Glitch Hero Review

Back in my school days, I remember being taught basic coding during information technology lessons. I instantly decided this wasnt’ my cup of tea and dismissed the thought of ever doing it for a living forever. Glitch Hero is a clever indie experience that has you diving into the world of codeland.

You start out your adventure as Ada, a young girl who has let curiosity get the better of her. Before you know it you become trapped in a world developed by her father. A fatal error occurs and you find yourself consumed by a world with bugs and nastiness. In a bid to gain freedom and rescue your father, only with the power of the hammer.exe debug, can you escape.

Have A Smashing Time

Handily Glitch Hero has you selecting your difficulty before you commence with a suitable age range. Obviously being an adult I opted for the 12+ option and crossed my fingers that I could handle anything as a 39 year old fully grown man. Negotiating the worlds you’ll be armed with a hammer to smash anything that gets in your way. Unfortunately, in the early stages of the game it feels very sluggish and almost an effort whenever you encounter an enemy.

You are able to level up throughout the game and it does feel slightly more satisfying but if I am honest the combat never really hits the mark. By far the strongest portion of the game is built into the puzzles throughout the various areas you uncover throughout. They are often simple but do require some brain work. For instance it could be rearranging blocks to allow yourself to reach a switch but thinking about something standing in your path.

Visuals & Audio

Visually Glitch Hero is reminiscent of something straight out of a comic book with bright and vivid colours throughout the backdrops and character designs. Dialogue is displayed as written text which is clear and concise. Audio presentation and sound effects perform as expected. Everything is played from a retro Zelda-esque perspective and whilst there is that upgrade system for the combat, it does come across clunky.

Final Thoughts

Glitch Hero is a great concept and has an interesting enough storyline to keep you engaged. The execution could be better in terms of how the combat feels and plays out. The puzzles are fun and it can actually serve to teach younger players about coding which is amazing if this interests them. Nothing is ever too much of a challenge and the game is suitable for all ages and abilities of player. If you’re looking for a child friendly game because there isn’t huge amounts of them on console, then this one may be worth a punt.