Rating Curve

I've known robotchief for a while now, for so long now that I've been always aware and proven by their skill of creating extremely polished levels whenever they decide to do so. this level, more specifically, has been an on & off project since May 6th and I've seen previews of it every now and ever throughout that time frame. I'm so happy for the final product, and for being offered up to improve & playtest this level further.

now, in regards to HAVOC: this is up to par in outstanding quality with some of robotchief's previous works, more notably levels like "Circuitry", "TURN BACK" & "Solar Wind", where robotchief excels in attention to detail across all elements of their level & great song representation throughout, and with great consistency — and this level isn't the exception.

in the first few parts, the level introduces a "broken" section with some masking effects atop of it, giving a general idea of what to expect in this level. the general quality of the first few parts before the ship is very neat, albeit lacking in quality in contrast to the following parts. the effects definitely fit the design choice for this part — that, and the general song execution for such! there's definitely some great attention to detail in regards to song representation in this level.

moving onward, the level itself improves massively as you play through: I couldn't help but feel that this part is one of the most mesmerizing of the whole level, due to the attention of detail in each element this part has to specifically offer. I really love the implementation of crumbled down portals after some of the guillotine-looking structures fall downwards, leaving remnants of the aforementioned. it's also worth noting that there are details over details in this level that don't inherently ruin the playing & visual experience: the particles coming upwards as the same falling down structures actually hit the bottom half, the warping airdeco elements (more notably in the 3rd part), the mixed background effects that just end up working, etc., this level has some amazing charm to it!

lastly, the last part is what sells the general "broken / shattered" theme, with glass structures that crack as soon as the player lands on them and fully break right after the player leaves — same with the orbs too, as they act like broken ornaments as soon as the player hits them. this part of the level was the one that sold me the most and defined the general quality of the level, as I personally believe that the execution of the "shattered" theme is excellently laid out, with tasteful color choices throughout & a song that ends up being smoothly looped further past the second part. there were some ideas for this level, and robotchief greatly implemented those ideas with great attention to polish, detail & execution.

briefly, I believe that the gameplay of this level isn't nothing unique outside of your general 7* level, since it's fairly straight-forward and tends to get rather stale if you focus on the gameplay aspect of it, but I personally believe that the general decoration quality makes up for the lack thereof with great success. overall, this is definitely one of robotchief's better works, with a great attention to all aspects a level may have to offer without hindering the general experience of such. for the quality this goes for, this is easily an epic worthy level without a doubt. unfortunately, RobTop rated this level fairly quickly before I had time to record the showcase, and he ended up rating this level as a featured. worse is nothing, though!

I remembered this level a few days ago after Rackett released some of his own projects to the game. I've been super attentive with End of the Play due to its charismatic and unique nature, its progression throughout and the general execution of a lot of elements that I don't generally see often.

now, this level encapsulates a hand-drawn creating style, which fondly reminds me of his other level called "OBJECT PERMANENCE". I personally enjoy this kind of creating style because it allows the creator to properly treat the editor as if it was their own notebook of sorts, doodling designs and assets in the background as constellations, foreground elements as well and even the texturing of some designs — there's a lot of neat detail in this level.

this level mostly focuses on drawn scenery, which it adds some great personality to the level the more you play and appreciate how the creator laid out most of these concepts through. however, I strongly believe that while the main appeal of this level are the backgrounds themselves, these tend to leave most structural elements empty and rather lacking massively, more notably at the UFO section at 47%, the lack of proper useful structuring in this part really hinders with the general quality of that section alone, when it has so much great potential to it.

