"Sparc" is a Science Fiction inspired sport game that can be played in both single-player and multi-player modes. Experience real-time competition through fast-paced, physical gameplay in VR. Customize your avatar, track stats, and spectate matches in Courtside, a social area for VR users. Compete in cross-platform ranks, and challenge friends or online contenders in quick matches.
Sparc offers a unique and engaging VR sports experience that combines elements of dodgeball and racquetball, providing a fun and physically demanding gameplay.
The game features a friendly and helpful community, making it easy for new players to learn and improve their skills through interaction and support.
The cross-platform play allows for a larger player base, ensuring that matches can be found easily, enhancing the multiplayer experience.
The game has been abandoned by the developers, leading to concerns about its long-term viability and lack of updates or new content.
Players often experience long wait times to find matches, and the absence of AI opponents limits gameplay options when online players are scarce.
The throwing mechanics can feel inconsistent, leading to frustration during matches, especially for new players trying to master the controls.
gameplay
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
60%
5%
The gameplay of the game is generally praised for its smooth controls, polished mechanics, and engaging multiplayer experience, reminiscent of sports like squash and dodgeball. However, players express frustration over the lack of solo modes, one-sided matches due to skill disparities, and limitations in gameplay options, which detracts from its overall replayability. While the game offers a fun and immersive experience, especially in VR, some users find the mechanics challenging to master and the gameplay uncomfortable on certain platforms.
“The controls are smooth, and the gameplay is great.”
“The gameplay feels very smooth and addicting.”
“Clever mechanics and buttery smooth physics/tracking make this the most seamless and immersive game I've played on VR.”
“Matches are completely one-sided because a few players have figured out the very weird game mechanics.”
“Currently, the gameplay is limited to two types of play on multiplayer and a set of challenges you can do on your own.”
“My PC is well above the minimum specs, and can run every other VR game perfectly fine, but in this game, I get a lag spike every time I try to do any kind of rapid movement, which is kind of key to the gameplay.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
11%
17%
Overall, the graphics in the game are generally praised for being good to great, with many users highlighting the immersive and polished visuals that enhance the VR experience. However, some players noted the absence of customizable graphics settings and described the graphics as basic in certain contexts. Despite these criticisms, the visuals are considered suitable for a VR esports game, contributing to an enjoyable gameplay experience.
“It is a superb VR experience with great visuals.”
“I highly recommend this game for wicked-good graphics, kickass avatar customization, and a good, ongoing challenge.”
“This game is very polished, great graphics, mechanics & gameplay.”
“The most basic form of graphics.”
“So, I cannot recommend this game in its current state; maybe in the future if they fix this or add an option to turn down the graphic settings.”
“However, the lack of settings in the menu doesn't allow any customization in terms of graphics at all.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players express a desire for background music during gameplay, suggesting that a soundtrack could enhance the experience and reduce the distraction of ambient sounds, such as heavy breathing from other players. Many reviewers recommend incorporating music that aligns with the game's pace, similar to the gameplay trailer. Overall, the consensus is that a well-integrated soundtrack would significantly improve the game's atmosphere.
“What this needs is a great soundtrack, maybe one that can follow the speed of the game.”
“I really would like to see some background music in-game.”
“Just think about adding the gameplay trailer music as background.”
“Other than that, I'd really like to see some background music in-game.”
“You end up just listening to other people breathing heavily sometimes, and it might be nice to have the option for some background music at a low volume.”
“My only complaint is I wish there was music during the match, and the PS VR players would switch to push-to-talk so you don't hear them breathing so much.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game shines through in social interactions, particularly when playing with friends, as players enjoy lighthearted banter and funny avatar antics in the lobby. While the small player base limits random matchmaking, the camaraderie and shared laughter enhance the overall experience, making it reminiscent of VRChat. Players appreciate the comedic moments that arise during gameplay, contributing to a fun and engaging atmosphere.
