Zomboy – Endgame [NE/CHROMA]

This map offers some absolutely striking effects, without sacrificing gameplay in any way, to stand as one of the best wall maps I've played to date.

This map really takes me back to some of the older Mapping Extensions wall maps, cranked up to a degree that absolutely blew me away. It doesn't seek to tell a story in the literal way, but instead builds upon the song to create an entrancing experience. Both the walls and the notes could stand completely independent of each other in their own maps and be amazing in their own right, but combined, they play off each other perfectly.

Playing this map, I felt like Spooky Ghost's walls had transported me to another world. The walls smoothly transitioning from different parts of the song was done very well; I liked how some aspects of one section would be carried over into the next, before being slowly overridden, like the crosses at 1:30. The designs within each individual section were very striking (I particularly loved the bomb spiral and the multicoloured 'debris') and felt appropriately matched to the music. Adding to that, the colour palette within all aspects of the map was beautiful.

While on the topic of colours, this map features note colour changes throughout the song. This is a relatively new feature, although some maps have used it in the past to good effect. With this map, it didn't feel like a cheap gimmick to artificially increase difficulty, nor did the colours seem pulled from a hat at random. Everything blended well together, with the map utilising very clear left/right colours, and guiding you through the transitions.

Exce did a fantastic job with the lighting and gameplay of the map. As I mentioned previously, the notes themselves would have stood very well on their own. The emphasis was extremely on point, which helped me to feel actively involved in the music. I also really appreciated how the patterns built upon themselves even in very similar parts of the map; they felt consistent, while also not being the same pattern over and over for upwards of 30 seconds. The flow was super on-point and I felt engaged throughout the entire map.

Together, Exce and Spooky Ghost have managed to set the bar for what a wall map can be. Nothing was left behind in favour of some other aspect of the map, and it made for a truly phenomenal experience. Thanks to both of you for the great map!