Rating Curve

I never envisioned how much I had to say about a 9* level, especially one that doesn't revolutionise standards or is insanely original for its time. Melody is arguably Sweetdude's most (in)famous level due to that Etzer video. I won't dive into that because you can watch Pocke's review on a more comprehensive history of it. I'm here to review this level and my experience with it only.

A very important note to start is that this level is not for star grinders, because you can't sightread a damn thing and expect to beat this level quick. It's a memory-oriented level and in my opinion, deserves a demon rating. In fact, I believe people would be more tolerant of this level if it was rated demon. Nine starred insanes will never escape the stereotype of being harder than easy demons. If you plan to beat this, come with the mindset of beating a memory demon. It's not an easy insane level.

Its memory difficulty mainly comes from a lot of moving objects, with little time to react. There are arrows in the level that help you with which way to go, but they blend it with literally everything else so it's not easily visible when first starting out. With the abuse of move triggers in some parts though, I'm surprised I never died to a bug. That's right, no buggy/janky gameplay! Realising this increased my love for this level tenfold. I personally love memory gameplay and I hate to see my runs disrupted by some avoidable bug, as it messes with my muscle memory and state of mind. Well done honestly.

The balancing itself is quite impressive, with no disgusting chokepoints and no section particularly too difficult. Probably the hardest part is the wave part at the beginning, but it's not that bad. Also every portal got the Niflheim/Artificial Ideology treatment so good luck if you don't know any English. Doesn't subtract points since it's a memory level. If it were rated demon, it would be a mid-high tier easy demon, if not low tier medium.

That said, its theming is unironically so good. It has possibly one of the best song representations I've ever seen in this game, which is about the unfiltered joy of making art, without a care in the world if it's good or not. Perhaps it's more fitting the decoration is "bad", and what I mean by this is that everything is the same brightness, solid object or decoration, background or foreground. Under "Objective Rules of Art 101", this would instantly fail because it's difficult to differentiate one thing from another. And I'm happy it deliberately breaks that rule, otherwise the point of this level is just gone.

I think if you watch a video of this and pause at any frame, you're guaranteed a minimal of 3 colours on the screen, with probably no complement to one another. Just like this, it breaks any rule of colour theory, a commonly stressed rule vital to a level getting featured/rated. In fact, probably the only thing done "right" is the background being pitch black to contrast the heavily bright everything (won't lie, this level will actually suck a lot more if it wasn't). Asides the common interpretation of splashing rainbows like there's no tomorrow, another way I interpret this is being at a nightclub where the lights shine haphazardly, and you let your joy out and dance the night away. The feeling of unrestrained happiness is still the same, and the frequent changing and pulsing of colours give the level a dynamic look mostly unreliant on moving objects.

At the end of it all, I can't help but feel bad for Sweetdude having to endure the negative remarks said for this level, because they're often said by those who see it on a surface level with the rate system in mind, and not for the deeper meaning it holds. Does art always have to be good? Artists who believe in that tend to be miserable, crushed by increasing expectations of themselves and their work. For a nine star level existing to simply showcase the joy of giving birth to art, I'm surprised everything surrounding this level goes as deep as it gets, from negative opinions stemming from an objective validation by RobTop in a heavily subjective rating system, to the very meaning of happiness when you simply don't care and create.

I'll conclude with two lines of the song that sum this level up perfectly.

"So take your brush, don't be afraid to show your talent! Spread your designs and drown the earth in your palette!"

Scrolling past the HazardSector series you can find this as ZenthicAlpha's first surviving rated level. Was this his very first? I'm not sure, because it looks too good to be, and if it is, impressive. This level doesn't deserve its dislikes, despite what some believe.

The intro starts off extremely strong with a very dark section, structured like branches with a lot of bordering spikes and frequent usage of that player coloured "tree/branch/plant" decoration. Combined with TOE's beginning ominous piano, it's one of the only levels I've played so far to genuinely leave an impact on me when I first started practicing. It's a shame I can't experience that feeling for the second time, because it being an old level with thousands of dislikes adds on to me not suspecting this level was capable of doing just that. It's set in a dense forest where you're a lost and stuck wanderer desperate to find your way out, and you've to navigate confusing and hostile terrain to escape safely.

