Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Online

Whether or not it is a horrible sign of horribility that I am lazy and have not reviewed anything up to this point is either an omen or a coincidence. Going for the less poetic stance, I’d go for coincidence. Or at least because these ratings confuse me. And, as any great reviewer should (which begs the question why I do), I disagree with all of the above reviews. Labrat’s and dx dc’s overrate this, primarily because it is hard, while mikeejimbo underrates it, probably for the same reason. However, difficulty should be balanced. This goes beyond just difficult and more to something along the lines of trying to kill the player. Being dumped onto spikes and enemies does not make this a good pack, although it nonetheless is one. The fairly good level design and decent eyecandy make this a good pack, while the unbalanced difficulty hurts it severely. This pack is overall flawed in many ways; the eyecandy is riddiled with inconsistincies and just plain is not great, while the gameplay suffers from hiccoughs and dead ends. A good pack, but certainly not a 9. Read on.

GAMEPLAY/DESIGN: First of all, dropping into enemies is simply something that is not supposed to happen and is considered taboo in levelmaking because most players would rather not have to buttstomp whenever they fall into somewhere offscreen. The first level in this pack, the capitalization-challenged “on the beach” features decent gameplay at the beginning with obvious and clear paths, but then quickly begins to deteriorate as the level goes on. There is an area with a pole that oftentimes sends the player in the reverse, away from the target. Additionally, you can back up in this level to basically the start if you have ice, which is a definite no-no. The secrets are placed creatively, but for the most part are far too minor to prove worth your time. What can easily be noticed the first play of this level is that it is miles from easy. This is not a compliment in this case for several reasons. You tend to find yourself dumped upon enemies or with too many chasing you to do much about it. This is too hard, simply put. Besides, simple shoot ‘em style game play grows old, and this level lacks any puzzle elements to back its action elements up. Finally, if you are hoping for save spots or a good amount of ammo, you will be disappointed. No save spots are to be found, making this level go from questionably hard to trying-too-hard-to-be-hard. When you add on a nearly impossible to find exit to the formula, you have yourself a disapointment. “Carrot land” continues the proud tradition of poor naming but at least improves the capitalization rate fifty percent. The start of the level features what has to be the biggest mistake in levels like these you can make: spike pits. Ah, yes. Spike pits. The scourge of levelmaking. Of course, as Carrotus lacks spikes, those spiky plant things are used. As if once was not bad enough, the most difficult part of this level is based on doing it again. While bouncing off springs. While trying to climb using those springs. While fending off enemies. Get the idea? This is just another way in which this pack tries too hard to be too hard. And, above it all, all of the signs in this level begin with “sign”. Uh-huh. Thanks for clarifying that. At least there are save positions in this level.
PROS: Challenging and generally high-quality.
CONS: Has some indiscrepencies throughout the levels. The difficulty oftentimes is too strained.
RATING: 7.0

TILESET/TILESET USE: The pack’s starting level, “on the beach”, is an example of utilitarian eyecandy at its best. While there is in fact eyecandy, most of the visual treats that are to be found are simply required elements of any decent level using the Beach tileset. Beach is not at all the easiest tileset to use, but the wood in this level is far too wooden and not creatively used. For those about to complain that I am being unjust in demanding more out of the Beach tileset, I recommend you take a peak at FireSworD’s excellent “Termite Haven” CTF level, which manages to make Beach look great – and using only the wooden tiles, too! The second level, “Carrot land”, follows a similar path to “on the beach”, although there are a few less masking-related errors. Carrotus is indeed a really boring tileset, and despite levels attempting to make it better, most mainstream use continues to center upon the same boring old formula. If you are going to use the formula in question, though, at least it should look fairly spiffy. This does not. Because of the spiky pits, or whatever you call them, which require tall, one-tile squares, much of this level’s eyecandy looks pedestrian and a bit off. Which is disappointing, especially considering that Carrotus is infamously easy to use. And regarding that lightning: since when do random areas of caves become pitch black while the rest is light as the outside day?
PROS: Good looking in some parts.
CONS: Dull. Not much more than the base requirements.
RATING: 7.0

