Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Online

I decided to change my review to a full size, since this didn’t yet have any, although it does deserve a few. It is probably Snooze’s best piece of work so far, in such a short time.

This level is just art. It has a theming and decoration you couldn’t even dream about. Or actually you could, this is a dreamland, or a fairytale with influences of surreality in it. It is colourful, yet it doesn’t hurt your eyes, unless you play on 8-bit perhaps. I’d recommend not to. The background might feel a bit strange at first, but it clearly fits to this really open level in a creative way. It’s actually fun to know, that layer 5 wasn’t used AT ALL.

The level has the best theming and eyecandy done in a while but it also plays quite well. The layout is 0ldschool. Platformy, yet it has some solid parts, like the edges. It reminds me about Sandstrand ‘O Hazes, but it is of course far more open and better than that. The level fits well for both duels and big AYCR or TB-games. I played out a 2vs2 TB here and it was a really fun and entertaining experience. The choice of ammunition and PowerUps was good, except for PepperSpray that feels a bit useless, since there is RF spread over the level anyway. I also like how the float ups work as elevators around the falls here.

This is one of Snooze’s best levels of all-time. A bizarre music choice adds atmosphere too. I recommend you to download and host it often.

EDIT: Looking at the rest of the reviews I noticed that I overrated this level slightly, since the gameplay isn’t after all very special. It’s still a really good level by the looks, but it can be just a bit too platformy, since there isn’t any logic in how they are placed.

SJ

This is an episode where a stunningly interesting storyline and overall excellent playing experience meet. As a betatester I must admit this episode might just be a bit too hard for an average solo-player, which is the only bad thing about this episode. However, for me the difficulty was a fun challenge, and I finished it with Medium in 5 evenings.

This is another Moonblaze tileset in…how long? I can’t remember. It has been ages. However, this tileset is really unique and was surely worth the work, so it must be worth some level creation and reviewing also.

Now the first question is, what kind of levels does this kind of theme fit in the best? I would say all, but especially Solo-Player and…tests? There is plenty of usability in this set, but there could be also much more. You are able to create your hyper-speed coaster tracks with this set, and make your ballistic bunny a real rocket. Then again, I expected the set had some kind of 360 degree loops for the coaster, like in Sonic, where this idea came from. Also, this set is basically only about ‘park’ and ‘coasters.’ I wish there would have been a few more thrilling rides included, that would of course have something to do with gameplay, not only eyecandy.

I have to say the tileset graphics fit quite perfectly to JJ2. Although it is cartoonish, it is cartoonish in a way that makes it feel like it’s a true Jazz-tileset. There are also lots of animated tile-series that can make your levels feel more ‘alive.’

It is pretty easy to learn the use of the basic tiles of the tileset, but it will surely take time to master it entirely. The way to reach the master-stage is experimenting, of course. Once you’ve mastered it up, you are able to go even more creative with the set than it would have been even realistic.

I’ve got to say this is definitely number 1 nominee for the Featured Download of the Month, so great job MB or sth. Now get your hands on this thing and start creating! Download and experience yourself!

This is a level by Snooze in the colon set. The eyecandy is rather twisted, and has some tilebugs, but otherwise is pretty good. After some playing the layout reminds me about Villain Village by cooba, it is kinda similar to that one, just in a smaller scale. However, PowerUps and carrots offer some tactical gameplay here. Download and try it.

Another collaboration level! I’m not sure if that worked out properly this time.

The level looks and plays a lot better practically than it would seem when looked into JCS. Still, there is stuff that could be improved. The level has been made as colourful as possible with this tileset, which truly offers a lot of colours. The background is mostly visible only at the top-left region of the level, right where it doesn’t really have that much scenery in it. On the other side of the level there is a lot of caves and closed areas that have non-solid wall covering the background, where it would look better. This is nothing very major, but better remember to avoid it in the future, I guess. I have no other complaints about the looks of the level. At least it doesn’t confuse my eyes, but if does confuse you, you should probably reduce the colours of your screen or something.

