Rating Curve

Written on November 14th, 2024. (After completion)

FIREPOWER is an Extreme Demon that many people know about, being made by the popular creator Sillow as his 4th extreme, as well as his first epic extreme. FIREPOWER was Sillow’s intention of creating a unique Nine Circles styled level in a world where Nine Circles did not exist. Sillow has been one of my favorite creators for a while now, having released many easier demons that I loved, as well as Forbidden Isle and Azurite, which are two of my favorite extremes. So, when I saw FIREPOWER’s full showcase, I was instantly hyped as I remembered seeing the preview and I loved what I saw.

FIREPOWER has some of the best decoration ever made in the Geometry Dash editor, and I am serious about this. When making this level, Sillow chose to keep the decorations very related to 1.9, and this does not impair the level at all, as many of the designs are clean and feel weighty to the level. Additionally, the level is themed around fire, which helped the level immensely. Sillow’s main expression of the theme is through the colors, as the only colors used in the level are the hot hues of red, orange and yellow. Yet, the colors are elevated greatly through the infinite amount of pulses throughout the level. FIREPOWER was intended to be a unique twist on Nine Circles levels, and the pulsing work done by Sillow truly expresses the intention of the level. Additionally, there are plentiful examples of theme expression in this level under the limitations of 1.9’s style, such as the endless amounts of lava and fire made out of glow and pulsing objects. Combined with the enormous amount of silly monsters found in the level, these assets truly build a bunch of character into the level, which I just love.

As for the gameplay, this is where the review takes a full 180 from what it was previously. I cannot express how little I enjoyed the gameplay. The gameplay actually does not have any major issues, as most of the base gameplay is extremely fun and skill-based, which I excel at. However, the balancing is the major issue. The last quarter of the level is tremendously concentrated in difficulty compared to the other three quarters. Combine this with this quarter being the end of the level, and you have a recipe for disaster, as you can see my numerous deaths past 76% towards the end of the video. Not to mention the gameplay becomes immensely easy to die to when you pass 92%, containing strange click patterns and skill-based segments. Overall, this level was excessively agonizing to complete.

At the time of writing this review, I plan on sticking with my 0/10 on the enjoyment of this level. However, the decoration is still fantastic, and I still really love this level. For the future, I would like for Sillow to invest in some playtesters for his next levels, as playtesting can undoubtedly improve the quality of the gameplay and balancing. Although, I would like to see Sillow continue making levels, as I can see him quickly becoming a fantastic creator through his decoration.

Written on August 24th, 2024.

Towerinator is a level that I was very excited to see when it released. Towerinator is Lyal’s entry to the NCS gauntlet creator contest, using Dioma by JNATHYN. I have been a fan of Lyal since they released Overload, and it has been amazing to see Lyal improve this much as a creator. Fortunately, Towerinator is yet another big step in Lyal’s thrilling creating journey.

Firstly, Towerinator has amazing decoration. Lyal has proven that they can create fantastic designs many times, and Towerinator is yet another example of this. Towerinator features a tower theme, and Lyal puts this theme to use in the designs of the level. The designs found in this level often use different brick-like objects from all updates, reflecting old towers and castles made of bricks. These block designs are complemented nicely with lots of air-deco and background assets that also fit within the theme, such as the candles at 1% and the walkway background at 41%. Although Lyal made many beautiful designs for this level, Towerinator’s strong suit is the energy. Starting at 60%, the drop of Towerinator has astonishing energy which matches the song’s energy. The parts in the drop use very bright colors and pulses, and lots of dynamic movements, creating a perfect example of upbeat energy. However, the predrop has excellent energy as well. Lyal reflected the slower energy in the song to a tee in parts like the ones at 1% and 22%. For these parts, Lyal created a darker atmosphere with darker colors and more spread out pulses. Altogether, Towerinator has no shortage of creative designs and lots of varied energy.

Additionally, the gameplay is just as enjoyable as the decoration. In Towerinator, Lyal created nicely flowing gameplay with lots of timings and skill based gamemodes, making for some fun, but tricky gameplay. Because the gameplay is fairly difficult, the level is currently rated Medium Demon. Regardless of this, the level is still not too difficult, which lets anyone be able to enjoy the gameplay in this level.