WEAPON/ITEM/ENEMY PLACEMENT: I can’t complain that a level has bad ammo placement because it is hard? Just watch me. While playing “on the beach”, I found myself thinking “thank God that there are at least carrots in this level.” In fact, I was initially glad that there was ammo, however little of it there is. Ice and TNT, perhaps the two most useless ammunition types for this level, are naturally the two most common ammunition times for this level. There are a few creates and miscellaneous other things that contain ammo such as bouncers, but for the most part you will have to rely on your trusty blaster unless you want to suffer through the slow TNT and fast-melting ice when attempting to defend against some very hungry fish. “Carrot land”, the second level, is a bit more liberal in the distribution of healing items, and perhaps a bit too much. At one point, there are three carrots right next to eachother. Additionally, it was before – not after – a hard part, and most players really trying to play well in this level would already have plenty of lives at that point. Besides, carrots together in such great quantities look amateurish and one has to wonder why they were not distributed throughout the level in the first place.
PROS: It gets better as the pack goes on.
CONS: Little ammo. Little thought to how the ammo would work in the specific levels.
RATING: 6.5

REPLAY/FUN FACTOR/ORIGINALITY: This category was obviously going to be trouble. “on the beach”, which I really, really want to capitalize, at least gives you a short period to recover before falling into some hungry piranah. There is some enjoyability to it, but some is definitely the word. The fact is, this is little more than a difficult and bland level with various defects that make it tedious. After being off reviewing levels so long, I am surprised to find perfectly sane people rating this so high. Perhaps that’s why I am going to avoid rating much else for a while (if I can control myself, that is). This level is nothing extraordinary, and due to lack of puzzles, it is simply too carbon-copied to hold interest. “Carrot land” has a good concept going, sort of, but is maddeningly irrelevant. It requires you to wade through several key-finding missions before finding the correct warp that leads to a key. This is not a puzzle as much as complete and total random luck, and does not count as a puzzle in my book as much as a really annoying obstacle. Calling this level fun would be a lie. The spiky pits and key puzzles certainly make this level longer, but at the expense of the player’s enjoyment and interest.
PROS: Hard, which can be fun.
CONS: Hard, which can be annoying.
RATING: 6.5

OVERALL: I am sorry for not providing good reviews for the remaining levels, but I do not think that I can say much more. They pretty much follow a similar prototype and template. This pack – despite what I have said – is good, and I am mainly being a bit mean in the review because it is overrated. It has some good ideas and is difficult, but really, really needs better enemy placement and perhaps a bit of a tone-down on the difficulty. After all, you can make it so there are many enemies only on hard mode. Then even neophytes can play, and us reviewers can sleep at night!
PROS: Hard…
CONS: …unnecessarily hard.
RATING: 7.2
DOWNLOAD RECOMMENDATION: For single player fans and obsessives and for level obsessives. An okay play when bored.

GAMEPLAY: B+
Flow: B+
Layout: B
Creativity: B
Bugs: B+

EYECANDY: B+
Tileset use: A -
Eyecandy Look: B+
Creativity: B
Bugs: B+

PLACEMENT: B
Weapons: B
Enemies: B -

~ Traft

WOWOWO!

1-great gameplay!
2-hard easy normal mode!
3-GOOD eyecandy!
4-Good ammo placed.!
5-good food placed.!

download reccomed??? YES!

donwload![This review has been edited by dx dc]

This level pack is interesting, at least. When I first saw the first level, I thought “This looks like it’s worth a 7 so far.” A bit of playing and I ran into all the annoying stuff.

One thing that happens frequently is that the level drops you onto enemies and spikes, going against the “top ten level editing tips.” Also it often makes you go through the same part twice, when you’ve already been through, which I believe goes against the list, but in any case is bad.