Gameplay is as well different at the top-left region than everywhere else. And it’s actually good that this level isn’t entirely a ‘cavern’-level. However this area, while it is more open, is also pretty much squared off(could it be just a problem with the set?) Then, a lot of float ups were used to make the movement easier. It sometimes rather distracts than helps, though. Especially around the blaster PowerUp it becomes harder to shoot it with EBs while you are on such float ups. Also, while things like ‘x’ are a nice add of personality, I don’t think it really fits to the layout there. At least, not to the very top-right of the level. The cavern part seems to be playing pretty well anyway.

I’m quite wondering why is the seeker ammo that rare in this level as it is, while I don’t find any real purpose for that(except PrupelJazz.) However carrots(3 minor) and PowerUps are placed wisely, so that makes the level playable with more than just a few players too.

So yeah, I pointed out more of the flaws and bads of this level in this review, but you may suppose what I didn’t comment on was alright. Just improve the things I mentioned in the future, and it’ll be great. ;)

Also I’m thankful that you made a rf-climbing spot for me, although you didn’t mark it with text!!! Okay so, I guess these kind of ‘Prupel place F0R PrupelJazz’-things are getting a bit 0ld already, so in the future rather just reduce the amount of them or replace them with something fresh, please.

I recommend this level to be downloaded and hosted often. Also I recommend it to be a part of the upcoming Anniversary Bash, since it is a decent level in overall anyway. Well done CC&DS.

-SJ

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

A very small level, that works for small games though, of course. Probably 2vs2 rather(which I played once here), since there are two full nrg’s. There’s sort of a major imbalance problem though. While red base is easily campable, blue base is just really unsafe. As well, blue team can reach Powerups faster. Eyecandy is your average one. Try it?

This level has got the best eyecandy I’ve yet seen with this set. The level might look insanely large in JCS that would fit only like 8vs8, but practically it’s probably fine for a 5vs5 even. Fastest route from base to base takes under 10 seconds even! Thanks to a neat flow too. Pickups come with a reasonable amount and variety. D/L and host!

I really encourage people to make more levels like this. There are too many open and tunnely levels already. This one uses narrow paths and gives an ‘indoor’ feeling. The flow might just not fit everyone, but the purpose of water in this level makes the gameplay interesting. I also have nothing to complain about in eyecandy or other environment.

A fairly difficult test level that will take more than just a while to finish from begin to start. After beating the Easy test, (in case you need the easy test at all) every level is a piece of challenge in the hard test. Even the first level requires skills of a good player, or more likely a good TEST player. Sure, it isn’t anything extreme like the Yaxish Test for example, but this needs just as much concentration. After finishing it myself, I quite felt that it was a really useful experience in all ways. It didn’t have anything really revolutionish gimmick in the gameplay, but most levels were innovative and interesting in their own way. Download recommendation.

This level would be probably more popular if it wasn’t for TSF only. Anyway, it seems to be a quite decent piece of work, using the JJ1 Deserto tileset conversion.

In ‘Desert Trench-Warfare’ the gameplay is mostly molesting narrow tunnels or fighting above large sand dunes. The flow of course in a level like this wouldn’t be the easiest. The fact that there isn’t a certain spring or float up assisting you with moving might make you wonder; “how the heck am I able to move in a level this large then?” Well, the level only feels large because of it’s width. There isn’t really a lot of heighth in it. But even in the tunnels you will be needing your jump all the time, because stone bricks and other scenery slow down your movement. As well, there are triggered tunnels that give a nice twist to the layout. Outside, you instead are able to move easier, but then you are already in a dangerously open area, especially if you are chased. Bases lie in the very edges of the level obviously, meaning you come to a dead end when capturing or scoring. Technical problems are the lack of complete mask on the edges of the levels, causing capture-bug, as well badly masked walls that are easy to get stuck into.

