(Originally written July 15, 2024)
fJud has been a creator I've been following for a little bit, he started creating relatively recently in the grand scheme of GD; I think only a year or two ago, and he's improved quickly in the short time he's been creating. This level, jud travel, is a huge landmark of his improvement. His style evolved from modern style; however, fJud's levels take the that style in an entirely new direction. His block design is always custom, often recreating real life scenes in a very appealing sort of cartoony way. The linelessness is I think one of the few indicators of his style's origins, and despite its vestigiality, it works very well in this context.

One thing that fJud has popularized is kinetic lyric text, and as per usual, he uses it here. This is always something I enjoy in GD levels, as it emphasizes the importance of music to the story and atmosphere of the level. Of course, I can't mention lyrics without mentioning the songs he chooses to use in his levels. Jud loves Good Kid. It's a little surprising seeing how his levels have inspired arguable "copycats". He has a lot of influence with this levels--largely because like, they're just really good. The use of Good Kid songs in GD levels has absolutely exploded upon fJud's rise in popularity, and I'm here for it.

A unique aspect of this level in regards to music is that it uses multiple songs, something that is only possible due to new tools in 2.2. Whenever a new update drops, creators have a hard time restraining themselves, and because of that, I haven't seen any level use multiple songs effectively except for this one--part of its effectiveness is that every song is by the same artist, but what's interesting about the choice to use multiple songs is how it relates to the level's name: jud travel. The title is playing on a trend that is much older than I thought it was now that I think about it. Travel levels were popular around late 2.0 and have occasionally made headway throughout 2.1. If you're not aware, they are just really long levels that bring the player on a journey. Lonely Travel was the inciting incident for this trend, created by legendary creator FunnyGame. The length of Lonely Travel, being over 5 minutes if I remember correctly, is what made it special, which is something many people wanted to replicate.

What's interesting is that through the use of multiple songs, jud travel feels like a travel level. It's only two minutes, not an incredibly long level, but it feels like a long journey because of all the unique songs--you are taken through many different places in a surprisingly short amount of time. However, this wouldn't be as effective as it is if each part of the level was not so cohesive yet distinct. Each part feels like it's a part of the same story, and each piece is wonderfully constructed. My favorite part is 36 to 51. It masterfully captures the exact vibes I have tried to capture in some of my own levels. I feel like I've just moved to a new city and I've ended up at a fun rooftop party on a beautiful summer night. There's a murmur of the guests talking, and I can feel the comforting cool breeze relieving me from the warm air. Every part of the level focuses on a different specific feeling, and yet they still manage to take you on a cohesive journey. It is a fantastic level and it's one of fJud's best.