DarkDedede's Review Shop.

[doubletime]

If a levle with draconicas cave unsuspensfull boring atmosphere andas you sais " unenventfull gameplay " got combined with the horribly tedius gameplay from Onion gale i still wouldn't rate it that high to be honest....The unbalanced difficulty is a turn off.

[Yondi444]

Hey everyone! I'm new here and like to please for review.
Level name: Divided World: Portality
PSNId: Yondi444

[DarkDedede]

Radish Wake by NikfY


Enter at your own risk.

CATEGORY: Obstacle Course
DIFFICULTY: ”Xtreme”

PRIZES:
[spoiler]In-Level: 8/8
Level Completed Gifts: 3/3
Collected All Gifts: N/A
Aced Level Gifts: N/A

Prizes Worth Mentioning: Prizes collected in-level are “emblems” used for warping straight to specific points in the level.
Prizes Requested: Again, the level complete prizes were somewhat underwhelming. [/spoiler]

Summary:

This level has the same format of Onion Gale. However, the gameplay is more tedious, monotonous, and bland. It doesn’t seem to have the same amount of effort into the flow that the previous level had. Not to say that there aren’t any elements that I liked. There were a few. However I’m not sure that the pros outweigh the cons in this level. I suppose this level could be summed up by saying that it is pretty much a good handful of all the design elements that make SackNun cry implemented into it. Some were implemented successfully, while others need quite a bit of help.

Strengths:

• A good level for those that are looking for a “challenge”
• No Hall of the Minotaur
• The way you get past the very last obstacle (you are a sneaky one).

Weaknesses:

• “Difficulty” will be a turnoff for a good majority of players.
• Good great deal of effort lacking from the visuals.
• Hall of the Kracken

Ratings:

Originality: 2/5 ★★

Gameplay/Implementation: 2/5 ★★

Level Design/Communication: 2/5 ★★

Scenery/Presentation: 1/5 ★

Ratings Explanation & Tips

OVERALL SCORE: 2/5 ★★

[Level not hearted/Author hearted]

Suggestions

• I’d say improve Onion Gale, before you take on this one.

Gotta Catch’em All.

[Syroc]

Thanks for the review, Dede. Much appreciated.

Darkness, lack of direction and difficulty are all part of the design. The poor story wasn't, but I couldn't fit in any more characters.

Too many unnecessary visual themes.

That certainly is one of my weaknesses. I just love to include as many themes as possible. If I could I would create worlds with no gameplay whatsoever.

[CYMBOL]

Great reviews DarkDedede.

I really like the constructive feedback.

Well done.

[grayspence]

If your open, Could you get my level reviewed, when you have the time?

Level Name: Crazy Canyons
PSN:Grayspence

NOTES: Completely no story in this level, as this is a level of complete lighthearted platforming and gameplay. Please dont rate the story side of things!

Thanks in advance -Grayspence

I see you finally made your way over here! Good idea! I remember you way back when I used the other forum!

[CYMBOL]

By the way, DarkDedede - could you change my review from "The Dream Catcher" - to, "The Dream Catcher II - Shadow Realm".

I'll be publishing it tomorrow night, so it should be available by the time to you around to reviewing it.

Sure, you probably shouldn't skip the first Dream Catcher level since it is a story level/series - but, there is a synopsis in the description - so, the only thing that might be a bit confusing is exactly "who" the characters are.

This new level has been about 5 months in the making and features some effects that I have never seen anywhere else - so, I'll be interested to see what you think of them.

[DarkDedede]

Percy Sackboy: The Love Thief by aagobert


Loverly

CATEGORY: Story
DIFFICULTY: Simple

PRIZES: N/A
Summary:

“O no! Somebody stole the love from the world and is destroying the cupidos kingdom! Save the world by destroying the black hearts and by finding the red ones. For every red heart you find you get a price at the ending!”


Black Heart

That pretty much sums it up, kids.

Strengths:

• Boss battle
• Hidden hearts promote exploration

Weaknesses:

• Grammar & spelling errors.
• Redundant platforms & obstacles
• Too many song changes
• Weak visuals
• Too much pink
• Blurry stickers
• You can get the grand prize without collecting any hearts.

Nitpicks:

• Title should be capitalized.
• Awful Velvet Room-esque music
• Grabbable floors
• Randomly placed decorations

Repetition

Ratings:

Originality: 2/5 ★★

Gameplay/Implementation: 1/5 ★

Level Design/Communication: 1/5 ★

Scenery/Presentation: 1/5 ★

Ratings Explanation & Tips

OVERALL SCORE: 1/5 ★

[Level not hearted/Author not hearted]

Suggestions

• Put some thought into your visuals. Don’t just throw something together and publish it. Sketch out ideas and concepts before you even start building.
• The visual elements in your level were pretty basic. Try to work on improving these elements to make them more interesting. No one is expecting mastery, but you should strive for improvement.
• Think about how all of the elements make the level look as a whole. Try to compose these elements in a way to make your entire level look better.
• Expand your color pallet beyond just pink.
• Try to make the grand prize a bit more scenic.
• Make sure that the player needs to collect all the hearts to get the grand prize.
• Try to add some variety to your hazards and obstacles. Doing the same jump 10+ times can get pretty monotonous.

