Postby Imaynotbehere4long » Fri May 08, 2015 5:47 pm
All right, I'm finally going to review this!
This level is...really long for what it is. Not only are there seven sections, but it seemed like most of the events are solely to pad out the level. For example: there are a couple parts where the player has to enter a pipe and hit a switch to remove a roadblock, but the area with the switch is so small and so simple that it doesn't really add anything to the level. Plus, the pipes' entrances are quite close to the pipes' exits, so the pipes just serve to further pad out the level. The water in section 2 could also rise and lower quicker.
Another example would be the stet block in section 3: this one is worse since not only does the switch move the layer rather than hide it, forcing the player to wait (and waiting = boring = not fun), but the switch that moves it is right there, so the setup literally adds nothing to the level; it's just there to force the player to watch blocks move.
Also, while this is one of the more unique sections by making the player move vertically, section 6 also has some pointless events: there's another roadblock in the bottom right, and the player has to hit a switch at the top left to proceed. When the player hits the switch, not only does it block off a possible shortcut the player could have taken, but it also throws up a message box saying "Now follow the arrows!" Gee, thanks, Captain Obvious. Honestly, the amateurish coin arrows aren't necessary, either; there was only one blocked off path, and the section isn't that big, so even if the player somehow forgot where to look, it will only take about five seconds of exploration to find the new path (unless you're Turtwig or something).
However, the most prominent example of unnecessary padding that this level has is in section 2: there's a platform, a switch, and a pit, and when I hit the switch, the platform slowly lowers for three seconds, then suddenly a large expanse of land appears in front of the platform! Not only does it force the player to wait (and waiting = boring = not fun) just so the level can show basic layer effects, but that doesn't even make sense, logically speaking: it's not like the platform is on a pulley system and it's pulling the land mass upward; the land just magically appears after the platform has moved downward a certain length. Just remove the switch and platform and have the land mass be visible from the start of the level.
Aside from all the unnecessary padding, this is actually a fairly well made level. The block placement is decent, but the level is very samey; it seems that each section has the player doing some small variation on the same thing he/she had to do earlier in the level. The only sections that do anything remotely different than the first are Sections 2 and 6; sections 3-5 (or just section 1) could be cut out and it wouldn't really make much difference (it would probably make the level better, honestly). Also, the NPCs rarely deviated from the standard Goombas, Koopas, and Piranha Plants, and when they did, they were out of the player's way most of the time, like the Volcano Lotuses stuck in the ceiling during the most linear parts (also, Volcano Lotuses that high up probably gets their projectiles off-screened, anyway).
Summary:
GOOD:
-Graphics aren't terrible.
-Music, although overused, fits the level well.
-Block placement is decent.
BAD:
-Level overstays its welcome.
--EVENTFUL PADDING.
-Obvious message is obvious.
In conclusion:
Just because your level uses events doesn't make it better than if the level didn't have events. If the events are purely decorative, that's one thing, but make sure they don't force the player to wait, because waiting = boring = not fun. I'd say this deserves a 5.5/10.
