Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Online

After playing the hotel level that uses this tileset (uploaded at http://www.jazz2online.com/downloads/moreinfo.php?levelid=2365, score 4.2), I can not say that I was exactly thinking that this would be the best of levels. And, unsurprisingly, it is not. At first, this level does indeed look not bad at all. The tileset itself is partially to blame for this incorrect perception. It looks very 3D-like and is pretty good in general. Still, upon further examination, I found that this small (175×46) battle level suffers from both eyecandy and gameplay problems that may be its deathwish.

EYECANDY/TILESET USE: Much like the hotel level, this level could have easily made for a decent demo level for the tileset which was recently uploaded (http://www.jazz2online.com/downloads/moreinfo.php?levelid=2362, score N/A as of this writing). At first, the level’s eyecandy looks quite good. Everything is in some sort of pseudo-3D and there are some interesting lighting effects. However, when you look closer, it is obvious that this level has quite a number of problems regarding eyecandy errors. The wall tiles look a bit out of place in many areas, and the eyecandy itself interfiers with the flow of the level. What’s more, the level is full of tiles that look off. They are not direct eyecandy errors, but still are problematic and odd-looking enough to deteriorate the eyecandy. Much like the hotel level, this suffers from using a tileset that it does not deserve to use.
Pros: The 3D effect that it gets from the tileset is pretty cool.
Cons: Tile errors abound.
Rating: 5.2

WEAPON/ITEM/ENEMY PLACEMENT: There were only three types of ammo in this level. Only basic bouncy, flamethrower, and freezer ammo finds its way into this level. Yes, there are no powerups that I could find. Most of the game will revolve around using the afforementioned types of ammo in order to befeat opponents. Unfortunately, there is so little of even this basic ammo that most of the game will involve the blaster. This is not a horrible thing, but there is still far too little ammo in this level. There are two carrots, both of which are placed oddly and do not really work for the level.
Pros: At least it does not go overboard like the hotel level.
Cons: A little ammo shortage.
Rating: 4.2

ORIGINALITY: There is nothing all that original about this level to speak of. Then again, there is nothing that is all that unoriginal, either. It is more or less your standard battle level. There is nothing that is insanely redundant, but there is nothing that has never been seen before, either. This level is your basic battle level using a strange tileset and nothing more than that.
Pros: Nothing that is found in every other level.
Cons: Nothing original, for that matter.
Rating: 4.5

GAMEPLAY/DESIGN: Gameplay and design is at least somewhat decent. For the most part, this is a standard battle level with passages and the like. Beyond that, the center of this level is pretty much your basic platform-based battle arena. The level is mostly small, which is not great for it, but the size is enough to keep the level at least half-decent. As I explained earlier, this level suffers from a lack of ammo. That is not a huge problem, though, and there is indeed enough ammo to allow for a battle. Still, it would have been nice if there was a little bit more. Gameplay is slightly above average, but not very much so.
Pros: As battle levels go, the gameplay and design was decent.
Cons: Not enough ammo for a good battle level.
Rating: 5.0

REPLAY VALUE/FUN FACTOR: This level has nothing that is unique to it. It also has far little too ammo. These two factors add up to make a below average replay value/fun factor. There are a few saving qualities, and the tileset is interesting, so I suppose that this could be fun to some for playing every once and a while. Still, I am not one of those people, and I doubt that many people would enjoy playing the level all that much. Thus, a 4.5 in this category.
Pros: The level is not annoying or really really stupid.
Cons: Nothing to keep people playing.
Rating: 4.5

OVERALL (not an average): This is an average battle level that is quite small, and has far too little ammo. Also, it suffers from some eyecandy problems. Other than that, this is an alright level. It plays okay, other than the lack of much ammo, and is suitable for a demo level, although the use of eyecandy is a little bit too disappointing for a demo level. Still, it is definitely better than the hotel level which was also uploaded that uses this tileset. That does not mean, unfortunately, that this is a very good level. It is not. It is simply average, if that. My final rating is 5.0.
Pros: It could have been worse. Gameplay is at least somewhat decent.
Cons: This level is average. Ammo drain is a problem. It is sort of disappointing that this level has such bad eyecandy, considering that the author was the tileset convertor.
Rating: 5.0

GAMEPLAY: C
Flow: C
Layout: C
Creativity: C
Bugs: C+

EYECANDY: C
Tileset use: C -
Eyecandy look: C -
Creativity: C
Bugs: C

PLACEMENT: C+
Weapons: C+
Carrots: N/A
Enemies: N/A

THE FINAL GRADE: C

THE FINAL RATING: 5.0

Pros: It could have been worse. Gameplay is at least somewhat decent.
Cons: This level is average. Ammo drain is a problem. It is sort of disappointing that this level has such bad eyecandy, considering that the author was the tileset convertor.

- Trafton

EDIT: Fixed carrot thing. And I never said there was anything weird about the background.[This review has been edited by Trafton AT]

What do you mean by errors?
Weird colours on the background?
and there ARE two carrots!

I tested the whole level with Jazz I can perfectly get around (but maybe you don’t know that you can go up at the starting point).[This review has been edited by _Jaws]

What Trafton said, basically, and I’m giving you higher because, number one, I admire it when people use their own tilesets with their levels, and number two, I like it when people are original with their levels. For example, making a Rabbits Stink sign in Diamondus that you can’t shoot and break is original, because otherwise, it’s just like every other boring diamondus level… Anyway, getting back on subject, there were some gameplay problems here and there, and it’s very, very difficult to get around the level with Jazz. It’s very Spaz based. I liked how you put water blocks to simulate rain on the ground, and there were no water blocks indoors. However, on some hills outside, it lacked the water blocks. The lightning outside was also cool, but, if you look at the WarTorn tileset, it makes it so it’s sort of random when you see lightning. It’s very predictable when you will see lightning, which gets boring, like a metranome going back, and forth, and back, and.. You get the idea. Anyway, this level could’ve had better ammo placement, and better gameplay, plus more eyecandy, and more of an advantage to Jazz since it’s near impossible to get around the level nicely with him.
Nice try, I liked your hotel better.

this levelpack is groovy

(Rating removal. Please provide more funkadelic details. -Trafton)[This review has been edited by Trafton AT]