I'd like to also mention that the gameplay of this level is rather fun to execute, but I had a hard time enjoying it for the most part, due to how the inputs are laid out to compensate song sync. the gameplay, while it aligned itself neatly with the song representation, tends to come off as odd to me in some sections. for instance, the swing section at 35% feels rather off putting with how it's laid out with the song and the general inputs of it, same with its structuring. I do appreciate the effort for implementing a swing part in the first place, since I personally believe swing is super under looked and underrated. finally, the transition work in this level needs to be heavily improved, as I personally believe that it's the level's major weaknesses. some transitions are okay at best, but what really killed it for me was the 58% to 69%. I'll admit however, and it's the fact that the constant transitions between brief, disconnected parts was a good idea due to the song's constant buildup, but I'd appreciate personally a more proper execution of that idea, since it can come off as rather offputting and just generally awkward.

now, the song of this level is what attracted me a lot. the song execution in this level is extremely well executed! I strongly believe that it's Rackett's better works in regards of representation. the design choices in this level neatly fit with the song's general ambience, and with each section, you can tell that each part was thought out for that song's part. not only that, but the creating style in this level tends to match with the song's ambience and rhythm. I really appreciate the creator's thought process when creating these sections in huge relation to the song. this is by far the level's best regard to it!

overall, this is an extremely solid demon where it executes song ideas to its maximum, things like transitions and gameplay could potentially be improved, but for what's worth, it isn't as bad. the designs in this level are as great as they can be, with the general doodled out style which really appalled to me a lot, and the overall execution of other elements like airdeco, foreground elements and the overall ambience of this level are extremely well! this is a great level from such an underrated creator.

one of the most unique and interesting Space Gauntlet entries so far, and I am so happy to say that this is by far one of my personal favorites. this level's direction is far from what has been already presented, and it aims for a unique and lovely experience similar to other levels of the same quality. Out of Place stands alone in comparison to most entries.

I'd like to begin and mention the artistic choice this level aims for, with a vibe similarly set as "Planispheres", where the main focus of this level is how the player begins rising to space in a cloud section, where there are angels sitting on some clouds. I really like how the creator implemented some pulse-work in this cloud section, with bright pulses on the more noticeable drums and laid back dark pulses on the undertones of this level. the texturing of the angels and the overall background is very well-executed, mainly because of the theme's general execution in this part.

I would also love to point out how the level introduces the general "space" theme most levels aim for, in a unique and excellently way. a transition of a man "breaking the fourth wall" and tearing apart the cloud part, only to then transition into outer space. the spinning foreground & background elements of this level are incredible, with an amazing attention to detail that makes you play the level more. the color scheme in this part is incredibly well executed as well, and it also has some blue tinting that functions as an overlay, which I feel it's executed neatly throughout the following parts. not only that, but towards the drop section of this level, the energy that this level emanates in comparison to the song's energy is lovely throughout, with a more lenient yet livid color scheme that represents the part's general energy throughout. I love the song representation in this, as the lyrics themselves add up to the energy to it. that, and the scaling & rotating art assets in this level, it's all lovely!

as the level progresses forward into the prelude section of the level, it fondly reminds me of Hollow Knight's art style, with the way the colors are laid out and the outline thicknesses and style. there's a lot of neat design choices & details throughout this. however, the pulsing / fading doors in the background make this part feel Out of Place (lol) with the part's general design. it does make up to it with a neat transition to the next section, but I personally feel there should be a better background choice to this part, as I personally feel it doesn't fit.

following the above, the planet section in this level is the one that sold me out the most, with very intriguing planets that do feel extremely worked upon & polished, the texturing in these planets is greatly executed, and the overall ambience of this section feels so fitting with everything that was previously mentioned. the colors in this part however tend to feel a bit muddy because of the constant hue changes past the red orb, before then it was really appealing for me, but I can see how the creator meant to use those hue changes following the red orb. just wish it was a bit neatly implemented throughout.

briefly, people might suggest, as it's popular knowledge, that levels focusing mostly on visuals perform poorly in regards of gameplay. but I personally believe that the difficulty the creator aimed for this level is neatly executed, and it's really fun throughout! it's not as easy as other entries are, where they solely focus on the visuals in this, but it's not as hard as other entries tend to be. while I understand that the visual & gameplay balance is mostly outweighed by visuals alone, I really find this level very great to play!

