diff --git a/Levels/level8.txt b/Levels/level8.txt
index 4b93c78..8e169c2 100644
--- a/Levels/level8.txt
+++ b/Levels/level8.txt
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@
 ..................................................................................................................
 ..................................................................................................................
 ..................................................................................................................
-..................................................................................................................
-..................................................................................................................
-..................................................................................................................
-..................................................................................................................
-..................................................................................................................
-..................................................................................................................
-..P...............................................................................................................
-..................................................................................................................
-..................................................................................................................
-BBBBBBBBBB.....BBBBBB.............................................................................................................
+..........................................................................................................A........
+....................................................................................................BBBBBBBBB..............
+.................................................................A.................................................
+............................................................BBBBBBBBB......................................................
+..................................................E...A....................................................BBBBBBBBBBB.........
+.............................................BBBBBBBBBBBB...................................BBBBBB..................................
+..P......................................EE..............................AE..........................................
+.............................E.....BBBBBBBBB...........................BBBBBBB.........................................BBBBBBB...........
+.......................A...BBBBBB....................................................BBBBBBB...............................................F
+BBBBBBBBBB.....BBBBBB..BBBBBBBBBB...................................................................................................BBBBBBBBBBBBBB........
diff --git a/Platformer.class b/Platformer.class
index 3378ccb..9d7c04f 100644
Binary files a/Platformer.class and b/Platformer.class differ
diff --git a/Platformer.java b/Platformer.java
index 9d6e2fd..c3b6141 100644
--- a/Platformer.java
+++ b/Platformer.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import java.awt.*;
 import java.awt.event.*;
+import java.awt.image.*;
 import java.io.*;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
@@ -355,17 +356,6 @@ public class Platformer extends JPanel implements KeyListener, ActionListener {
       this.setBackground(SKY);
     }
 
-    if (currentLevel == 8) {
-      // draw black overlay over entire world
-      g.setColor(new Color(0, 0, 0, 255));
-      g.fillRect(cameraX, cameraY, boardWidth, boardHeight);
-      // cut out a circle around the player
-      Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D) g;
-      g2.setComposite(AlphaComposite.getInstance(AlphaComposite.CLEAR));
-      g2.fillOval(player.x - 60, player.y - 60, 120, 120);
-      g2.setComposite(AlphaComposite.getInstance(AlphaComposite.SRC_OVER));
-    }
-
     g.translate(-cameraX, -cameraY);
 
     player.draw(g);
@@ -403,6 +393,29 @@ public class Platformer extends JPanel implements KeyListener, ActionListener {
 
     g.translate(cameraX, cameraY);
 
+    if (currentLevel == 8) {
+      BufferedImage darkness =
+          new BufferedImage(boardWidth, boardHeight, BufferedImage.TYPE_INT_ARGB);
+      Graphics2D g2 = darkness.createGraphics();
+
+      // fill entire overlay with fully opaque black
+      g2.setColor(new Color(0, 0, 0, 255));
+      g2.fillRect(0, 0, boardWidth + 1000, boardHeight + 1000);
+
+      // player's position in screen coordinates
+      int screenX = (player.x + player.width / 2) - cameraX;
+      int screenY = (player.y + player.height / 2) - cameraY;
+
+      // cut circle centered on player
+      g2.setComposite(AlphaComposite.getInstance(AlphaComposite.CLEAR));
+      g2.fillOval(screenX - 80, screenY - 100, 160, 160);
+
+      g2.dispose();
+
+      // draw overlay in screen space (after translate reset)
+      g.drawImage(darkness, 0, 0, null);
+    }
+
     int modAmt = 2000;
     int curTime = (int) System.currentTimeMillis() % modAmt;
     curTime = Math.abs(curTime);