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-/100
DIFFICULTY
1/10
OVERALL
4/10
VISUALS
5/10
GAMEPLAY

Alright, I feel like I need to do a negative review at some point so I'm just gonna go ahead and hit this one since it's quick and easy. This level really isn't too awful, but it does make one enormous mistake that absolutely kills the level for me. The coin in this level sucks. Now, that alone isn't a reason to rate a level poorly, but the kicker is that it doesn't just suck; it is actively hostile towards the player. Much like the theme of the level, the theme of this coin is to be anti-consumer, wherein the creator makes horrible and arbitrary decisions for their own benefit at the expense of the player. The coin requires a set of 3 (I think?) completely meaningless and incoherent tasks with no indication, and to top all of that off, the coin's appearance is dictated by RNG. It is total BS and really ruins what is an otherwise fine experience.

I'm sure many will be quick to rush to the level's defense, claiming that it's just there to mess with coingrinders and if it bothers you, just skip it. However, I don't think it's that simple. I think coingrinding for stats is a bit silly, but I still decide to go for every single coin because I believe they're integral to the level's structure. They make it easier to see the vision behind someone's work, and subsequently, make it easier to get invested it. Here, this level is not only frustrating in that it sucks to play, but also because it demonstrates a lack of love for the work. On its own the level is already pretty generic, featuring only some simple modern designs and corporate artwork (which is funny I guess, but by no means impressive or thoughtful). My hatred for the level stems purely from the fact that this level seems to care less about making a fun and engaging experience, and more about messing with the player. I highly doubt this creator put this much effort in to creating an entire level just to place a BS coin, but that doesn't change the fact that it makes the level feel less purposeful. I think if not for the coin this would have been a solid, middle-of-the-road level, but in its current state I just can't enjoy it.

-/100
DIFFICULTY
9/10
OVERALL
9/10
VISUALS
7/10
GAMEPLAY

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.

-/100
DIFFICULTY
8/10
OVERALL
8/10
VISUALS
7/10
GAMEPLAY

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.

-/100
DIFFICULTY
10/10
OVERALL
8/10
VISUALS
8/10
GAMEPLAY

This is honestly a pretty easy review to give, and I think it does highlight that a level is really more than a sum of its parts. Despite receiving an 8/10 in both categories, I still see this as a perfect score because, while neither isolated element is particularly stunning, this level shines in song rep and general atmosphere.

For one, I just adore this song. The vocals can feel a little bizarre if you aren't used to them, and it certainly took me a while to get invested, but after some time I've come to realize just how impactful this piece of music is. It sings the horrors of being stranded in a cold, desolate wasteland, but still finds a spark of optimism in otherwise dire circumstances. Spacestation masterfully compliments this, as it is... well, set in outer space. An endless void, infinitely stretching out beyond what we as humans can see or comprehend. With that, it becomes much easier to see how this level reflects the music. It's meant to make you feel lost and insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe, but still, you push foward, unrelenting in your journey.

On top of all that, it's just a very clean level overall. The gameplay is surprisingly engaging for a 2* level. The visuals look really nice (with some great player color action of course), and the climax of this level is extremely powerful, using dual gamemode to represent the mirror referenced in the songs. Again, neither of these elements on their own carry the level singlehandedly, but accounting for the atmosphere, this level is really just perfect, and I always enjoy revisiting this one any time I need something laid-back.

-/100
DIFFICULTY
7/10
OVERALL
7/10
VISUALS
5/10
GAMEPLAY

While not particularly entralling, I think there is a lot of merit to this level that gets somewhat overlooked. As a first level in a game, you're clearly going to face some challenges in truly establishing your worth, because when a level has this kind of simplicity and easy gameplay, the community will be quick to jump into milking the level for content. Levels like Rage Quit that wildly "boost" the visuals, or extreme demons where the joke is just that the funny easy level is hard now. However, I think Stereo Madness has a vision that really flies under the radar.

Starting with the obvious, the level looks good... like, by 1.0 standards obviously, but even today it doesn't look bad. I think it especially stands out after you play through the map packs and other old levels and realize that a lot of them just look... bad. They have sloppy design, misuse of blocks, and dozens of other issues that cause them to feel terrible. It really makes you appreciate this level more because of that since it's made by a creator who CLEARLY knows what they're doing; if that weren't the case I would be concerned. I think the design is definitely stronger in the first half given the back half is largely made of slabs and chain designs, but for what it's worth that also compliments the song rep so it doesn't ruin it or anything. Still, I can't help but appreciate the suble genius in the beginning, with a lot of the gameplay taking place higher up to accommodate the more trap-based gameplay. Of course, it's difficult to give a particularly high gameplay review on its own since the gameplay does lose its lustre after a while, but it still nails what it needs to, and is certainly not a huge detriment to the overall experience. Overall Stereo Madness is simply an excellent introduction to the game, and I believe we're just too quick to discount it in favor of a hoarde of remakes.

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sorry about this gang