“The experience is like VRChat in the way that you meet new people from around the world and just talk about whatever while making your avatar do funny stuff in the lobby.”
“I really enjoy the part where after you play a game, you’re in the lobby just bullshitting and laughing.”
“Just be careful to not smash your steering wheel or any other things... I had to remap my sensors to avoid that after I punched my wheel and my wife was laughing at my kung fu moves. Big thumbs up to the dev!”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The story aspect of the game is described as fairly simple and not particularly diverse, making it less appealing for players seeking intricate narratives. However, it is well-suited for those who enjoy sports-themed experiences and physical gameplay, suggesting that the focus is more on the activity than on a complex storyline.
“It's fairly simple in its design, so if you like long and diverse games which play out with storylines, then this may not be for you.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Overall, the game is well-optimized, delivering smooth performance and impressive graphics, with users reporting minimal bugs. While some players have experienced connection issues and initial performance problems in online mode, many have not encountered any significant issues.
“The game runs smoothly, and although some people have reported connection issues, I have not experienced a single one.”
“Sparc is a pretty, futuristic-looking game with nice audio, good graphics, and excellent performance.”
“Well optimized; no bugs so far.”
“I experienced terrible performance when I first played this game online, while offline it worked fine.”
“The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Even on high-end hardware, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, which is frustrating.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some users report a smooth experience, particularly when accessed through the Oculus store, others encounter significant issues such as server crashes, long connection times, and network glitches, suggesting it may still feel like a beta version for many players.
“I noticed no glitches or issues other than a control issue, which was major for me.”
“Lots of fun, but runs poorly in Steam VR. If you get it, purchase through the Oculus Store; it runs great.”
“Polished multiplayer game but still suffers from server crashes, long server connection times (and timeouts), and network glitches that you'd find in a beta version.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Players highlight the game's high replayability, noting its engaging mechanics and immersive experience, making it worth the investment even at full price.
“I've thought quite a bit about this game... the mechanics, the physics, and the overall replayability.”
“I bought it on sale, but it's worth the 20 euros because of the high replayability.”
“Very cool, very immersive, very replayable.”
“The mechanics and physics of the game are intriguing, but the overall replayability leaves much to be desired.”
“After playing through the game, I found that the replayability factor is quite low, making it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
“While the game has some interesting elements, I don't see myself returning to it due to its lack of replayability.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is highly immersive, making players feel as though they are fully engaged in the experience rather than simply playing a VR game. Reviewers consistently praise it as "awesome," highlighting its ability to captivate and transport players.
“The atmosphere is awesome.”
“The atmosphere will have you forgetting that you're in a VR game at all.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Players appreciate the game's monetization model, highlighting the absence of microtransactions for playermodel customization, which allows for detailed personalization without additional costs. This approach contrasts favorably with other developers who often implement paywalls for cosmetic items.
“The player model customization is really nice and detailed, and there's no microtransactions to look cool.”
“While other developers are trying to nickel and dime you with microtransactions, CCP has given you an array of options to customize your avatar without asking you to open a loot box or pay $0.99 for any 'custom' gear.”
“The monetization model feels exploitative, with constant prompts to spend money on in-game items that should be earnable through gameplay.”
“It's frustrating that the game locks essential features behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy without spending extra cash.”
“The reliance on microtransactions detracts from the overall experience, as it feels like the game is designed more to extract money than to provide fun.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a desire for a more emotionally engaging gameplay experience, suggesting that implementing penalties for inaction, such as holding or not touching the ball for too long, could enhance the emotional stakes and encourage more dynamic interactions.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game features a character designer that allows players to create and customize their own characters, enhancing the personal connection and investment in character development.
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to shape their protagonist's personality and backstory.”
“I love how the choices I make influence my character's growth and relationships with others in the game.”
“The ability to customize not just appearance but also skills and traits makes the character development feel personal and engaging.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
“I was disappointed by the limited choices in character growth and customization.”
“The characters don't evolve in a way that feels impactful or engaging.”