Rating Curve

"Extreme Disaster" by kFlink is a level that is dead-set on representing its title. An extreme, incoherent, messy, bewildering, insulting, mind-numbing, and unmitigable disaster on every level, it is one of the purest forms of an anti-level that has ever been unleashed upon Geometry Dash. It is very scarcely that a level which is the complete antithesis of a good level manages to drop, but "Extreme Disaster" is that level. A once-in-a-generation monstrosity that should have been permanently sealed away in a vault.

"Back On Dash" is an incredibly clean and smooth revamp of one of the game's most iconic main levels that serves as an excellent way to open the NCS x GD collaboration. I love how it manages to maintain several key structural aspects of the original (as is most evident from the ship section) while still managing to feel novel and refreshing thanks to the fresh coat of paint AudieoVisual has applied to it. In all honesty, it's one of the better levels to come out of the NCS x GD collab, especially considering how the gameplay of some entries certainly teeters towards the questionable side. It's an excellent level from a technical perspective and all in all, it's a great remake that still maintains the DNA of the original while managing to feel new.

"through time" is a level almost synonymous with the days when GD World was still a popular and relevant spin-off game. It's a cute level with a nice artstyle that serves as an admirable tribute and farewell to update 2.0, even in spite of its relatively short length. I also have to admit 'Promises' is a pretty good song. Overall, I think it's a very solid level and probably one of the best things to come out of GD World during its tiny lifespan of relevancy.

"I cant die" just has to be one of the most pathetic Geometry Dash levels of all time. Its 'main' route is already bland enough, being so empty you could be forgiven for thinking this is an unfinished level. Thankfully, it isn't as nauseating as most of Tickle GD's levels (a Tickle GD level with tolerable visuals?). But worst of all, its 'second' route, which is key to revealing the level's true intentions, is just absolutely, unabashedly pathetic. The 'second' route ends with an overly-obnoxious, somewhat incoherent end screen in which Tickle GD whines about the mods being corrupt and how only famous creators receive Epic rates in a ludicrously over-the-top, melodramatic manner. I don't think the GD mods or rating system are perfect, but the way this level goes about criticizing the 'system' (as it puts it) couldn't be anything but desperate.

With the added context of Tickle's generally bad reputation, this level isn't just Tickle complaining about how unknown creators don't get the Epic rates or attention they deserve; this is Tickle victimizing himself and arguing that he hasn't gotten the Epic rates and love that he apparently merits. Looking at the bigger picture, it's pretty obvious why Tickle isn't necessarily the most lauded creator, and this isn't because of the fact he isn't a mod. In the words of Subwoofer in the comments section of this level: 'listen, its a fetish, you dont see this in kids animations. its a bad influence, and its gross'. "I cant die" is the fruit of Tickle GD's own ignorance, his immense ignorance to the fact his foot fetish may not be entirely appropriate within a game targeted towards all ages. I vaguely remember seeing a comment from Tickle GD complaining about how people hated his levels, but loved 2003Devin's. The main difference here is that — while 2003Devin arguably has a more violent repertoire — 2003Devin actually acknowledges the fact that his levels aren't suitable for all ages. Tickle really refuses to admit that there's anything wrong with his levels.

"I cant die" is an extremely mediocre level by itself, but with the added 'second' route and ignorantly resentful true message, I can't help but feel sorry for how pathetic Tickle is. In the words of eskim0 in the comments section, "I cant die" is truly a 'god complex moment' for Tickle GD.

"Traum" is German for the word 'dream', hence it's only natural that Partition's "Traum" is a delicate, dreamy and relaxing level that emanates warmth and comfort. It's a quietly beautiful level as it seamlessly shifts from place-to-place, moving from the stars, to clouds, to a cityscape at night, much like how a 'dream' can move you to all corners of the Earth for no rhyme or reason. It's visually captivating amongst its contemporaries and I can't stress how excellently the song complements the level.

An evocative, gentle and incredibly 'warm' level (in both the literal and figurative sense), "Flickering" by Skitten doesn't feel too far from the intimate sensation of snuggling for the warmth of a 'flickering' fire on a cold, dark, stormy night. It's a surprisingly good level in spite of its simplicity, and the beautiful piano rendition that accompanies it only enhances the cozy, comforting ambience that is created.

MasK's "Sunrise 3" is the neglected, dizzy, vomit-inducing lovechild of "Jumper" and "Time Machine" after a drunken one-night stand where "Time Machine" forgot to use protection.

I'm not the biggest fan of the nauseating color palette chosen (a vibrant yellow background combined with a green ground just feels unnaturally hideous even if it's meant to represent the ground and the sky during the eponymous "sunrise"). Sunrises are meant to be beautiful, awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping natural spectacles. "Sunrise 3" by Mask just gives you vertigo and is a generally unremarkable level if you remove its obscenely excessive quantity of mirror portals.

I can see why they called this level "Geass", and that's not because of the anime. It's not the creator's fault that "Geass" is rated 1 star when it really should have been re-rated alongside the plethora of 1 star non-auto levels when the 'auto' rating was introduced, but that doesn't make "Geass" any better of a level than the dismal dumpster fire it is. It might take the crown for the ugliest and most unsightly 1.5 levels ever created (scratch that, maybe one of the worst of all time excluding the fabled disasterpiece that is "TicklishWolfy"). "Geass" is legitimately an 'anti-level' in its existence. There is zero coherence or explanation for the baffling car crash of a level that this is.

Even after all "this time", EnZore's "This Time" is still a level that holds up substantially well. Its first two modernistic sections — which host two thumbnail-bait anime girls that are undeniably well-drawn — might not cohere too well with the rest of the level, which is, for the most part, an incredibly solid early 2.1 design level, yet it's an extremely smooth level that greatly suits the song (AstrEnfant by Miyolophone, which I find to be criminally underused). Even if I'm not the greatest fan of custom portals, it's still rather fun to play.

It lives up to its title :)