Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Online

Nice little level. It’s confusing as heck to navigate tho. Wayy too many warps in every direction. The layout is clever though. Def original. Could be really fun for a 2v2 or even 1vs1 game. Looks pretty for the most part, but could’ve used more work. And I really hate it when people put death pits in their levels. Anyway, I like this. Thumbs up

Very cool =]

gj, it actually feels like a real volcano

Well, I had an imaginary/fictional volcano in my mind while doing this, so that doesn’t really matter.

Note that the famous volcano is actually “Mount St. Helens”, not “Mount Helens”.

well done ;D

[Review changed to quick review. – cooba]

Ah, this was to be expected. A DOM level made into a CTF level. Also using Damn+, with again a creative theme (not praising Lost Onyx or something nudge nudge) Let’s “find it out”!

For the sake of it, I will review both levels (mostly in terms of gameplay, of course, since the eyecandy and lay out is the same on both(I think))

Gameplay:
DOM: Great
CTF: Superb
In terms of gameplay, CTF out-rules the DOM version. Ironically, since the level was meant as a DOM in the first place.

The level plays very horizontal, though there is a big height difference between the three ‘floors’. This is because of the easy manoeuvring from left to right and back, and because it’s easy to get down (with the risk of getting roasted in a volcano), it’s just as easy to go back up as well, due to well-placed springs and sucker tubes.

As I said, the level is divided in floors. There is the bottom floor, which is dangerously close to the lava, there are a few middle router and there’s the ceiling. Each of these floors has useful items so there’s plenty of reason to traverse every floor.

In CTF, the bases are located at the middle right and the top left of the level. In my opinion, this works really well. The level is non-symmetrical, meaning both sides and bases look very different. Blue will have the advantage of a quick drop to the lower levels and quick access to the RF PU, while Red has quick access to the top and the Bouncer PU. Both sides have their advantages, but they are not the same. The RF will work much better in the lower level (where Blue often will be heading) because it is very open, and near pits. Red will have access to Bouncers, with which he can shoot to Blue enemies, located on the (DUN DUN DUUUUN) lower levels. Great development of strategic level building here. Blue will, however, have a quick access to a (hidden) Toaster PU, opposed to Red, who needs more time to get there.

The Seeker PU is a whole different story. It’s located right above Blue Base, but it has to be grabbed with Gun9 (or a really REALLY well times Bouncer). This brings in the bias in character. Jazz has a sublime advantage in getting the Seeker PU, and in the level in general.

Because of a feature in JJ2 we call ‘copter ears’, Jazz can hover, effectively lowering gravity’s effect on him. There are also copters, which (fortunately) help non-flying characters like Spaz get up as well. However, because of how gravity is calculated in JJ2, Jazz could grab the copter with an uppercut from the base area. This will lower gravity’s effect on him and could even make him fly. However, if you grab a copter WHILE USING COPTER EARS, the effects will stack, making Jazz hover in place, mid-air (going up slowly, even). This is a huge advantage for two things. One is being able to get to the Seeker faster than Spaz (going up = negative gravity = still stacks with copter ear speed) and being able to form effective barricades by spamming Bouncers or RF’s from midair.

Of course, this is all based on a copter flight of maybe 5 seconds, tops, but still, to me it felt like something I could tell about. It’s a good strategy, that’s for sure. So come on, Jazz players, use that copter.

Oh yeah, Jazz in general. The level is really open and there is plenty of room for flight. Especially in the lower area, where a Jazz with Bouncers can be a deadly pit-trapping-machine.

Regarding the DOM level:
The DOM points are located in the same way as the CTF bases, plus two more. The locations aren’t bad, it’s just that the steam events can be annoying to some extent… It may be just me, but I’d rather play this as a CTF. Still, same things apply for the DOM level as well, all that is said above, there is a wide variety of strategy that can be used in this level.

Atmosphere: Basic
Yes, I found it basic. And it is, really. Of course the old Dam Nation set didn’t have much to offer, but PJ’s palettes and extra tiles helped a lot. The addition of caves is good and helps to recognise some areas, even. The theme is well executed, mostly because of the ‘heat’ rising up in the back. It really adds flavour.

