Favorite level, creatively (possible spoilers)

[ironchefmike]

What's your favorite level from a creative standpoint? I'm not asking necessarily which one made you laugh the hardest or which one had the best boss, gameplay.

 

Which one had that element of something that made you go: "Aha! What a great way to express that!"

 

For me I thought my favorite two were Waterloo (I don't identify with schizophrenia, I just loved the gameplay both shrinking down to gamepiece size and then, um, 'unshrinking' to gameplayer size. Plus the 1812 overture playing in the background was okay, too.

 

That's topped only by the design of Black Velvetopia. I loved the look, the guitar music in playing in the background, and the character of the protagonist, Edgar. Then the switching of his nemeses into the varsity cheerleading squad. I thought this level pretty much epitomized the creative genius of the entire game.

 

Your thoughts?

 

Mike

 

edit: I've allowed multiple votes - on this poll. Have at it!

[SerialFreak]

I voted for Gloria's Theater which is one of my favourite's - when you really think about it the first portion of the area takes place exclusively in two or three rooms. It gives backstory to Gloria while giving you clear and original objectives. Plus it's damn hilarious. I voted for the summer camp and asylum as well. Although it was 'grounded in the real world' it also had this awesome, cartoonish art direction - it felt like a totally real place and was always fun to explore. You got back story about characters and locations through exploring. Also the twisting level design of the asylum was great as well.

[KnifeFace]

I couldn't stand the theater level. Worst level EVER!

 

But moving on. I voted for Milkman, Waterloo & Velvetopia.

 

Milkman, possible the best level in the history of the games! I really loved the influences of Big Brother by George Orwell. And those robots(?) were funny as hell.

[ironchefmike]

I don't know that this game has a poorly designed level (although I haven't been to the Meat Circus, yet). Tha's why I didn't feel right starting a 'Least favorite level, creatively' thread

 

I enjoyed Gloria's Theater, too. It really captured the feeling of amateur theater. And the Phantom/Critic was hilarious.

 

Milkman was also very cool. I loved looking at the agents to see what they were doing with their props. Did anyone else notice the agents that: had a plunger stuck to their face? using the telephone for arm curls? looking down the barrel of the sniper rifle? using the flowers to practice their golf swing or play air guitar? Some brilliant gags, there.

 

I'm glad to see other people (okay, ONE other person) appreciate Waterloo and Black Velvetopia, too

[SerialFreak]

What's not to love about Gloria's level? 'Mother, Mother, Tell me true - of the dad I never knew', 'He was brave in thought and deed, can't you here his noble steed?' (Something like that anyway. ) Also trying the different plays on different sets. Hilarious!

 

When I try to rank the levels to find a favourite I can't cause they were all so great. I liked Boyd's conspiracy theories, though.

[AceFox]

I can't agree with you more, ironchef. Black Velvetopia was my favorite too, followed by Waterloo World. I loved 'em all but here's how I'd rate them:

 

1. Black Velvetopia

2. Waterloo World

3. Milkman Conspiracy

4. Milla's Dance Club

5. Sasha's Shooting Gallery

6. Coach Oleander's Basic Training

7. Circus/Tent City

8. Lungfishopolis

9. Asylum and Towers

10. Gloria's Theatre

11. Under Lake Oblongata

12. Self/Brain Tumbler Experiment

 

Keep in mind, I liked them all. I didn't rate the Summer Camp because I thought it was essential to the game; can't have the other worlds without having that; if I did rate it, it would probably be tied with #3.

 

My only comment about Gloria's Theatre is that I felt it could've been funnier. The concept was great, but the voice of the little girl annoyed me so much... It was also a bit abstract seeing the dancing flowers act as people... or maybe I'm missing something...

[SerialFreak]

I thought the voice acting was hilarious.

[ironchefmike]

I went back and played Gloria's Theatre again this morning and liked it even more the second time through (though still not enough to vault it over Waterloo and Black Velvetopia). I think the level design just defies convention so much in that it's one of the smallest levels there is - just the theater stage/dressing room, and the catwalks. However, you're able to expand the environment with the instant mood changer contraption, which also allows for subtle changes in the script of the actors. I was finally able to pay attention to all of that now that the general level was familiar.

 

I thought the voice acting of the actors in Gloria's level was hilarious - they were obviously trying to act 'badly' and the voice actors doing these parts did them really well. The Phantom/Critic guy, again, was absolutely hilarious, as was Becky, playing the histrionic play director.

 

AceFox, nice list. Yeah, the poll limits us to 10 choices, so I had to leave two out - I left out the Brain Tumbler experiment because it was the shortest brain level, and I have to confess that I totally forgot Under Lake Oblongata. Perhaps a subconscious suggestion that it wasn't one of my favorites

[Plankhead]

The Milkman Conspiracy was amazing. I loved that one. But Gloria's Theatre was hilarious as well. I loved how the term "mood swings" was interpreted quite literally with the lighting.

[ironchefmike]

Yeah, I caught on the mood swing thing second time through. Great stuff.

 

The only thing about the Milkman Conspiracy that I couldn't take was the warping of the street. While it looked great, I have to confess to developing a little nausea running through that level.

[AgentJess]

I love Black Velvetopia. It's visually very very pretty and colorful. Second, I'd say The Milkman Conspiracy and Lungfishopolis. They're both hilarious.

[ironchefmike]

Ironically, Black Velvetopia almost didn't make the cut - Majesco and I think other level designers tried to get him to cut it, but Tim Schafer stood his ground to keep the level in.

 

Good thing, too.

[AgentJess]

Why'd they want it out? They mention it in all the reviews- and rave about it. I love it, everyone loves it; why would you cut such a cool level?

