Originally this review contained references to Arclia’s reaction stream, but I have removed them because writing them was cringe and rude. Shoutouts to Breadking.

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I guess this is what it feels like to get abducted.

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I can only think of three normal difficulty levels that were entries to the space gauntlet: Point of View, Starbladesaster (which I wrote a review for previously), and this. Out of those, Point of View is the only one I think actually should've been rated normal. For Abducted and Starbladesaster, I'm sure the rating was because of the visuals getting in the way.

This sounds like I'm going to write a negative review. However, if you would please consult the scores I've given for this level.

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First off: Decoration.

As many people have said, Abducted is very reminiscent of Next Cab Soon in its visuals. The comic book aesthetic is executed phenomenally, and in a solo level, which is pretty mind-boggling. Another thing I like about the visuals is the animations. They're extremely fluid, and in the parts where the characters change poses, the changes look seamless, almost as though they weren't programmed with move and rotate triggers (I think), but rather with a proper animation tool.

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Gameplay.

Unlike many levels of this difficulty, Abducted presents itself as a fairly difficult level. However, it holds your hand. Normally, I don't like levels that hold your hand the way Abducted does, but that's because nearly every level that does this has gameplay that's boring as heck anyway, so you really aren't missing anything by doing the bare minimum. Abducted, on the other hand, has engaging gameplay that you would actually want to play, comparable to that of a 9-star level. If you don't play the level properly, it's like you're missing something. This customizable experience is absolutely good gameplay in my eyes. It allows for new players to get a taste of harder gameplay without punishing them for it. Excellent way to start the gauntlet.

My one complaint is the circle minigame bit, which plays kinda weird. I always get a C grade. Must be a skill issue.

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Final thoughts.

Abudcted is not my favorite entry in the top 10. However, after playing it and watching it and playing it and...well you get the point, the reasons for its placement at the #1 spot become clear as day. The level is accessible. It has some semblance of a storyline. Its gameplay is engaging while also forgiving. It looks fantastic. It's a good time. Congratulations, Vegtam.

Definitely not my style but I think they did a pretty good job overall. The song kinda carries the level since it wasn't some boomkitty trash but other than that the level is kinda just ok. I see why people love or hate it. It really depends on if you are ok with this style or not.

Fantastic level! I really like how lively this level feels, even if some of the easter eggs are a bit corny.

Regardless, I think Vegtam did a pretty good job with the visual style of the level, especially when considering most of the characters are OCs! Just shows the dedication (maybe over-dedication...) behind this level, and I appreciate it. I really enjoy this comic book style, previously explored in levels like Next Cab Soon and Cosmic Crush, and it complements pretty well the silly story it tells.

The gameplay is alright for what it is. Maybe it's a bit too forgiving on the player, but, on the other hand, I kind of enjoy how it lets the player mess around as the level goes. Also, maybe a missed opportunity for a coin by scoring S on the rhythm game dual part? Just something to consider :p

Overall, despite being heavily controversial, I think it was a deserving winner for this Gauntlet Contest, and I think it's a ton of fun :D

i'm gonna- i'm gonna stop you right there. please do not offend me like that. please do not dare compare my level to this absolute travesty of how trash this looks

i don't think a collection of levels in this game have physically made me feel sick until now. this is one of the (slightly) better levels in the gauntlets but it's still mostly just the retray ufo with slopes everywhere but on drugs. i will not be rebeating these levels outside of the gauntlets.

Amazing level. Love the art style and theme that it went for. Very unique and executed masterfully. Story had nice progression and was entertaining, and the ending just felt really nice. Definitely earned its placement. Only critique would be the gameplay.

As the first place winner of a gauntlet contest, I was disappointed, but not surprised. The art isn't my cup of tea but it's good and has its own charm. As a viewing experience it's fun to watch, but as a level (that should be) meant to be played it falls completely flat. Almost all of the gameplay past the drop is obstructed by annoying effects and objects in the foreground, and adding invisible slopes as a band-aid fix doesn't help it at all. It would have been better off as an auto level or a high insane/easy demon instead of this bizarre middle ground. It's not fun, and I think it's really bad if the viewing experience is somehow better than the playing experience on a 3 Star. I really dislike that levels like these are awarded over others despite the glaring gameplay issues.

Abducted looks good, but that’s all I can give it credit for. To make it less frustrating to play, the gameplay was turned into a complete joke and tries to keep you alive at almost all costs. Unfortunately, I find the knowledge that multiple sections can be completed with little to no input very distracting; this severely reduces my enjoyment of the level. This should have been kept at its original difficulty; despite all the nerfs, the level still completely fails at accessibility. Show a Polargeist victor this level and I guarantee you they will have no clue what is happening.

Goes absolutely insane with the visuals. Even if the gameplay basically doesn't exist, you atleast feel like you're doing something, which some other levels with this difficulty, especially levels of this contest. The art style is unique resembling that of a comic book, and I love it for that.