Hate (Noodlekin)
The Emissary has finally woken up from the nightmare of Cygnus, but you are greeted with a familiar face…
Hate is a level created by Noodlekin and the sixth level of the Heartstrings storyline. An Expert difficulty level, it features the return of Spectra who transforms into Royal Spectra in order to take down the player.
Layout
Opening
- Spectra, Hate
The setting of a forest is revealed, with blue bomb attacks falling from the trees above and exploding on hitting the ground. Leaves drift down from the trees above as well. After some time, Spectra appears and explains her return to the player while the bombs continue. She reveals the Royal Elixir to the player, and takes it to begin the transformation process.
Checkpoint 1
Spectra begins transforming into Royal Spectra, sending out numerous bullet explosions as a circular wall closes in. This section ends as the screen fades to white, with Royal Spectra appearing afterwards.
Checkpoint 2
Spectra dashes up and down the screen while moving to the right, and then dashes left and right while moving down. When dashing, she creates several small bullet explosions. She then shoots six lasers that form circles which explode into several bullets shortly afterwards. Both of these attacks are joined by small walls on the top and bottom of the screen. This pattern is then repeated a second time.
Checkpoint 3
Spectra moves to the left side of the screen and begins firing a large cannon. The cannon shoots out bombs that travel across the screen and explode into bullets, firing at three different angles. Halfway through the section, the screen flips and Spectra begins the attack again from the other side.
Checkpoint 4
- Spectra, Hate
This section has no gameplay, and consists of a flashback sequence showing Spectra’s memories. It shows Spectra suggesting to Pilate that the Heart could end his sorrow, with her realizing changes to him afterwards. However, Pilate dismisses this - saying the real problem is that nothing has changed.
Checkpoint 5
The flashback sequence ends, with Royal Spectra realizing that the player was intruding in her mind. Dismissing doubts and assuring the player that she is only here for revenge, Spectra prepares to attack once again. This section features bullet explosion attacks that appear on-screen throughout.
Checkpoint 6
This section, created by Technado, has Spectra creating groups of three giant semicircle beams while in the center of the screen. Halfway through the section, she begins releasing several bullets in a spiral. To finish the section, Spectra pulls out her wrench and faces the ground below.
Checkpoint 7
Spectra slams the ground with her wrench to create a wave, with six bombs flying up from it. She then swings her wrench to create two trapezoid outline attacks, and transforms into a hexagon that shoots out a pulse with several bullet explosions and lasers. Spectra then repeats this pattern throughout the checkpoint, pausing in the middle to flip her wrench in her hand.
Checkpoint 8
- Magpie, Hate
A circular wall appears around the screen, and a hexagon with a crown shape on it appears in the middle. The hexagon sends out bullet explosions and an occasional shockwave, while two cannons on the walls rotate around and attack with lasers. Spectra eventually reappears in the center and prepares to attack, but is interrupted with a laser from Magpie. Introducing himself to the player and explaining that he was the one in the dream, Magpie appears in the forest from the opening alongside a knocked-out Spectra as the level ends with its credits.
Video
Trivia
- This level is the last thing Technado made in an uploaded level before quitting Project Arrhythmia creating.
- Underneath Technado’s name in the end credits is a small message saying “(he will not be missed /j)”.
- DIYDamian is credited at the end of the level, as “he was there”.
- Technado’s part has a small, excited Wildfire appear next to his name.