Frost Spirit ~ Quaybus // Verified

"Even If"
~
Sorry to keep you waiting. Here's a surprise verification of a level by hosts ‪@draysfuneral‬ & ‪@xHalzion‬ which I started just a week ago, and yet still difficult enough to place in the top 50!
I imagine it doesn't come as a surprise when I say that, ever since I verified MINUSdry, I've been struggling with burnout. Unlike Hard Machine, I tried my hardest to stay with the game once it was done, but it just prolonged the inevitable. And so, that's where I've been. Why is this video out then? Because I'm bad at saying no. Even if I was burnt out, I had already accepted this verification, so I decided to stick to my word.
This level is perfect for me. The gameplay is basic and easy to learn, and I've been starting to notice a quality for XXL levels with my skillset. So I made the most of that and buffed the level up to about Zodiac difficulty. Even despite that, this is one of the most enjoyable hard XXL experiences I've ever had. It has everything you want: it's consistent, the predrop doesn’t force the player to stay engaged, there's break parts, and it's flukable. Despite noticeable difficulty spikes, the gameplay all flows together seamlessly, and I never got hard stuck on any specific part. My only worry about the gameplay is that I verified it so fast I may have missed a few chokepoints worth nerfing.
The decoration is very appealing to me too, it loves to appeal to nostalgia with parts reminiscent of classic levels, while also not being afraid to do its own thing and try something new. The styles aren't cohesive with each other, so some transitions can be pretty jarring. But the theme is, and considering the structure of most megacollabs of the olden era, that flaw fits right in and it could be considered a charm. It also helps that all of the parts look consistently great on their own, so I can't name off a single part that comes off as lackluster compared to the ones around it. They're different parts with different goals, each doing their own thing.
I'm still pretty burnt out, and I'm about to get busy with things in the real world for a little, so I don't want to make an impression that I'm getting back into the game just yet. But I'm very proud of myself for being able to push out a level of this difficulty in just the span of a week. This will be my new favourite level on the main list once rated, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for the classic XXL experience.

Play it on the 2.1 servers with the ID 95767653, or the unofficial 1.9 servers with the ID 99608.

P.S. I forgot to include my verification easter egg before I verified the level, so you won't find it in this video. I asked the host to add it in an update almost immediately after it was uploaded, so any other showcase of the level should have it. If you don't already know what I'm talking about, don't ask.


Total Attempts: 8707 (Lost attempts from playtesting before I was a verifier)

Thumbnail Artist: ‪@Zerex‬

I do not own ANY songs used in this video.
Phoqus - Frost Spirit:    • (Official) Tower Defense Simulator OST - F...  
Kevin Penkin - In The Blind: https://open.spotify.com/track/2qD128...

Menu art by Erik Shoemaker: https://www.deviantart.com/erikshoema...