Right, right, right. So because of a really weird thing that happened the other day, I've been sentenced to a lifetime of Morton's Empire testing and level reviewing, and approving and rejecting levels. ... And making my own, of course, because that's a fun thing to do. Luckily for me, this won't even last a lifetime, and I'm only really doing this for the heck of it, and my feeling of obligation to this hack.
Considering that these levels have to be accepted by the committee before I'm even able to review them, none of these will be "redone" (oh rlly). I'm only suggesting changes, and providing my opinion of the level. We'll discuss here and on IRC what the true outcome is, and what whoever must do, (mostly me ) and blahblahblah. In addition,one world three levels (sometimes) will be reviewed per post. This is to prevent clutter, so that we can actually find where I put these crapo level reviews. Feel free to say something about any of them if you agree or disagree, or both, or just feel like saying something. I mean, I can't actually stop you from posting in this thread, I just wanted to say something about replies I will review my own levels, but those won't be as opinionated as others.
Frequently, I'll say things like "insert words here should probably be modified". I'll change these things myself, eventually, once I get done with all of the reviews.
Anyhow, I shall introduce my first reviews:
World One
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1-1, Castle Escape by Erik557 and a hick
This level is your typical first level, in such that it introduces the difficulty starting point of the game, the theme of the game during the first world, and tries to give a general good impression of the hack at first glance. However, unlike most beginning levels, it's a castle based level, with lava and the like.
While this doesn't change much, it allows for a new sort of take on "first level style bruh", and instead of having simple setups that are fun but very easy and, well, simple, this level has many complicated secrets, and most of the layouts are meant more for experienced players, even if it is perfectly possible and (hopefully) fun for beginners.
(Self-Notifier) This is the only real issue that I have with the level, and this goes on the "little nitpick" list. If you choose to spinjump over the thwomp, and you have a powerup, you can't get through. You can avoid losing the powerup pretty easily, but it's just a lot of hassle for not enough.
These parts were really fun
This is a very difficult to obtain 3-up moon, and if you can get 3 lives out of this without first losing 3 while trying to get it, then wow. It's mostly meant as a "yay I did cool thing", and there isn't really any reason to attempt getting it, except to prove your skills to yourself, if that's fun to you. It's also quite secretive in HOW you get it, so have fun with that one
This level is one of my favorites in the hack, mostly because of how well it fulfills its role
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1-2, Bowling Calamity by Erik557
This level is yourneighborhood bowling alley rare bowling ball based level, the only one in the hack, and the only one I've ever seen. It provides nothing as far as variety goes, but that doesn't really matter, as it figures out a way to be entertaining anyway; which negates the negativity of the monotonous layout entirely.
I found this level to be kind of a "trolly" level, and I had a lot of good laughs with it. On the other hand, I found it very annoying, and
is mostly to blame for this.
BOWLING BALL MECHANICS. They aren't used very often, but in plenty of situations, they're both difficult to deal with, and fair but annoying. This often isn't the case with most annoying things, but this level is the perfect example of it being this way.
Changing this:
to something a tad easier. This section was arrrrrghhhh, and way too difficult, simply because of the sensitive respawning of the bowling ball. Some things in this hack are very hard and fun at the same time, like (I'd expect from kaizo:hard and not from normal:hard ) it should be, and not like this.
I feel like most of the issues in the level come from really jerkish placements of the jumping flame, which jumps up and memes you into oblivion.
Despite everything I just said, I actually liked this level a good bit. The bats provide good synergy with the rest of the level, and the bowling balls were often placed in locations which were laughable, (or at least I found so ) for some reason. I'll be recommending an amount of small changes, but I doubt any of them will be super noticeable.
Heey look at mee, I'm where I shouldn't be
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1-3, Red-Hot Swim by Erik557
I love reviewing your levels, I can actually find things to say about them besides "boring but it was kind of fun as in not terrible"
This level is very interesting, if not only for one simple reason.
HOLY COOL AESTHETIC BATMAN
Okay, it isn't too impressive looking at it in a screenshot, but chances are that if you're reading this, you know what this looks like in-game. I'll try to find a gif of the level in action.
The music adds to the feeling of the level, it just makes the level feel very nice, and this is one of my favorite fire based level as far as aesthetics go.
In the second part of the level, you have lava ceilings and floors to deal with; parts of the level, which includes all of the lava, rise and fall in a pattern, which I'd find very pleasing to play through, if it wasn't for a few irritating spots.
