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SA reviews "Tunnel up!!!"

Archive: 3 posts


"Tunnel up!!!" is a level that has been submitted to my most likely overly harsh standards by a very brave "blizzard_cool". Let's give him a round of applause folks, although I would ask that said clapping be very short and to the point because honestly while this level does deserve congratulations, it certainly doesn't deserve that much. After all, I had a hard time reviewing the level since the whole thing is buried under mountains of unnecessary score bubbles.

TU is a level designed to be very simple and clean, not trying to be overly elaborate or complicated but also not trying to look like dog food, but rather to be easy, quirky, and slightly humorous and entertaining, and while that's a job it does very well it certainly places some overly abrasive limits on how good of a level this could possibly be. As far as I'm concerned, unless the level is able to perform at the amazing quality that was Fall of Winter, I can't see the level being much better than sub-par.

Okay, maybe I'm being a little rough on this level, it does present a certain level of charm about it that makes it worthwhile to play but I don't really think I'd be able to put up with playing the level more than once under the line of expecting "a fresh new experience every time I walk in".

One thing this level may not do entirely well, but at least makes an effort to attempt is to create a fair degree of humor, and mostly by having the characters recite funny lines. Even though the actual lines aren't all that hilarious, I must admit the environment and the general quirkiness of things makes it worth a chuckle or two, just don't force it too hard or you might strain out an ulcer.

As for difficulty, I think it would be easiest to read a few paragraphs up when I stated that the level was designed to be simple, and one of the many aspects of being simple is that it tends to be easy as well. Obviously there are exceptions to this rule, but why bother putting them up when it's much easier to state that this level follows them norm for simple levels in that yes, it is easy as pie. Granted, the stage doesn't really need to be difficult since the target audience it's going for is one consistent of people with flippers for arms, but I wouldn't mind even the slightest challenge. Oh well.

Appearance can pretty much be summarized as such: combine the general style of the 2nd Canyons level (the mine cart one) with the quirky nature of the 1st Canyons level (Boom Town I think), and that should pretty much sum it up: an underground mine with characters and humor that look like they were pulled straight out of Boom Town, only without any plot generated conflict.

And that's really all to be said about the level, there weren't any particularly memorable parts or anything truly creative or innovative about it, just quirky easy fun. Yeah I guess there's a hidden area at the end with more score bubbles because there weren't already enough for god's sake, and overall the whole level just comes off as being way too normal. Not exciting but not really morbidly awful either, just standard, and because of how standard the level comes off I find that it really defeats the purpose of creating custom levels, which is mostly for the purpose of making something special or new and exciting or even artistic, not to create something that I can easily recreate by simply playing the 2nd level of the Canyons again while playing some more upbeat music in the background.

Final Score:
6.0 / 10
Mediocrity rears it ugly head on this level, don't expect anything truly worthwhile here. Still, it is at the very least entertaining for a play through, and certainly capable of pleasing you long enough to get you from start to finish.

On a side note, I just can't seem to get my queue list to shrink. That thing is growing faster than Google.
2009-01-12 05:00:00

Author:
Shining Aquas
Posts: 353


I love your reviews... I don't know why, they're just funny to me. In a good way btw.2009-01-12 06:16:00

Author:
Whalio Cappuccino
Posts: 5250


well thx 4 the review
I love it when it's bubbly... I didn't think it was that standar but, oh well...
thx anyways. At least u r honest.
2009-01-16 22:13:00

Author:
blizzard_cool
Posts: 752


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