C Magazine Vol. 1 Edition 3

C

T he CampanilE A&E Magazine

Remi and Chloe page 11

Best Dressed Friend page 8

Borderlands 2 page 19

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CONTENTS EDITORS’ LETTER

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FOOD BEST LOCAL CAFÉS

The best local spots to find warm drinks on cold, rainy days.

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STYLE MY BEST DRESSED FRIEND

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BURGUNDY COLLAGE

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We all have that one friend who always looks cute no matter what she or he is wearing.

The hot new color this season seems to be everywhere and on everyone.

COVER STORY REMI AND CHLOE

Two friends who just so happen to be amazing musicians and singers

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CULTURE SETTING THE STAGE

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CONCERT DO’S & DONT’S

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Get a inside look at the amazing set design team of Paly’s fall play, The Crucible.

A brief guide to concert Do’s and Don’ts, you wouldn’t want to be caught without this info so be sure to follow as directed

GLASSBLOWING

The glassblowing center is filled with beautiful creations made by staff and students.

Take a peek at the treasures throughout the studio.

CANTOR ART MUSEUM

Take a look at some of the incredible collections featured at Stanford’s own Cantor Art Museum.

BORDERLANDS 2

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6 The best of

Palo Alto’s many cafés

Sophia Moss

ON THE COVER Photo by Nikki Freyermuth

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Go like Remi and Chloe’s Facebook page here:

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The second installment of the popular Borderlands video game series is out.

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EDITORS’ LETTER Dear readers,

We hope you are enjoying this new edition of C Magazine as much as we are! We recently made a Facebook (facebook.com/TheCampanileMagazine) and Twitter (@cmagazine2012).

We are planning to update our Facebook page and twitter page daily.

On to some other exciting news, we will soon have our own website for C Magazine where one can find our latest articles and archives of all our previous stories. Plus, there will complete online editions of each edition.

Stay tuned on our Facebook page for the official launch of the website.

In this edition of C Magazine we dive into Palo Alto’s cafes, reviewing what we think are the best cafés highlighting each café’s coffee, while critiquing the overall atmosphere of each cafe.

Then in the style section, we explore the popular color that decorated Paly’s campus this fall. Our second style story has been adapted

STAFF LIST EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

from the San Francisco Chronicle revealing a person’s best dressed friend.

Remi and Chloe, the fantastic musical duo are our cover story for this edition. Both girls have unique voices, however when combined a magical contrast creates beauty.

Finally the culture section, especially large in this edition, covers three different types of art— tow of which are practiced at paly. We have even included our very first video game review!

Moving right along we would like to remind everyone that we appreciative of all feedback and critique. Please direct all comments to: cmtheeds@googlegroups.com. Just think you could be published in C magazine!

Thank you for your support all of our hard work; we greatly appreciate your readership.

— Perri Pond and Rachel Wilson Editors-in-Chief

Amigos is a non-profit youth leadership organization for students to volunteer in Latin America, working with a community on a project and leading educational camps. Volunteers must fund part of their trip, so the Amigos Peninsula Chapter is selling chocolate, coffee, and grapefruit.

Chocolate: Chocolate-cover Brazil nuts and golden berries in a Guatemalan hand-woven bag. $10 a bag

Coffee: The Santa Cruz Coffee Company Tres Americas blend. $15 per lb.

Perri Pond Rachel Wilson

CREATIVE DIRECTORS Caroline Martignetti Rose Fitzgerald

AD MANAGER Eric Wang

STAFF WRITERS Nikki Freyermuth Bella Graves Matt Morton Sophia Moss Pauline Na Samantha Newell Nolan Perla-Ward Julia Poppy Riya Varma Eric Wang

ADVISOR

Esther Wojcicki

Go to this website to order product: http://amigospenchap.org/

Grapefruit: Texas red ruby grapefruit. $22 a box (20 grapefruit per box)

* The chocolates and coffee are both certified organic and free trade supplied

FOOD

Palo Alto Cafes

Text and photos by Sophia Moss

Coupa Cafe This cozy, Venezuelan-owned cafe on Ramona Street was surprisingly busy for 11 o’clock in the morning on a weekday.

Most customers are on their laptops enjoying a cup of coffee or Coupa’s classic chai latte. Coupa has a relaxed and chilled out vibe that is perfect for studying, or for just getting a cup of joe.