Here, the lava ceiling will probably come down to eat you if you jump, and if you wait for it to go back down, it'll still be quite annoying to get to the other platform without getting killed by one thing or another. Some places just need a spot to stand while the lava is raised, and that's about it. This is just an example, I'll recommend other changes over IRC, ones much less general, and more specific.
I really liked this level, it's one of my favorites in the hack as of the ones that have been finished so far.
Anyhow, this level cools so look! I mean, looks so cool.
1/3 of World One is complete, 2/3 in the next post.
Considering that these levels have to be accepted by the committee before I'm even able to review them, none of these will be "redone" (oh rlly). I'm only suggesting changes, and providing my opinion of the level. We'll discuss here and on IRC what the true outcome is, and what whoever must do, (mostly me ) and blahblahblah. In addition,
Frequently, I'll say things like "insert words here should probably be modified". I'll change these things myself, eventually, once I get done with all of the reviews.
Anyhow, I shall introduce my first reviews:
World One
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1-1, Castle Escape by Erik557 and a hick
This level is your typical first level, in such that it introduces the difficulty starting point of the game, the theme of the game during the first world, and tries to give a general good impression of the hack at first glance. However, unlike most beginning levels, it's a castle based level, with lava and the like.
While this doesn't change much, it allows for a new sort of take on "first level style bruh", and instead of having simple setups that are fun but very easy and, well, simple, this level has many complicated secrets, and most of the layouts are meant more for experienced players, even if it is perfectly possible and (hopefully) fun for beginners.
(Self-Notifier) This is the only real issue that I have with the level, and this goes on the "little nitpick" list. If you choose to spinjump over the thwomp, and you have a powerup, you can't get through. You can avoid losing the powerup pretty easily, but it's just a lot of hassle for not enough.
These parts were really fun
This is a very difficult to obtain 3-up moon, and if you can get 3 lives out of this without first losing 3 while trying to get it, then wow. It's mostly meant as a "yay I did cool thing", and there isn't really any reason to attempt getting it, except to prove your skills to yourself, if that's fun to you. It's also quite secretive in HOW you get it, so have fun with that one
This level is one of my favorites in the hack, mostly because of how well it fulfills its role
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1-2, Bowling Calamity by Erik557
This level is your
I found this level to be kind of a "trolly" level, and I had a lot of good laughs with it. On the other hand, I found it very annoying, and
is mostly to blame for this.
BOWLING BALL MECHANICS. They aren't used very often, but in plenty of situations, they're both difficult to deal with, and fair but annoying. This often isn't the case with most annoying things, but this level is the perfect example of it being this way.
Changing this:
to something a tad easier. This section was arrrrrghhhh, and way too difficult, simply because of the sensitive respawning of the bowling ball. Some things in this hack are very hard and fun at the same time, like (I'd expect from kaizo:hard and not from normal:hard ) it should be, and not like this.
I feel like most of the issues in the level come from really jerkish placements of the jumping flame, which jumps up and memes you into oblivion.
Despite everything I just said, I actually liked this level a good bit. The bats provide good synergy with the rest of the level, and the bowling balls were often placed in locations which were laughable, (or at least I found so ) for some reason. I'll be recommending an amount of small changes, but I doubt any of them will be super noticeable.
Heey look at mee, I'm where I shouldn't be
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1-3, Red-Hot Swim by Erik557
I love reviewing your levels, I can actually find things to say about them besides "boring but it was kind of fun as in not terrible"
This level is very interesting, if not only for one simple reason.
HOLY COOL AESTHETIC BATMAN
Okay, it isn't too impressive looking at it in a screenshot, but chances are that if you're reading this, you know what this looks like in-game. I'll try to find a gif of the level in action.
The music adds to the feeling of the level, it just makes the level feel very nice, and this is one of my favorite fire based level as far as aesthetics go.
In the second part of the level, you have lava ceilings and floors to deal with; parts of the level, which includes all of the lava, rise and fall in a pattern, which I'd find very pleasing to play through, if it wasn't for a few irritating spots.
Here, the lava ceiling will probably come down to eat you if you jump, and if you wait for it to go back down, it'll still be quite annoying to get to the other platform without getting killed by one thing or another. Some places just need a spot to stand while the lava is raised, and that's about it. This is just an example, I'll recommend other changes over IRC, ones much less general, and more specific.
I really liked this level, it's one of my favorites in the hack as of the ones that have been finished so far.
Anyhow, this level cools so look! I mean, looks so cool.
1/3 of World One is complete, 2/3 in the next post.