Rating Curve

Might be a bit biased here but I think this is pretty darn good for a modern sunset level. It's really interesting hearing Sis Puella Magica despite the level only tangentially referencing Madoka Magica (and a few other shows i don't know)- I think it works pretty well here. The main issue is that unlike a lot of other sunset levels, there is a pretty stark contrast between the structures and the backgrounds, something which is much more apparent as the level goes on. I think the earlier parts are quite magical though.

really good megacollab. has some insane peaks (lumpy, serp, zhander, thedevon, hyenaedon, disp) and the rest is not bad… i’d say this is quite the overlooked level.

Saturno has such a good and unique pathos as a creator and I really love the way he explores themes like mortality and religion (not just in this level but in Kiss of Fortune as well), but the usage of the pixel and cartoony tilesets in his levels carnally infuriates me. I just cannot get over it. It's something that Kiss of Fortune improved on, being less reliant on the mario blocks, but then they CAME BACK in Nascent Delirium! I guess it fits the very 2.0 sensibilities of levels like these but man... I'm really glad his upcoming level is not relying as much on the pixel tiles and just sticking to what he has really succeeded with.

Freeed is a creator who I associate more with megacollabs than solo levels so I was really shocked to see that not only has Freeed made a few solos, but this level is pretty damn good. I really like how expansive and creative it gets with the Manix style, breathing a lot of life into it at a time where it was starting to decline. There are a lot of freeflying sections which I really like in the context of this style, especially since I never really saw other creators like Manix or Lazerblitz doing that despite it fitting in really well with the general tone/atmosphere. I also really appreciate the clarity which is something that The Badland also excelled at compared to its contemporaries- I think it dips a bit during the second half of the drop, where there's a dolphin flying at you for some reason? But I think for the most part this is really good. Probably the best Manix styled level since The Badland.

THE WHEEL OF FATE IS TURNING

This level marks the start of a transitional period for Jayuff, starting to incorporate more general design sensibilities rather than the more flat/modern approach that they were taking in levels like Odd or Amarillo that predominated early 2.1. And I think this experimentation is really cool because unlike those other levels, the individual parts here feel much more cohesive and whole compared to parts in their older work, where there's a very stark disconnect between the background and foreground that brings down the vibe.

This level also experiments with a lot of different styles, and you can see some shades of older creators in some parts (kind of like how the first part feels very nasgubb inspired), but then you see Jayuff blazing a new trail for level design, and a motif that'll probably catch your eye- these multicolored glow structures. You can tell they were feeling themselves with this idea because not only is this iterated on in later parts, but also in future levels, and I think these designs are decently innovative for the time- a lot of Jayuff's work in this period and later on is very reminiscent of the much playful and colorful designs we would be seeing in the late 2.1 era- where a new generation of creators would take these types of elements and sentiments towards level design to usher in what I would consider to be GD's renaissance.

Sadly, this level itself is not something I find too interesting nowadays, as I think it hasn't aged perfectly, as well as having a few hit-or-miss parts, but I think it serves as a pretty important springboard to Jayuff's creating journey and what would lead them succeeding so much more in the future.