#slgd_6

[sydneylikesgd]

DIOMA by Subwoofer

This level is a perfect example to me of how watching a video of a level is totally different from actually playing it. I first saw DIOMA as a showcase on Viprin's channel, and I thought it was a pretty cool space-themed level, nothing to write home about; then I played the level.

Subwoofer is the first creator I've seen to perfectly nail camera control. There is not a single thing I would change about it in DIOMA; utility-wise, it's perfect--no component of the default camera has been sacrificed, making the level, dare I say, very sightreadable. At the same time, however, it is used in great effect to amplify intense moments--it pulses in sync with impactful notes and tilts forward/back to emphasize speed. In general, the music sync with is exceptional, except for the final cube section, which is by far my least favorite part of the level. It's just straight up off-sync. Like, I guess Subwoofer wanted all the jumps to be buffers, as many orbs in sequence like that can be inconsistent, but this results in the requirement to click much earlier than the beat. It just feels really bad to play, and watch, to be honest.

There is much to enjoy about DIOMA, however. I'm always a sucker for parallax, and the particles coming off of the blocks in the first part that travel towards the vanishing point just look really cool. Beyond that, the first few parts do a great job of selling the feeling of being inside a research computer. The story of the level as I see it is the best efforts of great scientists failing to save the planet from this cataclysmic black hole disaster. It seems as though they were the ones who started the problem in the first place--every part before the big city part present as the inside of a technologic laboratory. It seems as though the black holes the scientists are studying got released into the world in some horrible accident. Regardless of what Subwoofer had in mind, I find the story, setting, and theme very compelling. It is not a generic space-themed level.

The escape into the city is a huge turning point in the level, in design and gameplay. The interior of the laboratory feels somewhat restrictive and linear, and afterwards the level becomes much more open, utilizing gamemodes with more freedom of movement, allowing for a real feeling of openness.

My favorite specific element of the level is the light blue, sort of holographic blocks in the laboratory part. They do a great job of tying the laboratory to the previous cyberspace areas. From a zoomed out perspective, DIOMA is a very interesting level that packs a lot of pleasing and compelling details. It has fantastic design and beautiful effects, but the gameplay, despite my earlier praises, is still boring at times.

It seems as though I'll only start repeating myself more if I continue with this review, so I'm going to end it here. The reason I felt the need to make this review in the first place is because it taught me how important actually playing a level is before forming an opinion on it.

6/10

Level ID: 109958348 Video: https://youtu.be/t9dAzXBeodU