Though the vibe is what makes Coupa welcoming, it is the food that keeps costumers coming back. Coupa has not only one type of hot chocolate, but two: “the abuela” is made with bittersweet choco-

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late, “spicy maya” contains cayenne peppers, pasilla and cinnamon.

The huge banana strawberry waffle ($8.95) comes with whipped cream and maple syrup. This is heavenly: the fruit on top added amazing flavor.

The Tiramisu ($6) is delectable, although it was a bit too creamy compared to other varieties.

The wide array of choices of food and hot drinks make it hard to pick because they all sound great. But no matter what one chooses you are sure to be satisfied.

In addition to its downtown location, Coupa has four locations scattered around Stanford University campus.

Coupa Cafe is definitely one of the best cafes in downtown Palo Alto, the overall ambiance of the cafe is welcoming to anyone who passes by, the service is great and the food is absolutely worth going back for.

538 Ramona St. Palo Alto, CA 94301

Cafe Venetia

John’s Cafe

This authentic Italian inspired cafe has two locations on University Avenue, one between Waverley and Kipling and one right by the Palo Alto Train Station. The calm atmosphere creates a great place for relaxing, or studying. Plus, cafe Venetia is one of the few cafes in downtown Palo Alto open until midnight on the weekends and till 11 P.M. on weekdays. The Waverley and Kipling location has a narrow entryway, with bar-like seating on both sides. The cafe’s downstairs is cramped, however the upstairs is more spacious. The cafe’s second location by the train station is a lot bigger and roomier than this one.

The coffee is rich and flavorful, while the macchiato is silky and delicious. If you are looking for a natural, genuine cup of coffee this is a great place to visit. There is not a huge variety of coffees that you can chose from, making deciding your order quick. The cafe also offers several pastries, but no lunch or dinner entrees.

This newly opened cafe on the corner of Lytton Avenue and Waverley Street in downtown Palo Alto looks casual and simple from the outside however upon entrance, one is greeted by the welcoming owner John. John’s disposition sets the calm and casual atmosphere.

The mocha ($2.75) is very rich and delicious — though it tasted more like hot chocolate than coffee, it was for a very good price! The cafe was pretty quiet with several people working on their laptops and enjoying drinks.

They have a pretty wide selection of sandwiches, salads, pastries and breakfast dishes on their menu. Their lunch specials and pastries sounded delicious. On their menu they have a selection of paninis, fresh garden salads, egg entrees and desserts including parfaits, pastries and pumpkin squares. The drinks they offer include teas, cider, chai lattes, sodas, brewed coffee and espresso.

John’s cafe’s variety of food and relaxed atmosphere yet again creates a great cafe in downtown Palo Alto.

491 University Avenue

95 University Avenue

401 Lytton Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301

FOOD

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STYLE My Best Dressed Friend Text and Photos by Rose Fitzgerald

Inspired by San Francisco Magazine, and starting off with Best Dressed 2013, Emily Tran, C magazine takes a peak into admired styles around Paly and what makes them unique.

How would you describe your personal style?

“I would describe my style as slightly preppy mixed with urban. My clothing is a mix of Gap, J. Crew and Free People. However, I always opt for comfort .

Why did you choose junior, Kate Marankovich for your best dressed friend?

“Kate and I have very similar styles, but I really like the way she pairs simple pieces with more outgoing accessories.”

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How would you describe your personal style?

“I would describe my personal style as very preppy.”

Why did you choose senior, Charlie Dulik, as your best dressed friend?

“As for Charlie’s style, he’ll hate me for saying this, but he dresses pretty preppy with a hipster twist. The plaid shirts and skinny pants just keep on coming.”

How would you describe your personal style?

“Sensual and often inapropriate. I dare to break the rules. Laurence-esque and minimalistic.”

Where do you frequently shop?

“Asos.com, Ebay, [and] this store on Bancroft [Avenue] in Berkeley and [I] thrift shop. Levi’s also makes a fine pant.”

Burgundy

I

By Pauline Na

t is the perfect deep shade of wine red that compliments the colors, themes and festivities of fall.

Burgundy has been named the “it” color of the fall and winter 2012 season. Featured on every runway during fashion week, burgundy made its way from Milan in style. Seen in virtually every shape and form ranging from dresses to wallets to peplum to shoes, burgundy has become the new black.

Flattering on every body type, burgundy has moved from the runway to mainstream clothing distributors such as Forever 21, Urban Outfitters and American Apparel. Thanks to stores such as these, everyone can get in on this year’s fall trend which seems to be here to stay.

