RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
23 Mar 2015, 13:52
For: Los Pollos Hermanos
Level rating: 8.2
Rating
8.2

A small level with a simple yet solid layout that is pretty fun to play. The float ups, while an interesting concept and work in the context of the tileset choice are annoying at first but can be adapted to. This level can be quite chaotic due to the open layout with few safe areas. However, this is less of an issue in smaller games. Give it a go!

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
26 Feb 2015, 21:59 (edited 2 Mar 15, 21:43)
For: Technological Problems (re-upload for PJ)
Level rating: 7.8
Rating
7.8

While not DS’ best CTF level, it’s still a good effort. The level has a solid layout and is appealing visually, even if slightly on the monochrome side. Not sure if I’m keen on the cramped Full NRG area, but at least there’s two 2 +1s to balance things out. Maybe more could’ve been done with the background too.

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
2 Feb 2015, 14:56
For: Daybreak
Level rating: 8.5
Rating
9

Incredibly fun level with a simple yet well designed layout that encourages tactical play. I especially like the overall utility of both RF and EB here. This is one of the best levels for 2vs2s/3vs3s at the moment, so downloading is thoroughly recommended.

Quick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
2 Feb 2015, 14:23 (edited 2 Feb 15, 14:26)
For: Castle of camp
Level rating: 7.8
Rating
5.5

foly’s review summed up the level quite nicely. however given the obviously biased rating that this level has been given i feel the need to downrate this a bit. seriously overrated

Quick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
2 Feb 2015, 14:21 (edited 16 Feb 15, 17:15)
For: Macabre Morass
Level rating: 8.4
Rating
6.7

Not a bad first level overall, however it is far too open, lacks ammo and is generally quite bland in the visual department.

Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
17 Apr 2014, 07:59
For: Jazz Jackrabbit 1 Conversion Tilesets
Level rating: N/A
Rating
N/A

I’m not sure why you even bothered to include the inferior conversions of certain JJ1 sets, given that no one in their right mind would use them over their superior counterparts anyway (see Rooster’s vs Lark’s Industrius conversions for example). While I guess this upload is at least a useful reference for people looking for JJ1 sets, it serves little purpose overall as unless you’re planning on making a level pack that uses all or most of the JJ1 sets, you’re better off using J2O’s search feature to look for the individual sets you want.

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
18 Feb 2014, 19:46
For: Rocket Powered Rabbits
Level rating: 9.6
Rating
9.5

Definitely one of the most interesting SP releases in the last couple of years. The time and effort taken to write the incredibly long script was worth it, as this level plays unlike anything that has been made up until now. Expect a certain frustration factor, however the overall experience is ultimately satisfying. Download highly recommended!

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
21 Oct 2013, 18:30 (edited 21 Oct 13, 18:31)
For: Ozymandius
Level rating: 9.8
Rating
10

violet kicks all of our asses in jcs it seems

RecommendedReview by PurpleJazz

Posted:
23 Sep 2013, 15:35 (edited 8 Sep 15, 16:12)
For: Stronghold
Level rating: 8.1
Rating
9

Stronghold is the latest contribution to the JJ2 scene by veteran JCSer and player Superjazz (also known as Vivando), produced as a result of the recent JJNet Season 8 CTF contest. Such contests have been responsible for some of the finest new levels to date, and Stronghold does not divert from this trend.

Whilst this isn’t a technical marvel in the visual department, it’s still among the best looking levels in recent years. The tileset usage has managed to convey the theme of the level without resorting to the typical eyecandy spam in order to effectively “rape” the tileset. Conceptually, this level features a fortified castle situated in the middle of the desert. I love the clean look that this level has – the tile usage is mostly very similar throughout the level, yet there is enough variety to keep things from getting too homogenous. It definitely has a more polished and professional feel than SJ’s other Deserto level, The Sun Fired Blanks. The .j2as file included provides a visual enhancement by altering the background colour to a “diamondus blue”, which is rather pleasant considering the lack of colour variety in the tileset, giving this level a more vibrant feel without detracting from the theme. It also matches the colour of the aqueducts in the level corners.

Master Sven’s notion that this level is “nothing special” perplexes me, as I found this to be one of the more interesting levels out there. Although it contains no completely original elements per se, the overall build of the level is quite unique. Despite the large size of 160×70, the actual playing area and the style of the layout are more suited to smaller games, although the level can most likely accomodate games up to 4vs4 (or more perhaps). There is essentially a division of the layout into a lower and an upper section, with most of the action centered around the middle section – the “stronghold” as per the namesake, if you will. A lone Full NRG carrot resides here – it’s fairly easy to defend due to the limited number of approach routes (two to be precise), but it’s also more attackable than in other one-carrot levels like Jungle’s Edge, Galactic Warfare and All Your Base CTF, because you can use EB as a counter-camp tactic. Such a carrot concept makes this level unsuitable for dueling in because you can stay at the top and hit anyone coming up from below infinitely, but it is good for team games because it encourages good communication and timing to control effectively. The top part may be a little too easy to DD in though, but it’s not a major issue. At least camping in the carrot platform itself can be dealt with by bouncer spam.

