Rating Curve

This level is utterly mind-blowing and I say that as someone who, relatively recently, experienced this level for the first time. Some common sentiments people seem to have about Death Moon such as how grand the level feels and how insane the effects are I think are better applied to this level. Despite its comparatively short length, it feels like the level packs the full drama and force of an opera into it.

Every set piece and environment presented to you feels larger than life and is compounded by the mind-blowing creativity that went into each decision. My favorite part of the level is where it opens up to a bright flash after the ball section while suddenly shrinking the camera to the music as if it was squeezing the drama of the song to the thinnest possible length before preparing to release it all. Genuinely mind-blowing stuff for 1.9. The is one of the hardest home runs I have ever seen in a Geometry Dash level.

This level makes me cry almost every time I play it. The song and environment sucks you in like no other and it demands introspection on the part of the player. I think some of its magic comes from experiencing the level for yourself and finding what the person falling in the water and the effortlessly subtle transition from the ocean to space really means to you.

This level is unbelievably brilliant. It has the best build up in any level ever and the best drop in any level ever.

The building of tension is accomplished in fairly simple ways that lure the player into a state of hypnosis and tension. While the first cube doesn't do anything outstanding, its gameplay keeps the player engaged which I do appreciate. The ship part however is a brilliant piece of level design. The trippy effects and the almost monotonous gameplay are able to perfectly lure the player into hypnosis which somehow presents ease and unease at the same time.

The contrast between the pre drop and the drop is obviously brilliant and is the perfect release of tension that makes this level so special. Going from a dark, utterly constrained area to a bright and open space is completely euphoric, especially when playing from zero.

To think this level was Krmal's first serious project is unreal and shows how brilliant of a creator he is.

This is one of the few levels in this game I would consider perfect. The level is built from the ground up to instill fear in the player in quite a unique way. The title of the level, "Cold Sweat," commands your attention and puts the player in a state of unease after reading it. This starts off the experience brilliantly before the level even begins.

The first section consists of timing gameplay with small bursts of speed that mimic chills of anxiety. This is the first sign the level gives you that something is off. Fear starts to build as the level progresses. The next section consists of memory gameplay that mimics a feeling of confusion. Then it all stops. The player is given time to rest, but this break is in fact just preparation for the coming two parts. It is put there intentionally to give you a moment to think, but most importantly, be scared. Nervous is too weak of a word here. The spam UFO's only purpose in this level is to tire you out. While it may not be that difficult, spamming the whole way through prevents your mind from wandering, preventing you from thinking about the incoming wave part. The level's climax comes in the form of a wave part that requires an insane amount of concentration and muscle memory to perform correctly and is just a spectacle gameplay-wise. It is iconic for a reason and it wears that pride on its sleeve. Coming from the previous UFO part that was mostly mindless spamming that becomes tiring, this part is a huge challenge in gameplay whiplash that elevates it in intensity and fear. It demands your attention and prevents you from looking away despite its horrors. During these two parts, the visuals consume your field of view as they mimic illusions of where the gameplay actually is. This builds off the confusion and overloads your senses just as fear might do someone having a panic attack. This is until it all stops. The confusion of what just happened clouds your vision as you are left to rely on the song for clues of where you are.

Every design choice in the level's gameplay and decoration are put toward a climactic journey perpetuated by fear. While most GD levels typically build on nerves or suspense, this level takes one step further turning those feelings into full on fear. Every design choice was made with this intention and it shows. What a masterpiece.