GLYT is linear, in the sense that there’s never more than one main objective and only one way to complete that goal, but the locations usually have a few side rooms to explore, extra collectables to grab, and some unexpected sights. The level design is one of the more interesting features. An attempt was at least made to make the boss battles memorable, and they’re spaced apart well too, benefiting pacing. The handful of mildly creative boss battles may require a retry, but shouldn’t challenge seasoned gamers. It always felt safe knowing that I had to ability to attack enemies head-on, should a confrontation arise.
Nothing too taxing, generally, which adds to the casual feel. These include some of the easiest ‘fuse box’ teasers of recent times, along with a handful that requires moveable ladders and boxes to be positioned correctly. Every so often, Sally gets to take a break from crouching behind objects and avoiding patrolling enemies to solve a puzzle. A couple of hours in, the flashlight is upgraded so it can emit a strong beam, used not just to damage enemies – all of which have visible weak spots – but to charge electrical equipment too. The in-game map is helpful too, even showing pick-up locations – Sally heals herself by using an inhaler, while battery packs can be used to destroy enemies outright with a stealth attack. As the story takes place solely at night, it’s essential to use the flashlight almost constantly to get a better look at the surroundings. It lights the environment in a realistic manner and can be used indefinitely without fear of draining the battery. Sally is initially armed with just a flashlight. This chase takes leads Sally through the town, its delightfully garish arcade, and into her school, with the majority of this 6-8 hour adventure set within the school’s various facilities, ranging from the gym to the theatre. It isn’t long until Sally discovers Emily dwelling in this twisted town, but something isn’t quite right – she’s distraught, and on the run from…something. Roads are destroyed as if an earthquake has hit, shops and houses are boarded up, the townsfolks are spookily absent, and monsters resembling mutated bipedal crows patrol the streets. After decorating the town with ‘missing child’ posters and straying into the woods, she finds herself in a twisted version of her hometown. GYLT introduces us to Sally, a timid pre-teen who’s trying to find her missing cousin Emily. Alan Wake meets Coraline is perhaps the best way to describe it not so much scary and terrifying but rather spooky and eerie – mostly thanks to the abundance of faceless mannequins. It’s reasonably well present too, featuring a minimalistic vanishing HUD and animated cuts-scenes. You only need to look at screenshots to see that it’s more advanced than their previous works too, being a third-person stealth adventure with realistic lighting and other environmental effects. Indeed, it’s easy to see why Google wanted an exclusive from the studio to launch their latest tech venture. It’s developed by Tequila Works, best known for RiME, Deadlight, and The Sexy Brutale – titles that achieved critical acclaim. While High on Life was considerably fresh, changing platforms mid-development, GYLT dates back to 2019. Now, GYLT – one of the earliest Stadia exclusives – comes to PlayStation and Xbox formats, where it’s able to reach a (far) larger audience.
The Switch has enjoyed a steady slew of underappreciated Wii U conversions, while the death of Stadia saw Microsoft snap up exclusivity for High on Life. It took the fall of the Dreamcast for SEGA to go multi-format, resulting in Sonic gracing a Nintendo platform – something ‘90s gamers never thought they’d see. But the death or failure of a system can also benefit former rival platforms. Nobody wants to see a system fail – competition is healthy, after all.
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