Mental 1 -
Be A Tidy Lemming! Somewhat difficult level to start off the rank which is a repeat. With only two miners to get through terrain, the route should be obvious, but I can still see this one tripping up less experienced players. It's more or less the same as the original, except you need to start moving upwards after destroying the first two walls to the left you get to in order to reach the exit instead of being able to go all the way across thanks to access to a more varied skillset that allowed you to do so.
Mental 2 -
Goin' The Long Way Pretty sure this is like a reference to "The Far Side" from the Mayhem rank of the OL, as just like in that level both the exit and and entrance are separated by a steel wall, except in that level the exit is on the right while the entrance is on the left, while in this level it's the reverse. Nothing hard here other than possibly finishing on time, but from what I remember the timer isn't too tight.
Mental 3 -
Doomblock 42 Difficult one but one of my absolute favorites!
It does look impossible on first glance, but it was a very satisfying one to hash and figure out. I really like how the solution comes together, as well as nice uses of the walker to turn everyone back to towards the exit so they don't walk into the fire traps, but also in one case to platform up the gap before anyone falls through and splats. The miners are used to ultimately turn everyone back towards the exit, although one needs to use walkers in the meantime to stop anyone from getting into danger as mentioned. Nice job here
Mental 4 -
Trade of the Tricks I liked the original, I also like the repeat here, where the challenge of getting the floaters and climbers to their respective exits is different here. The solution can be somewhat hard to figure out, but once you do the main obstacle is finishing on time. I'm sure I could had avoided time coming down to the wire by blocking sooner. I really like the use of the digger to reduce the height and make it a safe drop for the climbers.
Mental 5 -
(insert clever title here) Another nice one which is a repeat too. I like the use of a bomber and bashing inside it to turn everyone back to the right, as well as having a lemming that turns around in the basher tunnel mine out to the right to get our worker lemming and everyone else gets contained. Perhaps with some better timing I could had prevented some or possibly all losses besides the bomber at the start. Nice use of the platform at the bottom to serve as a splatform, and here I bombed very carefully so that no one walks out to the left.
Mental 6 -
Two Step Program Great level here as well, although my only complaint here is that the part near the exit is very precise. Both diggers and the platformer to get to the exit, as well as the builder to stop the left digger on the pillar, are all pixel precise. It could definitely be reduced.
Mental 7 -
Traptastic! The 4th and final iteration of the level with the same title. This one is the most interesting, as this strips you of the most powerful and useful skill for the level, the disarmer. Now, you must find creative ways to get past the traps without losing too many to any of them, as well as rush to get the path ready to avoid too many losses. No miners this time, so pretty much back to using the middle route. I didn't use the diggers
Mental 8 -
Silica Valley Another repeat and favorite of mine here. Now that I think about it, I could had sworn I played this level before, maybe the Recycle Bin pack? I certainly remember the solution being something like this. I really like how if you attempt to solve it in any other way you will always end up at least a skill short. My only gripe here is the builder used at the top to catch the lemmings coming from above, as it's not clear at all that they will land on the staircase. Solution can be difficult to spot, but then again it is the final rank.
Mental 9 -
Codependency Yet another repeat and favorite of mine here too!
I really like that trick of bombing a climber from the other side so that you can send a climber from the right entrance through the opening and glide to land on top and forge the path on the far right side. A gripe I have here is that it isn't clear that two platformers and a builder are enough to stop the ones from above from splatting. However, it's not a huge problem here. Once again, I feel as if I've played this level before, again, maybe from the Recycle Bin pack, now that I'm thinking about the solution here, as I kind of remember solving a level this way too.
Mental 10 -
Project Thataway Third repeat in a row (excluding the Traptastic! level). I like the solution's concept here, but the precision is super tight here. It definitely got me wondering "how in the world is this possible?" reaction. I think the bridges have to start at a very specific point or you won't be able to land and get up on the exit platform even with the extension of the stackers and stoners. This does seem to require the use of the stoner/stacker combo that was taught in the previous rank.
