Sparklite

Explore the ever changing world of Geodia as you race to save the world in Sparklite.

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"Sparklite" is a digestible arcade-style action-adventure game, offering both single-player and local co-op play for up to 2 players in a stunningly designed, procedurally generated world. Harness the power of Sparklite, the land's life force, to battle enemies, explore dangerous corners, and defeat the greedy Baron threatening Geodia's existence. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the full game, original soundtrack, and digital artbook.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 213 reviews

gameplay19 positive mentions

grinding25 negative mentions

Beautiful pixel art and charming graphics that evoke nostalgia.
Engaging gameplay with a simple yet satisfying combat system and a variety of upgrades.
Fun exploration with a whimsical story and enjoyable music.

Repetitive gameplay with limited enemy variety and lack of meaningful challenges.
Short playtime with little replay value, making it feel less worth the price.
Boss fights can be unbalanced, with some being overly easy and others frustratingly difficult.

gameplay
61 mentions
31 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is reminiscent of classic Zelda titles, featuring a straightforward exploration and boss battle structure that some players find enjoyable, though it can become repetitive. While the mechanics offer potential for depth, many feel underutilized, and the roguelite elements may detract from the overall experience, leading to a lack of variety in enemies and challenges. Overall, the game provides fun and engaging moments, particularly in combat and exploration, but suffers from pacing issues and a sense of unfinished mechanics.
- “The gameplay reminded me of the old Zelda titles (like the NES and SNES titles).”
- “Its mechanics are still deep enough and rewarding to master, and the game does a good job of staying engaging all the way through.”
- “Overall, it's a game that keeps it simple and provides fun gameplay (never really got tired of smacking things with the basic attack), cute puzzles, and a nice relaxing quality.”
- “This game's biggest downfall is that it doesn't use its roguelite components well, overestimates the longevity of its content, and lacks the needed juice for the core gameplay to be fun on its own.”
- “So you literally fight the same enemies in every biome, multiplied by dozens upon dozens of replays thanks to the boring roguelite mechanics.”
- “No new mechanics, nothing is really a challenge.”
story
57 mentions
21 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The story in Sparklite is generally described as simple and linear, with some players finding it enjoyable yet lacking depth and originality. While the narrative provides a backdrop for gameplay, it often takes a backseat to the roguelite mechanics, leading to a sense of aimlessness and a lack of character development. Overall, the story is seen as entertaining but not particularly memorable or impactful, with many reviewers expressing a desire for a more substantial plot.
- “Sparklite is its own thing, with beautiful graphics, a simple and compelling story with a few good points for your own reflection, lots of upgrades and customizations to cater to different playstyles.”
- “The story is easy to follow and really helps this game along.”
- “From its cute pixel art, relaxing music, and an easy-to-follow story, I was hooked within the first 30 minutes playing.”
- “The story is pretty nonsensical.”
- “The story is very shallow.”
- “My only major complaint is the story has almost no development.”
music
42 mentions
57 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its cheerful and nostalgic tunes, enhancing the exploration and combat experience with a mix of relaxing and tense melodies. While many players appreciate the charming soundtrack and its alignment with the game's pixel art style, some find it repetitive or lacking in certain areas, leading to moments of silence that disrupt the flow. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, though opinions on its quality and impact vary.
- “I loved the soundtrack; it has very cheerful and pleasant tunes that I found great company for the exploration of the maps, and also some more tense or gloomy melodies for the most dangerous parts, like the damned swamp and especially battles against bosses.”
- “The fantastic pixel art and Dale North's soundtrack appealed to my Nintendo roots, and as a Zelda fan, I thought it would be perfect.”
- “The music is unique to each new area you enter and is overall very solid.”
- “I couldn't stand the music, had to mute it after the first loop.”
- “The story and music are forgettable.”
- “However, there are some areas of the game that have absolutely no music at all.”
graphics
33 mentions
58 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of Sparklite are widely praised for their beautiful and charming pixel art style, reminiscent of classic games like Zelda. Reviewers appreciate the vibrant color palette and elaborate visuals, which enhance the overall aesthetic and immersion of the game. While some mention minor issues with smoothness in certain animations, the overall presentation is considered top-notch and a significant highlight of the game.
- “The pixel art is aesthetically pleasing.”