Towerinator is yet another example of Lyal showing his brilliance in the editor. The excellent designs and energy paired together with fun and nicely flowing gameplay makes for a remarkable level. Personally, I would love to see Towerinator make it into one of the two NCS gauntlets, and this level once again makes me excited to see what Lyal makes next.

Written on August 13th, 2024.

Operation EVOLUTION is a level that I was pleasantly surprised with after finding in sent tab. This level is a solo medium demon made by Pongix using the entirety of Operation: Evolution, making the level over five minutes long. Unfortunately, I have not heard of Pongix before finding Operation EVOLUTION, but this level made for an excellent first impression.

To begin with, Operation EVOLUTION has very nice decoration. Throughout this level, Pongix has made many simple, yet elegant designs. Additionally, it is evident by the designs and air-deco that Pongix has taken a lot of inspiration from Jayuff, which is always a treat to see. Adding onto the designs, Pongix complements them with sweet colors. Operation EVOLUTION uses a lot of rainbow, which creates a very colorful experience of a level. Additionally, the combination of parts that have rainbow as the main color, like at 6%, and parts that have rainbow as an accent color, like at 41%, helps the level feel like it is not overusing the beautiful colors. Yet, on top of the elegant designs and bright colors, Pongix ties the level together with unique assets for almost every part. Pongix’s inclusion of these assets was an excellent choice, as they give every part a feeling of uniqueness compared to other parts. Many examples of these assets can be found, such as the artsy vegetation at 18%, the television obstacles at 21%, the massive colocasias at 42%, the spinning boxes at 60%, the tall flowers at 69%, and the custom Geometry Dash assets at 77% like the cube, the attempt count, the play button, and the large star. There are endless amounts of these custom assets found throughout Operation EVOLUTION, making this level a joy to watch. Including these assets with the neat designs and bright colors shows that this level is truly Pongix’s magnum opus.

Additionally, Operation EVOLUTION has very fun gameplay. Although the level itself is not challenging, the level is five minutes long, which can add the element of nerves to playing. However, the easier nature of the level makes for enjoyable gameplay. Pongix used all of the gamemodes in Operation EVOLUTION, and many of them are used to extents that make the gameplay complex, while still being sightreadable. The only major complaint that can be made with the gameplay is the difficulty in telling which obstacles can and cannot kill the player. But if it is learned which obstacles have hitboxes, the level becomes a fun experience.

Operation EVOLUTION is a level that Pongix put so much love and care into that it would be impossible to talk about everything in one short review. There are so many unique features in the decoration and the gameplay which help make this level one of a kind. I was very happy to see this level get the deserved epic rating last night, and I will be excited to see what Pongix makes in the future.

Written on August 2nd, 2024.

Stereo madness 2077 is a level I found in the sent tab almost immediately after wallywalrus released it, and I played it because the name caught my eye. Needless to say, the level turned out to be just as eye-catching as the name. I cannot say I have heard of wallywalrus before, however, Stereo madness 2077 surprised me greatly with its quality and uniqueness.

Stereo madness 2077 is a fantastic take on a 1.0 style level. This level starts off as Stereo Madness, hence the name, and then quickly turns into its own unique level. After the beginning intro, Stereo madness 2077 turns into a factory themed level, using the default blocks from 1.0 in very unique ways. On top of the default blocks, some sections of the level are accompanied by the metal blocks from 1.6, and many designs are complemented with orange lasers. Further adding onto the unique designs, wallywalrus incorporates many individual assets that add onto the factory theme. Throughout the level you can find rotating gears and piston heads that move to the music, giving the level a dynamic feeling. Additionally, these individual assets are accompanied with particles which give them importance and a reason to be in the level. However, the level is not the same throughout. At 63% the player gets crushed by a giant piston head as a transition into the next part. After this startling transition, the player is pushed into a darker section of the factory, further building on the theme and intensity. Overall, wallywalrus’s distinctive usage of these older blocks creates an interesting experience of a level that has never been done before.

