Rating Curve

Written in June 2024, taken from YouTube description:

Strikes me as an awfully vapid and tryhard level, one that thinks it’s smarter and more elegant than it really is. In particular the massively scaled objects, used in presumably an attempt to flex a low object count, artifact around the edges and just look fuzzy and ugly. Just very unpleasant texturally, yknow. The gameplay is also kind of formless and awkward, clearly an afterthought in a way that doesn’t really work. I’m already not much of a sucker for this Bli-esque style of level, but Isthmus especially feels like a pale imitation of a pale imitation. Have definitely seen better from Pettsu before now, and I sure hope I’ll continue to.

Written in October 2024, taken from YouTube description:

Fruitsnack’s levels have a certain conviction of sorts to them. The decoration is simple and to the point, while the gameplay is incredibly uncompromising. These may sound like negative aspects depending on the person, but in my opinion his levels also are consistently tons of fun and look very charming, and the aforementioned aspects kind of add to that in a sense. His style has always quite interested me and only grown on me further over time. This particular one has the charm of a level from the first few months of 2.1, one of my personal favorite periods in GD, but it appears it was made a whole year later in 2018 when average level quality was in somewhat of a drought. Definitely a standout for the timeframe.

Written in January 2025, taken from YouTube description:

Possibly more aptly titled than it should be. I like Nebbles’ parts quite a bit but Epiclight’s are really awkwardly colored, moreso than I imagine was intended and ultimately not in a way I personally find appealing or intriguing. This was also a problem in their previous demon years ago, but this is pretty comfortably better than that one once 33% is reached. The long and short of it pretty much is that I think Nebbles did some heavy lifting here.

Thinking about shit I recognize and smiling

TamaN-esque design philosophy on crack, goes increasingly off the rails as it progresses. 62% is one of my favorite parts in any level, probably. Don't like to use 'raw' as a descriptor very often, but this is a perfect example of what it's supposed to entail.

Written in January 2025, taken from YouTube description:

It’s definitely aged a bit, and sometimes the colors and textures kind of blend together, but you can’t really beat such strong commitment to the theme. All the inhabitants, especially the villain with his immediate introduction as a petty jackass and his subsequent reappearances and boss battle, really do wonders to make the level’s world feel truly lived in. I totally forgot to grab the coin he stole and then I felt bad about it, which is a serious feat in worldbuilding for a GD level from seven years ago. All in all I really don’t know how this one continues to be so unknown. Castle Dedede, Pl4sma’s other demon, has enjoyed a small resurgence after a now-defunct stint on the HDL, but nobody really talks about Fiesta. Even if it stays a bit niche due to its age, I think it deserves some more eyes on it.

Frustrating. The base deco isn't even necessarily that bad but it's so built around the idea of being the "shortest extreme" that it doesn't develop in any capacity and just molds into muddy nothingness for 30 seconds. Active unwillingness to be anything substantial.

Hypnotic, addicting, borderline intoxicating

Trying much too hard

I mean I think it's silly. Less secondhand embarrassing than Bussin if nothing else.