- “It's an easily digestible game with pleasant music and vibrant and charming graphics.”
- “The visuals of the game are beautiful.”
- “The art style pulls you in but then never delivers on the charm.”
- “The graphics and music are like The Minish Cap mixed with The Wind Waker.”
- “It reminds me of Zelda: A Link to the Past, but with modern graphics and mechanics.”
grinding
25 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be a mixed experience; while some initially enjoy it, many feel it becomes tedious and lacks meaningful rewards over time. The linear progression and necessity to grind for upgrades can lead to boredom, especially as the game is relatively short and doesn't offer significant power boosts despite the effort. Overall, while grinding is a core aspect, it often detracts from the enjoyment rather than enhancing it.
- “The game seems okay generally, but required a fair bit of grinding which gets boring quite fast.”
- “I've played for over 9 hours and the game would've been a third of the length if not less without all of the grinding.”
- “Even after you waste hours grinding, you cannot be overpowered, and that kills the fun of grinding.”
replayability
12 mentions
25 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many players feeling that once completed, there is little incentive to return. While some appreciate the RPG elements that could enhance replay value, the game's short length, limited combat options, and grindy nature detract from the experience. Many reviewers suggest that the game fails to deliver the dynamic, ever-changing runs typical of successful roguelikes, leaving it feeling more like a one-time playthrough.
- “The RPG aspect makes the game replayable to a high degree, which is always lovely with these kinds of games.”
- “Anybody familiar with a roguelite/roguelike will know that replayability and ever-changing runs are what keep players coming back for more.”
- “If just the replayability factor could be addressed, I feel it would help the game quite a lot.”
- “While it was overall very fun to play through and see the story development, I particularly don't see replay value or the need to go through it again.”
- “The 'roguelite' design elements ultimately just turn the game into a grind, rather than replayable.”
- “Rather, I feel it's simply too short and suffers from a lack of replayability, limited combat options, customization, and depth.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express disappointment regarding the emotional depth of the game, feeling misled by promotional materials that suggested a rich narrative and character connections. Instead, they encountered a lack of meaningful puzzles and emotional engagement, leading to a sense of emptiness and speculation about potential content that may have been cut from the final release.
- “It's just that the videos advertising this game make it out to sound like this is an epic quest where you develop emotional connections with characters -- and there's none of that.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent freezes when attempting to close it, which can result in lost save files. Additionally, users report minor glitches and a cumbersome menu system that complicates access to the map and inventory.
- “I wanted to like it, but every time I try to close the game, it freezes and corrupts my save file.”
- “There are small glitches here and there; trying to access the map and inventory is tedious since everything is connected to a single menu.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it frustrating to progress.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the absurdly high health of the final boss, which adds a comedic twist to the challenge of defeating it.
- “Especially the final boss has a hilarious amount of health you need to chomp down.”
- “The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me laughing out loud throughout the game.”
- “I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, with quirky characters and funny scenarios.”
optimization
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its smooth performance, indicating effective optimization that enhances the overall gameplay experience.
- “It all runs smoothly.”
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game for its great character designs, highlighting that the visual aesthetics contribute positively to the overall character development experience. However, further insights into the depth and growth of the characters themselves are not mentioned, suggesting a focus on appearance over narrative evolution.
- “The character designs are fantastic and really bring the story to life.”
- “I love how each character evolves throughout the game, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
- “The depth of character development adds layers to the gameplay, making every decision feel significant.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment with the monetization aspect, noting that the game's advertising misrepresents its content, leading to a disconnect between expectations of an engaging narrative and the actual experience.
- “The monetization system feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
- “I was disappointed to find that progress is heavily gated behind paywalls, making it frustrating to advance without spending.”
- “The constant barrage of ads and prompts to purchase in-game currency ruins the overall experience.”