Eyecandy is appreciateable, but could be improved a lot. There isn’t a textured background, which doesn’t matter everyone though. The default mountains are in the background as well. Solid wall seems often just bland plain sand, although there are dunes here and there. More waterfalls could probably enhance the looks of the black tunnels, but perhaps that wouldn’t fit to the theme.

Healing yourself here seems to be quite a hard task with a lot of players. There are 3 PowerUps for Toaster, Bouncer, and RF-missiles. Also those are the only ammo you will find from the level. Mostly from your path in the tunnels, but also basements contain ammo wisely for defending. As ammo can be that effective, you will find it really difficult to heal yourself with just two minor carrots, eventhough they spawn during ten seconds.

After all, this level could work for real games and stuff, would be just have to be made sure that no player touches the edges with flag. Luckily that is unlikely to happen accidentally. I would probably like this level much if the technical bugs were removed, eyecandy was boosted majorly and the tactical side of the level was more balanced. So far this good. I would say it is worth it for fun-gaming anyway, so download it this once. Keep up progressing Valco!

SJ

Alike New Ages had it volume 3 recently, also Impressions-series continues on with a third level pack. The pack here is a bit smaller though, as well it is more focused on battle-levels. As the title says, there has been some sort of Evolution.

The pack kicks off with ’6 Hour Energy Drink’, a rather small and solid battle-level with it’s neat looks. DarkSonic has been creative to keep you interested to play here. ‘Energy Drinks’ that in the end will make you rush at your opponents. Flow seems good, as well the rest of the pickups. The layout though isn’t anything special and the level itself would be just another random level using this tileset if it wasn’t this solid, and if the background wasn’t as innovative.

‘Darker Remains’ is pretty good use of the fresh Castle-set by Blade. That one is probably the better battle-levels out there, cause it’s excellent visuality and limited enough gameplay. Positions for Pickups is suitable in overall as well.

In ‘Scrap Brain’, the thing is to use your brain. It is mostly about controlling the two MCE-carrots at the top-level, as there are PowerUps placed very close to them. The level is somewhat different compared to the previous level by DS using this tileset, ‘Panic!!!’. Still, the eyecandy is what makes this remind me about it.

‘Mixxed Up’ seems to be relative to ’6 Hour Energy Drink’ with it’s name. Using also a new, fresh, Waste Treatment Facility-tileset by Cooba, it goes far to the better side of battle-levels, because it’s nice eyecandy and more tactical layout. The level utilises pits. Just too bad they are only few. Pickups are where they should be, and I don’t see ice useless either, despite the pits aren’t that risky.

My favourite level in the pack is ‘Unreal Surreality’-CTF, that is very unconventional. You could imagine the top-area is the warground mainly here, and below are pits, but instead the bottom-area is what makes this so abnormal. The bottom-area is where the only PowerUps lie, and is also the fastest route to travel between the narrow bases with flying-ability. That way the gameplay is well spread around the space here. I would probably know a better name for this level, but guess I’ll save it for one of my own.

‘Colourful Compact’ is a more default CTF-level. The PowerUps are placed somewhat unwise, and I was already looking for some variety instead of the very usual Bouncer and Toaster. I’m not either sure if two minor carrots fit here. Eyecandy is colourful, only barely not too colourful to confuse your eyes. Unfortunately this one seems to be the worst level in the pack, not by a lot, but still.

What I was most interested about in this pack at first, was the Street Pass No. 3, using the new FlagRun-gametype, and fairly new Desolation-tileset both by BlurredD. After fixing the few minor glitches here, the level seems to work fine, probably in practical use as well. It is going to be sort of crowded here in big JDC-events for example, so I guess this suits 2vs2/3vs3 FR more. The flag-spot could be less campable though, and bad is that this level is just too much like all other flagrun-levels. I can’t either find any “street” here.

