Glover

Glover seems like a product lost in time. The late 90s were almost certainly the only era in which a 3D platformer starring a sentient glove and a rubber ball could be greenlit. But on the other hand, modern understanding of game, level, and engine design would be required to make the concept enjoyable. As such, the 1998 release’s realistic physics, terrible hit detection, nauseating camera, and abundance of bottomless pits render it barely playable. There are tons of clever mechanics that take advantage of the ball-glove partnership – dribbling, rolling over water, giving the ball multiple forms, etc. – but nearly all of them are underutilized and/or uncontrollable. It’s an undeniably charming game, with quirky audio and an expressive protagonist, but that only carries it so far.