Gylt was a game that had been off my radar for a long time. I only found out about its existence close to its release and shortly after I started playing it, I discovered that the game was a re-release and that it had originally been released for Stadia. And the reason for this search? How had I not heard of this game before?
On the bright side, I had a very satisfying experience because I didn't know much about the game's context. But then, after finishing the game, was it worth all the time spent? Well, that's what we're going to discuss, but first, let's get down to business...
What is the game about?
Well, at its core, Gylt is basically a survival horror, but with a cute look that makes it more accessible. But in terms of gameplay, it's very similar to some horror games, where most of the time it's best to avoid confrontation with threatening enemies.
In the game, the protagonist finds herself searching for her missing cousin, but some boys start chasing her, the classic "bullys". In the midst of this chase, she ends up on a cable car that would take her away from the boys who were harassing her, but she ends up in a version of her city that has been completely destroyed.
In this sense, the game even resembles Silent Hill, doesn't it? And in the middle of the city, the protagonist sees her missing cousin and obviously goes after her. However, as nothing can be simple in these survival horror games, some scary creatures appear.
How to deal with them?
The protagonist is a child, so she can't face enemies in hand-to-hand combat, so the best way to deal with them is to avoid contact. 99% of the time, the game is stealth, and you have to hide behind objects on the ground to avoid being caught by enemies. And in this sense, the scenery helps you a lot.
But it's also possible to take on enemies, either in a stealthy way or in open combat, which is not very recommended. Defeating enemies by stealth is quite simple and, in a way, commonplace. You simply have to get behind the enemies without them noticing you, and press X to deliver the final blow.
As for more direct combat, we have to use some of the most important elements in the game: weapons. Actually, I say weapons, but they're more like tools, and there are two available: a flashlight and a fire extinguisher. The flashlight is the most important item in the game, because not only is it the only way to defeat the enemies, but it's also the only way to solve many of the puzzles found in the game.
When it comes to combat, the flashlight is the only way to really defeat the enemies, as the fire extinguisher can only freeze them. With the flashlight, you can create beams of light and direct them directly at the enemies' weak points, defeating them by eliminating all their weak points. You can also use them to draw the enemies' attention and use an ability that temporarily blinds them.
The best thing is to avoid fighting
But as I said, it's not very advisable to do this because the flashlight has a battery, which wears out easily, and although there are plenty of batteries in the scenes to recharge it, there are just as many enemies. And it's not so simple to defeat the enemies, as it takes a considerable amount of time and you can only attack one enemy at a time, but as I said, you can blind the enemies to hide. The sneak attack, on the other hand, defeats the enemy in one go, but uses up a considerable amount of battery.
Sneaking past enemies is the most recommended way, and the game also has some gameplay aspects in this regard, such as the level of "identification" of enemies that appears in the form of an arrow above them. The arrow starts out big and white, but as the enemy begins to see you, it gets smaller and turns yellow, and when it finds you, it turns red.
The game also leaves a sort of shadow on the last position the enemy saw, a position the enemy will naturally follow. And with him following that position, we can move on to a different position and advance through the scenario avoiding a conflict.
But if you're hardcore and want to face all the enemies, it's good to be clear that there is some variety, and only two types of enemies can be defeated, while others are basically immortal, so all you have to do is avoid them. If you're looking for combat, at least you'll find it in the boss battles, but the game is very stealth-oriented.
Is the game pretty?
Talking to a friend about the game, he said that the only negative point of the game would be its low budget, because it's clear that Tequila Works has made an effort to make a good game with a limited budget. The settings are well modeled, the characters too, but it's all very rough and with low-resolution textures, which breaks the "atmosphere" a little.
Despite being well modeled, you always get the feeling that everything is too simple, both in the settings and in the enemies. A little more development time and a little more budget to polish the game would have made all the difference, in my opinion. But then there's the fact that the game was exclusive to Stadia, the best of them, but still didn't have the financial incentive it needed to be better.
Was it worth it?
After at least six hours of play, the experience was very satisfying. Despite being a simple game, both in terms of gameplay and story, the game is a lot of fun and made all the time spent playing it worthwhile. The story, although simple, has some interesting layers that make you think, especially in relation to the protagonist and her attitudes.
And you can understand the game, because it's only available in Portuguese. I believe this is yet another legacy of the late Stadia. It's a game that lasts exactly as long as it needs to, with a simple story that makes you reflect on some of life's issues.
See also:
The Sims 4: Taking the Reins - Review
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