Rating Curve

I had pretty high expectations for this level considering how great some other works I’ve played by Vizitek are, but for something that predates Silhouette Garden… this absolutely surpassed any concept I had of how good this level was going to be. This level is absolutely stellar. Not only does it look phenomenal and play really well, but it also houses some of the greatest atmosphere I’ve seen in a level below XL length.

Starting with the weaker of the two components here, I think the gameplay is alright, but certainly has a little bit of room for improvement. Most of it is pretty strong, especially in the opening sections. The first cube is pretty simple, only featuring a handful of timings and little else in the way of creativity. I still like this part, especially since the overhead spikes make the section feel more claustrophobic and dangerous, but otherwise it’s fairly unremarkable. But then you get to the ship section, and this is probably the highlight of the gameplay. Creatively, it’s not extremely noteworthy, but this section feels so good because it feels so daunting. I’ll get more into why this is later, but the precision flying here feels terrifying in a way. In particular, the series of portals where you just hold is really awesome. It kind of forces you to trust the level, but since the section already has an untrustworthy feeling to it, it’s like being in a state of limbo where you can’t really know for sure if the portals will actually deliver you to the end. Again, all of this contributes to the greater level in a way that will be detailed later, but for now I’m just covering it overall. With that, I do want to quickly note the final section, because I feel like this is unfortunately the main thing holding this level back. I tend to enjoy faster sections in levels a little bit less than slower paced ones so that’s probably affecting my judgement, but I found the final UFO and Robot both significantly harder than the rest of the level, and also unfair? Kind of? I mean, it’s not too bad, but I felt like some of the moving obstacles really made it difficult to judge click timings. They’re alright, but were an unfortunate conclusion to a level that is otherwise extremely solid.

I think this is stellar on a visual level. What immediately caught my attention was the heavy use of these choppy animations. I fell in love with this kind of animation when djudjeito did it in Out of Place, so any time I see it now it’s just… so good man. The animations like the eye at the start and swinging chains at the end absolutely are absolutely stand-out details that really bring the level to life, but I would be remiss to neglect some more subtle details where the ground shifts into place, or the narrow pillars in the brief cube intermission before the drop that uncomfortable squirm in place. On top of this, the color scheme is doing a lot of favors to the level. Aside from gameplay components, it’s entirely black and red. This is a really powerful palette on its own, but it goes beyond that, since the red almost always reflects blood in some way. The level is relatively minimalistic due to that limited color scheme, but it’s also weirdly grotesque.

I think it achieves that through atmosphere, ultimately. On its own the level is kind of simplistic, but what makes it so special is the world building and song rep. And I think that’s why this level is able to achieve what it does at such a short length. There is a degree of progression, and it feels special because of how quickly it falls apart. The opening is desolate and hollow. The jumps are tight, as I mentioned, sending an illusion of confinement, but the song doesn’t really reflect that. Droplets of water can be heard, and they echo out for a couple seconds, telling you that this is a big area. It doesn’t feel big though, because the gameplay crams you into this tight area where you clearly can’t roam free. My conspiracy theory here is that this is a sewer of sorts. You may roll your eyes and say, “well, obviously, there are storm drains and flowing “water” all over the place. How could it not be a sewer?” And, I mean, I agree with that, but I’m greatly appreciative of the fact that the level isn’t just relying on imagery for that. It’s about feel. It emulates all of the characteristics of the environment it portrays. The way it looks. The way it sounds. The way it feels. Even the way it smells, with the lyrics of the song. In that way, the level sort of reminds me of Man Man, since that level also used a variety of details to immerse you in a highly uncomfortable and disgusting setting. The level isn’t clearly about something ugly beneath the surface, and it all comes together so well in the end. It’s a pity that the end of this level doesn’t fit the atmosphere like the rest does, because it’s kind of the crux of a level that is absolutely stellar otherwise. But, at the very least, the design is on point, so it’s hard to complain too much. Great level by Vizitek; I am more hype than every to play Before Machinery soon.

It feels pretty redundant to say that Death Moon is iconic for a reason; I think most people already acknowledge that, but that’s why it feels kind of difficult to tackle in a review. While I do think the level is… like, REALLY good, I don’t think it’s absolutely perfect like so many people have praised it for. I mean, a 9 out of 10 is still pretty honorable, but I still don’t want to oversell it, because while I do think it’s a good level, it’s less about it being groundbreaking, and more so just doing what it sets out to do really well.