There is not much to say about the eyecandy… lots of rocky outcrops, stalagmites and tites, it’s all there. Done before, of course, since this set doesn’t have much to offer. Nothing new, but does the trick.

Overall: Good
Both the CTF and the DOM version are great, and should definitely be played in huge party-sized servers.

Download Recommendation: Yes
‘nuff said, read the review.

Score: 8.5
A good level in terms of gameplay, which is the heaviest factor in my scoring. The eyecandy apartment could use a lick of paint, but the lack of set tiles that fit with the theme didn’t give you much of a choice. Still, a score to be proud of. Chapeau.

It’s a no-brainer that this level is right up there alongside Atom Heart and EARTH.
Everything about this level is good. The layout isn’t too complicated (like in most ‘modern’ levels), placement is balanced all over the level, the eye-candy is great and the theme of the level is well sustained and supported.
Definitely one of SJ’s best.

Sorry for the very long delay, but here is the review I promised. I don’t feel like posting a massive review, but whatever, here goes.

SuperJazz has put a ton of effort into organising and building this pack, which becomes very obvious once you play through the levels. This pack contains a whopping 15 levels, more than any of the other packs released so far this year. The levels are mostly very high quality (Atom Heart in particular), however a couple of them feel little more than “filler material”, just made to fatten the pack up. (The Fights of March :|)

That being said, however, this pack is top-notch. All the levels have some very nice EC (especially Earth which looks awesome); nothing looks unrealistic or unrealisticly repetitive. The gameplay is also just as great, the levels are spaced out well, they aren’t filled with dead ends, they’re relatively easy to learn and flow well in general (Center of the Universe being an exception D:). I have no gripes about the item placement either.

Here’s a brief summery of each of the main levels:

Atom Heart is my favourite level of the pack, by far. It looks great, has a very strategical layout and is quite creative in some aspects, for example the PU placement. [8.6]

The Sun Fired Blanks is a very large level that is also symmectrical, with a linear yet solid layout, however I don’t like the fact you used solid layer 4 tiles in the background. Like the sprite layer eyecandy though. [8]

Center of Universe has a pleasant, calm atmosphere and an interesting layout, but it has practically zero flow which makes it annoying to move around in and seriously affects the gameplay. Aside from that, it does have some nice strategical defensive options. [7.9]

Dim0rphic is another big level, except this level is very hard to learn but is quite unconventional, but a few of the gimmicks here just seem tacked on. I personally hate the the Thermal Carrotus tileset, but at least here you managed to get away with that. [7.7]

Earth is my 2nd favourite level of this pack. There are some very original eyecandy things here, it has superb gameplay and just feels…cool. The layout might be a little hard to learn at first though. Sitll, definately one the best CTF levels released so far this year. [8.4]

The Fights of March is the smallest level of the pack, and to be honest just feels like filler material. It’s not bad, but just feels somewhat worse than the rest of the pack. [7.3]

Greater Legacy is the biggest level of the pack by far, and feels so imitidating with it’s eyecandy and size combined. I really love this level though, it should be great fun in an event despite being hard to learn. [8.3]

The Frozen Throne makes the best possible use out of the Glacier, tileset, and despite being rather small it can work with pretty much any amount of players. [8.2]

Central Shaft has a layout which is very vertical, and is significantly bigger than The Frozen Throne. It’s quite complex and takes some time getting used to but should be fun with several people once it’s learned. [8.2]

I haven’t really had a detailed looked at the other levels, but I image they will be fine too. This pack is still an absolute must-have. Host these levels often.

The pits ruin it. Download if you want a level to look at.

I put in ‘The Fights of March’ to be a level for those, who thought the levels in my pack were way too big. However, I don’t myself consider it to be much related to the pack since it was finished so long time ago. You could possibly call it ‘a bonus’, yeah.

I’m reviewing this on behalf of the review exchange.

