Rating Curve

Come on, Viprin. Competition OVER. Pack it up, this wins.

So let's talk space, i guess. As much as i'm generally not for the meta of joke-esque names for levels, I think i'm gonna let this one slide. For something like the space gauntlet, which of course is going to have thousands of flocking creators prioritizing decoration over playable gameplay, HipVillain actually tries to make structures more obvious than most, thus leading to immeasurably more enjoyable gameplay than most space gauntlet levels we have so far. Hyperrealism creators, you know who you are. While I do think some of the click patterns the level throws may feel awkward at times, I can understand it given the very low difficulty cap of a measly nine stars is hard to make actually enjoyable gameplay to.

Okay, now let's get onto the looks. Song representation? Yes, but also... no? This level is a bit of an anomaly in that the song is kind of unable to be "represented" in the more typical ways you see out in the wild. It's the kind of song I could see used in an explainer video, almost. But, HipVillain just went with it, and it works. Parts give energy when they need it, and stay calm when that's what's giving. Visuals? Yeah. Fuck yeah. One thing I especially appreciate about this level is that it doesn't take a cliché approach to space. I compare it to what flash did for his entry, Planispheres, which used star charts to represent space. Here, HipVillain opts to tell an entire story of existence, written by none other than himself. He also opts to base the visuals around that story, explaining how we have uncovered the mysteries of the universe as far back as whence we first came. How often do you see creators doing that? Text is sprawled throughout the level, yet remains subtle enough to not be a distraction while playing. It's text that's more so meant to be read while watching a video, which is fine, albeit a little one-sided in terms of how to experience this level.

If this ain't in the space gauntlet, i'm gonna be very upset. I think this is easily the best space gauntlet entry we have thus far. Shit's making me wanna pay $5000 for an overpriced time travel ticket and begin simulating my own god damn universe where we watch as the discovery of space progresses.