Yet another VIP (Very Important Pack) from this month, or something…Alike NA III, also Impressions 3 has gone through improving, just not as much as it could. Download the pack and have a try of each level. It might be after all more like taste with the Energy-drink concepts and all, but I’d say not all the levels here are evenly decent. All work out though, and definitely ‘Unreal Surreality’ is the big diamond of the pack that raises the pack’s worth even more. I would say this month is one of the greatest with that result of upload quantity-quality comparison. I believe this is promising for the whole year, and upcoming Anniversary Bash 10 as well. DS is one another we can thank for that.

SJ

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.

The New Ages-series seems to continue on from Snooze. This time the step of improving is long. The ‘story’ doesn’t apparently go ahead anymore though, but instead the levels themselves are epic alone. Which makes it much more entertaining for me at least.

‘Land of Kaamos’, that is probably supposed to be the first level of the pack, creates a very dark and cool atmosphere over the level, that the name stands for. You can barely see the background in fullscreen, windowed players might think it’s just plain black, until the effects of ‘northern lights.’ This level though has it’s fun moments with the gameplay. It might be a bit limiting, but isn’t too crowded at all. Luckily it doesn’t get too tactical since carrots are placed far away from each other.

‘Kurast Bazaar’ is my favorite battle-level of the pack, being another dark level with a mysterious and creepy spirit, enhanced by the good music choice. The level just looks neat everywhere, despite the darkness. I also like how the gameplay doesn’t just stick to the center of the level, but you are able to hide as well. Here you may indeed look out for secrets…secrets that contain PowerUps for instance!

One of the smaller levels in the pack is ‘Water.’ Perhaps the name means a Water Pumping Station, possibly something else. Eventhough it’s smaller, it isn’t much worse than the other battle-levels in the pack. The moving background is a nice effect, but might bore for a longer playing-session. Gameplay is solid, to say at the least. I consider the positions of carrots, PowerUps, and especially ammunition balanced.

‘Desolate Chemistry’ has a very similar concept to the previous level. The gameplay is entirely different though. PowerUps have been thought about well, but instead the carrots are both to the right side of the level. I would have liked another of them to be placed into the empty bottom-left room. For a change, it is nice that this level utilises pits as well.

‘Echo Isle’ is a good use of the Islands-tileset by Blade. Background is very original, though solid walls look bland mostly. The layout is simple, although so it was in WC3. Bonus is though the decent placement and the fact, that the level is only partly symmethric.

‘Northscar Needle’ is probably my favorite level in the whole pack. It is the only symmethric level, but with this gameplay it works. I haven’t seen this tileset used a lot before, especially not this well. This level should be the most practical from a player’s view. The tubes above bases could be easier to reach though.

‘microcrack’ has a more classical Snooze’s layout, that contains two full energies. It reminds me a bit about ‘Teacup’, although this one is just way more open and better-looking. Some electroblaster would be useful here, but it still works with more than 2 players.

At this point you would possibly start wondering, when is he starting to recycle his previous levels? Well, that would probably take a while, since the only unnamed level of the pack is completely different apart from the rest of the pack, and is still fun to play in. Never does the author bore to decorate the levels the way like this either. This level has the bases separated more in vertical dimensions, yet the layout is still horizontal. That explains the situation of the full energy in the somewhat “middle.”

The last level, that is named ‘After Dark’ is perhaps a bit too Eyecandy-focused. That doesn’t mean the level is bad by it’s layout nor that it would be practically useless. It is a more tunnely level of the pack and that way reminds me of ‘The Boneyard’ from NA I. This one is still much better than it. I feel a little unsure about what the name exactly means here, but since the previous levels were mostly dark or twilight, this must be the lighter side of the pack. Refreshing.

I quite much liked the eyecandy-side of this pack, giving a boost to the gameplay-side that wasn’t left unimportant, since the pack finally had some original concepts and stuff to bring with it. The way that pickups were put in satisfies me as well, because it is after all quite important that an imbalance or hard-to-pick-up stuff are sometimes things that ruin levels a bit, or a bit more in general.

