Glyph

You can tell a lot about a 3D platformer based on how easy it is to recover from a mistake. You'll be bouncing from one ledge to the next and then realize that you've completely misjudged your jump and there's nothing you can do but fall into that bottomless pit. That is certainly not the case with the new game Glyph, which first came out on Switch earlier this year and is just now making its way to PC. This is a masterclass in how to create a platforming hero that is actually fun to control. With an overwhelming amount of expertly-constructed stages and deep gameplay you won't get tired of, Glyph is one of the best surprises of the year.

When an evil mechanical monster poisons the land, it's up to a tiny ball to platform their way through the devastated world to save the civilization from the jaws of doom. That sets up a massive adventure that sees our tiny character roll around more than eighty challenging levels in hopes of collecting coins and avoiding the deadly sand. It's a lot like that show where the floor is lava, only in this game sometimes the floor actually is made of lava.

We're eased into this desert hellscape thanks to a robotic scarab who quickly runs us through the ins and outs of this 3D platformer. Our balled-up protagonist can roll around the safe spots and jump to the next area, as well as pull off a ground-pound maneuver that can be used to reach greater heights. We'll also quickly discover that blue flames and platforms will give the hero a useful double jump and gliding through the air will allow it to move great distances in a short amount of time.

While none of these moves are necessarily original to Glyph, what sets this game apart is how they all work together in perfect harmony. I think it's safe to say that this is one of the most persistently resilient platforming heroes of all time. There were so many times when I thought the little ball was a goner, but thanks to the excellent mid-air handling and useful set of moves, I almost always managed to escape my inevitable fate without even taking a scratch. A lot of this comes down to having the ability to climb just about any surface, something that comes in useful in practically every single stage.

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The goal in most of the levels is to find a series of keys in order to open up the exit portal. The stages are also filled with coins and diamonds to collect, both of which will be used to unlock new levels and areas of the overworld map. On top of the obvious items, many of these stages also have hidden secrets to find that will open up new characters to control, among other things. This is a surprisingly long and involved adventure that will take more than a few sittings to complete, especially if you hope to get anywhere close to finding all the items tucked away in the more than eighty levels and thirty speed trials.

What I love about this game is how unique and varied each of the stages are. Even with dozens of levels to play through, it never felt like filler. Some stages are small and linear, while others are wide-open and able to be completed in countless ways. There are flat levels where safe spots are fleeting and vertical stages where we literally take a stairway to heaven. No matter what type of level you're playing, it's always fun to use your moves and climbing ability to collect the keys and open the gate. I couldn't wait to see what was in store for me next because controlling the little ball was always so much fun. And, as far as I'm concerned, that's the cornerstone for a great platformer.

For the most part, Glyph is a non-violent game where it's us vs. the poisoned world. Occasionally, the game will switch gears and lock our hero into a battle with a large mechanical boss. Unfortunately, this is the weakest part of the game. It's not that they are bad, but rather that they don't take advantage of what makes the rest of the platforming so much fun. They come across as being incredibly standard and ill-fitting, almost as if the bosses were pulled out of a completely different game and tossed into Glyph at the last second. I understand the desire to have the story lead to an explosive confrontation, but these stages are out-of-place and only act as a break from the fun parts of the game.

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Visually, Glyph looks sharp, but doesn't have a lot of personality. It doesn't help that many of the stages take place in the sandy desert, where the few colors you can see are muted and bland. The game does do a good job of mixing up the locations and styles, so it's more than an endless sea of boring sand. Still, I wish there was more going on visually that gave us a peak at what this world was like before the monsters. The level designs are flawless from beginning to end, but the world building leaves a lot to be desired.

The good news is that you won't care about any of this when you're gliding through the air and jumping on narrow platforms. All you will be thinking about is how the amazing gameplay makes every one of the expertly-crafted stages a joy to play. The only downside is that you'll spend the rest of your life being disappointed that every 3D platformer doesn't control as well as Glyph.