'Paranormal' is an incredible title to give this level, because it adds a lot to the atmosphere in the level. The word is often associated with ghosts, and tales of phantasms in forests is so common it exists in practically every culture in the world. Playing this for the first time made me feel that there was something or someone lurking behind the structures, even though literally nothing was there. The meaning isn't restricted to ghosts though, because its defined as something contrary to scientific beliefs about the world, aka what's considered "normal". Cryptozoology (defined as the study of animals which science can't confirm) fits in neatly, namely popular folklore characters like Bigfoot, the Yeti, and the Loch Ness Monster (doesn't count here because it's aquatic). Actually, since we're already here, might as well let our imagination run wild and think of the countless urban legends told in forests, namely the Wendigos, skinwalkers, or the Jersey devil, whatever you're most familiar with. I personally wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on myself if I saw a deer standing upright at night. I'm forever grateful I don't live near forests.

...I got too sidetracked there, I think. But I hope this serves as sufficient proof why this level is beyond amazing. One of the only levels that can perfectly match this atmosphere the level starts with is Stalemate, with the eerier song and very slow gameplay. Stalemate might be a perfect parallel to what this level is, because they have fantastic introductions that build a creepy atmosphere, partially ruined by bright colours later on. The last quarter of this level halts with the forest theming as the player goes through some grey structures and ending with a golden coloured part. I really like how the difficulty here is severely toned down, representing the sense of relief of escaping the thick forests and you're safely on your way somewhere else.

And speaking of which, the gameplay is genuinely not as bad as some make it out to be. Come on, it's a memory level, it's obviously not fun when you first start learning it. It also has some rather tight timings scattered around, and most important of all, there aren't any bugs (could be different for you, I play on 120hz). So it's entirely memory and timing based which is rather typical for its time, but here they work very well with its theming, as said earlier. Admittedly, it could be better if the objects were slightly lighter in the very dark sections, so that there's no need to turn the screen brightness all the way up, but its fine the way it is.

I hope more people appreciate this level like I do. Absolutely amazing level with decently hard to memorise gameplay, with an incredible atmosphere many levels can't replicate. What's there not to love really? If this was ZenthicAlpha's first level, he did a phenomenal job with it. What a banger.

The feeling of getting a level misrated to have too many stars is like getting an extra nugget in a 6 piece pack. This is probably 7 stars at most I feel, but no one's gonna complain when getting free stars.

The level's style and decoration reminds me that many levels get robbed of a higher rating status they deserve, because this level packs so much in a minute. Structuring wise it puts so much more effort than probably 90% of levels now, and it sticks to neat colour palettes the whole way through. If I return to creating one day, this level will be a massive inspiration. The drawback is the usage of jump indicators, because using them in this case is necessary due to how difficult it can be to differentiate what kills you and what doesn't. I feel it's better level design to simply let the player know the hazards from sightreading alone, as it strides the line perfectly between boring handholdy gameplay littered with arrows and straight up memory gameplay.

I can't really explain why I like this style so much, another level I can think of that does this is Fugacious and its sequel. I really wish more levels looked like this.

Have you ever seen a better themed level from its time? Despite being created in 1.7, Prohibited Prison wasn't rated until sometime in 2.1, and even got a feature. It reflects well on its quality and how it holds up with ever increasing creating standards, since generally levels in older updates get a mere star rate years later when they should/would be featured then.

Starting out, you're quick to find out the level doesn't lie about its name. With how pathetically small the cells are, it must be a nightmare for the imprisoned cubes. At least they have privacy! I like the details sprinkled into the intro; the barbed wires, the sewer pipes at 6%, and is that two adolescent cubes in jail at 8%? The brick walls and dull colors make for a depressing yet realistic atmosphere, and I wished it continued longer to further set the scene.

A cool detail is when the player first encounters the guards, the cube speeds up like a chase scene just started and is actively fleeing. It pretty much confirms the player isn't a visitor, but a prisoner. It is rather eerie though on second glance, how every cube in their cells has an empty look as they look out from bars. It very likely is just because the creator didn't feel it was important and so copy-pasted the [._.] everywhere, but man I like this so much. Their souls drained from the look of their eyes, what have they endured? They really don't bat an eye to a fellow prisoner making an escape? 'Prohibited' takes on a more serious meaning now.

