Rating Curve

the gameplay is definitely the main selling point here but it’s not really bad in other areas. great theming that’s pretty creatively explored at times but its lack of cohesion hurts the level an awful lot, which is to be expected from a megacollab but it’s not something i can look over unfortunately

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

10 hours jingling keys

does absolutely nothing with itself, presents nothing new, just a jumble of painfully boring yet technically flawless corporate art set to a story that is completely nonexistent, like there was no attempt made to convey it through the level itself in the first place. for a level that's so widely praised for its storytelling it's funny that the "story" only really becomes apparent at the end of the level, not in any interesting or subversive way, but simply because it's not present anywhere else. a cutscene tacked on to an already uninteresting work is not the way to do it unfortunately. the frequent completely random changes in artstyle are absolutely obnoxious too and i get why they were chosen thematically, but there is really no indication that they Should fit and as a result it comes across as disjointed.

builds tension like absolutely nothing else. the suspense in the first part lasts just the right amount of time and the release through the cube literally falling through the part into hell is actually fucking terrifying!!! the level being 3 minutes long and only really having two main sections, one of which is brought back for the last part, makes the designs changing a genuine surprise, with the falling transition almost resembling a jumpscare. it's just too good

the way this level adapts the song is pretty cool, especially the first transition to white and the final rainbow section. however it's a little busy and i feel like the level tries a bit too hard to look pleasing at times, and in doing so sacrifices a bit of the power it Should have given the progression and song choice. there are certain details like the rotating lines and clouds in the sky(?) section and glow pillars in the space section that don't really mesh that well with what's happening in the level generally and feel tacked on to take up space. this is something i see in a lot of levels, and its prevalence makes sense because so many of the levels that get rated do this type of thing so as to not get "empty" or "incomplete" criticisms, but it's rarely something that adds to the level meaningfully. despite these minor flaws, which could have broken the experience, it develops really well. the details i do like, like the green block designs and color choices in the final stretch to give a few, are more than enough to stand the level up and make it worthwhile

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

it's really impressive just how meaningful this level makes its progression feel. it comes across as very natural, probably helped by the slow pacing; the level's 6 minutes in total and the fact that it never feels the need to rush anything or add more to a part to hold attention is super admirable. it really lets you sit with what it's presenting you before moving on to something else, and every time it does make a shift, even a subtle one, it's stunning: the glowing about halfway in, the speed change a minute later, and the last stretch of flickering bars are such gorgeous sections and the transitions into each of these moments give me chills each time. hard to find stuff like this

completely revolutionary gameplay. nobody was making stuff like this and still nobody is. i don't know if this level is ahead of its time or just in a different world entirely but whatever it is it's krmal's peak in experimentation and one of the only times hard level gameplay was truly innovated on. whether it was a joke or not it's almost aggressively iconic to the point where i can't not love it

just incredible completely untouchable vibes. all the effects in this dig into yr brain in the best way possible

not one level in the game that works with its song better than this one. the gameplay elements being completely invisible is such an ambitious choice but i really can't imagine the level being any different; the bare icon above the backdrop of animations and visual cues that tie into the gameplay is incredibly striking. all the parts despite being themed completely differently with individual gameplay gimmicks come together as a whole super well, as well as individually being a treat to play. the way the last part in particular plays out, deconstructing before reverting back to simple shapes, is gorgeous and a really fitting ending to the sort of melancholy i interpret the level as trying to convey, which comes through pretty clearly, even if hard to identify with words, despite it being really cute on the surface. that cute factor shouldn't be ignored though!! there's a lot to take in from how those two emotions play with each other here, it's a rewardingly complex experience. beautiful level, beautiful ending. one of my all time favorites