Anyway, enough waffling, let’s get into the actual meat of this review. Starting with the visuals, I really think they really are a good reference for what I mean by “doing what it sets out to do.” Truth be told, I never found the visuals in this level particularly jaw-dropping. Maybe that’s just because I’m a filthy newgen who can’t appreciate classic 1.9 visuals, but I think there are a couple parts in this level that just don’t really look great, even by 1.9 standards. Some of the symbolic artwork is neat, but most of the block designs are pretty standard fare, and a couple of layouts with saws and such are generally kind of sloppy. All that being said, though… it’s difficult to not find this style endearing. I know I just kind of trashed a lot of what the level does, but the truth is that all of those imperfections really bring it together in the end. I’ll explain why later, but just keep a mental note of that for the time being.

The gameplay is certainly a bit larger of a draw in this level, but admittedly I don’t think it’s a huge appeal either. It’s good, without a doubt, and I’m infinitely grateful for levels that take this more “open” approach with flying, especially in UFOs. It’s very grandiose. Makes the level feel more ruthless and unnatural, instead of a manufactured level made by a human… goofy description, roll with it. Even if it’s not extraordinarily fun given the lack of fluidity… I mean, the standard style is pretty overdone at this point, so a change of pace is appreciated regardless. Everything outside of the flying, though… is good. Nothing special, but pretty solid regardless. In particular, I enjoy the dual; it’s nice how it keeps a symmetrical structure while still forcing you to divide your attention between both icons instead of just one. Otherwise, the level is just pretty fun and little else in regards to creativity.

So, that begs the question. If neither element of the level is really impressive, how can this possibly be a 9/10? Well, it’s time like these that I really wish hyperbolus had something equivalent to an “atmosphere” score, because that is what makes this level truly special. Yeah, the visuals may be a little funky looking. Yeah, the gameplay may be pretty simple at its core. But as I said, this level achieves exactly what it sets out to doing, which is building an emotional rollercoaster of a level, with intense moments that really instill a sense of power in the player. Is flying through big open spaces with little in the way of hazards fun? I mean, not really. But it feels cool. It makes you feel invincible. That is the cornerstone of what makes this level magical. And the other side of that is the “amateur-ish” visual style. The designs–sure, they may be a little sloppy–but they’re unique. Not just unique in that they looks unusual. Unique in that they play with some fresh concepts that emphasize the most impactful moments of the song. The symbolism, and creative structures, and crazy flashing lights that coincide with the dramatic heights of the music feel so much more coherent because of the context in which they occur. This level is built on the foundation of excitement, and it’s hard not to love it for that. It’s just here to make you feel good. Depending on who you are or when you started playing GD, it’s not necessarily going to blow your mind. But, no matter who you are, it’s almost certain to feel good. It’s a magical experience that all comes together when you look past the odd visuals or whatever gameplay, and really just internalize that element of excitement. That is where it shines.

This is actually a fairly recent completion of mine and I felt strongly inclined to jump on and review this one, because this was honestly so close to perfection. I love the atmosphere, style, song representation, general concept, etc, but there is one major issue that really held this back for me. The absolute worst thing you can do in a horror level... well, aside from using skull.ogg, is putting text in it. This could have honestly been a perfect level if it just had 0 textboxes, because they really kill the liminal immersion that I think this was ultimately going for. Compare it to something like between us by katas, a level that makes perfect use of eerie, hollow music to carry the level on its own and give the player a deep feeling of sorrow. This level differs in that it pretty much tells you how to feel. It tells you you aren't supposed to feel like a child anymore. It tells you that things will never feel the same as they once did. Not only is it presumptuous, it forces emotion that should feel primal in a well-executed atmosphere, and in the process, weakens it.

That really is the only flaw in this level, because otherwise, this contends for one of the most gorgeous levels I've ever seen. I think the old Pixar style is done to absolute perfection, and the song truly drives that theme. It isn't disturbing per se, but it does maintain that hollowness I mentioned in regards to between us. There is still a sense of unease that complements the level perfectly, and I think would be even better if not for the aforementioned issue about the text. I would also be remiss not to mention the legitimate "horror" elements because they're definitely important here. One could call them cliché or forced, but I don't think that's the case here. The noose in the Up section of the level may be a bit of a generic choice, but given that this is a two route level, I think it works because you are actively sucking the life out of the level by hitting the switch for route 2. Therefore, a greater emphasis on death makes sense to me. A lot of this review probably sounds pretty backhanded, but the truth is that I honestly love this level. I just think some minor fixes could have made this a very special experience. Unfortunate that this isn't in the discord gauntlet (one of the most boring gauntlets imo so it would have been much appreciated), buuuuut, it is a little spooky, so I can't complain that this was kept away from the kiddies.