The base areas are one of the more interesting aspects of the level. As they’re very open, they’re easy to defend yet also vulnerable to attack due to the lack of cover. Being RTS can sometimes be quite challenging as dodging bullets is difficult here, and so airhits may occur, but approaching the base can also be difficult, especially from below where a rain of bouncer fire can virtually deny entry to the base. Thankfully, SJ added an extra route in the most recent update, making it more feasible for players to attack the base from the upper level, without having to traverse the potentially risky carrot area. Below each base is an escape route tunnel, which is a useful feature, enabling you to avoid much of the crossfire. There’s also definitely a risk-reward element associated with them however, as you’re left momentarily vulnerable as you exit the escape tunnel, so use them with care.
The weapon placement is well thought through and balanced. As this level is symmetrical, team imbalance is not really an issue, and the power-ups that are present (Bouncer, RF, Toaster) all have their fair share of uses. I find I have just a sight preference for bouncer in this level due to the importance of the y-axis in this level, although RF is still incredibly useful for chasing players along the bottom level, and for performing tricks (such as jumping up to the bases from below, a useful tactic in order to make a surprise score). I’m glad SJ did not place a seeker PU here, because the open nature of the layout would’ve led to a high lag factor. Ammo is rather plentiful here, which helps the level support larger games and reduces the chance of tedious blaster wars breaking out.

All in all, this is a high quality level by one of the top quality JCSers out there. It may take a little time to adjust to the style of the layout, but this has the potential to provide tactical, enjoyable gameplay for competitive and casual matches alike. Don’t be misled by MS’ questionable review – downloading and playing this online is strongly recommended.

Raised the rating after further contemplation.

Not recommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
21 Sep 2013, 08:06 (edited 1 Feb 15, 17:09)
For: Pure Skillz
Level rating: 5.8
Rating
4

The concept was a nice thought, but just doesn’t work well in practice. What results is a painfully slow paced level where blaster skirmishes are frequent. The level tries hard be different, and I agree that ammo spamming should be discouraged. It may live up to it’s name, but the point is that this level is just not fun to play at all.

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
15 Sep 2013, 11:33 (edited 15 Sep 13, 11:35)
For: Huitzilíhuitl
Level rating: 8.6
Rating
8.2

Although the level has a high overall attention to detail (the background looks great), the amount of layer 4 eyecandy can be distracting at first. Not sure if I like the repetition of the 3×2 leaf clusters. However, the level has a very solid layout and hence is fun to play. It might be slightly too large for 2vs2, but 3vs3+ works well here.

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
22 May 2013, 09:38
For: Gloom
Level rating: 9.2
Rating
9

an incredibly atmospheric level. it’s amazing to see the attention to detail here, even if the tileset usage is relatively simple. it was fun to run around this level, so i’m sure it plays well too.

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
22 May 2013, 09:33
For: Sinister Setting
Level rating: 8.4
Rating
8.4

GUD and STRONG level xP

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
2 Feb 2013, 18:28 (edited 16 Jan 18, 18:27 by cooba)
For: World of Jazz Part I: "Awakening"
Level rating: 7.4
Rating
7.7

Though there’s an overriding sense of familiarity throughout, these levels are generally designed well for the most part. It’s nothing particularly revolutionary, but it’s a decent contribution to the SP scene.

Worth your time, I’d say.

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
2 Jan 2013, 12:40 (edited 2 Jan 13, 12:41)
For: Rat Race
Level rating: 8.7
Rating
8.7

Looks absolutely incredible. The layout combined with the concept makes for some interesting gameplay, and the inclusion of a regular version is a nice extra. Highly recommended.

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
15 Jul 2012, 14:24
For: BUT ENOUGH TALK! (Another OLC Battle Pack)
Level rating: 9.3
Rating
9.5

Enough talk. Finely produced and put together, Another OLC Battle Pack is definitely worth your time. Both JCS expertise and creative prowess are exhibited. OLC clearly understand not only how follow the standards, but also how to experiment successfully and push the boundaries without going overboard. Highly recommended.

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
3 Apr 2012, 09:03 (edited 3 Apr 12, 09:03)
For: New Ages V
Level rating: 9.6
Rating
9.5

By far snz’ best MP pack yet. A close to perfect balance of eyecandy and gameplay has been achieved, as tough as that is. There’s also a huge variety, featuring levels ranging from all shapes and sizes. They show off the epitome of snz’ JCS talents. There isn’t much more to say; if you fancy playing awesome new levels then download immediately!

Not recommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
29 Jan 2012, 12:42 (edited 29 Jan 12, 12:43)
For: Duke's Training v1.0
Level rating: 8.2
Rating
4

It’s a pretty bog standard test. Nothing really much to say about it, aside from the fact that it is painfully overrated. I’d give it a miss unless you just can’t get enough of tests.

RecommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
4 Jan 2012, 15:58
For: the Lost World episode
Level rating: 9.1
Rating
7.5

The graphical quality of the tilesets is a bit iffy and the level designs are rather simple, but the overall atmosphere achieved in these levels is still amazing. Like Another Story, it’s more a cinematic experience rather than an active one.Very few levels since gave me the same feeling of immersion in the environment as these did here.

Not recommendedQuick Review by PurpleJazz

Posted:
1 Jan 2012, 14:26 (edited 1 Jan 12, 14:27)
For: Holiday hare 2011 for 1.23
Level rating: 1.4
Rating
1

This is looks as if it was made in only a single day as it is extremely poor. It’s too short, too easy and has very ugly tileset usage, especially in the Inferno level. Spend time on each individual upload instead of releasing something virtually every day. Study popular levels and see what makes them good. There’s plenty of room to improve ;)

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