Lightracer Spark
- April 12, 2023
- Smartmelon Games
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Lightracer Spark" is a fast-paced futuristic racing game where players compete in high-speed races across neon-lit tracks. Choose from a variety of unique ships and customize their performance and appearance. Utilize boosts, power-ups, and strategic maneuvers to outrace opponents and claim victory in this addictive and immersive experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a compelling and well-written narrative that explores themes of civilization uplift and the fate of the universe.
- The stylized graphics and atmospheric music enhance the overall experience, creating an engaging sci-fi environment.
- There are multiple endings and choices that provide some replayability, allowing players to explore different outcomes based on their decisions.
- The gameplay mechanics are shallow and often feel like a distraction from the core narrative, with basic resource management and combat that lacks depth.
- The writing suffers from typos and awkward translations, which can detract from the immersion and clarity of the story.
- The game is relatively short and may leave players feeling unsatisfied, especially with the recent DLCs lacking the quality of the base game.
- story46 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is a grand space opera centered on an advanced AI influencing lower-tech civilizations, exploring themes of uplift and the fate of the universe. While many players appreciate the narrative's depth and the interactive, choose-your-own-adventure style, some criticize it for being overly simplistic or filled with filler content. Overall, the story is seen as a strong point, despite occasional awkward dialogue and a relatively short main campaign.
“The story is a grand space opera touching on civilization uplift and the ultimate fate of civilization and the universe.”
“Whoever wrote this story is truly visionary.”
“The story in a nutshell is that you are the core part of a highly advanced AI swarm intelligence sent to scour the universe for and uplift new intelligent species to join a grand cause.”
“I could've looked past all of that if the story was strong, but it was not.”
“This was the story they decided to hit you with after a previous chunk of text about some bad guys trying to destroy the universe.”
- gameplay21 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily narrative-driven, with about 90% of the experience resembling a visual novel and only 10% involving interactive mechanics, which many players find shallow and unchallenging. While the game features a variety of mechanics, they are often underdeveloped and can feel disjointed, leading to a lack of engagement for those seeking a more complex challenge. However, the game is praised for its world-building and storytelling, making it an entertaining experience despite its simplistic gameplay.
“Controlling the course of a planet from the shadows is a pretty cool idea; it is greatly executed through world building, beautiful art, and really fun gameplay.”
“Overall a great game, it’s hard to deliver original gameplay that works nowadays, this game is not perfect but it manages to be entertaining and participate in expanding the scopes of video games.”
“And while some of the late game does get kind of click heavy, the mechanics are fairly easy to grasp and the game doesn't rush you to get a hang of things, allowing you to activate major story events at your leisure.”
“On the gameplay front, this game might be lacking for some as most gameplay only exists as a buffer between story beats.”
“It is 90% visual novel and maybe 10% gameplay.”
“The game mechanics are seemingly plenty until you find out that they are just extremely undercooked.”
- music5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with reviewers noting its calming quality and artistic composition that complements the visuals and deep world-building. The absence of voice adds to the immersive experience, making it ideal for relaxation while enjoying the game's atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength of the game.
“If you want to sit back and relax while enjoying a calm soundtrack and deep world building.”
“There is no voice, only music.”
“Pros: nice visuals, neat sci-fi premise, decent soundtrack.”
“The visuals are all very well done, and the soundtrack is a work of art.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for their stylized and appealing design, with many noting the high quality of visuals in the main game. However, the free DLC has been criticized for lacking visual elements, relying instead on text to convey information. Overall, the game's visuals and soundtrack are highlighted as standout features.
“The graphics are stylized and good looking.”
“Pros: nice visuals, neat sci-fi premise, decent soundtrack.”
“The visuals are all very well done, and the soundtrack is a work of art.”
“Now, in the free DLC, it's nothing like that; it's just some text telling you what you did, with no visuals even comparable to the first one.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with many users noting that it significantly enhances the storytelling experience. Reviewers express surprise at the depth and quality of the atmosphere, especially considering the game's budget-friendly price point of under $20.
“Great story and atmosphere.”
“The story and atmosphere... it's honestly much more than you would expect from a game priced at under $20.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
“Despite the potential, the atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion or tension.”
“The game’s atmosphere is inconsistent, often breaking immersion with jarring transitions and poorly designed environments.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a grand space opera narrative that explores profound themes of civilization uplift and the ultimate fate of both civilization and the universe, evoking deep emotional engagement from players.
“The story is a grand space opera that touches on the uplift of civilization and the ultimate fate of both civilization and the universe.”
“The emotional depth of the characters made me feel deeply connected to their struggles and triumphs.”
“I was moved to tears by the poignant moments that highlighted the fragility of life and the bonds we share.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game exhibits a peculiar aversion to replayability, suggesting that players may not find sufficient motivation to revisit it after their initial playthrough.
“The game has a weird hostility towards replayability, making it feel like a one-time experience.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and consequences severely limits the replayability.”