Sneaky shortcut

[DarkDedede]

Beyond the Gray Sunset by TheCloudyWolf13




CATEGORY: Story
DIFFICULTY: Easy

PRIZES:
[spoiler]In-Level: */3
Level Completed Gifts: */3
Collected All Gifts: */3
Aced Level Gifts: */3

Prizes Worth Metioning N/A

Prizes Requested: Wouldn’t hurt to name them [/spoiler]
Summary:

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, A tale of a fateful trip...

That should give you the gist of how the story starts

First thing that I would have to mention about this level is that the visuals are very impressive. I could tell that a lot of time and effort went into the aesthetics.

Unfortunately (for me anyways), that’s where things start to lose their luster. I suppose the simplest way that I could sum up how I feel about this level is that it lacks character. Not that anything was really that awful (besides the prizes not being named). The level just doesn’t do much to separate itself from the other temple levels that I have encountered. None of the obstacles were really that interesting, or they could have been implemented more successfully. If a similar amount of effort went into the design of the level, as there was in the visuals, there would be a much more solid gameplay experience.

I’m also a bit confused at why the level designer needs hearts to make more levels (per the level description).

Strengths:

• Effort invested into visuals
• Narative

Weaknesses:

• Lack of direction in beginning.
• Prizes not named.

Nitpicks:

• Boat directions were a bit long
• I’m really not sure what the human sacrifice had to do with anything.

Ratings:

Originality: 3/5 ★★★

Gameplay/Implementation: 3/5 ★★★

Level Design/Communication: 2/5 ★★

Scenery/Presentation: 3/5 ★★★

Ratings Explanation & Tips

OVERALL SCORE: 3/5 ★★★ It’s just not there yet.

[Level not hearted/Author not hearted]

Suggestions

• There needs to be some sort of twist to the level, besides the seemingly-pointless human sacrifice. Something weird or surprising would be nice. Even if this is only an intro level, there should be something to get the player to want to see where the story is headed.
• Ironically, I pulled this card for your review, and it just so happens to be on the official website. Hopefully this could give you some added insight.
  [spoiler]
  Source[/spoiler]
• I would rethink the ship controls. Five lines of instruction, having to grab the ceiling, followed by having to grab something else seems a bit more complicated than it needs to be. I’m not even sure if the player needs any, control in this case. Having the anchor go up, and the ship starting automatically seems much simpler.
• Name your prizes. If you’re going to bother giving out prizes, a name gives at least some description to as what they actually are. It’s not like the player is able to tell much by looking at the tiny icon.
• Have some sort of hint or direction so that the player knows to go into the water, after the boat crashes.
• Changing up the music to fit the mood of each area might help to set the mood of the story. Having the same track play throughout seemed a bit monotonous.

40 - 67 - 69

[aagobert]

Thanks i realy appreciate youre reviews, i already updated sacks in arms THE tank mission in à huge way, à new tank That
looks way better and à new general so could you rereview THE tank mission?

[DarkDedede]

Just a word of warning, I'm nearing the end of the term for my classes, so the reviews may be trickling out a bit slower than usual. Of course, there still may not be any noticeable difference.

[DarkDedede]

Sack in Arms: Tank Mission (v1.1) by aagobert

Express Review


Noticing a trend?

Summary:

Seeing as you made a few cosmetic changes, and pretty much disregarded majority of my suggestions, my previous review still stands. Please make the effort to make a considerable amount of improvements, before requesting another review of a previously reviewed level. You are on the right track though, but still have a ways to go. The important thing is you’re on the right track.

Strengths:

• I prefer this tank over the other one
• Background is better

Weaknesses:

• Inside of tank is too small
• Tank gets stuck
• Difficult to fire bullets
• Tank comes with no instruction

Ratings: N/A


The tank got stuck.

[aagobert]

Tank comes with no instruction

There is, as you can see when entering the tank room there is a instruction in the form of: i think the left switch is for aiming, the middle button is for shooting and the right one is for driving(its told in this way to make it less of a instruction but more like the sackboys toughts) thx for the quick rereview btw altough, i tought a new tank and a new general and a new background(and dont forget the more scenic ending because of the black white color) would improve youre raiting on some points. like scenery and gameplay.
Got another big update comming up for it tough, involving the notorious tank getting stuck,wrong lane attack tower at the tank side, the generals stickers redone, more decorationing and stickering in the entire lvl, better music for the tank part, striker getting stuck bug the enemies redone, cover in the cqc parts replaced, rough edges removed, making all three miltairie bases more real by adding maps and a armory and last but not least changing: removing and correcting the grammar errors.
Is that good enough for a rereview when all of that is done?

[CYMBOL]

Bah! My level glitched - I'm currently working to unglitch it - hopefully will be able to publish by Friday and request a review at that time of, "The Dream Catcher II - Shadow Realm".

[Jabe]

Hey, Darkdedede. I've been reading your reviews and I like your honest constructive feedback. I do have one question though: Can you explain to me your beef with grabbable ceilings and grabbable floors? I'm asking because I've incorporated both into the "look" of my level. I really like the style of my level but if there's some kind of gameplay hitch attached with using grabbable ceilings and grabbable floors, I may have to reconsider. My level is still in the early stages of development so I need to know now if there is some problem with what I'm doing. So could you tell me if you dislike grabbable ceilngs and floors because of the aesthetics or because of some kind of gameplay function. If you think grabbable ceilings and floors are ugly tell me what you think of these screenshots of my honey-themed level (work-in-progress).


[spoiler]



Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/spoiler]
Thanks