Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Online

Good morning Jazz2Online (at least at the timing of writing this review)! I had a go at this level a few weeks back and quite soon after entering into the level, I found out that it is a vanilla SP level with a fairly classic style gameplay. What in my opinion was not quite as classic, was the way the level environments changed suddenly by unexpected warps, but I got used to it by some point and managed to find my way around the level.

The level is also just pleasant to look at, although nothing is exceptionally visually outstanding. I don't typically create or play a lot of levels using Townhouse tileset, so I'm a bit unfamiliar with the standards, but at least it seems like the background skyscrapers are done with care and there are even some shapes that seem original. The only thing is that some of the horizontal layer speeds seem too fast, as is the case with many classic levels using Townhouse.

Maybe the level is a bit too platformy for my tastes, especially considering those thin floating platforms on the air. But strangely enough I did like some of those trigger crate puzzles around the level, even with the mile-long vine-hanging areas. I suppose overall this is around the average quality you could expect from a vanilla level and it was worth the try for me. I guess whether or not you'll like it depends a lot on what you expect from the level, so to whomever is reading this, consider giving this one a try as well!

Thank You So Much! I knew someone with more experience would do it right!
10/10 "Even IGN agreed!"
xD

It's challenging to review this because it switches gameplay styles so completely, repeatedly, that it feels like several levels in one. The starting area would indeed be a dubious match for CTF, but it's fine here (though the rest of the level never manages to make Townhouse look quite so good as DanX did). Some plausible enemies, a pretty cool horizontal spring segment.

Then the level turns into trigger crate hell for much too long. Barely-visible walls block arbitrary sections of the level, and you must find trigger crates (sometimes in secret areas) and smash them in an unclear, unguided order before you can finally progress. And then you have to do that same thing again, but worse.

Then the level gets more experimental, with an airboard collectathon, some basic level design, a kind of interesting float-up area, a mandatory secret area, and an area I actually rather like, where you're on an airboard again but this time you're collecting gems as the wind moves you along. There's some confusing eyecandy in this section, and it would be nice if the camera weren't so centered on the player, but otherwise it feels fresh and fun.

Next up is a vine platforming area, and I'm a sucker for vines, although it's kind of messed up by the fact that Spaz can skip through parts of it with his double jump. Also the trigger crate hunting returns for no real reason, and there are a lot of invisible spikes.

The rest of the level is a bit cramped but notable mostly for introducing ice tiles (complete with the Slide event, I think) to Townhouse. It's okay but doesn't really play to the tileset's strengths.

Enemy placement's generally fine, nothing too out-of-keeping with the environment. There doesn't seem to be any ammo at all, though… it's generally thought to be good to give the player strategic options, not to mention it's just fun to be able to switch guns. A missed opportunity. Checkpoints feel about right, though inherently limited because of the trigger crates.

I like some parts of this level. I dislike others. Hard to get more N/A than that.

I like the basic idea here but I don't like any of the execution. There's not enough recognition that the base designs might not be perfect.

Dean Tube is just as visually confusing as ever, perhaps even moreso, but now with lots of enemies and powerups. The EB powerup makes sense because of the sparks in the walls, but after a while it's clear there are just powerups for the sake of powerups. Enemies are placed without regard for which tileset they're in—having sparks and pacman ghosts in the same level feels especially egregious. None of the original level's weirder features are normalized, there are just more events. Even the missing animated tiles aren't fixed.

Forrest Jump (I do like the name) does a bit of decent background layer work, even though it doesn't seem to understand the concept of animated tiles. It connects the last loose bit of layout to the rest of the level and adds a lot of carrots. But mostly it's barely changed. Inner wall tiles still appear freely on the sides of walls, branches still sprout into nowhere, walls are still mostly gemless.The idea of following an extremely cramped level section with an extremely open level section is kind of interesting, but little about the new area feels purposeful or elegant (especially the swinging platforms), and the way out is marked with an arrow made of pickups, but if you eat those pickups before hitting the trigger crate, what are you supposed to do?

I didn't get very far into Battery Jazz. It's a bunch of weird mechanics poorly matched to limited use of the tileset. Smart tiles would help, but besides that, most every problem in it would be solved by just making a Battery Check level instead.

A decent level for a first attempt. The pits with random warps as a means to escape felt a bit strange. If it isn’t an instant-death pit, it’d be better to offer a more straightforward way to escape. Also on the subject of pits, the first part of the level has goodies placed below with little to no indication that it’s safe to go there. Then there’s some treetops that don’t make it very clear which parts are masked. A lot of the gameplay involves relatively long jumps across 1-tile wide platforms, too finicky for beginners and too basic and predictable for the JJ2 veteran. Aside from the platforming, most challenge comes from the flying enemies (both types of bee, butterfly, and dragonflies) and luckily the ammo placement to deal with them is alright. Scarce enough to not just keep firing, but enough to get the job done. There are no significant secrets aside from some partly obscured objects and a coin warp. Some crate stomping to unlock the exit and the level was over. Maybe a bit more variety, a more intuitive layout and more length can vastly improve it. But as I said earlier, it’s not bad for a first attempt, I’ve seen far worse (including my own first level).