 

And also, Raz looks cool as well.

[ironchefmike]

Originally posted by AgentJess

Why'd they want it out? They mention it in all the reviews- and rave about it. I love it, everyone loves it; why would you cut such a cool level?

 

And also, Raz looks cool as well.

 

Yeah, it turned out well - I expected it would hurt my eyes, but it didn't.

 

Anyway, Tim Schafer mentioned briefly in this interview that the publisher and members of the development team suggested cutting it. He didn't elaborate. Perhaps it didn't look so hot in early concept meetings. Or perhaps it looked too much like Tron.

 

http://pc.ign.com/articles/585/585122p1.html

[Jake]

Crazy. That must have been a while ago... A demo of Black Velvetopia was the level they were using at last E3 to try and sell Psychonauts to a new publisher after Microsoft dropped them.

[SerialFreak]

I really liked the Black Velvet level but it wouldn't be in my top three list of favourite levels in the game. Every level was awesome, though...

[Dopefish]

The Milkman Conspiracy.

"As time goes on my husband will desire me less, sexually, but he will always enjoy my pies."

So awesome.

 

And, for the record, I absolutely hated Black Velvetopia. Simply couldn't wait for it to end. Made the game slightly less enjoyable, in my opinion.

It is still one of the best games I have ever played.

[ironchefmike]

Originally posted by Dopefish

The Milkman Conspiracy.

"As time goes on my husband will desire me less, sexually, but he will always enjoy my pies."

So awesome.

 

And, for the record, I absolutely hated Black Velvetopia. Simply couldn't wait for it to end. Made the game slightly less enjoyable, in my opinion.

It is still one of the best games I have ever played.

 

Care to elaborate on your disdain for Velvetopia?

 

Gameplay-wise, I found it to be one of the most frustrating levels due to El Odio running through the street. I thought the design of the level as a whole, especially the music, made it my favorite.

[Dopefish]

I enjoyed the graphical style of the level a lot.

However:

It was, in my opinion, the least funny level in the whole game, and the level design felt very... closed.

There is probably more to it than that, but that's all I can come up with at 7 AM.

[AgentJess]

Originally posted by Dopefish

The Milkman Conspiracy.

"As time goes on my husband will desire me less, sexually, but he will always enjoy my pies."

So awesome.

 

XD I don't remember that! LOL! I need to rerent the game and listen to that...

[Thrik]

The campgrounds are my favourite. Whilst they are obviously set in the "real world", and nothing too crazy happens there, the way that it's all put together is just awesome. The atmosphere of the place, combined with the music which accompanies both the night and day versions, is just great to soak up. The general art direction was astonishing too, with the way that the mountains faded off into the background and oh man.

 

The other levels were all great too, of course, with the possibly exception of the Meat Circus which I have to say didn't really strike much of a chord with me. I've never had a thing for anything remotely circus-related though, so what can I say? Black Velvetopia was beautiful visually, and pretty fun to navigate too. The Milkman Conspiracy was just too many kinds of cool to list. Best. NPCs. Ever.

[AceFox]

Yea, the campgrounds kind of stand on their own. It's essential since it's the heart of the game, and was done quite well. That's why I didn't rank it along with the others. It also brings back a lot of memores... especially, all the hormone charged camp kids.. <sigh> the days of youth... [One time when I was in band camp...]

[The Tingler]

I'm shocked that Lungfishopolis is only getting a brief mention from a few people. You play a GIANT MONSTER RAMPAGING AROUND A CITY! How much more creative can you get for a platform game? A level without basically any platforms? I hope the King Kong game is gonna be this good.

 

Milkman Conspiracy IS my overall favourite though, both creatively and, um... funnily.

 

Some of my favourite agent quotes, that I remember:

"Should I re-marry, or remain faithful to my dead husband?"

"You may help us make pies, but do not try to steal my husband. Tramp."

"Please stay away. The sewers contain many hazards that can be harmful to your health. Also they smell bad."

[JofaGuht]

Gloria's Theatre. It was the first time I realized that game had a very dark layer underneath its goofy, cartoony, surface.

[VSTM]

Lungfishopolis is probably the one I enjoyed the most gameplay wise(except those tanks could get annoying and my computer kept getting really slow a lot during that level)...but I'm kind of twisted like that.

 

Milk Man was the funniest, to me, because a lot of the conspiracies are kind of based on common paranoias. Looking at the background made my eyes water though. I also had to look up some hints on it because I didn't realise you could punch open the black cars...which probably kind of ruined a little, but not much. "I am the milk man. My milk is delicious."

 

Creatively, I enjoyed them all. All of them had humour interspersed and the designs were fantastic. Not to mention the psychological undertones, among other things. The meaty bits in the meat circus were pretty nasty, but I think that's the idea.

 

The real world had a lot of funny stuff too. That's probably the level I spent the most time enjoying, but I can't quite remember, because my memory is bad.

 

If I run through the game quickly on a faster computer, or an xbox, I might change my mind about some of the levels...but I think subcionciously I probably have a god complex and a lot of conspiracy paranoia...so lungfishopolis and milk man conspiracy will probably maintain on the top.

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned any of the other levels. No one a big fan of organization and shoes? No one a big fan of disco and dancing? No Army fanatics?

 

Edit: I liked waterloo world's size change thing(anyone ever play Shogo: MAD?), especially the fact that you could look in one of the building's to see Fred and Napolean, but I think I might have enjoyed it more if it had more of a strategy aspect in it. You know, Tim once thought about making a Warcraft type game? I figured the Waterloo level was somewhat influence by that enjoyment of strategy, and I think it would have been more interesting to me if it had more of that. It's still pretty awesome though.