Sparklite

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 430 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Sparklite Game Cover
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.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 430 reviews
gameplay38 positive mentions
grinding50 negative mentions
  • Beautiful pixel art and charming graphics that evoke nostalgia.
  • Engaging gameplay with a mix of exploration, combat, and upgrades that cater to different playstyles.
  • Fun and simple mechanics that are easy to pick up, making it accessible for new players.
  • Short playtime with limited replay value, making it feel less worth the full price.
  • Boss difficulty scaling is unbalanced, with some bosses being overly easy while the final boss is frustratingly difficult.
  • Procedurally generated maps lack variety, leading to repetitive gameplay and a sense of aimlessness.
  • gameplay122 mentions

    The gameplay is reminiscent of classic Zelda titles, featuring a straightforward exploration and boss-defeating structure that some players find enjoyable despite its repetitiveness. While the mechanics offer potential, many feel underutilized, and the roguelite elements can detract from the overall experience, leading to a lack of diversity 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 is, in my opinion, quite fun!”
    • “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.”
  • story114 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 back seat 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.”
  • music84 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players praising its cheerful and nostalgic tunes that enhance exploration and combat. However, some users found the music repetitive or tiring, and noted instances of complete silence in certain areas, which detracted from the experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a charming complement to the game's pixel art and gameplay, though opinions on its quality 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 levels, art, combat, music, progression, and characters are beautifully crafted and an absolute joy to play.”
    • “The fantastic pixel art and Dale North soundtrack appealed to my Nintendo roots, and as a Zelda fan, I thought it would be perfect.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics66 mentions

    The graphics of Sparklite are widely praised for their beautiful and vibrant pixel art style, reminiscent of classic games like Zelda. Reviewers appreciate the charming aesthetics, elaborate visuals, and cohesive color palette that enhance the overall experience, making it visually appealing and enjoyable. 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 graphics are stunning, music is very fun, controls feel good, attacks are satisfying and there is plenty of charming content to discover.”
    • “It's a top-down pixel art style, similar to video games like Zelda and Moonlighter, and they used a very nice color palette that makes everything fit very well; from the environments and objects, to the characters and the interface.”
    • “The artwork and sound are very well done and the overall presentation is top notch.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding50 mentions

    Grinding in the game is a mixed experience; while some players find it initially enjoyable, many feel it becomes tedious and lacks meaningful rewards over time. The linear progression and necessity to grind for upgrades can lead to boredom, with some players reporting that the game could be significantly shorter without the grinding. 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.”
  • replayability24 mentions

    Overall, the game lacks significant replayability, with many players noting its short length and limited content after the initial playthrough. While some appreciate the RPG elements that could enhance replay value, the game's design often feels more like a grind than a rewarding experience. Many reviewers express disappointment that it does not meet the expectations typically associated with roguelike or roguelite games, ultimately suggesting that improvements in replayability could greatly enhance its value.

    • “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.”
    • “Or maybe it wants to be a roguelite with an increasing difficulty curve, replayability, and a sense of progression through perseverance and skill.”
    • “The game is short without much replay value after beating it; you'd have to just go in a few runs to get the rest of the achievements, but that's really it. There isn't any extra ending or extra things to do.”
    • “The 'roguelite' design elements ultimately just turn the game into a grind, rather than being replayable.”
    • “Rather, I feel it's simply too short and suffers from a lack of replayability, limited combat options, customization, and depth.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players express disappointment in the emotional aspect of the game, feeling misled by promotional materials that suggested deep character connections and an epic quest. Instead, they found the gameplay lacking in meaningful interactions 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.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent freezes that can corrupt save files and minor glitches that complicate navigation through the map and inventory. Users express frustration with the overall reliability, indicating that these problems detract from the gaming experience.

    • “Wanted to like it, but every time I go to close the game, it freezes and kills my save file.”
    • “Small glitches here and there; trying to access the map and inventory is tedious, being all connected to a single menu.”
    • “Small glitches here and there; trying to access the map and inventory is tedious, being all connected to a single menu.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the absurdly high health of the final boss, which players find amusing and adds a lighthearted touch to the challenge.

    • “Especially the final boss has a hilarious amount of health you need to chomp down.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game is praised for its excellent optimization, with users consistently noting that it runs smoothly without any performance issues.

    • “It all runs smoothly.”
  • character development2 mentions

    The reviews highlight that the game features impressive character designs, contributing positively to the overall character development experience. However, there is no further elaboration on the depth or progression of the characters themselves.

  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for misleading advertising, as it promises an epic quest and emotional character connections that are not present in the actual gameplay. Players feel that the promotional content does not accurately reflect their experience, leading to disappointment.

    • “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 prompts to purchase in-game currency detract from the overall experience and make it feel more like a cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

81% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
10-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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