Best part hands down is 64%, where the player enters through a building full of guards, and I'm reminded of this one scene from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou where the titular character elaborates on the different rooms and details in his ship (if you're interested, it's called 'Let me tell you about my boat'). The set is constructed like a dollhouse to allow the camera to pan to rooms on different levels, and that's what this part of this level does. You can see all the details of what's happening simultaneously, and that's indescribably so cool to me. Another fantastic detail is when the player hits a pad, the background flashes red. It syncs well with the song of course, but it also signifies a guard is alerted when that happens. Especially in this particular section where the song goes "quieter" and the player slows down, it sets a very suspenseful feeling of trying not to get caught, only to then get caught. Oh well.

Later on, there is a ship part where the guards are also on ships too? This part kinda ruins the realistic nature the level had going, but it's quite silly and hilarious so I'll let it slide. The prison at this point is probably issuing the highest alert for the escape, because at the end, there are four guards waiting for you and they've really got you surrounded. To beat them? Go up through a vent/passageway and off to freedom you go. Absolute cinema, there is no better way to end this than with a juke of a lifetime.

If it wasn't already made clear by this essay of a review, what makes this level especially great for its time is its small details scattered literally everywhere. I already mentioned most of them, but my favourite are the prisoners with attached ball and chains, it's creative and clear what it's meant to be. In an era where many levels are abstractly built without much consideration for theming, it's a wonder to see a Back on Mountain or Crazy Bolt pop up every once in a while. Play this level if you haven't, it's quite easy for a demon!

I'm really grateful I stumbled across the Krazyman50 parody video for this, because this would have been some level I beat for stars years ago and completely forgot about today. Makes me wonder what hidden gems I overlooked or forgotten over the years.

Made in update 1.3 (literally November/December 2013), Time Road is a level meant to represent a journey through time, past, present and future. This brings up the question: why does this level not use Time Machine as its song? It's a blatantly obvious choice that it feels deliberately avoided. Asides that, it takes a visual approach to its theming, which is surprisingly executed very well for its time and could stand to get more recognition if it wasn't an auto.

Beginning with an interpretation of the future (2050, 2160) I do wonder what differentiates this from the current modern era as we already have these things, even in 2013 such futuristic beliefs are there in major cities, like helicopter/plane rides and skyscrapers that illuminate the night sky. Perhaps there's something I'm missing, but I don't really get how such an interpretation is any evolved from then. That aside, the details crammed into this section is amazing. While slightly ambiguous, the buildings are neatly designed, accessorised by colourful pads and orbs which gives the whole scene so much personality. The rather messy air decoration helps to cram as much detail as possible, which I draw association to a cyberpunk themed city and its overdetailed neon everything. Also at 17%, the player goes through a tunnel made of yellow pads, and I thought of it as the player wrapping through space and time, while it progressively getting brighter and brighter until emerging to the other side. I thought it was a funny little detail that deserves more appreciation.

The next part had to be updated because it featured a controversial event, which is the Nazis rising to power in 1940, replaced by World War I in 1914. I initially had a lot to talk about that, but remembered that I'm writing a review on one level on a game priced equivalently to a McDonalds meal and it's not worth it. Nonetheless, the theming and imagery still shines, featuring the tank which was the revolutionary vehicle of WW1, the Opium wars, and prevalence of ships in the 18th century (why 1760 in particular? I genuinely don't get it. Hopefully I can be enlightened). This time the decoration is comparatively less detailed, which gets the message across well and accurately reflects how simple times were back then. I didn't like that OPIUM had to be spelled out to reference the naval events of 1840, because its telling and not showing. I'd much prefer a better historical event to portray here, like the invention of the light bulb or the telephone, both of which are easy to create and understand, and contrast heavily to the technological development of modern day (and the aforementioned interpreted future) and ties the level better.

47-72% doesn't show any year/time period, so we've to guess what the creator is trying to convey. Are those structures at the start supposed to be buildings emitting smoke signifying the Industrial Revolution? Is that a cube praying at 53%? Is that a dinosaur at 63%? It's all very unclear. Then it hit me that very early history is generally unclear and full of speculation. The actual events never change, but our interpretations always do and they're rewritten with new information we get. Who knows how much we get wrong from our inferences? Even after sometime I still have no idea what the hell is going on here, other than that it seems to go further into the past (?), and wrecking my head to pick up bits and clues for the context of one part of this obscure 1.3 level isn't worth the effort, again. I'm open to hear what others think.

