Hello all! Welcome back to Play It By Ear, a weekly column where every Friday I discuss my thoughts on a different video game’s soundtrack.
You can see the list of upcoming games and their corresponding playlists here. I will try to focus on lesser-known games or games whose soundtracks I feel can be a bit overlooked, but some of the bigger games may sneak their way in.
Today’s Game: Glover
Release Date: November 16, 1998
Platform: Nintendo 64, Windows, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Developer: Interactive Studios
Composers: Rob Lord, Paul Weir, Mark Bandola
Other Works by Same Composers: Discworld OST (1995) (Rob Lord & Mark Bandola), Discworld Noir OST (1999) (Paul Weir), Chicken Run game OST (2000) (Rob Lord), Warrior Kings OST (2002) (Paul Weir), Slipstream film soundtrack (2005) (Rob Lord), Lego City Undercover OST (2013), Troop Zero film soundtrack (2019) (Rob Lord)
Availability: YouTube
Number of Songs: 36
Approximate Total Time: 2 hours 18 minutes
Played the Game? No.
What Kind of Game Is This? Glover is a rather unique 3D platformer originally created for the Nintendo 64 and PC. The game follows Glover, a sentient glove who serves as an assistant to a powerful wizard until one of the sorcerer’s spells backfires, turning himself to stone and sending the six crystals that preserve his kingdom flying. In order to protect them, Glover turns the crystals into rubber balls that then inadvertently bounce through portals to six different worlds. As the kingdom begins to decay, Glover must travel to these worlds to retrieve the crystals, opposed along the way by fellow sentient glove Cross-Stitch.
As the plot would imply, the game consists of six worlds each containing three levels, a boss, and a bonus level. In each level you control Glover as he guides a ball through obstacles and enemies. He is able to make use of multiple abilities both with the ball (bouncing, slapping, throwing, and walking atop it) and without it (cartwheeling, slamming the ground, etc.). He can also transform the ball between four main forms – a rubber ball, a crystal ball, a ball bearing, and a bowling ball – each with advantages and disadvantages.
Top Songs or Songs of Note (in Track Order):
Prehistoric Realm Lobby Level One
There isn’t a whole lot to this one, but the melody is quite catchy (if somewhat repetitive). The drums and other percussion do make it a bit more interesting, though.
Pirates Realm Boss
This one just feels so fun with the variety of instruments providing a surprising number of layers and combining to create a theme that seems undeniably pirate-y but also jazzy at the same time.
Overworld with Five Crystals
This track is so relaxing and nostalgic, but like the other versions of the overworld theme it retains a melancholic strain that gives it some surprising depth.
Out of This World Realm Level Three
A very groovy synth melody that is anchored by strong bass and drums.
Fortress of Fear Realm Lobby Level One
This one has such an ominous, somewhat creepy feel to it, what with the organ, plucked strings, choir, and low register. It subtly reminds me of a favorite N64 track of mine, ‘Creepy Castle’ from Donkey Kong 64. There’s also a bit of a desert-y air to this track, although I don’t know if this is actually a desert level.
Atlantis Realm Level Three
Like ‘Overworld with Five Crystals’, this is a very calming track. Despite that, it has a very catchy melody and is quite layered.
Honorable Mentions: Prehistoric Realm Level Two, Pirates Realm Level Two, Pirates Realm Level Three, Out of This World Realm Boss, Fortress of Fear Realm Level Two, Fortress of Fear Realm Boss, Carnival Realm Level Three, Atlantis Realm Lobby Level One
Overall Thoughts: As with Descent II, this was an OST I had to listen to a couple of times before I really began to appreciate it. It is a bit rough around the edges at times and definitely has flaws. Some of the themes – particularly some of the early level themes – feel like they are missing something, a stronger melody or arrangement that could have served to make them more memorable. There are quite a few sound effects that are incorporated into the tracks that can occasionally become grating (the seagull noises in the Pirate Realms tracks, for example). On top of that, these tracks sound very Nintendo 64, something that I know can be a bit of an acquired taste.
Even so, there is a lot that I found to love here. There is a nice level of breezy whimsy and fun throughout, reminding me a bit of the other N64 game I’ve covered so far, Chameleon Twist 2. At the same time, there is a slight melancholic undercurrent that rises to the surface from time to time – in the Overworld theme in particular – that adds some needed depth to the OST. It’s all very charming, and the use of the sound effects (when done sparingly) only adds to that nostalgic charm. Even though I never played this game, just listening to this soundtrack brought me right back to all the fun times I had playing my Nintendo 64 as a kid. Because of this and the OST’s general consistency, the positives definitely outweighed the negatives for me on this one. I’m very happy to have given this one a listen!
Bonus Prompts:
- Do you agree or disagree with my assessment of the soundtrack?
- Are there any tracks, that I mentioned or didn’t mention, that you would like to further discuss?
- What game soundtracks have you been listening to recently? What’s been grabbing your attention?
- Are there any game soundtracks that you would like me to cover in the future?
And there we have it! Thanks so much for reading and listening to this soundtrack with me.
Last Week: Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Next Week: Chicory: A Colorful Tale