Rating Curve

does a shocking amount with such minimal composition. the structures are always interesting, even in the opening stretch, and the layered progression is really engaging and meaningful. really gets you thinking about the widespread use of terms like "bare" and "empty" as inherently negative observations and how useful those criticisms really are (or aren't!) in level critique

god every single design choice in this level fucks so hard. it gets crowded every once in a while (not a flaw!) but still everything feels balanced and intentional, especially the gameplay, which kind of morphs around its environment instead of paving through it. Also a crazy cool final part

super manic and engaging and really really fun, has to be the best experience i've ever had beating a level. impressive gameplay design too, some of those really tight orb combos seem impossible to come up with but they feel so damn good to play

very cool use of my boy even if i don't feel like it represents it accurately in some spots, but that's just a nitpick, and it's completely up to the creator's own interpretation anyway. the level adapts the song in its own way well enough. the good parts more than make up for it as well, especially the transition into the star part which knocks you out in the best way possible; it's genuinely one of my favorite moments in any level in the game and might be the perfect representation of that sudden build up in the song. shame it uses the worse version ... </3 /j

not particularly boundary-pushing but it’s really good at what it does and packs a pretty big emotional punch. works with its song beautifully too, somehow feeling cohesive despite how varied the visuals are

bit silly that this spurred a years-long effort by me to make my own "bee nest" because i became so infatuated with this level i felt the need to model all my work after it. i did eventually come pretty close and then another level wormed itself into my brain and deeply injured my creating style in a different way. it's pretty damn awesome though, infinitely creative and the awkwardness makes it real fun to play through. definitely the best aqualime and a hidden gem in my Opinion

such a "scientifically" perfect level but i have very little emotional attachment to it sadly. it’s incredible purely on a technical level, it IS the pinnacle of neodesign like everyone says (despite how far detached it is from other levels in the style), that’s impossible to disagree with, but i think because of that it’s not something that could really be a favorite of mine. feels much more of a showcase of the style and its strengths than something i can really meaningfully connect with. i’ve kind of struggled with not “loving” this level considering its reception and the fact that it is undeniably really fucking good, but i think my inability to make a subjective connection to the level makes a little more sense now; it’s so universally good it’s extremely hard for it to feel specific and personalized. i’ve had pretty strong, complex reactions to stuff in this game before, especially other cometface levels, but this one never seemed to extend beyond awe. it’s a feat and a half, really on all counts a perfect level, but it unfortunately stops there in my mind. maybe someday it’ll really click but it just hasn’t yet

most of the humor in this comes from the song admittedly so i can’t really call the level itself funny, but the experience of playing it absolutely is and that’s in no small part due to how well the level adapts its song. glad this gets as much love as it does

not the best krmal level but some of the coolest gameplay ever, very well designed