This pack is so far easily the best in the New Ages-series. What can I say? Download, host and play this often. It isn’t just about a few good/neat levels, but the entire pack is worth a try. Nice work etc.

P.S. Up for a duel in ‘Echo Isle’? ;0

SJ

Just a note that there are 3 carrots in the level. The one you didn’t find probably floats near the top-left.

Also I have to agree that RF would fit into this level maybe more than any other weapon. Well, it can be just taste, but at least I wouldn’t like to get RF’ed above pits here.

As far as I know, there is a glitch only with the default gun crates(containing any type of ammo), so crates with only certain ammo-type should work fine.

Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

I haven’t yet seen a lot of work from PurpleJazz, neither reviewed any of his previous work yet. This pack though grabbed my attention, since it is about ‘legends’ and is worth reviewing(not meaning his other work wouldn’t be.)

The levels of this small CTF-pack are generally good-looking. Backgrounds aren’t the main part of it. Instead, the scenery around the sprite-layer has been focused on a lot. That way you are to see only small parts of the backgrounds. There are only few small parts in these levels that look bland at all. As well, the eyecandy doesn’t unrealistically repeat itself, nor confuse your eyes.

Positive is that these levels are pretty practical along the good looks. The author brought some concepts to prevent the levels from being just standard ctf-levels. Sure they aren’t radical gameplay-modifiers, but still they make it all more interesting. Inventing something really big and original for CTF is rather hard these days, and hard trying could often end up into something very complicated. Well, what are those concepts like here? For example ‘Altitude Terrace’ has it’s own exotic base-placement. You are able to capture/score only via underneath. There is mostly excellent flow, and you won’t have any problems to move between areas. What I like, is that the author didn’t go unnecessarily solid, and that way gives some variety between layouts. It might sometimes get a bit too tunnely though.

I find the pickup-choices and placement quite decent and suitable. Somehow, ‘Sunken Realms’ feels like it had too few ammo, probably because of it’s big size. That level, and AT give you starting ammo/powerups, that you better not waste though. Mainly each level is about one single full energy carrot that you must control. Two of them do contain minor carrots as plan B’s for injured players. One way is added necessarily to reduce annoying camping, but ‘Doomed Citadel’ should be modified a bit. It is possible to purposally get stuck into the ceiling-wall easily there. However, practically it does happen only for very unfortunate players. So good, so far.

Well, my thoughts about this pack…again? It is a decent pack offering some variety. I was hoping for a few levels more, since they were that neat. What was good, and what wasn’t as good in overall? I found eyecandy enhancing the entertainment of the levels greatly, being probably the best part. Gameplay was decent, but could have been better, just as pickups. I recommend this download for people, and nominate it to be up for the download of the month. Good job Purplejazz!

SJ

Now this is the way that levels with limited tilesets should be done.

Wraith has been creative here, and all layers have been used at least a bit. The atmosphere over here is dark anyway, so the background doesn’t need more detailed scenery into it, which would perhaps make it confusing. Overall, the look of the level is really neat, sprite layer eyecandy boosted with several other layers and animated tiles.

The layout may confuse you at first, but nevertheless you are going to learn it fairly fast, since it’s simple, although unusual. It could be annoyingly hard to jump between platforms by default, but here the author made those platforms connect wisely with eyecandy. So as you may guess, this level comes with a warp-pit(and I’m looking forward for a deathpit-version), that brings you to same target always however. The bad thing is the target is bugged for now and easily campable.

Once you get hurt, you may look for 3 carrots that aren’t very far away from each other. Two of them are placed at more difficult positions even. Food is brought here with a nice variation of ammo(ice too) to fill the open space. There could be also a secret flycarrot put in, but then the movement would have to be restricted radically.

This level might be actually fun to play in, and fits for any amount of players in my opinion. The demostyle-music makes sure you don’t get bored too quickly. And note that the Jazz-character is great advantage here. Download this and give it a try!

Actually I had seen flashes of a level using this tileset once in BlurredD’s own server, from which I can’t really remember much, but the background. As you may expect, the tileset is yet again high quality.