Nikki Freyermuth

Perri Pond

Adam Mansour

Perri Pond

Perri Pond

Perri Pond

Nikki Freyermuth

Rachel Wilson

Nikki Freyermuth

Nikki Freyermuth

Perri Pond

STYLE

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Reporting you can trust on stories that matter.

Learning Matters is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit company, funded by education journalist John Merrow. Our mission is to tell stories about education, youth and families. Check out our videos, podcasts, blogs, and discussions

COVER STORY

Remi & Chloe 11

W

hile Palo Alto High School juniors Remi Wolf and Chloe Zilliac didn’t exactly mean to form a band, they have had a very significant impact on Paly’s student band scene in recent years. With a Facebook page, YouTube channel and one hit single on iTunes, Remi & Chloe are well on their way to fame.

“Remi has this soulful, powerful voice and I have a softer more sweet voice,” Zilliac said.

Zilliac and Wolf have been friends for more than seven years. Apart from being great friends, they are both extremely talented musicians and have created a singing duo which they simply call “Remi & Chloe”.

Wolf and Zilliac’s friendship is evident in the way they interact: laughing at each other’s responses, reminiscing old memories and even finishing each other’s sentences, as if they knew what the other was thinking.

Though Remi & Chloe is a relatively new group, their musical journey together began many years ago, when they started a trio group called Citrus in 6th grade.

“We did a completely different style of music,” Zilliac said. “We didn’t play guitar and we had backtracks.”

It was a fun start but faded once the two entered their freshman year in high school. With their trio member at Gunn,

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COVER

the group fell apart. After taking a break for about a year, the two began singing and playing the guitar together for fun on weekends and whenever they hung out.

“Basically it just started when we were playing for fun,” Zilliac said. “Remi would come over to my house and we would play guitar and do a song.”

The two received lots of positive feedback, especially from their parents.

“Our parents would say ‘Oh! You should street perform.’ and then it began,” Wolf said.

Zilliac and Wolf decided to begin their career street performing at an art and wine festival one day on Castro Street in Mountain View.

“Castro Street was the very first time [we played] at an arts fair, Zilliac said.

“This was the very first time we had played together and we made like $180 in 3 hours. It was awesome!”

Even though Remi and Chloe got very lucky during their first street performance, performing on the street is unpredictable and can be quite an adventure. They’ve since had less “I think it’s really fun depending on the crowd, where you are and the type of people [listening],” Wolf said. “Sometimes you’re street performing and there’s nobody paying attention.”

Remi After a few more tries at street performing, the two began taking their music even more seriously.

“We got a lot of positive feedback, so we decided to continue it and to take lessons together,” Wolf said.

There was no initial plan of starting a band, though. The response they received encouraged them to start performing.

“We didn’t decide [that] we were going to form a band, we just started playing music together for fun and then we started performing together,” Zilliac said.

The girls recently had their first gig at Angelica’s Bistro in Redwood City. The show was sold out two weeks before the performance day. To say they were enthusiastic would be an understatement. “[We were] really, really excited,” Zilliac said. “[It was a] combination of nerves

and excitement.”

The gig at Angelica’s Bistro was the girls’ first concert, and a big milestone for both their musical careers as well as their lives.

Wolf and Zilliac’s music style is very unique. They take popular songs and put their own spin on them. In one song, they combined “Heart Shaped Box” by Nirvana with Gotye’s “Somebody I Used to Know.”

“We’re influenced by different genres, especially by classic rock and contemporary music,” Wolf said.

To which Zilliac quickly added: “We often make covers to popular songs, but make it our own. We add more harmony and make it more acoustic-y.”

They sang various songs of all different genres.

Throughout the performance, it was clear how well both girls worked together. Chloe’s soft angelic voice and attitude

&

complements Remi’s unlimited charisma and joy she displays on stage. Performing appeared to come very naturally for both of them, putting the audience at ease and helping them to relax and enjoy the music.

The incredible variety of songs presented by the duo made it easy for everyone to have an enjoyable time. The audience was obviously entertained and happy.

A group of three boys in a band called “The Extracts” also performed a few songs with Remi and Chloe. They are all good friends and have a good time coming up with covers and different versions of their favorite songs.

As Remi & Chloe enjoy their newfound fame, they are also looking to the future.

The next step for the group is creating an E.P. with five or six songs, though they have several other goals too.

Chloe

“We’ve been thinking recently about maybe taking a gap year and seeing if we want to actually go to LA and move forward professionally,” Wolf said.