It seems somewhere along the way, the TIME ROAD progresses into the future again, with the first modern international Olympic Games in 1896 and first FIFA World Cup in 1930 (real ones know the original) until the level's present year in 2013. A very good year to close off as Geometry Dash was released. What an amazing journey this level takes us through, and its from such an early update having to work with the limited resources it had. In a way it's one of the first movie autos in the game, if not the first. I hope this level gets more attention because it is an incredible work of art. Tunar98 is a truly underappreciated creator.

Lots of missed potential for this level I feel. Theming in older updates is especially rare given the limited objects, and more importantly the lack of emphasis on quality of the levels back then compared to now, but seeing how a level could have been exceptional for its time yet isn't, kinda hurts.

The first half is easily its strongest point. When I think of cathedrals, I think of grandeur and importance, given how cathedrals are higher on the hierarchy as they seat bishops which oversee their local churches and priests. Also, it helps that searching up images of cathedrals reveal some of the most stunning interiors and exteriors. The first 15% of the level reflects that easily with its rather detailed and unique structuring, with its simple decoration adding a great final touch. My favourite part is the dark ship part at 30%, because chandeliers are classy and they tie back perfectly to its theming. I also like the Electrodynamix ball part that comes before it, as it reminds me of the coloured stained glass mosaic you'd generally find in cathedrals. Whether that's intended or not, it could have definitely been better with more variety in pulsing of colours, but as it stands it's not that bad.

Unfortunately the second half falls off really hard, and that's primarily due to the lack of details that comprise its structuring and decoration. In cube parts I suppose it can be fine, since the empty space above the player can reflect the tremendous sense of scale felt being inside a cathedral, but in gamemodes where the 'ceiling' is visible then there's not much of an excuse. I understand it's not necessary to cram every bit of detail in a level, especially for older ones with stricter object limits, but I just feel empty when playing the last 50%. It doesn't reflect its theming as much, save for some neat details here and there, and for how strong a start this level had, it just diminishes the majestic effect it had going.

There is absolutely no chance that this level will get updated for better decoration ever, so unfortunately this is all we get. Nonetheless, its idea and theme is distinct for its time, and gives a glimpse into the creativity of what could have been. I didn't mention the gameplay because it plays out like the average Clutterfunk memory demon, it's not bad by any means but neither is it fun or original. Worth a play for a free demon.

A surprisingly well made Geometrical Dominator remake, released in the same update as Geometrical Dominator itself! In many ways, it reminds me of Noriega's style in his Deadlocked v3, with the slight transparent backgrounds at the end, and overall how different the remake feels in comparison to the original AND other remakes of said original.

Theming wise, it barely differs from the original, retaining its happy vibrant atmosphere of an adventure throughout a fantasy world. Yet right from the start, it does its own thing by having the player traverse through floating platforms in the clouds, instead of staying on the ground. Other noteworthy parts include the rainbow part at the middle and the infamous dark memory section.

Those two parts defined the level for me, its basically the climax of the experience. If the speed was slower, the atmosphere of the rainbow part would practically be perfect. Soaring through a paradise in the clouds, where all my worries just wash away. I still get that feeling when watching a video of this part, but actually playing it, especially from zero, is another story. Because the entire part is at 3x speed, with scattered misleading jumps, I find myself stressing to focus on not dying, instead of taking in what the level offers. It doesn't take away from how good this part is though.

The next part is a ship part with honestly not much to talk about in decoration (blue bricks and grassy structure), but it's one of the best I've experienced in gameplay and flow. As a ship, holding into a gravity portal, switching gravity, followed by a relatively easy straight fly makes for the most satisfying ship gameplay ever. Why don't more levels do this? The entire part is built like this, which is fun, slightly easier, and is the calm before the inevitable storm.

Next is a continuation of the rainbow part, and here is when the song really hits its peak, and you can feel it when the gradient in the background pulses its brightest. For a brief moment when playing this, I felt pure bliss. I had achieved weightlessness and was free from all suffering. Those 5 seconds were truly magical.

Anyway, as notorious as the dark memory part is for being unsightreadable, the structures don't flash 1 millisecond before you land on them, but instead give you time to somewhat process your clicks. Also, all the portals and orbs are always visible, which is nice. The real difficulty comes from learning the flow of this segment and playing at 3x speed. Easily the hardest part of the level, but it's not that bad.

