Rating Curve

Very very very pretty. I think other levels have a stronger grasp on interpreting the space theme in a creative way, but I like how this approached that overall. Astronomy was something I really was hoping some levels would cover, and while this level starts to lose that theming towards the end the predrop is really nice with all of the individual documents, constellation maps, and pictures of the cosmos. The film reel is a cool concept for a part and it's well executed. I suppose everything could be a little more connected to each-other though since in general this level presents a lot of random aspects of astronomy without really connecting them together conceptually, and that's why the level comes off as soulless to a lot of people.

Honestly the beginning has the most unsightreadable and frustrating parts which is a lot better than the drop having them. The 3D part is surprisingly well made and enjoyable, since most attempts at 3D can be a hit or miss gameplay wise.
Honestly there's a lot of little small details in this level I could gush over for a while, not in a "OMG HOW WAS THIS MADE IN GD" way but more of a "woahh that's neat that you took the time to include that in your level" way, so maybe I'll come back sometime to this review and add more.

i would say "i mean the title is accurate" except it isn't. Slightly funny.

i forget what this looks like but it’s a byproduct of hate and ego so i don’t care

Other people can put why this level is good in words better than I can convey.

I don't even know if it was the first popular level to do something like this with the alpha trigger so I don't know if I can give it points based off of it forming a unique challenge. Obviously negative a bunch of points for being literally just deadlocked but I don't hate it, it's a little funny.

I mean it formed an entire style. It's definitely a classic. Aged really well, still is a pretty solid 1.9 level. For its time the effect is pretty neat, but I overall think the success of this level came also from it being fairly simple in terms of layout. There's a clear first cube that's memorable, a clear ship, a clear ball, then a wave and a cube. This order became a very popular way of making a nine circles level, and I think if Zobros had tried to vary the gamemode more in his level the trend would have had a harder time catching on. The simplicity of Nine Circles's distinct parts make it memorable too, in a way. There's a reason so many people felt inspired to copy this level.

I don't like wave all that much and I don't really enjoy playing nine circles levels because of that. The original is alright though.

I'm going to be a bit biased here since this level personally inspired me to explore the editor more, but I hope this level also inspired others. The way Renn241 uses very basic objects here shifted the way I create, since I used to prefer using very complicated assets that would overall be a hit or miss. The Long Walk Home taught me how effective animated objects can be to make cool effects very simply, and way Renn combines these shows a level of creativity that may not be so evident on the surface. Building with basic blocks such as animated blocks is fairly similar to using puzzle pieces to create a larger puzzle, but I would say the influence this level had on me overall made me think less of the larger picture. There are many ways to create a level, but the two I've had to decide between are: having a very detailed plan and trying to build to it only to get disappointed, or to build the level as I go by finding out which object combinations look the coolest making me overall more motivated when I accidentally strike gold.

The Long Walk Home isn't incredible when compared to most levels, but the consistency of its quality over the long length is something that makes it stand out. By studying how Renn does this with limited objects, I believe newer creators can evolve the way they create in order to reach a better mindset. There isn't a right way to create, but experimenting periodically to find what works for you is important.

I think that the gameplay of the level overall is well made since mostly everything is sightreadable, but I can't say this level is that fun. Very chill level despite the nerves it will give you.

Honestly when this came out I underrated this a lot just simply because I didn't think I liked the structuring, I still feel that the blocks and structuring as a whole are very disconnected from the rest of the level, but I have came around to really like the other aspects of this. The designs and art are overall extremely pretty though sometimes their connection to each-other is questionable since the progression overall is a bit odd. Backgrounds in particular are really well made, and this level really knows how to use blending to make everything pop and seem beautiful since the colors are on point.

The gameplay is extremely fun to play, before you judge this level I'd recommend playing it since it's very fair even if obtaining that fairness meant sacrificing some creativity (orbit part probably being the hardest part to understand and is cool since it actually makes the gameplay connect more with the rest of the level, but this isn't seen much elsewhere).

Shockingly memorable; even if it wasn't in my top ten picks for the gauntlet honestly I was hoping this would get in.

Most space gauntlet entries neglect gameplay so that they can overstimulate the player with crazy effects and art, but The Beyond does the opposite. The Beyond has some really pretty art too, but its mixed in with a heavy emphasis on the block design and structuring. The part in the middle where the level starts shimmering has a really beautiful atmosphere to it, and the way the galaxies warp around you in the last part is a really neat effect; this level overall uses blending really tastefully. Still overall, the focus is on the block design and Lyal varies it up constantly throughout the level so it never gets boring. Very solid.