They both want to continue music later in life, though they are unsure what form that music will take.

For now, though, the group will certainly be playing more gigs locally. They also hope to book a mini tour of sorts, playing outside of the Bay Area.

On top of junior year and the normal social standards of a 16 year old girl, these two have gone above and beyond the typical requirements.

They have taken the time to create music and do what they love while staying on top of daily academics and other student pressures.

“We actually work really well together,” Wolf said. “We kind of feed off of each other’s energy.”

Text and Photos by Nikki Freyermuth and Riya Varma

COVER

15

CULTURE

at a concert...

do:

Bring food and water

You WILL need water during the show and being stranded without water is not fun. Bring sealed plastic bottles, as security will make you dump reusable water bottles. Camelbaks are a good choice too, but some venues may not allow them. Make sure your food is easy to eat and won’t make a mess. Goldfish, Cliff Bars and fruit snacks are all good options. Just make sure you have someplace to put the trash.

Have transportation

Getting stranded at a venue is the worst. Especially in San Francisco, you need to have transportation figured out because Caltrain ends at midnight. If you don’t make it to Caltrain before then, you’re going to be stuck. Make sure you have a driver, or that you have a taxi ready to take you wherever you need to go after the show.

Prepare to get lost

If you are with a large group, it’s almost a given that you will lose track of someone. Especially at larger festivals, you’re almost certain to lose members of your group if you have brought a large number of people. Make sure that everyone has their phone, and have a meeting place in case someone gets lost.

don’t:

Spend money on merchandise, food

Concert venues, like Shoreline, knock up the prices on food and drink, so try to avoid buying food and drink from them by bringing your own. Also, band merchandise can be extremely overpriced at the venue. It can be easy to end up spending over 50 dollars on food and merchandise. Keep in mind that most merchandise can be found online.

Use your smartphone like crazy

One of the main complaints about concerts nowadays is that people hold up their phones taking pictures and video instead of enjoying the show. Even worse is when people text an absurd amount during the show. Not only is it rude to the people around you, it puts a damper on the mood because everyone knows that you would rather text your friend than enjoy the concert.

Be afraid to dance

Get into the music. If you’re worried about dancing because you think you look dumb, you do, and that’s perfectly okay.

Dancing can seriously enhance your experience of a show, so don’t be afraid to dance.x

By Nolan Perla-Ward

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Setting the Stage

By Nikki Freyermuth

While creating a scene for an upcoming Palo Alto High School theater production, the directors and set-makers try their hardest to make each audience member feel like they are a part of the play. The set-makers create amazing pieces of art and construction to go on the stage and make an ordinary black floor turn into an incredible scene from a play.

Kathleen Woods, the Theater Arts teacher and Program Director at Paly, explains how creating a set takes an incredible amount of time and work. It all starts out with deciding who is fit for the job. Designing the set and actually constructing it is next. The process takes about 6 months in total.

Set-makers start their process at the end of each production. After a spring show, a scenic designer immediately begins formulating ideas and creating layouts for the fall play. Over the summer, they meet with adult designers to discuss possible pieces that will make up the majority of the set.

Overall, from the time the play is chosen, to the opening night, every part of the set will be constantly going through a set-makers mind. The time commitment required is very intense.

“The spring show will usually start at least talking about the look of the show and what we need in terms of scenery at the beginning of fall so its really about a 6 month process.” Wood said.

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CULTURE

One may wonder why so much time is required to create the set of the stage. When one thinks of a play or production, actors, stunts and action is what usually comes to mind. However, what people do not realize is how important the background and stage is. It is the core and center of everything which brings it all together.

“In some shows, the set almost becomes like a character in the play,” Woods said.

It’s important that the set reflects specific details in the play itself. Master Carpenter Ethan Cohen shares the in-depth thought process that occurs while creating a set for The Crucible.

“The trees are very crooked and twisted in the way that a lot of the Crucible is,” Cohen said. “[For example] logic and faith are twisted.”

Adding the crooked trees adds spooky effects and emphasizes the illogical and eerie plot line. If one were to see regular trees in full bloom, it may alter their understanding of the plot and throw everything a little bit off.

The role of Scenic Designer or Master Carpenter is an honored position; the position is demanding and one has to be committed. Many factors go into deciding these roles and they start from the minute a freshman walks in to the Paly theater classroom with a dream to get involved. Motivation and interest is crucial. Current Scenic Designer, Caroline Johnson, knew from the beginning of freshman year that she was born for this role.

