Rating Curve

It's practically a crime that "Oahu" hasn't at the very least been rated yet as it might just be BrainETR's most atmospheric effort to date. It's a level that perfectly encapsulates the feeling of trying to wind down on an overwhelmingly humid summer night. It's the quintessential, picturesque portrait of the vacation that you could only ever dream of. There's the golden sand. The endless sea. The towering palms. The gorgeous views. And the flickering neon signs of hotels and other late-night establishments. It's very rare that a level is able to feel so immersive, especially with how simple "Oahu" is on a technical level (it shockingly only has 10009 objects). It truly is the embodiment of a 'vacation' level, and the only level I've really seen that doubles as both a level and a covert travel advertisement (maybe I should actually go to Oahu in the future, but it would probably be too expensive for me, haha :P)

Wildly different from the vigorously dynamic and energetic levels that BrainETR has typically released, "Get Your Wish" is an atmospheric, touching and gentle level that truly feels like a tender and warm embrace. Accompanied by its beautiful and relaxing song, it's a therapeutic and calming experience that very much shows the power that can be found within simplicity. It feels almost magical in essence, especially with the way the stars flash and eventually connect together towards the end of the level (especially with a perfect endscreen). It's the same magic you feel when you gaze into the stars following a long, hard day of work, only to be left in awe at the pure, unfiltered, uncorrupted beauty left before you in the skies above.

I'll admit this review is a little wordy and excessive, especially for a level so simple in its execution. But "Get Your Wish" is a truly special and dreamy level which really does prove how versatile of a creator BrainETR is. BrainETR is the rare kind of creator who's both very diverse but very recognizable. In all honesty, BrainETR is probably one of my favorite working creators as of now.

BrainETR is a creator who pretty much never fails when it comes to the gameplay department (except for the obvious outlier "Worst Drop", which also happens to be BrainETR's worst level). BrainETR is also the only creator who actually seamlessly weaves jump indicators with style (in a sense, jump indicators are part of BrainETR's levels' identity, remove them and you remove what makes them so special). Bursting with dynamism and charm, "Lifelike" is a level that very much lives up to its title. It's an incredibly fun easy demon with a lot of personality. There's a lot of charm to be found within the irresistibly electric, energetic and bouncy movements found throughout "Lifelike", and as a whole, it's a level that really complements the song's whole theme of wanting to reach out to the stars and be 'on the loose'. "Lifelike" is a level that very much excels at feeling like it is alive (which makes sense because of its title as well as the larger-than-life song which accompanies it). It's one of the most fun experiences I've had playing an easy demon even if it only took me a few attempts to beat.

One of the best auto levels of its time and still one of my favorite auto levels to this day, "Space Travel" is an auto level that just has a certain charm to it. It's extremely simplistic and barebones by today's standards, but I think its simplicity is what makes it so special. It still manages to evoke the same exciting, dynamic and chaotic energy one tends to think of when they see the words 'space travel'. It's an engaging auto level that perfectly captures the feeling of being frantically and widlly thrown in all directions as rockets and spaceships zoom by you. In a way, it's a level that I personally think embodies and encapsulates the spontaneity and adventure we tend to associate with space. I kind of miss the era when more hectic, basic and fun autos like this just ricocheted the player everywhere they could (this isn't to say that I don't appreciate modern auto levels — especially when they can be some of the most spectacular visual marvels, — but older auto levels just possess a certain 'je ne sais quoi' to them, even if some of them can be buggy due to changes in the physics).

I don't think there's another level where public sentiment has switched and changed so violently. When "WhyMe" was first released in July 2021, it was practically lauded as a masterpiece by pretty much everyone. It was actually originally featured, but people were so frustrated that it was robbed of an Epic that it ultimately got promoted to an Epic anyways. Then, it was added to the Portal Gauntlet in March 2024 and everybody started to hated it. It hadn't even been 3 years since it was released to the public and people were already turning against it.

I think I understand the hate for it being in a Gauntlet. It's an extremely long and slow story-based level where the emphasis isn't on creating stimulating gameplay and is more so on the story TMNGaming is trying to convey. It's a terrible level for a Gauntlet, but I think as a stand-alone narrative work, it's a fascinating glimpse into a tortured artist's broken psyche. It's overly pessimistic and even incredibly blunt with what it tries to communicate to the player, but it's an interesting vent level that truly really embodies the feeling of frustration and anguish. It's an emotionally raw piece and I can kind of respect it for not placing a filter or diluting itself. It's a level that some people might even relate to (reading comments from 3 years ago on videos of "WhyMe" really demonstrates why I was so blindsided by the violent change in its perception, it was so loved upon its release but it seems the community that formerly loved it seems to despite it for its very existence).