First of all, I really enjoy levels of uncommon gametypes. This pack only had one, but it’s one of the best assault levels I’ve ever seen. It was well thought out, however I think you could’ve used more things accessable from your base, like buyable teleport spheres or something. Overall, this is a great original level.

Because the above level was the only unique level in the pack, I will be reviewing the other levels in general.
These levels have pretty well developed eyecandy. You used some very original ideas here, such as translucent hiding spots and corridors, and the slightly less original turrets. This made gameplay fun and strategic. I found the CTF levels in specific were very evenly matched between red and blue. In the CTF levels however, I noticed less originality was used. This is made up for in eyecandy however, as you used your tilesets to some of their highest potential.

I suggest that any multiplayer fan should download this, as it offers a wide variety of levels many people will enjoy!

Originality – 9

Eyecandy – 8.5

Gameplay – 8.5

FINAL GRADE – 8.7

You have a high quality pack here!

I don’t really feel like writing a long review, but this won’t be a quick review either.

These levels have some interesting concepts that haven’t been tried before.

Atom Heart 243.5 has already become popular for a lot of people, and it’s one of my favourite levels to play in. It has good eye candy and a strategical layout. Despite its size the 2 Full NRGs it has are placed with thought.

The Sun Fired Blanks is a really big level that I really like as well, but it’s not that good as Atom Heart
243.5. It also has some nice EC ideas.

Center of the Universe (this time with the right capitalization) is not just another random Diamondus Beta level, it might be a bit cramped but it’s fun to play in.

Dim0rphic has a really strange layout that’s hard to learn, I think the level is kinda underrated. It’s really big as well, and has a sense of humour. ;D

Earth is one of my favourite levels of the pack, it uses the Space Warbase tileset in a really creative way and the layout is interesting too. I remember playing here once and I had a lot of fun.

The Fights of March is a really small level that almost feels like a bonus. I think I’ve seen this level some years ago..

Greater Legacy is a really big level. It has great eye candy, the best I’ve seen with Chateau(that’s no wonder though) It’s really hard to learn, but I think that’s not a big flaw.

Central Shaft makes great use of the Pekka Kana 2 tileset, a tileset that hasn’t been used a lot before. The layout is pretty open and not too simple.

The Frozen Throne is one of the smaller levels of the pack. It’s the best use of Glacier I’ve seen, and it has some nice ideas. I remember playing a Team Battle game here and that was pretty fun.

The other versions of these levels are a nice bonus. Overall, this is a great Multiplayer pack. The pack was probably supposed to be bigger, but SJ has made some great levels. These levels are great to host sometime, and because some are pretty big they can be used for things like events too.

well i promised sj that i would review this, so here goes nothing.

EYECANDY:
eyecandy in these levels is really nicely taken care off, and most levels have very nice atmosphere, especially the bg layers.(Especially fiobb.j2l) my only complaint would be the Sprite layer ec in fioctff since i thought it was quite bland in some spots, but other than that, the ec is really nice.

GAMEPLAY/FLOW/LAYOUT:
gameplay is also nice, you can get around easily without bumping into stuff, and levels are sorta easy to learn (except fioctfe)
Layouts are very nice, most of them balance beetween tunnels + open areas which is good enough.

PLACEMENT:
Ammo placement is nice, ammo-flocks dont look bad, and i liked the pu’s you have placed in the levels.

OVERALL:
This is really nice pack, and most of the levels are bash-quality and some would be also good for jdc events and stuff. eyecandy is also good, and so is the gameplay. download recommendation.

(I also might adjust this review later because it sucks. ;/)

- snz -

awesome pack. quick reviews may be not adequate for big levelpacks, but i’m not in the mood to write longer stuff. this stuff is too awesome to be left without a review though, so here’s a 9. i may convert this to a full review later.

Nice. Good job, the feel was great.

Cool lvl! :)

~BS7

awesome level :) btw, nice atmosphere.

nice level with some good ideas in it.. those upside down springs are annoying though. :/

fu… level!

[Fraudulent rating (10) clearance ~cooba]