On top of the unique decoration, Stereo madness 2077 has some very fun gameplay. Even though the level is not a demon, the gameplay is rather challenging. The gameplay requires a good amount of skill, as there are timings and skill based gamemodes scattered throughout the level. Regardless of the skill needed, wallywalrus was not afraid to show their skill of gameplay creation in this level. The inclusion of these timings and skill based gamemodes makes for some incredibly fun gameplay, which can be enjoyed by a lot of people.

After playing Stereo madness 2077, I can say that this is a level that wallywalrus can be proud of. The usage of older blocks and the inclusion of fun gameplay creates an amazing experience that will be remembered for a long time. This level has put wallywalrus on the map for me, and I will definitely be looking to see what they will make in the future.

Written on July 30th, 2024.

AbstractDark is a famous creator who has recently risen to fame again after not releasing many levels in 2.1. Throughout his 8 year journey in Geometry Dash, he has shown his talent in the editor numerous times, creating fantastic levels like Seasonal Haven, Tornado, Underground, Darkness Keeper, and many others. However, I would like to talk about my personal favorite time where Abstract impressed the community with his talent. Not even a month into 2.1’s release, Abstract released one of his most famous levels, titled “Generator.”

For Abstract’s first 2.1 level, Generator is a very impressive take on the new features. Unfortunately, the level’s decoration is not too great. Most of the block designs throughout the level are cluttered with objects exclusive to 2.1, leading to designs that have aged for the worse. Additionally, the majority of the level uses a strange blue combination where the background is a deep navy blue, while the designs and other assets use a bright royal blue. Although the decoration is very rough around the edges, there is one aspect that Abstract excelled in, which cements this level in history as one of the most famous early 2.1 levels. The rotation trigger, one of the major triggers added in 2.1, was difficult to figure out for a majority of the community. However, Abstract learned the rotation trigger almost immediately and used it to fantastic extents in Generator. The most impressive usage of the rotation trigger in this level is the ship part at 18%, which features entirely rotated gameplay. There are also other impressive uses of the rotation trigger, such as the rotating carriers in the ufo at 38%, the rotating backgrounds in the parts at 60% and 91%, and the rotating lasers and saws found throughout the entire level. Abstract tastefully used the rotation trigger many times in Generator, which gives this level a lot of charm regardless of the abnormal decoration.

Fortunately, the gameplay is a step up from the decoration. Although this level came out less than a month into 2.1, Abstract did not overuse the new gameplay elements. Because of this, Generator has gameplay that experiments with the new features while not being overly confusing, which makes for some very fun gameplay. Nevertheless, the gameplay is not perfect either. Although the ship at 18% is the most impressive part of the level, the gameplay in the ship can get very boring having to play many times over. Additionally, the part at 60% utilizes 4x speed, which makes the gameplay tough to sight-read. Yet, if you keep these two complaints in mind, the gameplay is still very enjoyable.

Although the decoration and gameplay are not perfect, Generator is still one of the best early-2.1 levels. Abstract’s fantastic usage of the rotation trigger created an experience of a level that still holds to this day. Generator undoubtedly showed Abstract’s sheer talent in the editor, and helped him become the amazing creator he is today.

Written on July 26th, 2024.

Crystal Blizzard is a level that I’ve known for a while now, as I have became great friends with Loltad during the past two years. When he first showed me this level, I thought it was fantastic and I was surprised to find out it was never rated in the six years the level has been uploaded. Around a year ago, Loltad gave the level a slight decoration update in hopes of trying to get it rated, but it was still never rated. Although the level is very old, Crystal Blizzard was masterfully made and it shows that Loltad has been a talented creator for a while now.

To begin with, Crystal Blizzard has remarkable decoration. Although this level came out before he developed his newer style found in levels like Rash, Worse Trip and Dustmuncher, Crystal Blizzard possesses the best rendition of Loltad’s older style. This level features very unique designs and eccentric structuring that are complemented with a cool shamrock green color. On top of the shamrock green, the level has occasional red pulses and hues of blue and lime green which break up any potential monotony of the shamrock green. Although the level is mainly green, the first part features grayscale designs, with cool red and blue pulses which uplift the part. Loltad further complements the designs and colors with neat effects and movements like in the part at 20%. Almost every structure in this part has its own distinct movement which gives a dynamic feeling to the level. This part is also paired with a rotating crystal sphere in the background which further adds onto the dynamic feeling. Furthermore, this dynamic feeling continues into the dual part at 52%, as Loltad gave this dual part a bunch of pulses, and another appealing rotating background. Overall, the decoration in this level is masterfully crafted which makes for a fantastic experience.

