PC Spotlight #24: Glare

Title: Glare
Developer: Phobic Studios
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Price: $14.99
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Wield the power of light to fight and platform your way across infested worlds in the action platformer Glare.

In Glare, you control a being composed entirely of light and armed with a projectile-firing Gauntlet and the illuminating Glare. An alien race threatens the universe and you must cleanse their corrupting presence from five varied worlds. Glare is equal parts action shooter and acrobatic platformer. Fluid controls allow you to wall-jump, slide, bounce, and zip-line over hazards and gaps and throughout your journey, you'll be attacked by a variety of enemies, from hordes of piranha like creatures to energy-firing stalks. The light of your Glare is your greatest ally, able to keep enemies at bay, reflect bullets, and activate special technology to help you along your path.

Perhaps Glare's greatest aspects are its art style and environments. Varied, colorful, atmospheric, you'll be traversing the branches of a rain-soaked canopy, braving a sandstorm, and more. The game sports a distinctive perspective, in that you move around the curvature of each world and continue to descend deeper into the interior of the planets in an attempt to reach their corrupted cores.

I did find Glare on the short side, around four or five hours, which may some may consider too short for the current price. Also besides finding well-hidden amulets, there isn't much replay value; I don't consider that a flaw since the worlds are interesting to explore and the game continues to build on its mechanics. You can purchase Glare from the developer's site or Steam.