It's a good way to look at it but I still would've preferred more of the same from a sequel if I'm honest. Forever is the best runner I've played though, it really is superbly designed. The dark stages aren't as rewarding unfortunately - might be my lack of runner skills but they feel too hard too early, whereas Meat Boy gets everything right.
I remain convinced muzzy would like it if he got stuck in.
I wouldn't say no to a properly developed level extension pack for Meat Boy but it would need some new hazards introduced. Not too many - it's amazing what the devs achieved while being sparing with the gimmicks. Hated those fucking big black mouths that chased you and exploded though.
at last. Got the ch.5-8X bandage too. Had to look up which 2 levels had them in a guide - I KNEW IT WOULD BE IN 8!!! There's one in 5-18X but haven't found it yet. I had kind of hoped it wouldn't be in 18 because it's one those ones with a pile of bullets in it.....figures. I reckon I was in denial about it as I had searched the other levels high and low. I found the bandage in 5-17X myself and it will be no walk in the park either
Got the ch.5-warp done. I found the 1st section more difficult than sections 2 and 3. It looks so innocuous too. Untold death count for this bloody thing. Another 2 bandages.
Have still to find the character warp which I think is The Kid. The ch.6 glitch warp has disappeared off the map - looks like I have to unlock it again. I hope that's not a bug and I will be able to .... it isn't that hard to unlock.
To do:-
ch.5-17X bandage
ch.5-18X bandage
ch.5-20X warp
ch.5 character warp to find
ch.5-18X bandage gone. Once you saw where it was it wasn't too bad!!!
3 bandages left.
Making progress in the 5-20X warp. Getting the 2 bandages is OK - getting to the end of the 3rd section is quite another.
5-17X is going to be a grind. The bandage is behind a wall you have to trick a missile into taking out and then the rest of the level is of similar style . Royal pain in the hole!!
The trick is figuring out how to get the missile to consistently aim for where the bandage is locked away. It's actually not that bad once you see how to do it.
7-9X has me baffled. No idea how to do this. One of those vertical track levels - they throw you into the air but I can't see how I can avoid the buzzsaw above it.
Moved on - tackling 7-13X which is a real hand killer. It's a rising tide level and by far the toughest of its type yet. Exquisite touch and timing needed here... My hand is clawed...but I'm making progress with it.
Went back and redid ch.6 glitch level as it's such a nice tribute to the airship in SMB3. Wasn't recording when I cleared it first. I make heavier weather of it here than I did originally
1hr + 2hrs today grinding fucking 7-13X. Have been right to the end enough times. 95% of 3hrs has been spent just being fucking stupid. My hand is completely fucked. This is the first real proper wall I have hit.
Level 13 of Cotton Alley Dark world. Got it after another hour and 20mins of grind this evening. That's over 5hrs trying to perform something that takes 21seconds.
I thought this level was going to defeat me because I had got to the point where a correct jump didn't feel any different to a wrong jump at a conscious level. Maybe that's were subconscious muscle memory really does kick in.
This is also the only time I have felt in the zone on a platformer. For short passages - there were times I was performing perfect sequences of jumps without really thinking about.
The time pressure is what made this so difficult of course - forcing to make a series of jumps where the margin for error is so small.
I had to leave it yesterday. RSI was real possibility after the 1hr and 2hr sessions I put in on this one level on Saturday. Woke up with very slight pins and needles in my finger tips and stiffness in the right hand and soreness on the back of the hand. Probably gripping the pad too tight. Bastard of a game.
I'm at 104% now. So taking the 6% off for the glitch levels I've cleared that puts me at 98% "proper".
Still 9 levels of Cotton Alley to beat + The Kid Warp Zone. 109hrs on the game clock.
Had a another go at the The Kid Warp. Making some progress with that - can get half way through the first level without too much trouble. The transition to the second half with the horizontal passages is tough. Haven't quite figured it out yet.