Additionally, Crystal Blizzard has stellar gameplay. Although Loltad is known for his learny gameplay, this level is toned down compared to his other levels. The fact that this level has less learny gameplay makes it accessible to more players. However, Crystal Blizzard is still fairly difficult. In my opinion, I think the level is Hard Demon difficulty, which can be challenging for a lot of players. Regardless, the level is not short of fun gameplay. Most of the gameplay consists of timings and skill based gameplay, which a lot of players can become good at quickly. Also, there is an incredibly satisfying dual towards the middle of the level which only adds onto the greatness of the gameplay.

Without a doubt, Crystal Blizzard is an excellent level. Loltad truly displayed his creativity in this level, and it provided a monumental step in his journey to become the creator he is today. I personally think Crystal Blizzard is one of Loltad’s best levels, and it would be fantastic to see this level finally get the rating it deserves.

Written on July 23rd, 2024.

R3XX3R has been one of my favorite creators for a while now. He has been building since 1.9 and only recently has he become one of the most talented creators in the game. I have known about him since he was building Melodic Travel, and it is amazing that he has continued to grow as a creator for this long. After a few lengthy breaks he came back to the creating scene and released some fantastic levels, one of these being Burn. R3XX3R genuinely impressed a lot of people with his attempt at a 1.9 style level themed around fire and heat.

With that being said, Burn has fantastic decoration and theming. R3XX3R used many objects from 1.9 and older to create very unique designs. Although he restricted himself to older blocks, he complemented these designs with beautiful pulses and newer features such as movements and layering. Burn is filled to the brim with all of these aspects, showing R3XX3R’s monumental amount of talent in the editor. On top of all this, he tied the level together with a classy theme. Being a level of heat and fire, Burn features many industrial themed designs complemented with lots of orange color and individual fire assets. The excellent fire assets and tasteful usage of orange gives the level a plethora of personality and cements this level as one of R3XX3R’s best levels.

As for the gameplay, it is just as terrific as the decoration. R3XX3R intended for Burn to be rated Easy Demon. However, the gameplay is not too challenging, and as a result of this it was rated nine stars. The gameplay being not that challenging can be good though, as more people can enjoy this masterpiece. R3XX3R made many unique gameplay choices that cannot be found in non-demons made in the same era, making for some very fun and enjoyable gameplay.

Overall, Burn is truly one of R3XX3R’s best levels. He was not afraid to show his talent in the editor and it made for an excellent level. Burn is without a doubt one of my favorite levels of his, and it makes me incredibly excited to see what he makes next.

Written on July 19th, 2024.

Sephiroth Ultra is a level that I have known for a while now, but only recently began to love. It is an extended remake of Nick24’s old impossible level “Sephiroth.” Although Sephiroth Ultra was released 8 months ago, it was rated only 2 weeks ago. Regardless, Soup did Nick24’s level justice with the numerous clean designs and neat effects.

To start with, Sephiroth Ultra features some amazing 1.9 decoration. Most of the designs in the level are rather basic, but Soup pairs the designs with beautiful effects. For example, he gave the blocks in the ship at 9% a neat waving effect with glow pieces. There is another example in the ball at 48% where the basic block designs are enhanced with beautiful pulses and the pulsing hexagons throughout the entire part. However, the best example of Soup’s effects bringing the part together is in the part at 90%. The structures in the part are made out of the transparent blocks, but Soup made a beautiful pulsing glow pattern that was made to fit within the structures. Soup was not afraid to fill this level with wonderful effects, making this level very special.

Additionally, Soup paired the excellent decoration with incredibly fun gameplay. The level was intended to be Extreme Demon, however the gameplay seems a bit too easy for this difficulty. There are some challenging parts, and they are not too difficult. However, the gameplay is still incredibly fun. I personally think Sephiroth Ultra is one of the most fun levels in the game as I cannot stop replaying the level.