with everything wrapped up, this level is by far one of my favorite entries in this level by a long shot. the artistic theming this level goes for fondly reminisces levels like "commatose", "Planispheres" & "space I guess" with incredible pulse-work, attention to detail and superb song representation that really left me completely speechless. I'd love to suggest this is by far one of the greatest levels released in 2025 so far. least I have to say is that I am looking forward for this level to receive a mythic rating & placed in the top 5 entries of the Space Gauntlet!

this quickly became one of my new favorite Space Gauntlet entries so far. admittedly, I've been somewhat slacking on the previews and even releases of most Space Gauntlet entries, but I've been mostly attentive on what gets released, and I am happy that I managed to catch this level early. as TwanDash being one of my favorite creators in the game, he doesn't fail to surprise me and provide with utmost peak to the servers.

so, in regards of Mission S, this is one of the most energetic and more colorful entries of the Space Gauntlet that I've seen & played so far, Mission S focuses primarily in providing energetic designs and effects in great consistency throughout the level and even the song. which, talking about, I personally loved the song representation & execution of such! the energetic peaks of the song with the panned out sections, with each part having something to show for and the song aiding with that amount of detail, is super incredible to me.

speaking of details, some assets are questionably executed with the objects used for them, more notably in the first two planets in the beginning sections of the level, where you notice rocks sticking out of the actual ring itself. while this may be an intentional choice from the creator itself, I strongly believe that it'd look fairly cleaner if the rocks were in the rings themselves. despite that small mishap, like previously mentioned, this level is fairly consistent in quality throughout! you may notice some stylistic contrast between parts, but I personally find the cohesion of the level's general colorful & energetic theming make up for the lack thereof!

the gameplay for this level tends to aim for the more easier side, only requesting a 3* rating, which allowed the creators to make the decoration the main premise of the level, rather than play-ability for that regard. there are also some alternate paths to go for, which will grant you pickups that will then be accumulated for one coin. while the main premise of the level are the visuals themselves, I would appreciate if there was some more attentive detail to the gameplay, since for 80% of the level, you don't know where you're going for the most part.

but nonetheless, I strongly believe that this level is one of my favorites from TwanDash! I really like this level and the execution of most elements throughout. things like backgrounds, foreground elements, song representation & execution, it's all neatly put in a charmful level. this level has some great personality, and for the quality this level goes for, it's superb! I look forward for this level to receive a legendary rating.

reposted from my YouTube description x)

this level has been stuck in my head for the longest time for all the right reasons, and even though the whole bollardills experiment has been exposed and concluded, the levels by the participants have been nothing but a great experience to witness, and the overall hunt to figure out who bollardills is, has been really entertaining to witness.

Love Valiant 2 by mel- erm, bollardills, is one of the few levels from the bollardills account that stand out from the rest, because of the overall message it conveys and the great execution of such simple yet effective and good-looking effects that are really pleasing to see and play — this level executes most elements very efficiently, which gives off a clean and polished look throughout.

the development and cohesion that this level conveys is really clever and well-executed, from the song choice to the design & effect choices, which even in a surface level, you appreciate the simplicity and overall cohesion between each part, and how interconnected everything feels — from the more simpler and joyful design style to the more abrasive and complex designs & effects that give an idea of what the theming of this level could potentially be.

the gameplay in this level is nothing from short, either. despite it being fairly linear and readable, it holds up a great gameplay standard, personally. some awkward gameplay sections are the 0:59 dual, which makes it easy for the orbs to mix up and whatnot, leading to a handful of unfair deaths. briefly, I personally feel that the dual section could've had more to it than what's presented. with the dual part being the song's calmer part after the first more joyful sections of the level, I personally feel that the dual could've had some more attention to detail rather than some simple gloom. and while it for sure fits, I would've loved to see a bit more thought put into it.

the last few sections of the level are what sold it for me entirely, in a good way. once you get an idea of the first few sections and how they are connected, the sudden change of styles with the overall saturated color palette, and erratic block designs that flash and flicker towards you, and with the song completely checking all boxes in terms of execution is, in my opinion, one of the few levels that focus on song execution more than any other level element, and it does it well.