If you look at level two, and other places in some of the other levels, the tiles don’t fit together properly.

GAMEPLAY:

Annoying, and not really satisfying

WEAPON PLACEMENT:

The weapon placement is not all that great. There aren’t too many, anyway.

ITEM PLACEMENT:

Ouch… this was bad. There were very few carrots and few checkpoints too.

Unfortunately I can’t rate this lower, because I would be accused of underrating.

And the credit level is the most annoying one I’ve seen, pretty much ever.

EDIT: One thing I forgot. It’s very annoying, and there are more fun things you could do with your time. I’m thinking of starting a webcam pointed at my lawn.

Didn’t you read it? “Don’t teach players to play by killing them.” That was from one of the JJ2 team members, too.

And the only way you can avoid dropping onto them in some places is with the helicopter ears, and in other places he sets it up so that you CAN’T.
[This review has been edited by mikeejimbo][This review has been edited by mikeejimbo]

I strongly dissagree with Mikee. And, I must say, I never thought I would live to the day when I rated a level higher then DX ;) Here you have a good handful of lovely, huge, very hard single player levels.
THE BEACH LEVEL
Great level; maybe the hardest one. Good eyecandy, and fun gameplay… a great challenge, overall.
THE MEDIVO LEVEL
Another wonderful level. Very nice to look at, too. Really original… my favorite one.
THE DIAMONDUS LEVEL
This is what saves the level from getting a 9.2. Jazz really can’t beat this level unless you know how to do the golden jump, and not everyone knows how to do it. The eyecandy here is a bit overdone, too.
THE censored LEVEL
A very hard, and original. Also the boss level. It frusturated me to the point where I was ripping out my hair. ;p
THE CARROTUS LEVEL
I must say, I don’t remember this one. I just remember that there was a place with springs.

Download reccomendation: Yes.
Own Mikee’s review: Yes. ;p
Play this again: Sure.

Mikee, if you’re going to be dropped into a pit, the author is testing your reflexes of buttstomping enemies quickly from above. Falling into spikes is your own fault ;)[This review has been edited by labratkid]

Wow, I don’t have to say much more, but I will say something.
All of the levels are made with orginal JJ2 tilesets, Satan said it already. This can be fun, but it’s a bit boring because there are sooo maaaannnnnnyyy orginaljj2tilesetlevels (Use for hangman!). There are some really orginal ideas in it, like collapsing bridges in D4mn. The enemies are placed nice, although in the first levels there are many of the same. The eyecandy is ok, but not great. It’s just the eyecandy you need. It’s all great gameplay, with nice secrets etc. Overall a level you must have. Fun that I didn’t agree with any of the reviewers too ;P

Hm, let me give my time to have my review long, like Trafton’s review! And I’ll try my best to make my review today even longer, let me see, hmm:

beach land:
Eye candy: Used more leyers! No leyers used!
Enemies: Many fishes, that can be maybe because I haven’t beat them all!
1up: Two 1ups, that’s good for hard level like this! Really good!
End boss: I have battled Tuf Boss but he has never be that hard to deafet like now!
Extra enemies: Some Tuf Turtles are extra! Extra, that’s means
Backround: No errors with backround, the beach levels by EPIC megagames had no textured backround
Food: Mmm, they’re many foods, but not engough to get Sugar Rush
Weapons: Many bounces, many freeze guns, and few TNTs
Powerups: None powerups, that’s ok! That make the level even harder!
Music: The music like much be on beach tilesets, exelect for you! The music much be like this!
Save point: One save point there it’s short to swim to boss
Rating: 9.2

