Free games : Glace

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Glace

Beginning with a cutscene in a space lab, I was instantly greeted with a very brightly animated scene between two lab professors who discussed of a secret project. The cutscene showed the test being conducted, failing, and somehow creating an unknown creature, which was sent to be disposed of. However, the cutscene later shows it landing on Earth.

Instantly this brought back memories of the 16-bit SNES. The brightly colored outdoor environments reminded me of Super Mario World on the spot, and while not in the same direction as a platformer, most definitely holds its own as a very unique side scroller. The accompanying sound effects and music are a very nice addition and blend well with the game, making for a great overall presentation.

Your basic moves include using the arrow keys to move and jump, and space to throw a stone that can take out enemies, retrieve gems (collected for score and other bonuses). You have a health bar and energy bar in the upper right corner, easily visible yet out of the way, along with a gem counter. The energy bar is used for special moves, such as springing off the ground while running to jump even higher and further, and bouncing off of walls to reach new heights. They both conveniently recharge after time, making the gameplay move fast, but helping out less experienced gamers at the same time.

The difficulty level is rather low to begin with, although it does pick up later on. Some of the basic enemies will take two hits with the stone to kill, and as you reach into the later levels, they begin picking up in speed, following Glace, and even throwing projectiles at him. However, I would still say this is playable for most people - friendly enough for the younger gamers yet addicting for the more matured.

Overall, this is a great freeware platformer. The very inviting appearance makes for a fun, catchy game, and it spans 4 worlds with a total of 12 levels. This game is highly recommended.