SECTOR 19 by Sillow - 100% (Extreme Demon)
Total Attempts: 8197
I don't really want to write a description for this level but it feels like it's necessary.
Doing runs of this level was fairly easy and fun, I got 59-100 only an hour or so of playing the level and practicing the rest from there made it all seem very doable. Unfortunately levels with skill based gameplay consistently all the way through tend to be one of my weaker areas, so I was completely unprepared for what kind of mindset this level would require.
At around ~3800 attempts in I got 95%, a fluke from 67% and past every single hard part of the level. I thought it'd be only a matter of time but what followed was over a week more of the least fun, unluckiest normal mode experience I've ever had.
The predrop (0-40) is an absolute nightmare despite probably being the easier half of the level. There is so many hard clicks that by the time I even got a chance at the second half my consistency was shredded because I've been playing the predrop for 15 minutes straight. Around the beginning I would start getting nervous even at 30%, despite it being only like 25 seconds into the level.
I mindblocked the wave at 50% (specifically the last click at 59%) so damn hard that I'd almost never get past it with the exception of my last two sessions where i passed it maybe 30% of the time. I had a MUCH higher pass rate on Dotory's part in Dark Flare, and it's not even close.
If I were lucky enough to get past 59%, then the rest of the level was much more consistent from here, despite being harder. 60%-74% was pretty easy but I ended up dying here probably about 15 times from nerves.
The last 25% of the level was very difficult, starting off with the ball at 75% which was only a few clicks but all of them were extremely precise, especially one at 77%. I died here about 10 times.
80-100 is what most people would consider the hardest part of the level. It honestly wasn't too bad for me, I had about a 50% clear rate in runs but what really ended up getting me were the nerves. The dual ship was fairly difficult but it got much easier after 90%, despite this I still ended up dying past it one more time, thankfully only a few minutes before I beat the level.
95%
87% x4
89%
80%
82%
81%
91%
I'm glad I didn't fluke this level, I wish I didn't get as unlucky as I did but an experience like this on a skill-based level was necessary for me I feel. I'm much better at gameplay like this now and I probably wouldn't have gotten that boost if I did end up fluking it from 67% a week ago.
Also this level is really cool, if you're good at gameplay like this you may end up enjoying it but otherwise do not touch it with a 20 foot pole.
Harder than: Void Wave, Untitled (Much harder than both of these)
Easier than: Dark Flare, The Hell Zone