Rating Curve

This is not a level. This is an animation where you have to click a couple of times with no warning whatsoever. It's like watching a YouTube video where all of a sudden you have to click the fast forward button or else the video will start over. The visuals aren't even good because it is just spamming IPs that will make the viewer go "OOGA BOOGA THATS A REFERENCE" as its main draw. The gameplay subtracts from the experience and the visuals are uninspired. Would've been better as an auto level or a video.

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.

This is one of those levels I like to come back to ever so often because it explores a typically unexplored emotion that appears during the holiday season: loneliness. You as a player in GD are unable to meet other players in level (not counting globed) so every environment you explore in this level appears lonely and isolating. However, the level is able to find comfort in that loneliness and convey it through the song, the gameplay, and the length, all of which are able to comfort you amidst the indifferent environments. It is a level that resonates with me a lot as an introvert and it helps to give me peace of mind despite whatever happens in my life.

What a great level for cometface to return with! This level fully embraces its cave theming like no other level I know. The standout part to me is the ball/spider part after the title screen. The incredibly unique structuring of the cave wall and floor makes it a blast to traverse much like caving in real life! I also appreciate the use of the ball and spider game modes and I think they provide the most unique interaction with the environment since gravity switching encourages interaction with a surface. The other part that stands out to me gameplay-wise is the ship part that feels super open due to the amount of height variance it goes through much like finding a clearing in an actual cave. The deco goes very well with the whole experience being pretty standard for cometface, but it definitely complements the magical vibe of the song quite well. This level is super fun overall and fills you with joy and whimsy as you go exploring the depths of this cave.