Rating Curve

Just played this one. An initial practice run of this had me deeply concerned, but after playing it for a while I found that it really isn't too bad. It's a style of gameplay that I tend to not like too much due to the rapid amount of gamemode changes (I think it's classified as "flow gameplay" but idfk I don't know gd terminology), since it's often really difficult to react to some of the more squeezed together motions. After a while, though, I kind of got a feel for this.

I will give credit where it's due; the level actually doesn't have too many cases of awkward spacing. Most of the parts, but regular and "flow" don't really punish you that much for being slightly off, making them really fair as a result. Usually when I died it was because I was way too early, or way too late, and I never felt cheated by the level's design. There may have been a couple orbs like that, but if so they must not have been significant because they've basically left my memory. Aside from that, the level is pretty smooth. I especially like the first section after the drop. It felt like the most readable section while still requiring enough legitimate practice so that it didn't feel terribly out of balance with the later parts of the level, and a couple of those motions (notably that brief snake pattern with the mini ship) just felt good. Unfortunately the second part drops off a little bit, but it's still not too bad. Less about being finicky, more about blindness. A couple of parts really sweep up and down, and the screen struggles to catch up. This was especially frustrating in the mini waves, the last of which killing me about 4 times just because I couldn't see. Kind of a sour note to end the intense part of the level on, but it really doesn't ruin it or anything. Just an unfortunate conclusion to an otherwise ok drop. Also, the last part is free. I was initially nervous, but then when I realized you just need to click green orbs in the last cube, it was far less daunting.

As for visuals, the level does look pretty nice. A lot of it is unmistakably rough just as a result of 2.0 limitations, but there are some nice concepts that elevate it to some extent. I think it's pretty obvious that the most notable case of that is the final part, where the level divides into 4 different aesthetics. That's honestly really cool, and I'm kind of surprised to see an effect like that from this era. The rest isn't too remarkable, but a couple of brief ideas like the flashing diamonds in the background of the first ship, or the huge wave of colors that passes by in the 3x speed ship near the end, with narrow spikes closing you in, making it feel much more dangerous and... well, just cool as hell. The level really relies a lot on that "awesomeness" factor, which is part of what makes this fun. Still though, it does lack a little bit of polish, meaning it can only go so far.

Overall I enjoyed most of what I played here. It's just a little rough around the edges. By no means an awful thing since it does give the level some charm, but it still prevents the level from reaching the heights it otherwise could have.

So, I’ve never played Yume Nikki. I know a lot of people in the GD community enjoy it, but I have yet to do so myself. That said, I really like the dreamy, ethereal atmosphere this level sets up. It’s kind of sloppy, but in a super endearing way that makes the level feel much more bizarre and disconnected from reality. There are several levels like this, but this has to be one of the best because it almost feels… incomplete. But, that’s kind of in the nature of a dream. Dreams never really feel complete. They never feel grounded, so to speak, because they occur in a time of disconnect from reality. Therefore, representing a dreamy state of mind through a minimalist approach is kind of genius. Admittedly, it’s probably not a deliberate design style, and just reflective the creator’s lack of experience, but I don’t think that subtracts from the vibe in any way. I feel how I feel, and I don’t think context should have anything to do with that.

All that being said, I feel like I should touch on some of the more specific details of the level with this one. The gameplay is probably by biggest gripe with this one. It’s not necessarily bad from an execution standpoint, but it does have some memory elements with split paths that are hard to figure out at a moment’s notice. As such, it makes for a pretty irritating style of gameplay, given some fails just don’t feel like your fault. In addition, there are a fair few parts with awkward jump timings or hitboxes, but they really don’t feel too bad. Overall, the gameplay does feel really unstructured and free-form, adding to that “ungrounded” vibe, but I don’t think it stands as strongly as the visuals, so it’s just a nice touch and little more.

A lot of the art in this level is also just gorgeous. Like I said, minimalist, but some of the pixel art in the level still looks really nice. The sculptures and tapestries are colorful and detailed. The plants in the final section are subtle, but very effective in conveying the cold and desolate, yet natural environment. Plus, there are some little dancing guys in there. Nothing significant to them really. Just some little dancing guys. But they’re out of place, once more adding to the mystique of the level. Overall, a really solid level. It may not be a masterpiece, but it’s just a cool one to sit down with and chill.

In hindsight I kind of regret leaving such a concise review on this the first time around, because while I still stand by my rating, I’m unhappy with my claim that it “lacks artistic value.” Despite the level being kind of flashy and all over the place, there definitely is a world and narrative behind this level that I don’t think should be so quickly disregarded. It’s definitely not a masterclass in quality design, but there’s still a lot of charm and unique design that elevates this level pretty significantly.

Looking directly at the gameplay, I feel like it’s pretty obvious that this level doesn’t play the best. A lot of parts tend to be blind or hard to see, and when they’re not, typically they’re abundant in indicators. As a result, the level does suffer in the gameplay department, but I’d be lying if I said it was all bad. Some of the slower sections, notably the first part, are actually decently fun, especially since they use slopes, making it a little less hand-hold-y. On top of that, this is one of those levels that kind of has that hype factor since it’s certainly fast-paced and exciting. It is hindered a bit by the somewhat jerky and confined nature of the level’s design, but as far as song rep goes, it does an okay job. It’s definitely not the worst gameplay ever, but I do think it could have been much better, especially in the final part, as it’s a pretty weak conclusion to the level as a whole.

All that said, I can’t help but respect the cute style of this level. While that may take an unfortunate backseat to flashy effects at times, there’s still plenty of adorable details that give the level soul. It should go without saying that the little monsters are really cute and definitely act as the true “life” of this level, but I think there’s more to it than that. Often times the level will use a lot of bright colors and stronger light effects to coincide with the more climactic notes of the song, so the level certainly does a lot more to create a wholesome, yet adventurous environment. The progression is definitely great, and even if it isn’t a visual masterpiece, I think there’s more merit here than I initially gave it.

As a whole I like Sky Tower, but it’s a level I very rarely return to just because I can’t get behind the gameplay. Even if I don’t hate it, it’s too awkward and difficult to see, and really sours the experience as a whole. That said, I’ll always appreciate the creativity in this level, despite its flaws.