[Review #16] "Aleph 0" by Shiryuu7 (Hard Demon)
6Not sure why I never got around to beating this sooner, I remember being blown away by it years ago. I guess I was always intimidated about learning it but it's honestly a lot easier than I remember. Anyways, I highly recommend this level, and let's get into the review!
Aleph 0 is an absolute masterpiece. It's incredibly hard to believe that this came out over 2 years ago as most layouts today don't top this. Shiryuu (formerly known as Zhander) had a set idea going into this and absolutely knocked it out of the park. This is the equivalent of that layout that you see in your head but can't exactly execute when you go to make it. The difference with this is that it was executed exactly how Shiryuu envisioned it. The art of making gameplay is something that not even the best decorators have been able to master. This level shows a creator that knows exactly what gameplay in this game is supposed to be about. Syncing to the music, looking visually appealing whether that be through interesting structures or cool movements (of which this level nails both), and above all: being enjoyable. More levels today need to make their songs feel like part of themselves like this one does. The way not only the structures slide and move into the place with the music, but how the player moves shows a deep understanding for how to incorporate beats and rhythm into GD gameplay. On top of that, Shiryuu went out of their way to have mesmerizing and iconic gimmicks throughout each part. My favorite is definitely the wave at 16%. It's hard to come up with ideas like this that haven't been done before, let alone execute them this well. Moving between the opposite halves is incredibly satisfying and it's just amazing how a simple concept like this can be so memorable. Something else that I appreciate from this level is the individual movements that start at around 27%. Every single object moves on its own and Shiryuu somehow managed to make it cohesive. I know how tedious meticulously setting each group and movement can be, so I always appreciate when creators go out of their way to do something that isn't easy but pays off in the end. The last thing I want to touch on is the idea of effect layouts like this one. For this level in particular, I'm going to have to agree with this quote from the creator:
"However, as I progressed with it, I started to feel like maybe it didn't really need to be decorated, maybe this basic look with broken and glitchy details here and there was all it needed to be interesting and decorating it would possibly ruin that feeling." - Shiryuu
I feel that if this level was decorated even more that it wouldn't have the same feeling. Sometimes less is more. I find it really admirable when a creator can make a level that gives off a specific atmosphere with as little objects as possible. This is only possible when you have a thorough understanding of the level editor and its mechanics, and being able to express that through a level is really something truly special that not many people who touch this game are able to do. For those who want to learn how to make their gameplay memorable and meaningful, take notes from this level.
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