Sparklite Review (PS4)

The kids who used to sit slouched in front of a CRT display smashing the buttons on the controller of their favorite consoles are now grown-ups, who though have varied responsibilities, did not forget their passion for video games. This is the only explanation I can find, or that I want to accept, why the pixel art games are so popular lately.

The avalanche of indie games inspired by the 16-bit era is in direct contrast with the modern AAA games, making us reminisce about simpler times when having fun was the most important. Sparklite is part of this avalanche of retro titles, trying to continue the legacy of Roguelike games. The game developed Red Blue Games, based on how old are you and what you used to play, will remind you of Moonlighter or the old, 2D Zelda games.

From the first minutes of playing Sparklite it will become obvious that although it is inspired by illustrious forefathers, the game hopes to become popular based on its own merits and original inspiration. The big adventure starts with Ada, an engineer, aboard an airship that is trapped in the middle of the storm, being a helpless victim of the whims of the weather. This opening reflects very well how you will feel about the game as a player faced with the deliberate choice made by the producers to throw you in the thick of it without too many explanations.

Answers will slowly pour in after you land on Geodia, a world fractured by the mindless exploitation of natural resources by the Baron and his Titans. Your ultimate goal is to save the world by putting an end to the activities which destroy the natural balance. Although it all sounds rather simple and straightforward, the way the developers chose to present the story is rather complicated and sometimes hard to follow. Along your journey, you will meet colorful characters and you will embark on varied quests, discovering them and solving them is the most important part of the experience.

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Dialogues tend to be short and the combat although important comes somewhat second to exploring the world. However, Sparklite offers spectacular and extremely difficult boss fights, relies mainly on the challenge of figuring things out. The key element of the game is the Sparklite, the main resource of Geodia. Using it as a currency you will upgrade your equipment and various technologies increasing your chances to survive in the world that beacons you to discover its secrets. Being a Roguelike game you have to get used to the idea that you will die. A lot! But being vanquished in battle or by failing to solve the puzzles is not the end: each time you are bested by the world around you, a giant claw descending from the heavens will save you and carry you to the safety of a floating platform.

You will lose all the equipment you have found in the world, but you will keep all the Sparklite you have gathered. The process is a straightforward one: you will wake up in the med bay, you will invest the resources you have gathered, you will descend in the world, you will explore, you will fight, you will die. Rinse and repeat until you are strong enough to confront the bosses waiting for you. Death is not the end, but a new beginning, after each visit to your hub, Geodia changing – the curse of a procedurally generated world. In total, you will have to free 5 different areas from the grasp of the Titans employed by the main villain, along the way discovering new equipment and technologies to help you on your quest.

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Unfortunately, you can uncover all the game secrets in roughly six to eight hours, and after that, you have nothing left to do and no incentive to start over. As any Roguelike game, Sparklight requires a lot of patience, trial and error is the best method to discover Geodia. The precise control will balance the odds and make the punishing fights more bearable. The control scheme was designed clearly for a controller, the buttons being mapped intuitively. Each fight will be more challenging than the previous one, but the game manages to convey a feeling of satisfaction after each success, no matter how small or big. From solving a puzzle in a hidden cave to besting the final boss, you will feel pride and satisfaction with each successful step you take.

The pace of the game is entirely up to the player: you can choose to explore every nook and cranny, or you can rush on ahead eager to face the Titans. If you choose the former way, you will have to revisit each location multiple times, putting to good use the skills and gadgets you unlock by progressing through the game. By defeating the Titan henchmen you will not only free the robot which saved your life at the beginning of the game, but you will also unlock new vital abilities for him. The developers chose to build the asymmetric cooperative multiplayer part of the game on this feeble cooperation. By connecting a second controller, another player can take control of the robot and help you advance in the world. This cooperation is rather unbalanced since the help provided but the robot is circumstantial at best.

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Visually the game is true to the pixel art trend, presenting us with vivid landscapes and an original world which beacons you to explore it. The character design meets the expectation of the fans of the genre, although a bit more dialogue would have helped make the story meatier. The sound is also on the plus part, completing the experience with cheerful tunes that match the atmosphere created by the graphics. Together with the precise control, all the technical elements take us back to the golden era of Nintendo games, Sparklite fully showcasing the charm which became a trademark of the Gamecube titles.

The Good

The Bad

Conclusion