Soup truly outperformed himself with both the decoration and gameplay in this level. Sephiroth Ultra has some of the best looking decoration and some of the most fun gameplay that the limitations 1.9 can give. I am ecstatic that this level has finally gotten the rate that it deserves, and I am excited to see what Soup26 makes next.

Written on July 12th, 2024.

For as long as I can remember, Taman has been one of my favorite creators. He is the mastermind behind timeless classics such as Motion, Paperworld, Badland, Acceleration, Endorphin Rush, and many others. Yet, I am always surprised that nobody ever mentions one of my favorite levels from him. The Problematic, a 2.0 non-demon that has fantastic decoration and gameplay, is a classic example of Taman’s brilliance in the editor.

The major reason why this level is one of my favorites is the decoration. The level features classic 2.0 designs that you would see with almost any other level at the time. These designs are primarily composed of older blocks from before 2.0, as well as occasional 2.0 blocks. Although the level features standard decoration, Taman executes this decoration phenomenally. He enhances the simple designs with numerous effects and movements that make this level feel alive. In almost every single part there is a new effect that brings the part together, whether it be something simple like the pulsing blocks at 7%, to the custom-made lasers at 2% and the endless amount of movements in parts like the one at 45%. This level truly displays that Taman was not afraid to show the world his knowledge of movements and effects. I personally love the movements in this level a ton, as he uses them very tastefully to create a very dynamic level.

Although the decoration is fantastic, the gameplay also speaks for itself. The Problematic features classic Taman gameplay that is incredibly fun, and also easy to sight-read. There are still some difficult parts like at 45% and 68% that are created by Taman’s teleport portal usage. However, if these parts are practiced even a little, they become significantly less challenging.

Taman was one of the most talented creators in 2.0 and this level proves it. His master-class usage of movements and effects in The Problematic creates an experience that is loved by many. Additionally, his perfectly flowing gameplay helps tons of people be able to enjoy this level. With this, The Problematic will always be one of my favorite Taman levels, and I would love to see Taman make more levels in the future.

Written on July 9th, 2024.

CP Machine is a level that I fell in love with when I first saw it. This level is a core themed megacollab based around levels like MagmaCore by Endlevel, as well as creators like Loogiah and Majacko. CP Machine was also intended to give pla his first creator points, hence the name. However, this level was delayed for a while, and pla has creator points now. Regardless, this megacollab features excellent work from every creator that made a part.

To begin with, CP Machine has fantastic core decoration. Almost every part features intricate details and designs that reflect the core style very nicely. These intricate designs are also composed of mainly older blocks, giving the level a feeling of 1.9. In contrast to most of the level, Skele chose to do a modern design for his part. His city themed part at 55% gives the level a breath of fresh air in the midst of the intense core style. Skele made less detailed designs, and focused on making a dynamic part with lots of moving structures. Even with Skele’s modernistic part that is different to the rest of the level, CP Machine sticks with an intense fire theme. Almost every part uses warm colors, fire objects and bright glow to successfully create the fire theme. However, Etheriall’s part at 37% breaks the theme by switching to dark blue colors. Although this part strays away from the fire theme, it does not affect the quality of the level. Switching the color to dark blue was a clever move to create a successful break part, and it works with the rest of the level to stay dark and intimidating. As a whole, the intricate designs and intense theming makes a very frightening level.

As for the gameplay, it is mostly fun. The way core style is made guarantees awkward gameplay, and this level has surprisingly little of it. Most of the gameplay in the level is fun. However, Killa’s gameplay at 74% is strange and can be confusing for some players. This part has a small memory element to it, and awkward timings that are easy to mess up. Additionally, Skele’s part is very tough to sight-read because of constant moving objects. Although this level has some tricky sections, the gameplay is very consistent and is very fun.

CP Machine is definitely a megacollab that pla can be proud of having hosted. The excellent theming and designs makes this level a high quality one. This level feels like a proper core level, which is fantastic. CP Machine has been unrated for a few weeks now, and I would love to see it get rated very soon.