Glyph (2021)

If you can take the time to master it, Glyph can be a rewarding game—in terms of both a wealth of collectibles and secrets to find, and in the intrinsic satisfaction that comes with expertly navigating Glyph through whatever deadly shortcut you’ve decided works for you. With its little round hero and ball-based physics, Glyph puts an interesting twist on the familiarity of the classic 3D platformer.

Glyph is perfect for a 15-minute pick up and play session or something you can struggle with for an hour. It's a rewarding experience when you have mastered its controls. Soaring through the sky to the exit like a golf ball in flight is a satisfying feeling. Its difficulty spikes can be dramatic, but if you're up for the challenge and craving some 3d platforming this one is worth a look.

Glyph manages to walk a balance regarding its game mechanics that many other titles struggle to get right. Whether you want to uncover every secret, or just get lost in some platforming, Glyph has you covered.

Glyph brings together the simplest form of platforms and puzzles in one package. It is an entertaining experience that shines for its simplicity. Although it falls short in scope, it fulfills the most important thing: is fun to play.

Glyph will no doubt end up leaving many cold – despite the game’s setting. Those who do warm to its charms will find it to be a diamond in the rough though.

I wanted to enjoy Glyph more than I did. The framework is there: fluid gameplay, beautiful art style, and with over one hundred levels, the game will keep a determined gamer entertained for many hours. But the developers set an unreasonably high bar for progression; one that required me to put the game down multiple times out of exasperation. Newer gamers: beware, but for seasoned players looking for a real challenge, Glyph could be your next rage-inducing favorite.

Glyph styles itself as one type of genre but desperately wants to be thought of as another. This jamboree of various platforming ideas never quite works, even if some players might find joy in its tranquil collectible hunting.

This is the game I thought about the most after playing it this year and the one that gave me the strongest sensations during my playtime. Hardcore platformers should not miss it. The game could have benefited from a little more polish, but it is definitely an underrated gem.

A real peaceful platforming experience. 60fps all the time. I love this game.

Glyph is relaxing and challenging, easy to pick-up and play, with outstanding physics, vibrant graphics, a soothing soundtrack, and a ton of platforms. The game starts with a thorough tutorial for players to learn the game mechanics and unlock all available power-ups. There is a story behind the game; an ancient civilization used to inhabit the land and is now gone, all that is left are ruins to be explored. Glyph, the main character, is a morphing bio-mechanical ball that can roll, jump, double-jump, jump-climb walls, and glide by morphing into a winged bug. Traversing the world is simple and satisfying, as satisfying as using the morph-ball in Metroid Prime. The controls are very responsive and the physics are superb. It just feels great rolling around and jumping and bouncing and gliding to reach hard-to-reach platforms and explore in levels. Gameplay: _________ Everything that is not a platform means death. Trying to stick a landing on that far-away small platform and get enough bounce to reach the next smaller even farther away platform. Dying countless times, trying again and again because you know you can make it… That’s fun! Some levels can be outright frustrating but exiting a level without collecting ALL collectibles is not acceptable, right…. Right! There are three main collectibles in each level coins, diamonds, and relics. Diamonds are used to unlock new areas in the hub world and coins and relics are used to unlock levels within those areas. There are also keys in each level that must be collected to unlock the exit portal and secrets to unlock cosmetics. There are two game modes adventure and time-trial. Adventure mode levels have all collectible types, are grand and expansive, and the player has full freedom in how to explore. Time-trial levels award players with up to three diamonds depending on how fast the level is completed. And you know it is unacceptable to continue past a level without collecting all three diamonds, right…. Right! The game’s length will vary depending on how acceptable/unacceptable players find to move on from levels without all collectibles. Personally, this game will take some time to beat and that makes me happy! Graphics: ________ The graphics in this game are simplistic but sharp with vibrant colors and beautiful landscapes. Nothing groundbreaking but pleasing to the eye. Kind of the perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch. Performance: ___________ Feels perfectly smooth with no slowdowns. Image quality is constant throughout gameplay. Conclusion: __________ Glyph is a lovely game that can be as relaxing as it can be frustrating but always a fun time. It’s easy to get into and spend an hour on a couple of levels. This game is definitely easy to recommend even at the indie premium price of $20. Fun Fact: This game was released as a VR game on Steam in 2018… which makes so much sense.

I’m finding this game compulsive and frustrating in equal measure. It looks nice enough and the simplicity of rolling and bouncing feels quite free, but accuracy of movement is not easy when you can’t judge distance. I saw this was previously a free VR game and was probably designed to be played with depth of field. Sometimes when I’m trying to get a key I’m just dancing round it without a clue how I’m not hitting it. I’ve cleared about 8 levels and whilst the exploration levels get a bit grindy, the true torture comes with the time trials which are punishing AF, especially if your going for gold medals. Overall it’s fun if you can bear it but I can imagine rage quiting soon.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]