Rating Curve

I'll give any level that antagonizes stargrinders my stamp of approval, even if I have no interest in playing this.

There have been plenty of levels retrospectively worshipping the techniques we learned in 1.9, but only Colorful OverNight feels like a contemporary victory lap. From the sweeping ship to the semi-symmetrical duals, every bit feels celebratory, ceremonial even. Just magnificent. There's never been a level so amicable to its audience.

The first part demonstrates the level's scale in both space and duration so well that it becomes increasingly frustrating with every subsequent section that drags on and on. The disaster/societal collapse narrative is presented quite well once it gets going, at least. Maybe I just don't appreciate slow cinema.

Such a good take on that visceral, gross but functional look the circulatory system has. Of course there's the iconic wave, but besides that the way you bump into every little thing and take such a convoluted route feels so in-character for what feels like an imprecise, improvised delivery system - and yet there's only one possible route, disgusting as it looks. Just look down at the veins in your hand and you'll get the same feeling.

Captures a burst of 2.1 optimism and frenzy with an abundance of charismatically electric visual effects. A real joy to play - it's a shame such engaging, impactful gameplay feels reserved for demons these days.

So, so split on this one. Has the most satisfying progression structure in a platformer because it plays pretty closely to how a normal level would play, so Serponge probably could have just made a great normal level with these assets. Still, the sloped gameplay does create a fun, distinctly GD layout. You do lose a whole point for how offensively unsafisfying it is when the end credits start blasting music over what should be a contemplative fade to black with the ambient wind, though.

For all the graphic violence devin's had in his previous levels, I don't know that any of them cross into surrealism as this one does. Wonderfully personal, but the haze of consciousness gets less exciting and more tiring as the level goes on.

Keeps kowareta company in the very short list of levels I wish were top 1 difficulty. Chilling, manic like no other, even if carried a little by some of the best gameplay an extreme demon has ever had. I do wish the wave stepped up its visual intensity a little bit.

In an era of the game where there exist multiple rated IWBTG clones, somehow it's this level that captures the essence of the level as an adversary the best. There's such a deuteragonist charm to kowareta in the contrast between its groovy, twee song and its absurd, suffocating difficulty compression. The fact that I enjoy this "post-glow" aesthetic is just a bonus.

A beautiful, wondrous trip that's plenty worthy of being mentioned alongside its 1.9 classmate Colorful Overnight in the joy department, even if a few effects wear themselves out just a teeny bit.