Sparklite Reviews
Sparklite has all the ingredients required for a great game but fails to brew them into something memorable.
It’s easy to pick up and play, and just as hard to put back down.
For fans of the Rogue-like genre, Sparklite is a cute, easy-to-learn title. If you’re looking for a single-player adventure and you don’t mind spending some time grinding in order to upgrade your character, then this is a great title for you.
Sparklite is a good example of how creativity and sharp game design can elevate a genre even if you thought you'd seen everything it has to offer.
Sparklite is a fantastic rogue-lite adventure title that provides a nostalgia hit for 2D Zelda fans without feeling like a bad copy. The game's rich world fuses mechanics and story without it feeling obnoxious, and the cast of characters are lovable and well-rounded, with each one standing out from the crowd. By the end, players will be begging for more, even if the final road is a little bumpy with some awkward difficulty spikes. Geodia is a world no one wants to leave by the end, but it's one that's enjoyable to return to again and again.
"The whole affair felt either rushed or like a product borne from a lack of experience."
All in all, Sparklite is a pretty fun game. It's vibrant and cute and as a fan of pixel art, I admit that I may be a little biased. However, thanks to its rogue-lite elements, you can play in short spurts or sit down for a few hours at a time which is a real plus in my books.
Sparklite is an indie roguelite that offers great progression mechanics to a much-loved genre. It has flaws, but fans need not worry.
Sparklite does an exemplary job of taking what works from the 2D Zelda genre but putting their own unique look and feel to the design. Where it falters is that the maps and dungeons that are a joy to explore in the Legend of Zelda have been replaced with dull and monotonous procedural generation. The discovery of new items and the different ways you can defeat enemies are enough to recommend Sparklite to those who are fans of the genre, the lack of meaningful exploration unfortunately prevents it from becoming a must-play title.
Sparklite is a safe, stock-standard rogue-lite RPG that attempts to mimic The Legend of Zelda, but never manages to emulate it. An otherwise brief journey that requires some samey exploration to prepare for late-game hurdles leaves this adventure feeling a little stale.
Though levels are procedurally generated, Sparklite succeeds in building a cohesive world that feels as though it has been carefully designed, making it a great entry point for those apprehensive about this trait of roguelikes.
Sparklite is an impressive outing from mobile developer Red Blue Games. It’s visuals and core mechanics harken back to classic action-adventure titles. At the same time, cleverly designed and well defined systems provide for something fresh and exciting.
Sparklite's difficulty is more frustrating than enjoyable to conquer. The struggle draws out the time to beat it and makes anything entertaining feel like a slog.
Sparklite is overflowing with charm, and it is an absolute delight to explore the constantly shifting land of Geodia. While shallow gameplay, a lack of narrative complexity, and a few frustratingly random boss battles hold it back from "must-play" status, there's definitely something here for old-school Zelda and rogue-lite fans alike.
The randomization is a blessing and a curse. Early on, the ever-changing world map allows for a real sense of discovery as you relearn where everything is, but it doesn’t take long before you begin to recognize how empty and featureless areas tend to be as a result.
Charming and quirky, with a great soundtrack, Sparklite will hit gamers who grew up with 8-bit and 16-bit games with a giant shot of nostalgia.
One indie gem that I thoroughly enjoyed was 2018's Moonlighter. Sparklite is the "outdoor" version of that game, but doesn't succeed as well as it. This is a 2D Zelda roguelike that implements so much for its own good that it turned out a bit underwhelming in the end. The pixel graphics hit the spot, the music is soothing and evokes previous eras of gaming, and the controls are responsive. There's so much here, however, that no one particular element feels exceptional to another or as a whole, leaving many features of Sparklite feeling like they can be ignored. Red Blue Games is talented and sparked something good, but one should take the "lite" for its word.
From the cog-shaped screen transitions to the endearing melodies, Sparklite is a delightfully well-crafted rogue-lite indie game with charming 2D pixel art and meaningful progression.
It’s okay. It’s fine. Its art is beautiful and its music wondrous, but somehow it’s missing its own magic. So if you have nothing going on, and it seems your jam, give it a go. It’s totally fine. Personally, I need something a bit more than okay these days.