Rating Curve

This is a pretty low 8/10, but I think the level has enough going on to be in A tier. Yeah, the gameplay can be a little odd at times, but I think it makes up for it a little bit in how seamlessly some effects are done. Probably one of the few virus based levels to not be a complete disaster tbh, lol.

If I had one complaint specifically about the gameplay in this level, I think it would probably be the dual ship part. It’s not obnoxious by any means, but the high speed flickering does get a bit blinding at this point in the level. That wouldn’t normally be a huge issue, but the other problem is that the part includes some rapid gravity changes that are hard to account for when the visuals obscure them so much. Everything else though is alright. The gameplay can feel kind of non-existent at times I guess, mostly due to the emphasis on wild transitions, but I don’t think that’s a particularly bad thing. The flow factor, most notably the parts between the pad/orb chains, really makes this level feel exciting. Despite being loosely connected, it has an aura of completeness to it, which is pretty cool.

I think it goes without saying that the visuals are the main draw here. I’m not typically a huge Darwin fan (particularly after Backbeat Revenge), but there’s some gold in his repertoire. This happens to be one of those outliers, since the effects actually look really solid, and actually maintain a fairly consistent theme instead of just throwing random flashy effects together and calling it a day. There’s a very prominent glitch theme in this level, and that’s definitely most obvious at the start. I genuinely love the way the player freezes, and the rest of the screen sort of rushes by. It’s a pretty generic gimmick in concept, but here, the effect feels stronger than it does in several other levels that play with a similar idea. Beyond that point the effects kind of just go into a generic “cool” feel, until the end where the cube bounces along a series of purple pads and gravity orbs. That has a lot to do with the song representation to be fair, but it’s a really smooth visual effect that incorporates the player in a neat way.

Just to wrap it up, I think song representation is really what makes this a low 8 instead of a high 7. It feels closely linked to the level, since pretty much every major visual effect ties to another effect in the music. Funnily enough, I used to not really like Sharks’ music, but over time I’ve kind of come around. A bit unrelated, but I do think this song is like the little bow that ties together the gift of cool visual effects, wrapped into one level.

Under the radar ahh level.

One of the most beautiful 1.9 GDPS levels I’ve ever played. Maybe it’s just because I love crystal river (the song) so much, but I feel like the mystical, flowy atmosphere of this level is really smooth and satisfying. I can remember playing this level when I was still bad at GD and staying up til 2AM on my phone, unwilling to put it down. Nowadays this level is pretty easy, but at the time I was totally addicted to this level’s immersion and gameplay.

Speaking a little more generally on the gameplay, I don’t think very much of it is super innovative or shocking. It really has to do with the flow, because the level has some fast paced ships and balls with really satisfying click patterns that suit the song nicely. I will say that I really like the dual since the long staircases are a great nod song, as well as the brief blips of high speed ship. The dual element emphasizes the sort of “reflective” vibe of the music, and also contributes to the flow factor nicely. The whole level is just extremely clever in design, and I really appreciate that. Very fun, and very beautiful.

Alright, let me get this off my chest. I hate when people refer to these kinds of levels as "layouts." That is not what this is. This is a level doing a unique thing with a limited palette. In fact, challenge anyone to replicate this atmosphere and these effects using any other kind of design style, but if you ask me, the 1.0 blocks lend themself perfectly to this. It strikes a balance between simplicity and connectivity, because while they may come across as generic to the average consumer, they actually do a ton to serve the deeper feel of the level. Think about it like this: when you start the game, what do you see? Well, that's pretty easy to answer. You see some brightly colored icons, and you see these old, 1.0 blocks. These two elements are closely linked to one another from the very start of the game. It is in the nature of GD to associate these things. credits is genius, not only because of how it plays with an abstract style, but with how it returns to the roots of GD. I love it. It's genuinely perfect.

Admittedly, these visuals still aren't mind blowing or anything; despite their genius they truthfully aren't that thrilling. Nor is the gameplay excellent. In terms of quality the level is fairly frontloaded, since the beginning certainly plays the best, and I think it can safely be said that it looks the best too. The later parts, while solid, do kind of devolve into complete chaos, which is appropriate in relation to the song, but incoherent in the scope of the level. I really do like this level overall, but I'd by lying if I said it didn't lose its lustre in the end, making it hard to justify anything above an 8. Overall, the score primarily stems from the clever theme and unique mechanics. Each element of the level may not be astounding in its own right, but they are still quintessential to making this the masterpiece it is. Not a layout, but a callback to the cornerstone of GD history.

At first I was a bit surprised to see this one so highly rated given the lackluster gameplay, but I certainly can't argue with it because this is yet another horror level that totally nails simple design with a chilling atmosphere. It did take me a bit of time to discover my love for this level, but once I sort of saw the vision behind it, I got totally lost in the world it creates.

I think the best way to describe this level is "dystopian." It's not an untouched category of level; notable examples include CONTROL, THE SUN VANISHED, Unnamed h, etc, but they're also a bit more direct in that regard. While those levels have a lot more minor details to convey the totalitarian nature of their environment, False Horizon is much more abstract in its approach. The scene is dark and desolate. The background is pitch black behind you, and all that can be seen in the foreground is a series of narrow red lines, piercing through the otherwise unlit void. It's pretty basic on its own, but the atmosphere really kicks in once the alarms blare. At some point, you will pass through a row of fading block, causing several red lights to kick on in the background. A shrill noise echoes throughout the empty space, but the light makes the wasteland feel suddenly alive. It's like you've tripped an alarm, and now you know that there's something happening. Not here. Not now. But something, somewhere. From there, despite the fact that the level never elevates in intensity, you still feel like something could come to get you at any time. Or, perhaps you feel like the ones out to get you are gone now, and you're simply roaming the remains of the desolate city that was once dominated with an iron fist. Either way, the alarms are bound to bring a sense of discomfort, and the best part is honestly the fact that it never pays off. There is no scare, and no one ever comes for you. You simply continue on your path until you reach the end, and from there things are left to the imagination.

Once again, beauty is found in simplicity. It honestly blows my mind that this wound up epic rated with how empty the level is, but I certainly am not about to complain about that. This level really deserves as much attention as it can get; very well-made.

Truth be told, I never really got invested in this level like many people seem to. That's not to say it's bad; I do have it listed as an 8/10 after all, but I still feel like I tend to enjoy it a bit less then the average player. This largely stems from the fact that, while the visuals are absolutely gorgeous, I still don't think there was necessarily that wow factor needed for me to give a perfect score. The art, while stunning, doesn't really feel unique to the level if you ask me. Every element feels like it could be in another level I had played some time years ago, meaning it didn't really feel like this level was doing anything extraordinary. That's really my biggest issue.

All that said, I don't want to try to give the impression that I don't like this level. Despite feeling a little derivative, the art is still really solid, the gameplay is decent for a 3* (especially in the bottom route) and the overall narrative/atmosphere is definitely something special. I really love when levels tackle the concept of death in a more uplifting tone, because it adds a sense of completeness, depicting the end of the longest journey that each person faces: life as a whole. I really do wish I could get more immersed in this world because there is definitely a lot to love about this level that just doesn't click with me as an individual. Still, I have a lot of respect for the level, and can still appreciate the story it wants to tell.