but nonetheless, Love Valiant 2 is a superb level for the quality it aims for. with more simpler designs that feel tight-knit with one another, and the excellent song execution with the designs, I personally feel that this level has exceeded the general creating standards tenfold, with a great attention to detail that makes it extremely enjoyable and lovely.

reposted from my YouTube description x)

when I first saw this level as a preview from BrainETR, I already knew this man was cooking some heavy stuff, and I'm so glad I wasn't left disappointed. the wait was definitely worth, and I am very happy for the result of this level in all possible ambits.

so, I want to start off by saying that the song choice of this level was excellent and it perfectly compliments the theme choice of this level, alongside with the design choices. it feels as if it was your average BrainETR level, but amplified and worked upon all possible aspects, from the design quality, to the background choices and quality. there's so much to go through this level.

the general designs are inspired from the original music video of the song, notably at the spider section, where the background tiles are really similar to the music video's tiles. I love that attention to detail, because it makes the level feel more connected to the song, bringing up a lot of grateful consistency throughout this level. I would also love to point out that the color scheme implementation is on point, and the glow usage to compliment the colors & designs themselves are amazing! from the color pulsing to the glow beams in the borders of the screen, the glow in the structures that pulse to the rhythm of the song, the transitions, it's all lovely!

I'd love to also say that this level doesn't drop in quality throughout. for a 8 star level of such length, you'd expect the quality to drop throughout, but everything is connected & well-polished. the song lyrics make excellent justice and are excellently executed to the song's upbeat feel to it. the gameplay also is very engaging throughout! most players would 1 attempt this level, which allows for a good chunk of the playerbase to enjoy this level throughout.

overall, this level is such a great entry for the space gauntlet, and it really does make me happy that levels of this quality are being introduced and worked upon. I've had the pleasure to see other entries and previews from other creators with their own projects, and I can't wait to see all of it through! HideOut stood up the most for me in all general aspects and for the quality this level goes for, I look forward for this level to receive a legendary rating.

the review below may contain spoilers for Over Again by PAHC.
please play the level first before reading!

a greatly executed puzzle level that goes beyond the concept of a "puzzle" level, and leans towards an ARG-esque, which expands across levels, accounts, and even lore from the creator's previous projects — Over Again tends to reach for bigger horizons the more you explore what it has to offer beyond a simple 4-key password.

it's no big surprise for those that follow PAHC's general projects: they tend to aim for more abstract and unexplored "gimmicks" that most traditional levels tend to leave unearthed due to the lack of proper execution, more notably in levels like Vertigo & SAVE AS. Over Again exhibits a similar product like in the level PAIN CONTROL BUS, but expands it upon the general boundaries of the game. I tend to be a professional sucker for ARG levels/projects if they're done right and are interesting enough for my personal liking, which, this level checks all boxes and even more I didn't even know I had. the overall script-writing in this level is absolutely incredible, and keeps the player very engaged to understand the narrator's general thought-process and actions against the player. for such a level being done in such short notice, it baffles me how under looked this level is.

I really like how PAHC implemented other creators' levels as a way to branch out the project even further, not only his. levels, from literal years ago, that were made without this project being conceptualized in the first place. going as far as to make an automated e-mail system that reads a story of a player who tries to do their best to be someone in the community. not only that, but to hint out more puzzle pieces for a custom-made code system with symbols that affect the codes themselves THROUGH the previously mentioned player's levels that were already narrated by PAHC in the e-mail, and even more hints that are accessible mostly through the main level as you keep exploring and discovering. all within the boundaries of Over Again. the level's quality still surprises me to this day, because of how well laid out it was.

overall, these kinds of levels are extremely subjective to those who wish to play it and participate in the level, I'll admit. but the effort put into executing such ARG levels of such quality is not to be shunned down, and I personally believe & understand that PAHC has done a superb job in the realization & making of Over Again. it's a great last level of his for the time being, and I am eager to see what he has yet to offer for the community. an excellent job in all considerable aspects.