then you and I must die.
From the eternal sea he rises,
creating armies on either shore,
turning man against his brother,
'til man exists no more.

Meet Grey Remnant . . . and repent for your sins . . .

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Over the past year, I’ve seen many renditions of ships and ocean liners.  Not one has ever taken gold for the structure category here on Week in Review.  However, this week that trend ends with French liner SS Normandie, a massive cruise ship made by DmitriiTL.



On the exterior, SS Normandie is pretty much what you’d expect.  There’s a lot of realism, the steam stacks are angled perfectly, and tiny details here and there add up to something truly exceptional.  However, SS Normandie is fundamentally different from other, similar mega builds.



I don’t think there’s anything that illustrates this more accurately than the following cross-section of the ship itself.  You see, this build elevates itself above the mishmash of its all too common, and frequently hollow, competition.  The magic of interior work!



Dozens upon dozens of rooms and compartments, all accessible to one another through a series of staircases.  This is what it costs to turn a hollow shell into a treasure trove of amazing decor.  And the cost is high.  Imagine the hours that went into this.



And let me make something abundantly clear.  These rooms were decorated using the default texture pack.  I have a special level of respect that I reserve for people who take the time to make the default texture pack look really good.  It’s an art that’s, all too often, omitted and bypassed through the use of HD, user-made texture packs.



But even in default, this decor looks damn impressive.  It’s not easy to do, but when it’s done right, the results are limitless.  This is top-notch interior work, and the diversity of shapes and forms created through a myriad of different materials leads to a really special environment to explore.



I’m going to go on record, here and now, and say that this is my favorite water-based structure of all time.  It’s not defined by fancy renders, or texture packs.  It’s defined by hard work and raw talent.

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This was a really exceptional week for terraforming.  There were at least 5 maps that, any other week, could have and probably would have won gold here on Week in Review.  Sadly, and as you all know, there can only be one.  And the terraforming project this week is Desolated Plains, created by LegendsOfValeros.



You know that old, biblical phrase 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil’?  Well, I’ve never understood exactly what valley they were referring to.  Now I realize that it was specifically referring to this project.  Congrats, LegendsOfValeros!  You’ve recreated an ancient, biblical parable and therefore, by the power of God and all his heavenly angels, you win a free iPod!  :D



But, getting back to reality, this is a really scary terrain.  It’s comprised of jagged, volcanic mountain ranges, surrounding a valley of darkness and death.  There’s some lovely castles and other architecture sprinkled here and there, but I seriously doubt that property values are very high.  If you’re interested in living in a barren dustbowl, this would be a great time to buy a house in Desolated Plains.



The ecosystem here in Desolated Plains is- well, actually there is no ecosystem.  The closest things to living organisms you’re going to find here are lava pools and gnarled, dead trees.  I’d imagine that due to the sulfuric fumes and lack of vegetation there’s some heavy smog coverage from time to time.  Oh, speaking of which, Smaug the dragon also likes to vacation here during the summer, which adds new dimensions to the uninhabitability of this treacherous landscape.



Actually, thinking about it now, this probably isn’t a good place to live, or even visit for that matter.  Stay away from Desolated Plains, everyone.  I recommend Acapulco instead.  What?  Hurricane Patricia?  God damn it!



Nevermind.  Just . . . just stay home.  You’ll probably be safe there.  Unless you live in Rockford, Illinois.  That’s where dreams go to die.



Ah jeez, I’m 7 paragraphs in and I still haven’t actually talked about the map.  Alright, I’m going into overdrive to finish this off!  Desolated Plains is a richly textured landscape with many diverse features including custom trees, lava pools, architecture, customs arches, and ambitious terraforming.  It’s very creative and imparts a feeling of dread and despair upon the viewer.  Great work, LegendsOfValeros!

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And finally, the best organic work of the week was Athion Builder Showcase - Kevaasaurus, created by AthionOfficial!  And by ‘AthionOfficial’, I mean Kevaasaurus.  Awkward.  That’s what you get for joining a build team, dude.  Now all your work belongs to them.  Don’t you feel silly now?  I would recommend kicking down the doors of AthionOfficial, weapons blazing, and take the medal by force.  Show no mercy, dude.  At least, that’s what I’d do.  Then again, I’m an unstable, slightly insane individual with no empathy and nothing to lose.  o_o



This build, attributable to either AthionOfficial or Kevaasaurus, is very nice.  It’s a subterranean cavern located somewhere near the center of the Earth.  The sole occupants of said cavern are a woman, a dragon, and two scary humanoid figures cloaked in darkness (clearly members of the Illuminati; Illuminati confirmed).



Though I can’t deny that every single figure in this scene looks amazing in every way, I’m stumped as to what they’re doing.  Is the dragon circling the woman, preparing to devour her with its massive, razor-lined jaws?  Are the dark figures going to save the woman from certain death?  Or, maybe, the woman is actually a powerful demigod and the dragon is her loyal pet.  That would certainly explain why she seems calm and indifferent to the scary crap going on around her.



Do you see what I love about this map?  The plot is ambiguous.  Nobody knows what the hell is happening here.  It’s whatever you want it to be.  If you want this to be an epic tale of the ages, it can be.  If you want this to be further evidence of the Illuminati’s secret, terrible grip on society, you’re in luck!  Let your imagination run wild.  Personally, I have to keep mine in check, otherwise this review might go off the rails.



But, all in all, these are some stellar organic figures positioned in a clever way, which elicits a creative response from the audience.  It’s clear why AthionOfficial decided to draw Kevaasaurus into their web, at least until he kills them all and takes back his medal!  Hey, there’s an idea for your next project, dude!  You’re welcome.  ;)

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Thanks for stopping by.  If you enjoyed your stay, please don't forget to toss us a diamond.  And don't forget to rain diamonds upon the map creators, as well.  See you guys next week.