Mental 11 -
No Way Around It This Time Another repeat here. The only hard part is containing everyone at the start. It's quite precise. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same as the original, except you can bash through the OWW. The timer isn't a problem even though it looks like it might be.
Mental 12 -
Cave of the Cactus Somewhat hard, although the only hard part here is getting the glider to the very top of the updrafts. It took me a while to see that a blocker is needed to help with that. Nice trick there!
The rest of the level is easy once you achieve that.
Mental 13 -
A Different Kind of Hero I think this is a reference to Mayhem 3 -
It's Hero Time! from the OL, as you have a 1-of-everything skillset, although no 1 minute timer here even though it's possible to finish in under a minute too. I ended up saving everyone
Mental 14 -
The Strange Construct I'm almost very certain I played this level in the Recycle Bin pack, as I do recognize the layout. I think I used the same solution here as from that pack. It's hackish and cheesy, but it does solve the level
Mental 15 -
Cave Raid Another repeat and favorite! I deduced the solution here fairly quick. Great solution! I really like the releasing of the crowd and having them be contained in the pit before the slope right by the exit and the miner goes on to collect the disarmer pickup. Nice job here!
Mental 16 -
Skill Factory As mentioned, this was pretty much the hardest level for me in the rank. I checked namida's intended solution and Icho's after I solved the level. Theirs are similar and avoided the platformer pickup by the exit, while I ended up going for it and only used it to get the builder and miner pickups that they got to using the digger. I can't believe I overlooked mining to the left right by the exit
That thought came to me while I was eating my lunch. I'm happy to see that was the missing key to solving the level, as well as the two stacker pickups in very bad places being red herrings indeed are.
Mental 17 -
Recycled Lemming Syndrome A repeat which is a somewhat difficult level, although maybe not as difficult as the previous level. Once again, I overcomplicated the solution here. Being able to save the lemming that I kept losing to the bottomless pit was the key to getting the level solved. The other thing is making sure you have enough constructive skills to get the level solved. I sometimes kept running a skill short there.
Mental 18 -
...wait, what? Repeat here as well, and one that I kept overthinking. It's easier than it looks, but it's still challenging. Mine came all down to timing, and it seems the intention is to bash and bomb over the exit to drop into the exit platform, but a basher is enough if you do it in the right place.
Mental 19 -
The Embiggening of the Cromulent Hard one but one of my favorites too!
Contest level of namida's that ended up winning a LOTY contest alongside a United level. I really like the basher/cloning part, where the left basher releases the climber/floater that's trapped at the top in an infinite loop. Also sending him up to platform so that you can send another climber from the crowd who can glide over the top and prepare the route on the right side. Nicely done!
Mental 20 -
Not Even A Minute! Repeat, and a little difficult, but the very strict time limit is the main obstacle. I really like the solution here, though, and it was very satisfying beating the clock. The major drawback of the miner being super slow really shows here, and once you realize that that's not the way to go, then the solution should click, although it can still be difficult to see how to get up to the exit. Instead, the miner is used to make a turn around point so that the lemmings don't have too far to walk.
Mental 21 -
Adventure Time!!! Repeat as well, and one where I was able to deduce fairly quick too. Should be very obvious that everyone needs to use the teleporter. I was simply a dummy near the exit, as it took some time to realize that I could dig and platform to turn everyone back towards the exit. The exit area's solution is nice, though, where you put the blocker at one end and dig and platform on the other.
Mental 22 -
Treet Yourself! Nice pun here. Third repeat in a row. The only hard part is cancelling a digger with another. Everything else should fall into place, and you'll have to accept the losses and splattage as you go. I could had saved more had I stopped the digger earlier, though.
Mental 23 -
Lemmin' Like The Wind 4th repeat in a row, and pretty much the only difference is how to contain the bottom left entrance, using a miner and a bomber. Everything else was pretty much the same, although you definitely have to multitask because of the timer.
