Reflections (Jolly Jack)
A story. A message. A statement.
There are many hidden clues and messages, leading to the true narrative of the level. Can you find them all?Reflections is a Moderate difficulty level created by Jolly Jack. The level uses a black and white theme, with several abstract settings and several hidden encoded messages throughout.
Layout
Start
A short animation plays with several circles appearing and orbiting around the center of the screen, accelerating as it zooms in on the player in the center. In a flash, the setting changes to an open area. Bullets that appear to be sliced in half drift across the screen. An eye appears in the center briefly as the level transitions to the next section.
In a flash, three 3D shapes float down to cover the top of the screen. The bullets continue, with square pulses occasionally appearing as well. The shapes rotate and glitch out, changing their shape occasionally.
Checkpoint 1
In another flash, the shapes disappear as bullets rain down from the top. A wave rises from the bottom of the screen, as stylized text showing the level name appears.
Attacks cover the left and right of the screen, with a large laser splitting it in the middle. On the left and right, circling attacks appear before the laser expands to form a giant hexagonal arena. The hexagon closes in as a pulse appears in the center, with another laser splitting the center of the screen horizontally. The circling attacks reappear, before walls and attacks force the player to dash into a small space at the center of the screen. A hand pushes the safe zone outwards, and the attacks from the checkpoint are then repeat.
After the hand pushes out the safe zone once again, several groups of circle pulses appear. A set of bars circles around the edges of the screen, before a dark scene with a single line of text appears.
Checkpoint 2
A structure of squares moves onscreen from the right, forcing the player to navigate through it. As this happens, bombs appear on the right that release explosions of square bullets. Circular bullets begin to drift across as well, with some squares flickering and turning into circles. A tree drifts into view, with a gust of wind blowing off its red leaves to cover the top of the screen in an attack. A new labyrinth of circles appears, which requires dashing from circle to circle to survive.
To finish off the checkpoint, a short cinematic plays with the white silouhette of a person appearing. Their smile slowly recedes as several pairs of eyes appear around them. Cracks begin to appear on their face, and in a flash, a pair of glasses is seen shattering as it hits the ground.
Checkpoint 3
Throughout this checkpoint, rectangle pulses appear which are shattered by spiked lasers pointing inwards onto them. The eyes from the previous cinematic reappear in the corners of the screen as well. On one of the pulses, a fist pierces and completely shatters the rectangle instead of the spiked attacks. This is followed by a brief animated sequence, before the attacks resume. The level returns to a similar setting to what began in - with two sets of rotating circles around the player in the center. The level fades to black, is overrun by a cascade of white, and a pair of curtain-like shapes open onto the level's text logo. Eventually, it fades out as the level's credits screen appears.
Gallery
Opening
The 3D shapes from the opening
The rising wave section
Square maze in the second checkpoint
Credits screen
Trivia
Hidden Messages
As the description of the level states, there are several hidden encoded messages throughout Reflections. All known messages appear to use a Vigenère cipher, with different keys used.
| Message | Cipher key | Decoded |
|---|---|---|
| VUCN XZAA PSP | turbulence | CALM DOWN NOW |
| LNRZ WLPZ | turbulence | STAY CALM |
| HEI PTJX PXRJ | tree | ONE LAST LEAF |
| ETY'QV JL BNUJ | gfefkihwfhfeb | YOU'LL BE FINE |
| ETY'WO ISKSL SSX | gfefkihwfhfeb | YOU'RE ALONE NOW |
| EZU'JW PGYE! | glasses | YOU'RE LOST! |
| PFSL YMNK FP | glasses | JUST GIVE UP |
| OE'S QGYJ LLUDL! | glasses | IT'S YOUR FAULT! |
| CSY USR'L EZU TW RGXXAD | glasses | WHY CAN'T YOU BE NORMAL |
| CSY SJI QUF LACI LNTS | glasses | WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS |
| SOZT | haha | LOST |
| KIZAWPVIUTPNN | haha | DISAPPOINTING |
| CUSNLRHBSE | haha | VULNERABLE |
| YIBV WK EBFG | mirror | MAKE IT STOP |
| EBFG OCDMRUM | mirror | STOP ALREADY |
| QVU KVZE VFN | mirror | END THIS NOW |
| DFY RJVH XT JXSU | free | YOU NEED TO STOP |
| JESYLY MW JESYLY | free | ENOUGH IS ENOUGH |
| SK FY IQZY WM KN | free | IT IS TIME TO GO (reversed) |
- The "mirror" key may be connected to the level's name - Reflections.