[ti]Normal[/ti]Spike 2 by bitbanmech

Level: Spike 2
Creator: Bitbanmech
ID: 46962452
Song: Can't Let Go Rmx by Domyeah www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/632214
Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCamMsyyAeg

This is a very short level, so therefore this is going to be a pretty short review. Having a short level is not bad when you're a pretty new creator, but I would recommend trying to extend your level lengths a bit longer each time, just to get yourself to the point of creating full levels.

Gameplay:
Your gameplay is rather nice in this level. For most of it you have the player going through many portals with a ton of movement; which is ideal for a fun level. However, up until 38%, there is less movement. It just has the player stay between two obstacles in the center, an old, outdated technique. I would recommend trying to make the entire level like the part after 38%, because that will boost the quality of your level greatly.

Overall: Nice movement after 38%; needs work before. Not much variety, but excusable for such a short level. 13/20.


Design:
Design is where this level really falls short. You did a pretty good job with finding good colors, however, as this level is so short, there is not much variety. I would highly recommend try experimenting with multiple colors. Have the level flash between certain ones, and have more combinations rather than just blue and purple, as it is a pretty obvious one, therefore it gets old quickly. You need more variety in block design as well. Nowadays, just using the basic provided designs for your level won't cut it. I like how you used glows on top of them, however. It's a good start. You should try looking in the decoration tabs and adding some more little additions onto your blocks. This will add a bit more design and make it more interesting. Don't overpower it though, and make sure it all fits together so nothing looks out of place or forced. Also make sure to vary the designs you do between structures. This adds variety and is highly noticeable, so try to keep this in mind when progressing your block design. I like how you used a smaller sawblade on top of another to add design to the sawblades. It's not much, but it's a good start. Another thing I recommend you do is add some designs underneath them, and maybe some chains/other objects stretching out of them to give a feeling that they're attached to something. Doing this can really pull a level together. One thing I noticed you fell short on is any sort of air decoration/background. For you I would suggest to try to experiment with different decorations and placing them around the level. Arrows between structures are often really popular and look good.

Overall: Design definitely needs work, but is a good start for a new creator such as yourself. Just keep working on block design and a bit of air decoration first, then I would suggest moving on to more complex designs. Have a variety of colors as well. Longer levels will certainly help you achieve this. 3/20.


Sync:
Sync in this level is also an issue. None of the gameplay really syncs up precisely. It's definitely more loose. A good start, especially for gamemodes such as the UFO or Ship, is to sync the portals first. This could be at major beats, such as drum beats, major changes in the music, etc. However, I see that you flashed the background a bit to the beat in the later parts of the level. You definitely had the right idea there. Both gameplay sync and design sync are important in the level, so make sure to not neglect either. I thought the flashes could've been more noticeable, maybe brighter or even changing entire colors, but it's a good start. Another good thing to do is to add pulsing objects, as these automatically sync without any work from you. They're not a good thing to rely on, but they are important, especially for starting creators.

Overall: Gameplay sync is the major issue here, which is surprising to me, as oftentimes people forget about design sync. Great start with design sync, just keep taking it further, maybe even incorporate the block design into it. 3/10.


Conclusion: 38% Needs Improvement
Not bad for a starting level. Just keep working your way up there. Try extending your level length too, as this will help you in all categories. This shows it's clear effects in the gameplay section, as the entire score just gets based of that one section, while extending the level will give a more accurate score of how you did, and actually determine if that one part was a fluke, a bad day, or an accurate display. I'll be moving this to Needs Improvement, although don't get discouraged! Everyone's first or second levels gets put here.

This is your second level posted though.