Rating Curve

Sonic Wave is indeed a level that's on the Geometry Dash servers. It's a basic Nine Circles level made long after the trend had run its course, and was exclusively created to dethrone Bloodbath, then was buffed when it failed to reach that goal, and as a result leaves a level that is borderline unplayable. The predrop is incredibly boring to play, as it's almost a minute of boring gameplay, that gets very monotonous to play, then all of a sudden you're thrown into the most impossible wave gameplay. This juxtaposition threw my brain off as going from zoned out to locked in, in that short of a time frame got very annoying, especially when I would die to the very beginning of the wave. Passing the beginning of the wave, was basically a straight shot to 49, which is the biggest coin toss in any level I've ever played, and eventually became the most numbing thing to die to (which in this case isn't a good thing). Passing the first wave, and the really easy cube part, you get to the second wave, which is the most unsatisfying, unfun, and awkward wave part I've ever played in my life, and dying to the 70s multiple times was the most miserable thing I've ever experienced in this game. After the memory cube, you get to the last wave, which is actually kind of decent, but all of the atrocities pulled off by this level before it causes this to be the most nerve wracking part ever, I died there once and almost cried because I had to play through all of the rest of Sonic Wave again. Overall, the gameplay of Sonic Wave is incredibly unbalanced, with some of the worst chokepoints I've ever played. As for the decoration, again, it's basic Nine Circles, and that just doesn't look good past its time. That being said, the influence this level had on Extreme Demons in the future cannot be denied, but that really doesn't excuse the atrocities it committed on my brain.

Sunset Sandstorm is my favorite level in Geometry Dash. The way I interpret it, you ascend a staircase, getting closer and closer towards the sun, almost like a hike up a giant sand dune. As you get closer, the level gets more and more red, showing the increase in heat as you climb. Finally, you reach the top, seeing the sight of a beautiful sunset overtaking the whole landscape. I have no clue if this is what Crohn was going for in the level, but I have yet to see another level that has invoked a feeling of determination within me. Speaking of determination, a lot of that is required to beat this level, but while this is the case, it is also the most fun I have ever had playing a level. The first half is incredibly difficult, while also being decently consistent the further along you get, while the second half is essentially a "don't throw" challenge, as it is significantly easier, while also incredibly easy to die to due to nerves. Alongside all of this, the song representation is on point, as every aspect of this level truly feels like being stranded in the desert, and Cero's Outlaw does a great job at adding to that atmosphere. Overall, I think Sunset Sandstorm is fantastic piece of art, and as a level, is a very enjoyable experience.