Glam is a platformer with its foundations set firmly in old school run and jump through its screens of many obstacles and hazards. Our heroine Glam has no abilities to find and no character progression in-game but for the added ability to swing and avoid many enemies and traps by the length and strength of her hair!
Story
There’s a story in the eshop game description about glam having her grandmother kidnapped and our character setting out to rescue her so that their magic combined can save the kingdom from ruin.
On game load up and immediately faced with countless screens and no story description, to begin with, or at any point emerging. Players can pretty much make up what story they like. Glam is just bored and wants to challenge herself rather than staying at home. Glam is trying to get to the clinic at the end of the kingdom to get her second vaccination. Or Glam wants to reach the game company to plead with them not to put her in a sequel!
You’re free to add what you like in “open story” mode.
Gameplay
Glam faces each screen like an obstacle course. Because there’s no way of glam fighting any enemies and many things causing instant death. Each screen can and must be carefully studied before you attempt to cross it with hooks allowing glam to use her hair ability. Cobbled walls that can be gripped to temporarily climb like a female Spider-Man and certain enemies can also be jumped on (a la Mario) to eliminate them and allow more space to jump across and navigate further obstacles and eventually reach the portal on the far right of the screen and onto the next area.
This would seem punishing if it was not for the games endless lives inclusion. Death from falls, spikes or enemies will cause glam to just respawn on the left of that screen level. Whilst that is certainly welcome it also dilutes any challenge or tension by players just seemingly testing areas and dangers constantly with the only penalty starting back on the left of the screen again and again.
There’s also very little in terms of items in each area but for a glittery case/cassette type icon that very early on informs of you of the game controls. There’s very little else other than they still littered about in later levels but with no clue of their purpose or reason.
Controls
The game strives on illustrating its simple three button control system allowing ease of play.
A to jump and hold A to extend jump with Y to throw out hair braid and finally X to execute a rather cute bubblegum bubble blow!? which doesn’t seem to do anything but look nice for the first millisecond of activating.
Graphics
The overall look is quite solid when it comes to areas and the clarity of the character and obstacles. Glam can also be customised in a cute pixelated character screen according to players tastes. Want a glam with red hair, green eyes and a blue skirt and top combo? No problem here.
Sound
A cutesy soundtrack plays chirpy electronica throughout that’s rather pleasing and probably worth your time if playing with headphones.
Performance
There are no issues with the game running and jumps and buttons seem pretty spot-on as regards responses and movement on-screen. Usually, the Switch can be pretty lazy with some platformers as regards the sticks and button activation. Here there are no issues experienced and due to this games punishing difficulty from the offset, it’s most welcome.
Replayability
There’s no real reason to come back to this game other than the ability to Co-Op with another player over a set of different levels in the games Co-Op mode.
Apart from that and with no items, secret areas or abilities to find. The game is pretty much getting from left to right and that’s that!
Value
Coming in at around $7. Glam may satisfy some players who want the challenge of a punishing platformer with little reward other than completing a game for bragging rights. For the rest of us, there’s very little to see or recommend and its value still seems a little high for what’s on offer here.
Summary / Download Size
At 330MB there’s not much to tax your SD card and not much when playing the game.
The whole thing feels like a base game that could have benefitted with a lot more elements added on top of it. Treasures to find, secret rooms and story cutscenes could have made the whole experience a lot better and a lot more involving. As it stands, it’s pretty stagnant and not inviting players to progress further with its constantly repetitive loop of increasingly difficult area screens.
Lacks Glitz and Glamour!
Thanks to Three Legged Egg for the code.
