Glyder ($1.99, download) is a beautiful and well-designed flying game and one of the better tilt games for the iPhone I’ve played. It features an immense game world, smooth flying controls, and tranquil gameplay that’s occasionally interrupted by the need for some tricky flying maneuvers. If you are the type who can enjoy a good adventure without needing a constant feeling of imminent danger, than you’ll enjoy Glyder. We are rating it a 7.8 out of 10, recommended.
What’s most impressive about Glyder is the size and scope of its never-ending game world. It creates a similar feeling of freedom you get from playing games like World of Warcraft or Grand Theft Auto where you can pretty much go and do as you please.
That’s not to say there isn’t a purpose to the game. The object of Glyder is to collect gems that are scattered about a series of islands and floating castles. Once you collect all the gems from one area, you are then prompted to travel to the next, often requiring you to fly across a wide expanse of water. There are no time limits, nor is there any death. If you crash, you are simply transported to the starting landing area for each area.
Because there is no real urgency in the game, there is instead a peaceful feeling you get from soaring around in the sky. There are some nail-biting moments too, however. Often the gems are located in very tricky places that require you to fly very low to the ground or barely fit your large wingspan through a tight passageway. The best moments in the game come when you develop the flying skills to collect gems from these areas.
I have to admit, I generally don’t find accelerometer-based games the strongest of game categories. But Glyder‘s controls enhance the gameplay rather than reduce it or cause frustration. The tilt controls give a first-person feel to the flying, creating a sense of tranquil peacefulness that pilots must feel while flying their planes in the lonely blue.
The music and sound effects are also well-designed and go far to enhance the overall peaceful feeling of the game. Its evident that the designers had a particular mood they wanted expressed in Glyder‘s gameplay, and they are effective in implementing it into the game.
Conclusion
Glyder is an impressive tilt-steering flying game with an immense, go-anywhere, do-anything gaming world. While the game is not particularly fast-paced, the daring flying maneuvers help balance out time spent peacefully flying around the various areas. We rate it a 7.8 out of 10, recommended.
Name: Glyder
Developer: Glu
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Price: $1.99
iTunes Link: Download