Rating Curve

pride (the concept) is all about loudly and unashamedly showing our true, queer colors without caring about what outsiders may make of us.

pride (the level) is an overbaked modern level that cycles between different dull, washed-out pride flag color palettes, obscured by so many layers of low opacity black, random little details, and pulses to black/white that the whole level feels like it's actively trying to hide what it claims to celebrate.

whereas pride (the concept) is about love and defiance, pride (the level) is about hesitation and obfuscation. there's so many interesting directions you could take a level centered around the queer experience, so it's a shame nearly all of them take the same uninspired approach of simply using pride flag color palettes. but even with these low expectations, pride still falls short.

a few years ago i went to universal studios and they have a bunch of rides where they show you some 3D rendered video while moving around your seat, blowing wind in your face, spraying you with water, etc. and watching (yea im not playing this shit) galatikus feels exactly like these rides—that is to say, it's all spectacle and no substance. the orchestral score and overdone realistic aesthetic have zero flavor and so much random shit happens for no reason other than "wouldn't it be so epic if i did this??" and of course there's nothing inherently wrong with levels doing something cool for the sake of it, but when the entire experience is just a hollow series of 'epic' moments strung together, it culminates in a level that is so desperate to be the greatest level of all time and yet so unconfident in its ability to do so that it willingly sacrifices everything that makes geometry dash levels good at all.

despite my scathing review, i give it bonus points because it's so absurdly over the top it's comical. honestly a better parody of space gauntlet entries than cosmic level.