I think "WhyMe" is a level that really unmasks the current state of the GD community. Sure, it's not a good level for a Gauntlet and its placement in a Gauntlet really diminishes its image in the eyes of players (imagine if a great stand-alone work like "SAVE AS" was placed in a Gauntlet and the outrage that it would cause), but most of the hatred and vitriol its placement in a Gauntlet has inspired seems to be overly extreme or unwarranted. It seems just a little hypocritical that a community that literally gave it a "Best Story" award at the GD 2021 awards (with it winning 42.8% of the vote) now so fervently dislikes it for its very existence.

Personally, I find the existence of "WhyMe" to be necessary. Not many other levels out there truly capture an artist or a creator's frustration. And despite how melodramatic it comes off at some points, I think more honest and emotionally raw levels like "WhyMe" should be made. It's an interesting piece of art that I still think is very unique. In 2021, there wasn't really any other levels like "WhyMe" so it understandably blew people away. But even in 2025, there isn't really another level that matches "WhyMe". It's a pure anomaly in its creation and existence.

The only major sin about "TobRop Desert Map" is it's simply way too short! The atmosphere that BrainETR is able to create with this level in such a short span of time is completely unmatched. It's a simple map at its core yet its wonderfully stylised decoration and perfectly selected song come together to create an immaculate scene which could be right out of a classic Western film. The build-up in this level is phenomenal and it almost feels as if "TobRop Desert Map" is building up to an iconic final stand-off scene set under the heat of the desert sun. It's such a shame that it ends so prematurely because it's got such a perfect set-up it just makes you want to play even more and find out what happens next. This is a level I totally wouldn't mind there being a sequel to because it's so skilfully crafted it almost seems like the starting chapter to what could be a fantastic long-running saga of Western-themed levels. The ambience is perfect. The visuals and all the little details are perfect. And as a BrainETR level, the gameplay is bound to be top-notch. It's just such a shame that it ends so early...

Consumerism has never felt so good.

While "AriZona" is essentially a 2.5 minute commercial for the eponymous iced tea brand, that doesn't mean it's any less of a good level. Its decoration is nice, smooth and clean, and if all commercials looked more like this level I'd probably be more inclined to buy the products they sell me. Furthermore, Mountain Light is an absolute banger of a track and practically any level with it is almost automatically going to be a good level at the very least (see Messier 45 by Jayuff, which is actually kind of a masterpiece).

Perhaps "World Peace" is a little too naïvely optimistic of a level, as we're even further from world peace than when the level first released. I remember "World Peace" used to be one of my favorite levels when I first started playing Geometry Dash back in 2018, but 7 years on, I can still confidently say that I love it for what it is. Its message might be a little simplistic or on-the-nose and it might even come off as a little cheesy to some, but I really love just how much "World Peace" bursts with optimism and joy. Not many levels are able to capture or embody such an immense degree of happiness or euphoria. It's beautiful just how happy and hopeful it is for a future where lives don't have to be lost due to meaningless, senseless wars. While it is wholly unfeasible for all wars in existence to ever cease, there's something very cute and endearing about how innocent and carefree "World Peace" is. It's a level about a future we were promised but will never be able to attain.

But the most important part, the part that made this special... was that she loved me too.

A very adorable, sweet and heartfelt love story about two nondescript cubes, Jayuff's "Because I Loved Her" is probably one of the most memorable levels from GD World before its Featured tab received a complete overhaul. For a story about two cubes, it's actually very compelling with regard to the storytelling department. It's silly, I know, but it's difficult not to root for the protagonist of this cubic romance as he crosses oceans and climbs mountains to try and reach the love of his life. It's extremely sincere and genuine in what it tries to do and tell and I respect this level for its pure sentimentality. Its gameplay is surprisingly involved and engaging for a 3* level, although this likely lends itself to the level's format as well as narrative. "Because I Loved Her" is an incredibly romantic level that makes for an excellent pairing with Jayuff's later level "Amorous". Sure, it might look cheesy or treacly but it's genuinely a very good and competently made level. Its song choice — Yellow Orange Afternoon by Megawolf77 — is simply sublime and perfectly complements the delicate and undeniably cute love story that it tells.

"Ferris Wheel" is a criminally underplayed level. Despite having only a measly 7.6k downloads, it's probably one of the most creative, unique and fun harder 7* levels I've played. It has a very simple gimmick: most of the orbs in the level are arranged in a circular manner and spin around, not too dissimilar from a ferris wheel. However, what it does with this gimmick is actually pretty refreshing and novel. It's rare that I play a typical harder level and get blown away by the gameplay, but "Ferris Wheel" is extremely enjoyable at what it does. It's honestly weird that not much levels out there take advantage of cyclical orb structures, because "Ferris Wheel" proves they can be very, very fun indeed if they're executed correctly. It's a very aptly named level, as not only are the orbs mini ferris wheels but the entire level itself takes on the appearance of an amusement park. I do think being designed after an amusement park is appropriate, especially as it is one of the most fun 7* levels I've ever had the pleasure of playing

But seriously, it's kinda sad how unnoticed it's gone for 2 years. How does this level only have 7.6k downloads? I don't know. All I can say is the level's only real sin is the fact that it lasts too short. I really wish it could have lasted a little longer...