I was impressed by the overall usefulness of this tileset. It comes with 3 different palettes, as the author’s tilesets often do, and that way you can create several different atmospheres for your level. You can really maximize your creativity and imagination with this tileset, because of different background-possibilities, as well 3 “main”-sprite solids. The tileset also offers tons for sprite-eyecandy, and hardly no tile looks awful at all.

What I found fascinating also, were the animated tiles here, although they aren’t too many(one being Mirrow’s ‘Fire’.) You might want to use the Pulse-animated lights for an Industrial level, which do their work well. The ‘burning sea’ probably doesn’t animate in a realistic way, but is acceptable by me.

And then something I have for long awaited for someone to make, are the digital letters and numbers here. It doesn’t only boost the industriality here, but now you have another tileset to use in a storylined single-player, thus making it more than useful. All in all, there shouldn’t be any problem to find correct tiles for any situation.

Only what I found a bit lacking, was the soil that couldn’t be blended perfectly along the other solids. Since now it has to be just done roughly. Also there could be other tiles for hurt-events than just the fire(which isn’t even masked.)

Having seen the example-levels, I can’t really say which pallette is my favourite. All 3, even the ‘night’-set, looked wonderful.

I recommend this tileset for everyone. It might as well be the tileset of the year. However, I’d appreciate a tileset with way different theme from BlurredD next time. Having started to use a textbox, I decided to give this set 9.1, since I find it closer to this one’s worth than 9.0 or 9.2.

EDIT: Alright, so after further thoughts, I noticed this tileset didn’t have that much flaws or things to improve. In fact the perfection of the author’s work is to be seen on the tiles themselves. So a 9.4 would be fitting for the superiority.

P.S. Unfortunately I don’t have any screenshots to show you this time.

SJ

I would like to report, that for some weird reason ‘Mission Briefing 4’ loops to itself after shooting “exit”, for me at least. I tried using ‘jjnext’ there and it helped.

Here we see a few months-old ctf-level from Cooba called ‘Toxin Twister’ getting uploaded with some improvements. Well what was the result? The original one already was a show-off about the level’s tactical gameplay and the creative background at least. Both of them were improved a bit, as well there was some sprite-eyecandy added. And something else?

Like I said, the background here is creative. Though there could have been a little more effort put to design the background in a different way, since layers 6-8 are all used for the same part of it, and so there remains just lots of black area too, which isn’t so good thing. Sprite-layer had the most lackings originally but it looks quite fine now. The solid wall could use some more detailed stuff, especially around the bottom-tunnels.

The base-placement and their entrances bring to my mind ‘Demonic Home’ by Sacrush, although here you are able to reach either base from the same spot. This, and the rest of the layout was designed with care to make it friendly for the player also. Some people might think the bases are left too safe and campable, actually they aren’t, they are more like the most dangerous hang-outs here, except for duels maybe. Seekers can be shot from above, beneath, or through the tubes. Electroblasters also enable shooting from base to another.

The position for the full-carrot was no doubt the best choice. Putting it beneath the bases instead wouldn’t have worked, nor are there any other spots for one, because there are lesser carrots in the bottom anyways. It’s easy to hide in bases with low health in duels though, and just wait for the carrot to spawn. This has been made more risky with the warp in bottom. There are two Bouncy-PowerUps placed in the tunnels near bottom. It should be fine since they are very close to each other. The more powerful Seeker-, and RF-PowerUp are placed wisely as well. However, I have variable opinions about ammo-flocks.

Looks like not everyone appreciates this level that much. Cooba hasn’t done, or at least uploaded any CTF recently yet. Anyway I consider it great, that Cooba didn’t focus on eyecandy, and tried to make the level feel good from a player’s view as well. I can remember the 5vs5 I had here once, which unfortunately didn’t last long. I would say I enjoyed to play it there. I can’t be very sure how does this work in duels yet. I recommend you to download this.

SJ