read: temp2st

evenfall is a fantastic example of simple ideas done right. The unusual choice to use a somber, flowing alt rock song ends up working very well in the level's favour, as the song's slow, gradual burn is translated very nicely into the gradual progression of the level's gameplay and decoration. The introduction of the soft, wavy glow alongside the lead guitar at 0:31 is subtle, but matches really well with the increased volume of the wavy synths in the song's background, and the increase in speed does well to keep the intensity despite the decoration otherwise staying roughly the same. The switch to faster, higher-clicks-per-second mirrored gameplay and the introduction of clouds and wind at the one minute mark yet again has strong, consistent ties to specific elements of the song: the gameplay syncs really nicely with the increased pace and intensity of the lead guitar, and the clouds and wind both feel like translations of the increased volume of the droning, reverberating synth notes permeating the song's background. The falling transitions in and out of the clouds during the drop's second half use verticality to represent the way the aforementioned synths "rise" and "fall" between individual notes, which is my personal favourite element of the entire level due to how simple yet effective it is.

The decoration itself holds some of my main criticisms. The colour scheme shifts slowly from pinkish-red to purple as the level comes to a close, but to me the purples and blues used feel much more relaxing than the brighter colours from earlier in the level; I think this would be more fitting if the colour progression was reversed. Additionally, I wish more was done with the floating translucent coloured blocks near the beginning, as they use low opacity diamond blocks to almost appear like stained glass windows. Considering the strong city theming of most of this level's block designs brought on by the dark grey/black metallic backing and the yellow dotted highlights, the aforementioned colour blocks slowly phasing into either accents or just windows or beams of light feels quite underwhelming, especially in the last part when they all become yellowed and akin to being lit by a streetlight. Overall, though, evenfall has fantastic theming and cohesion throughout, with most elements fitting together with one from the song, and the general design and effect quality being outstanding, particularly in the falling cloud transitions during the drop. I am very glad this level received an Epic, and look forward to more from spark.