Mental 24 -
Branch Out A Little! 5th repeat in a row, and possibly my biggest favorite in the entire pack!
Absolutely wonderful solution that I was able to piece together one at a time quite nicely. I was a dummy and didn't realize that no platformer is needed for the glider to be able to use the updrafts if you bomb high enough. Also realizing how to get up, which is with the big tree in the middle, where you mine through at the top and then can use a platformer and builder. Nice use of a bomber to blow through the stoner terrain to release the crowd, as well as a stoner right by the exit to turn everyone back towards it.
Mental 25 -
Night of the Lemming Dead 6th repeat in a row, although here the pre-placed lemmings got replaced with zombies. The hardest part was the area below the force field. Some good timing is needed in order to get a lemming on top of the bar and to bomb a faller to stop the zombie from climbing up to infect the others. Once you realize through the top of the bars is the way to go, the rest should be smooth sailing from there until you get to the exit with the zombie guarding it. I used a blocker to contain him and then platform over to drop on the other side of the exit. Nice level which felt easier than the original for some reason.
Mental 26 -
Will It Be Enough...? 7th repeat in a row, and another nice one here. I really like saving everyone with the swimmers you have available until the platforming over the water at the start is done, as well as blocking to the left of the teleporter and releasing him with the final one going to the left with a miner. The most frustrating was finishing on time, as well as making sure the teleporter catches the climber(s) without them being able to make a long round. This required some tweaking and fiddling around to make sure that doesn't happen. I'm pretty sure the video of me solving this one will give you a nice chuckle, particularly when I kept failing by about a second and my big "No!" reactions
Mental 27 -
Six-Lem Situation 8th repeat in a row and the final one in the pack. If you try doing it in the most logical straightforward manner, you'll always lose at least 2 lemmings, and you can't afford that, since you can only lose 1. The clicking moment was when I realized all lemmings on one side need to be climbers. This helps save up on the bashers which you can use to join with the first one as delays to give the lead lemming enough time to bridge the gaps on either side to the exit. The sacrifice here is due to walking into a trap.
Mental 28 -
The Troublesome Trio Another favorite of mine! I really love how the solution comes together quite nicely here. The best part is getting a lemming to different parts of the level to do work to prevent anyone from getting into danger. Platforming over the first gap and having one drop down to bash through to allow the other one that comes from the right side through, and digging down the balloon so that one turns around while the other one is able to go through to the right once he's low enough to platform up the gap to catch the digger when he's done. The balloon part is the hardest part, but that's simply due to when you assign the floaters in the updrafts.
Mental 29 -
Through Thick And Thin... Hard one mainly due to the very strict timer. The puzzle is a bit hard as well. Once I had the solution, I kept running out of time, so I had to keep on rewinding and seeing where I could speed things up. I checked namida's intended solution afterwards, and his is just as hard, though his manages to finish with an extra second to spare compared to mine. I did try what namida did with digging away the final pillar before the exit, but I kept losing several lemmings and instead tried a different approach. I climber bombed it instead, which is certainly easier, but this solution seems far tighter on time. Definitely like "Save Me" from the OL in that the penultimate level was the hardest of the rank rather than the final level.
Mental 30 -
The Final Tower Very anti-climatic for the final level but a really nice one to finish off the entire pack. Pretty much brings it to a full circle to the Breezy rank, which was pretty much the rank that has X-of-everythings. It's the same here. Thus, a very easy one for the final level, being a 20-of-everything. For an added challenge, go for a save all solution, which I quickly dismissed as not being possible but later changed my mind and decided to go for it shortly before I had done too much of the level
I didn't read the talisman before playing the level, I found out long after I got it solved that it is indeed save everyone. I also give a tip in my LP that is possibly easily overlooked: Getting up the level with the miner/walker combo, since builders are the most obvious way to do so. Granted, it's not an effective way of doing so, but it will work if you're given plenty of them. Obviously it can work for bashers/walkers too.