Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Online

Introduction:
White Rabbit has done a nice job, making a kind of Egypt looking temple with a not so easy tile set.
Here goes the review…

Eye candy:
Getting out the maximum what u can do with the tile set.

*Layer 1: N/A
*Layer 2: Ok
The Lava looks not so good but its not your fault that the 2×4 blocks don’t fit.
*Layer 3: Nice
Layer 3 was nice, it covers some tiles, there was some nice translucent light and a Lava fall.
*Layer 4: Middling
This layer is pretty normal is has some eye candy but not much, i didn’t like the water.
*Layer 5: Very Well
You used this layer very well!, it makes the pillars looking good, there are some torches added, a fence, some falling sand and other fixes.
Some tip about the water; make it translucent, use it in layer 3 and cover it in layer 2, that will help ;)
*Layer 6: Great!
*Layer 7: Very Good!
Both layer 6 & 7 are making a great difference in the background.
*Layer 8: Well Done
In combination with the other layers its looking good.
*Animating Tiles: Medium
You did use some, but you could use some more, like moving zombies, worms, and some others.

Summarized:
There are a lot good things to say about the eye candy in the layers, there are some improvements but u can see that White Rabbit is skilful in using layers.

!http://bp2.blogger.com/_cI1gdj2JQao/SBmt6jmdmeI/AAAAAAAAAJs/Fzy-jGCCUw4/s200/Jazz+Layout+(s).jpg! Layout:
Greatly affects the game play

*Level Size: O.k.
The level is 150 by 100 tiles what good enough for this battle lvl.
*Masking: Super!
I almost don’t have to say anything of this, only that Spaz could be stuck in the small tunnels.
*Masked looking of the level: Good
I see some platforms, some pillars and tunnels. There is quite variation.

Summarized:

Although every layout is unique, I didn’t have some good or bad things to say on these…

Game play:
The most important thing of all

*Easy to navigate: Can be better
This is something that u might be improve; above in the level there are a few dead ends, but there are goodies to, the warps are confusing in the beginning and a bit vague (a warp tomb?), The pillars might be nice but they are a bit frustrating to because sometimes u can’t see where u jumping on. I recommend that u remove that lava river since u almost cant see where u can get out of it, the hidden tunnel makes it even more difficult. Walking back in the tunnel right under may be not so easy or you must know the hidden sugar tube.
Maybe there are some others that i forgot…
*Jazz-Spaz-Lori Balanced: Medium
I noticed that W.R. did make a pillar more Jazz/Lori friendly, but in my eyes Spaz still has a better chance to getting through that pillars.
*Easy movement: Average
There are some improvements here to; some pillars and vines are very small, this is good for single player games but in battles you must move easily. Another one is the lava fall but I did talk about that already ;) At last something important about the V-poles; if u on it, it will greatly slow u down and you’re an easy quick bite for a other player :O And if ur hit, you will go down again :P making yourself again a target for the others… My tip; Remove the poles and replace them for a blue spring ;)
*Correctly Working of events: Correct
No Problemo 
*Prevent getting stuck: O.K.
Only in the small tunnels Spaz can be stuck. When I did play the game, I got stuck by the small pillars (left above) when I was shooted by an other player, I don’t now why…
*Finding & getting (hidden) goodies: Good
Both Carrots and Upgrades are good balanced in getting them, an exception is the seeker PU
That is easy to find but pretty hard to get. (Shooting at full speed on the wall with upped bouncers.)

Summarized:

I did try to give some comments on this part, what u do with this is on you ;)

Placement of Events:
A widespread element of the Game play

*Power ups: Right
They are spreaded pretty well (not in the tunnels but that’s not such problem :D), I did’t see any strategy though…
*Weapons: Poor
All weapons are just mixed spreaded somewhere and aren’t balanced in the level.
*Carrots: O.K.
3 Carrots, they are spreaded good, ill guess some are more popular to get than others ;)
*Springs: Middling
Some places can use some more.
*Starting Positions: N/A
Lucky that there is a warp by the only starting point there is, but its still a chaos if u start with 10 people by that V-Poles :P

Summarized:

Some extra time in this could make it even better…

Originality:
What kind of extra’s has your game what other games don’t or rarely have?

*Special Effects: Very Good!
I did see good working lightning and flicker light, and a simple but effective trigger zone by the sugar tube. That brings me on the idea to use that to! Tnx for that :D
*A overused tile set?: Sure Not!
I never saw a battle game used this set, maybe because its leaking on some events, or because its to hard to use it for much JCSers…
*Events matching the theme: N/A
*Nice fitting music: Excellent!
Yes! this music fits perfect by the theme! Its not a real killing battle music but that’s not a problem :)

Summarized:

Good Job, how more must I say?

Conclusion:

Interesting; Some very good things, Normal things and things that can be inproved…
2.6 of 3 for Eye candy
0.8 of 1 for Layout
1.1 of 2 for Game play
1.2 of 2 for Weapon placement
1.4 of 2 for Orginality
I give it a 7.1!(rounded up 7.2)

Download Recommendation:

Blah blah blah…
The Review:

TEMPLE OF KARNAK:

EYECANDY:
The backround layers may not seem so appealing. Layer 8 has been covered up and layers 7 and 6 consist only of bricks. Layer 5 is a bit more interesting. You may find some flames and some light rays. However, the backround layers sort of make the sprite look good. This may be because layers 7,6,5,3 and 2 all move with layer 4. The best bit about the eyecandy is there are different zones around the level. You may end up in a room of lava or a blue room. The bad news is that the lava obscures your view, which can make you fall into the pit (I guess thats the fun really), but thats the only real problem.

Overall, the eyecandy looks really good. But the lava obscures your view.
EYECANDY RATING: 9.2

GAMEPLAY:
The gameplay was very interesting. There were loads of platforms and vines, so that you could jump everywhere. But aside from the vines and everything, this level includes some concepts that not many other battle arenas use, such as trigger zones and pits (which may become more popular later on). One of the pits is even hidden. The level also has dead ends and areas where the player could get trapped or some kind of tactic could be used using the warps. But, there is one place where if you try really hard, you could get stuck (pos 7,51)

Overall, the level is very platformy. However, uses some origional concepts such as triggers. But there is a bug at pos 7,51.
GAMEPLAY RATING: 9.0

ITEMS:
The item placement here is mixed. It’d be OK if there were a small amount of players, but there isn’t enough ammo for more than 6. Thats bad because there is enough of everything else for 6 players. The ammo placement is slightly origional. Instead of being in clusters, 80% ammo is placed on platforms. All of the ammo is placed in groups of less than 3. Another mixed thing is that in some places, there is no ammo at all. This could provide a good game strategy, but can also make the level feel empty.

Overall, not enough ammo and ammo placement a bit dodgy.
ITEM RATING: 6.0

FINAL RATING: 8.1
RANK: 8 Very Good
DOWNLOAD: Despite the item placement, this is a really good level and should be downloaded (but get carrotade first).

I knew asking people in JJ2 servers to review it would lead to poor efforts on their part. :-(

At first look i coudn’t distinguish background between walls, but it is playable and after a little playing, it is clean. Ammo is scattered by small groups 1-3 each, but for good player that is not a problem.

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