It's quite obvious that TheDevon spent some time and effort to carefully plan out the gameplay and execution of theming for this level, because this is a fantastic level to learn and play, especially for 2.0 standards. Just like Artificial Ascent and Deadlocked v3, this level is a good reminder of the many gems you can find in the 2.0 update, amidst a sea of many questionable rated levels.

Rupture by Jekko will forever have its legacy chained to that one rage video, which at the time of writing, is almost a decade old at this point. As hilarious as it was to indulge in TheColdCrafter's crashouts, I feel it's a shame that's what many purely associate it with, because this level has a lot more to offer than making someone lose his mind.

In the description, it's stated it was themed after the level Toxic Sewers by Superopi. While that level primarily alternated between green and orange, Rupture decides to focus more on its orange scheme. I can't help but draw familiarity to an earlier 1.9 level because of that, which is Radioactive by Viprin and Hinds. Comparing Rupture to Radioactive oddly feels more fitting, not only because of their orange-black appearances, but also their designs focused on bricks, kind of like a factory or building that went up in flames. Despite Toxic Sewers being its inspiration, Rupture stands out to do its own thing, because it focuses on the orange segments and builds on it, instead of mostly copying and calling it a day.

Difficulty wise, it's no surprise this level is quite hard, and it's brutally honest with it. Aside from its beginning, Rupture has no deceiving parts at all. Everything is as "difficult" as you would imagine. Despite it being heavily ship-focused, it's very diverse in its other segments, with spammy UFO and wave parts, memory cube parts, timings scattered everywhere, speed changes, and a nerve wrecking ending. In under a minute long, it all seems a bit excessive and overwhelming for its length, but its rapid-fire nature gives the adrenaline rush I rarely experience in fast-paced levels. More on that later.

One severely under-appreciated note about this level is how it paces its difficulty out. After passing the first ship part, which is quite tight, you then go through a moderately easy memory section, before being slammed with a spammy UFO part. This sequence of segments helps make it varied in its gameplay flow, but more importantly gives the player a break from skill-based parts. By inserting a memory part in between, the player gets a chance to "cool down" before the really high CPS UFO part, instead of destroying the player's fingers and focus all the way through. The sequence of parts intertwine to spread its difficulty very consistently, and it doesn't feel annoying to play in long sessions because the REASON for the difficulty throughout is NOT the same. This sequence of 'skill-based' part > 'memory' > 'skill-based' part continues until the end of the level, and its aforementioned variety of gameplay choices make it really fun to practice, for me at least.

This is where I'll stop singing praises, because actually playing from start to finish tests patience beyond limits. You must be mentally prepared to die to something stupid, no matter how undeserved. Case in point, the transition from the mini wave to cube at 19%, and the wave to ball transition at 52%. Also, the double tap to the yellow jump pad at 9% was by far the most infuriating part because despite my best attempts to correct it, I kept dying more than I should. After practicing the entire level part by part multiple times, getting successful runs and closing in my way to finish it only to hit the roadblock that is this awkward pile of garbage 7 out of 10 times feels discouraging. This could be said for many other parts in this level, but the 9% tap was the worst part for me, solely because my attempts to correct it and be consistent occasionally worked, unlike others where I could minimally find some strategy to minimise my deaths.

After completing this as my third insane demon, I still feel this is one of the best demons I've played based on how fun and awesome it is to play, the song perfectly complements the atmosphere and adds on to a satisfying rush of thrill provided by the fast-paced sections of the level, yet never feels overdone due to its breaks and length. Also, it doesn't only rely on 3x speed to provide this rush, instead additionally utilising slower speed at times such as the 1x speed wave halfway, or the dual mini ship going at 2x speed. The rush now comes from nerve control, once again adding on to the variety and balance this level provides.

However, some parts, particularly the ones I mentioned earlier, has unfortunately left me with an overall sour impression of it all. I don't feel the satisfaction I get from practicing when really playing from 0, almost thanks to dying at the 9% part itself. I can understand why some people don't like Rupture, because in some cases their enjoyment is nullified, which sucks because everything else is so fun.

If you're looking for a new insane demon, I'll still recommend Rupture. It's a relatively short demon, and if you can look past its flaws, you may find yourself thoroughly enjoying the experience. Just a tip - take breaks because this level is quite intensive. If you're tired or you're losing consistency, take a break and come back later. We've already seen what happened the last time a guy tried to brute force his way into completion.