a lot to say about this one. even though i had been anticipating it for a while this blew me away the first time i saw it in full, completely froze me in front of my screen. there are interesting thoughts on the level’s narrative in the youtube comments and i really like the one that suggests the level follows someone dealing with the loss of a lover. more than anything the gameplay lends to this theory, seen in the fake dual sections and the similarities between the first and second wave sections, which is really special because so many narrative levels convey their stories purely through their decoration or with art added into the level. the visuals hold up too though; the second section of the level where everything gets pulled away (including the other icon) and you’re left with what looks like an old remake of a main level (minus the gameplay of course, which is very unique and assists the storytelling pretty powerfully in this section specifically) is genuinely a shock in the best way possible. watching the drops fall down during the next part especially when they turn red on the blue background is exhilarating, the same kind of feeling you’d get watching something unfold in a movie.

there’s such a real ability to communicate emotion that the title sorta does this level a disservice lol. it’s more than sadness being conveyed here; i get such a sharp feeling of loss (and in the first ~2 minutes specifically, dread) watching this that i’ve never found anywhere else in this game. masterclass in storytelling, really feel like this one transcends geometry dash in a way