“As a freshman I showed a lot of interest in scenic design,” Johnson said. “I helped paint [a set] with the Student Scenic Designer at the time and then when they graduated I kind of inherited their role.”

Students usually go through a number of different steps while auditioning for the role of a set-maker. If they show enough interest, commitment, and talent, they will be put through a number of training courses so they are up to par with the skill needed to create an outstanding set.

“If the student shows motivation and ability to follow through,” Mrs. Woods says, ”then they can work themselves up, usually junior and senior year to be a student designer in an area.”

People should be informed with the incredible amount of talent required to make a set for a production. The set emotionally moves the audience and shapes the plot of a play without most people even noticing. While exploring the commitment that is essential to create a scene, it’s is important to pay the right amount of respect to set-makers because without them, theater would not be the same.

Through the Glass Text by Samantha Newell, Sophia Moss, Pauline Na Photo by Nikki Freyermuth

G

lassblowing was introduced to Palo Alto High School by former art teacher David Camner in 2002.

Nowadays, this art program is nationally recognized.

Paly is one of the few high schools in the country that provides this unique art class to its students. Upon introduction, glassblowing sparked a an interest in the art community.

The program continues to expand each year, but still hardly anyone outside of the art community knows who these talented students are.

Paly’s current glassblowing teacher, Steven Ferrera, began glassblowing in 1995, and soon afterwards, began teaching others his passion.

“In a relatively short period of time students can make paperweights and flowers,” Ferrera said. “It’s nice to see kids excited about their work and progress.”

Many Paly students walk past the gated glassblowing area on their way to Town and Country everyday.

They seem to mindlessly ignore the continuous clinks of the glass and pipes hitting the metal table, the shuffling of feet and the music coming from within the closed-off gates.

The artists diligently perfect their art pieces all day: in the morning, during lunch and after school. They transform little glass bits into vividly colored creations. From pumpkins and floppy bowls to simple flowers, glassblowers can create unusual, yet fantastic pieces.

But who are these glassblowing artists handling the heat of this dangerous art form?

Alex Gomez One of Paly’s best glassblowers is Senior Alex Gomez. His interest in glassblowing originally stemmed from his interest with fire.

“I saw Chihuly [a ground-breaking glass artist] exhibit one time. [This experience] really [inspired] me to [begin] glassblowing,” Gomez said.

His fascination with glassblowing transformed from a simple interest to an outlet for his unusual interest in fire.

Gomez began to actively pursue glassblowing, traveling as far as Oregon to learn new techniques and skills and search for inspiration while visiting retired Paly glassblowing teacher, Mr. Camner.

In glassblowing, one cannot make the same piece twice, unlike any other art form.

Each piece is different from the one before due to the fact that there are no boundaries when creating a piece with a malleable material like glass. This attracts many different artists to the medium.

Gomez feels that the only downside to glassblowing is that the artist cannot directly shape the glass with their hands.

Although glassblowing comes along with many hazards, there is only one critical factor.

“The most dangerous part is actually freaking out about the heat itself,” Gomez said. “If you are able to teach yourself to not worry about the heat and figure out the problems with it later it [is not] an issue.

Martin Ehrensvärd Junior Martin Ehrensvärd was instantly drawn to glassblowing during his first year at Paly as a transfer student from Sweden in 2011.

“Glass is such a wonderful material in so many ways,” said Ehrensvärd. “Just like a candle, it calms you down. You have to work in harmony with [the glass].”

Ehrensvärd’s intense passion for glassblowing has led to his extensive collection of glass pieces.

“It is hard to say [which is my favorite].

But sometimes when you think about making a piece [and] it comes straight from the heart, it feels so natural,” Ehrensvärd said.

Along with the satisfaction of creating an art piece so unique, Ehrensvärd finds that working with others is key to a successful piece.

“While working with glass, teamwork plays a big part,” Ehrensvärd said. “You can really extend and push your limits if you have people assisting you. By watching other great glass artists create pieces every time you blow glass, you improve and become more confident in what you are doing.”

While glassblowing is a passion of Ehrensvärd’s, he feels as if it could not sustain his future lifestyle. “[The] only con is that it’s hard living as an artist unless you are really famous so I might just keep it as a hobby,” Ehrensvärd said. “[However,] I’ve gotten so into it now I can’t imagine myself not doing it.”