Carrot land:
Music: Only “.j2b” music works in Jazz Jackrrabit 2, sorry!
Eye candy: Like on the beach land, used more leyers
1up: Just one
Food: I love berries! Thanks, it was really nice to you, to have alot of berries
Weapons: Diffrence kind of weapons! Nope, yeah, alot of them, Flamethrowers, Freeze weapon and bounce. More than in old level! Just kidding!
Backround: Texture backround, like in Carrot1 night tileset! Exelect!
Enemies: Alot of kinds of lizards and my favorite enemy, Fload Lizard :D
Extra enemies: One bat
End boss: Budda, too easy to deafet! Too easy!
Spring maze: Ha, too easy!
Hurt tiles: Spikes, lots of them, outch!
Key maze: Wow, it’s harder, I can’t find the key before long time ago!
Save point: One after you finded the key!
Powerup: One, bounce!
Rating: 7

Creeby castle:
Powerups: Lol, they’re one Rocket powerup here
Backround: Like it much be!
End boss: It’s the devil, hard to beat!
Enemies: Alot of ghosts, bats and helmuts:
Extra enemies: Few skelteons
Food: Hot dogs rules
Hurt tiles: Alot of spikes
3rd spike: Alot of them!
Spring, breakable maze: Ha, you only need to shoot and shoot!
Weapons, alot of kinds, like Rockets, flamthrowers, freezers and bouces
Moving walls: Alot of them
Moving wall maze: I have falled down in many times and needed to start over!
Eye candy: First time than ever is the right eye candy, great to you!
Save point: Few steps from the Spring maze
3rd spike maze: Oh, oh! I don’t wanna die there!
End boss: Really hard to deafet! I have lost many times!
Keys: Lol, they’re two in this level!
Music: Like it much be! Exelect
Backround: Like it much be! Exelect
Rating: 9.2

Bak to Diamondus:
Eye candy: Like it much be, exelect!
Backround: ||
Enemies: Bees and Norm Turtles, many bees, that hurts, outch
Hurt tiles: Many spikes
Extra enemies: None
1up: One
Rocks: Two rocks, that hurts!
Foods: Apples and pears, mmm!
Weapons: Many sprays, and some Rockets also
Powerups: None
Save points: Two of them, somewhere in the level
Keys: Alot of them!
Breakable tiles: Some tiles here are so much breakable and then you walk on them they will destrouct!
Spike maze: Wow, there are those Breakable tiles
The three key mazes: Two easy!
End boss: Bilsy boss is really hard to deafet
Music: Right music!
Rating: 8.5

Forever in flames:
Eye candy: Like it much be, exelect
Backround: —||—
Enemies: Skeletons and devils a ton of them
Extra enemies: Few dragons
Spike mazes: It’s to fast balls!
Spring maze: Too easy!
Food: Purple pears and cola, alot of them!
Weapons: Electric gun, alot of them, also bounces, and flamethrowers!
Powerups: None
1up: One
Save points: Two of them somewhere in this level
Hurt tiles: Alot of spikes
Music: Like it much be, exelect!
End boss: The Devan, the strongest boss ever, hard to deafet
Rating: 9.7

Credits:
Nothing special, just credits! But only “.j2b” music works in jj2, sorry!
Rating: N/A

All levels have 1up, and mazes! They’re end boss in all levels! They are also save points in all levels! But eye candy’s bad in the first two! And also, only “.j2b” music works in Jazz Jackrabbit 2, sorry! They are hard really hard, and they’re demonds and extra end boss in some of them! And powerups in only two of them! If you are readdy for a real challange please downlaod this! Rating from me: 8.7! Have a nice day! ;)

P.s. Pleae Trafton, don’t delete this review! I see nothing illegal! What is illegal, Trafton? PM me!

Wow! This is great!
It has alot of enemys, some food, and carrots put in the perfect place!(eggseration intended)
The only thing that kinda was weird was the only name in the credits was: Satan

otherwize great!

9

WOW!

good satan, i must say: the levels ar just
as the same as the normal episodes.

well
good:

ammo
baddies
eyecandy

bad

nothing

overall:GOOD!

down. co.:YEAH!

~Some