Author: Qaz
Year: 2001
Genre: Single Player
Filename: redoct.j2l
Download: J2O
This level is being reviewed because it is the only JJ2 level where you get to pilot a submarine. Plenty of levels have had cutscenes which take place in some sort of vehicle, but this is the only one which lets the player actually control the thing. It's probably one of the coolest gimmicks ever done using JJ2.
Hunt for red october is a pretty strange level, all things considered. It was made by someone whose only other releases (that I know of) are completely forgettable; at best, they mediocre. Indeed, even hunt for red october has its issues: the gameplay difficulty tends to be unbalanced due to a lack of carrots, and the tileset usage, while entertainingly unorthodox in parts, can be bland and even sloppy. If it wasn't for the submarine segment, which takes up the bulk of the level, this level would be forgotten today.
The authour created the submarine segment in this level by using a number of clever JCS tricks that have to do with layering (background and foreground), and a number of invisible tiles. The overall result is quite compelling, and someone not familiar with the methods used here would be left wondering how it was done. There are, of course, a few cracks in the illusion, but it's as good as it can possibly get using this game engine.
The choice in using the Tubelectric tileset for this level is an interesting one. It has the necessary tiles to make a good submarine, but it completely lacks the material needed for an outdoor setting, which hunt for red october seems to be try to convey regardless of this limitation. The result is a rather surreal environment, with trees growing out of metal tubes, and subterranean caverns lined with red bricks snaking their way beneath the ocean.
The level ends in a boss fight against an enemy submarine. Innovative as the rest of the level, the boss fight manages to use a normal boss enemy in a unique way, turning it into a missile turret. Gameplay-wise it's actually kind of awkward, but the sheer fact that a submarine battle could actually be pulled off in JJ2 is entertaining enough to make the fight worth it.
Overall, this is an astonishingly unique level that is all about showing just what is possible if you are creative enough in making levels. I can't give it a perfect 5.0 due to the gameplay issues, but this is still one of those levels I recommend to absolutely everyone.
Good:
- The one and only submarine level
- Defies normal conventions of what is possible in JJ2
- Can be a real inspiration to level makers
- Surreal eye candy can be entertaining
- Lack of carrots and checkpoints creates artificial difficulty; save often
- Submarine control can be awkward, getting stuck in corners sometimes
- Some sections, particularly the tunnels, are ugly
- No music (at least, none included in the zip file)
