There are plenty of video games that masquerade as art, attempting to challenge philosophies or interrogate some deeper meaning to existence. Thankfully, this is not one of those games. Glum is an affably titled “first-person booter” full of cartoonish mayhem and violence, currently released in Early Access on Steam. Upon first glance, Glum looks like a fantasy version of Anger Foot, with its art style and cacophonies of bloodying kicks, but after playing it for a few hours, it is far more like Arkane’s classic Dark Messiah of Might and Magic from 2005, a direct influence cited for this game.
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is a fantasy action RPG that used the Source engine of Half-Life 2 fame where you could use swords, cast magic, and shoot bows to defeat evil monsters. All in all, pretty standard when it comes to video games. However, what elevated that game to cult status was the inclusion of a strong kick move. Partially to show off the powerful physics available through Source, kicking was often the most viable method for dispatching foes, whether it was to kick enemies off cliffs, into hazards like spikes, onto burning logs, or anything else a player could use to gain a tactical advantage.
Glum basically takes this singular idea and develops the entire game around this mechanic. Set in a playfully colourful and gory fantasy backdrop, Glum is full of rude humour that seems crass and frankly outdated in 2025, especially reminding of a game like Conker’s Bad Fur Day, but upon further reflection, this is the best tone that the developers could have chosen considering Glum’s over the top mechanics and world.
You play as the titular Glum, a goofy goblin with a magical boot which you use to kick enemies and to traverse the environment. Kicking anything in the world invariably causes a massive physics chain reaction as props, enemies, and structures go haywire from the incredibly powerful energy of kicks. It feels very good to kick things, and the slight delay between each attack really emphasises the force behind each attack. The physics are overtly exaggerated and entertaining, allowing Glum to repeatedly juggle enemies against the wall, kicking them into each other and traps. It is even possible to throw chickens in front of yourself and boot them at a knight with supersonic speed, which is endlessly hilarious.
However, Glum is also quite fragile and always outnumbered by enemies, so there is definitely some thought required as to tactically kicking your way to victory. Learning to juggle enemies and staying stylishly brutal in attacks to keep a Devil May Cry-like points multiplier going requires a great combination of reflexes and thought, more so at least when compared to Anger Foot’s twitchy rage.
There’s more to this game than kicking, shockingly enough. Glum’s kicks are so powerful he is even able to traverse the environment; by kicking off of walls or at special points he can launch himself great distances into the air. Platforming is still quite simplistic but satisfying, and this often interacts with the combat. Jumping and kicking an enemy gives Glum a decent air boost, with which you can spin around and launch a separate attack, or position to a safer location. Glum can also slam the ground with his feet, magically levitating objects and stunned enemies, which allow him to carefully aim and kick them as projectiles at far away threats.
He can also pick up many objects and kick them as if playing kickball, but this always feels clunky no matter how many times it is done. The simple action of pick up, hold kick, throw, then release kick never feels good, and considering how fast the game requires you to react, it isn’t worth it unless trying to keep the points multiplier high.
There is only a single magical boot ability, which allows Glum to aim and fire off his boot like a rocket, with it magically reattaching to his foot, which is incredibly useful. In fact, it is so useful that it renders the other kicking abilities almost pointless. The cooldown is quite short, which means it’s often simpler to fire off the boot at a far away threat, rather than having to stomp or throw something to carefully aim a kick. Nevertheless, since this game is in Early Access, it means this and everything else is still subject to change.
Speaking of Early Access, Glum is currently a very short experience. The tutorial and single level is able to be completed in about an hour, and there isn’t much left to do but challenging trials and hunting down adult magazines as collectibles (yes, there’s that crass humour again). However, the single level still begs to be replayed just because of how fun the moment to moment action is. It is possible to improve each time, learning to kick and dance around enemies more efficiently with every attempt. With more levels and powers, Glum can achieve the same cult status as its inspiration. The core of Glum’s gameplay is solid, and it is exciting to see what will be added in the future. If kicking enemies with the force of a jet engine and causing physics based wanton destruction sounds like fun, this is definitely a title to keep your eyes on.
