Rating Curve

Acheron is a slightly unique spin on this Clubstep inspired style of hell demon, with the fresher colours, and unusual song. It looks considerably better than Tatarus, but I still feel like the existance of Acheron is slightly redundant. The decoration quality is good in some parts, but a few brief parts look a bit barebones.

The designs and effects in this level are phenomenal. It is very clear that a lot of dedication was put into animating the tablet, and then tv screens being destroyed. The art is really good when the scenery keeps shifting for some reason. Emphasis on the "for some reason" part, as that is what I think the main problem is here. There is no rhyme or reason to like 80% of the things that are in the level. It is basically just a random showcase of cool things. The mountainous countryside, and the lava caverns have nothing to do with breaking electronics. The level constantly having new things going on is like a keychain dangling in your face.

I read Knot's review, and I agree that this is a funny level. I still really like it though. Obviously there are those weird skulls and creatures on the screen, with their goofy movements. But I really like a lot of the actual designs themselves despite the weirdness. There's cool stuff going on with the red liquid in the ball part. Same with the fairly complex interiors of the structures. The very first part reminds me of Blade of Justice if it was red. It's pretty solid quality decoration for its time. But the decoration quality slightly tanks a bit towards the end. Another big thing about the level, is that the music definitely bumps it up a bit. The thing with Weeping Demon is that it is too short, and has no real satisfying conclusion. The same is with the level ending exactly at the 1 minute mark for no real good reason.

I don't know the full story behind the level. To me it seems like the fact that it is only partially decorated is supposed to make it unique, but it really seems like the level simply wasn't finished. In some parts it is empty, and specifically the default slope blocks actually look ugly. There is minimal air or background decoration, leaving large empty spots. It's a shame because the deco that actually is there, is good. The colours are vibrant, and it could have been a cool neon level. The effects and flashes that are there do a phenomenal job at syncing with the music. All in all this level is wasted potential, but I admire the good things that are there.

A lot of people seem to think Tidal Wave looks ugly, but that's doing it no justice. I think its main flaw is just the inconsistency between some of the parts. There are a lot of cool designs, like the cube part 12 seconds in, where it looks like you are in a wet cave, where the structures have marine and wave-y designs. When you get to the beach, the blue and yellow contrast is done a bit poorly. The evening part looks really good though, you can tell OniLink was figuring out the style during the building process. Nowadays making extremes with very un-extreme themes is not unheard of, such as Poocubed, but I think the beach theme is really cool. I also really like the vibe it has, with the fast and upbeat music. The 4x speed wave near the end is a satisfying climax. I don't know how fun it is to play, but I find it very fun to watch.

It was an underwhelming top 1 at first, but the level has grown a lot on me. The colour usage is very striking, and they do contrasts well. Aside from all the crystals, there are other cool designs, like those eye looking things towards the end, and a lot of the sawblade designs. The only boring part is the wave 22 seconds in, which does not really have crystals, and is just a bit generic, but all in all the designs are great. Another fault is that unlike the Golden, there is no goal necesarily. There is no equivalent for the Golden city to reach, so it's not quite a succesor. It's partially carried by the song though.

I have not played Pizza Tower so I can't say how faithful this level is to the source. The only real criticism I can give is that the first part on the tower 45s in is too red and grey. Otherwise the level does wonders with its colours. Like in the first part, the purple, yellow, and blue look great. The tower part is hardly faulted by the less interesting colours, as movement is done well throughout the level. Like with the structures flying everywhere from the bombs, or the flashlights with the propellors. There is a lot to see. The level is also very clearly a passion project, with all the detail to art, colours and sound effects.

The first thing you notice about Menace is the phenomenal use of effects, which visually is its main strength. What makes a level great to me, besides just having quality design, is the theme and image. The poem is existentialist, making it a level that has a philosophy, which is really cool. I love levels that tell a story. The aggressive and abbrasive visuals compliment the idea of rejecting a higher authority. As a Christian I wouldn't necessarily agree, but I greatly admire the vision. I also greatly respect Manny for composing the song, and actually writing the poem. Clearly a lot of dedication was put into this.