CULTURE

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The Cantor Arts Center

By Julia Poppy

Palo Alto citizens are fortunate enough to live only few minutes away from the world class art at Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center. The Cantor has collections ranging from European to American, Asian and African to Native American and Modern as well as Contemporary art. However, the Cantor

Museum is perhaps best known for its outdoor art collection, which includes works in a wide variety of media. The Cantor Arts Center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Though it boasts friendly docents, scrumptious food and intellectual masterpieces, the Cantor Arts Center is best known for its world class art, making it one of Stanford’s best treasures.

The Exhibit: Divided Visions: Reportage from the Sino-Japanese Wars Kiyochika Kobayashi

Andy Freeberg

The Exhibit: Photographs by Andy Freeberg Andy Freeberg captures female security guards watching over famous masterpieces in St. Petersburg, as he noticed that the women seemed to mimic the artworks beside them. This installation will be at the Cantor until January 6, 2013.

This exhibition features sensationalist Kiyochika Kobayashi’s battle prints, sketches by Zhang Wenyuan and photojournalism by John Gutmann. All of the artwork focuses on how the two Sino-Japanese wars were fought and will be on display until January 13, 2013.

The Exhibit: Drawings from Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s: The Marmor Collection These ten works range from illusionist drawings to ‘the musing of John Altoon.’ This collection will be on display until February 3, 2013.

Edward Ruscha

The Exhibit:

The Rodin Collection Featuring 200 works, the Cantor Arts Center’s collection of Rodin bronzes occupies three ground-floor galleries and an outdoor sculpture garden. This immense collection is one of the largest of its kind in the world.

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CULTURE

Christian Rohlfs

The Exhibit: A War on Modern Art: The 75th Anniversary of the Degenerate Art Exhibition During Adolf Hitler’s regime, modernist artists were considered “degenerates.” Now, these artists’ works are on display. The eighteen pieces of this exhibition will be on display until February 24, 2013.

o understand what makes Borderlands 2 a unique and enjoyable game, you need to know a bit about the first Borderlands.

Back in 2009, when Gearbox Software and 2K Games released Borderlands, it was an amazing game for a wealth of reasons. The sketchy cellshaded graphics made the art memorable and immediately recognizable, and the morbid but quirky humor actually elicited a few good laughs. The game’s cooperative elements were well balanced, with none of the four playable characters holding unfair advantages over the others.

But none of these qualities were what made Borderlands so interesting. No, Borderlands was captivating because Gearbox did something few others had successfully done before—they combined the two most popular game genres into a novel blend of questdriven storyline, cooperative gameplay and thousands of different guns, all from a first person perspective.

Borderlands’ immediate success created high expectations for the sequel and Gearbox delivered. Borderlands 2

is an improvement over evNever finding the same ery aspect in the first edition, gun twice makes looting dead from creating a new and ac- enemies incredibly addictive, tually memorable story filled and the shooter characteriswith humor, to the smaller tics of the game are infinitely details, like fixing the previ- improved. ously awkward user interface The biggest improvement and renovating the inventory is in the story, though. Pansystem. dora’s violent revolution is a Borderlands 2’s storyline v i b r a nt is driven by quests, similar to struggle Skyrim, where a long chain of to overobjectives and sidequests di- throw the planet’s tyrannical rect the players through the dictator filled with new mysgame. This is a classic role- teries to explore, and a numplaying game (RPG) mechanic, ber of highly memorable charbut there is a twist—the RPG acters to meet. content is played from a first Further, Pandora itself has changed from an empty, person shooter (FPS) perspecdesolate land to an alive tive, just like the and thriving planet. For Call of Duty example, where small, or Battlefield unpopulated series, which settleare very unments like the third person camera almost exclusively used in other RPGs. Even better, Borderlands 2 employs a unique weapon creation system, which randomly generates the stats for weapons, meaning that the “87 bazillion guns” that Gearbox advertized the game to contain is an accurate measure.

once stood, a massive city with dozens of inhabitants now stands.

Unfortunately, the game continues to employ a freefor-all loot system which, although it is fun when you’re the looter, the system can unfairly distribute the good stuff when o n e player grabs it all. In an attempt to solve this issue, players can now trade items and challenge one another to duels over weapons. This fix, however, doesn’t address the underlying issue of unfairness.

Overall, Borderlands 2’s action and humor-packed cooperative gameplay coupled with impressive replay value earns it a well-desevered place among this year’s best games.

CULTURE

15

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