Steven Universe Unleash the Light

Starting at $24.99Buy now

Get on Steam

Get on itch.io Store

Get on Xbox Games Store

"Steven Universe Unleash the Light" is a turn-based RPG based on the popular animated TV show. Players form a team of Crystal Gems and other characters to fight against enemies and solve puzzles. The game features a new storyline, with unique abilities and customization options for each character. It supports cross-platform play, allowing up to four players to team up in local or online co-op mode.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 440 reviews

story18 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The game features engaging turn-based combat that allows for strategic planning and character synergy, making it enjoyable for fans of RPGs.
It includes beloved characters from the Steven Universe series, with charming interactions and voice acting that adds to the nostalgic experience.
The addition of modes like Rose's Room and Black Hole provides replayability and new challenges, appealing to both casual and dedicated players.

The game is a significant downgrade from its predecessor, Save the Light, lacking open-world exploration and feeling more like a mobile game with limited mechanics.
Many players found the story to be lackluster and the gameplay repetitive, with some mechanics feeling unbalanced and easy to exploit.
Technical issues such as bugs and glitches have been reported, which can disrupt gameplay and diminish the overall experience.

story
62 mentions
29 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally viewed as lackluster and not as engaging as its predecessor, "Save the Light," with many players noting that it lacks depth and coherence, especially for newcomers to the series. While fans of "Steven Universe" may appreciate the nostalgic elements and character interactions, the narrative is often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics, making it feel more like a fun side experience rather than a compelling RPG storyline. Overall, the game offers a decent continuation of the series but may disappoint those seeking a strong narrative.
- “An engaging story with the characters you should know and love from Steven Universe; there's something here for you even if you aren't into the series.”
- “The premise is that this is the first story we have in Era 3, which happens after [spoilers for the show] right at the end of season 5, and before the movie and Steven Universe Future.”
- “The story is funny and the characters are really nice, and also three new characters: Connie & Lion, Bismuth, and Lapis Lazuli!”
- “For me though, the story was lackluster and boring; to sum it up, the only real points that you'd need to know are that there are now two prisms more and you have to deactivate them.”
- “You don't have to be a Steven Universe fan to enjoy this; the game can stand on its own. However, the story doesn't explain itself for people jumping onto the series at this point, nor does it really remind you of previous story beats.”
- “Instead, I got a 'sequel' to the first which lacks some of the story flow from one, the battle mechanics from one but not two, and the upgrade system for items taken from two but in a most obnoxious way.”
gameplay
60 mentions
7 % positive mentions
87 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of innovative mechanics and significant flaws. While some players appreciate the introduction of a positioning system and intuitive JRPG battle mechanics, many criticize the uneven balance of gameplay, repetitive combat, and numerous bugs that can disrupt the experience. The absence of open-world exploration and a more linear structure has also disappointed fans, leading to a perception of the game as a step back from its predecessor.
- “I absolutely love the positioning mechanic; I hope many other JRPGs adopt this style of positioning.”
- “This is a good game with remarkably intuitive JRPG battle mechanics.”
- “It's bright and colorful and has super smooth gameplay.”
- “Mechanics are not well thought out and lead to uneven play. The bosses are boring and can often be beaten on your first turn. Bugs can consistently pop up, and some break the game, like Emethist getting infinite freebies, letting you beat any combat in one turn.”
- “Playing it more and more just shows how many bugs it's got. This time it doesn't have the more flexible gameplay of 'Attack the Light' to fall back on for quality.”
- “Instead, I got a 'sequel' to the first which lacks some of the story flow from one, the battle mechanics from one but not two, the upgrade system for items taken from two but in a most obnoxious way (basically, get ready to repeatedly go in and out of maps to farm), and some really lackluster repetitive battles.”
graphics
12 mentions
33 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are praised for their charmingly simplistic art style, which many consider the best among the three games, showcasing a refined and smooth appearance. However, some users feel that the visuals are lacking in depth, particularly due to the absence of 3D exploration, making the overall experience less enjoyable. Overall, the graphics receive a solid rating, but opinions vary on their impact on gameplay.
- “The game has a very charmingly simplistic art style; I personally believe it's the best of the three games in terms of how refined and smooth it looks.”
- “It definitely has the best graphics and many more features and abilities to choose from, compared to the first and second games.”
- “Cute graphics and easy gameplay!”
- “The visuals are worse too.”
- “Graphics are decent but without the 3D exploration aspect, it's so much less fun.”
music
10 mentions
40 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players praise it as amazing and fitting for fans of "Steven Universe," others find it boring and criticize the lack of variety, particularly in battle themes. Overall, opinions are divided, with some enjoying the soundtrack and others feeling disappointed by its repetitiveness.
- “I'd recommend this to fans of Steven Universe and people who are new to the series as a whole; the music in this game is amazing.”
- “In short: this is a great game, it looks amazing and I like the music.”
- “The music doesn't change in combat unlike the second game, and the status upgrade system forces the player to farm levels, which means enemies can also get stronger (Final Fantasy VIII mechanics, anyone?).”
- “The music was really boring from what I played.”
- “Even the battle music sucks, and I've read it doesn't change like it did in the previous game.”
- “The music doesn't change in combat unlike the second game; the status upgrade system forces the player to farm levels, and enemies can also get stronger, reminiscent of Final Fantasy VIII mechanics.”
stability
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, the stability of the game is generally positive, with only minor visual glitches reported, such as fusions not splitting upon defeat. Players appreciate the simplistic screen-to-screen movement, which seems to reduce the likelihood of more significant physics-related issues seen in previous titles. Most users have not encountered any major bugs, indicating a stable gaming experience.
- “The only issue I encountered with Rose's Room was some visual glitches and the fact that fusions wouldn't split when defeated, but overall these are just minor nitpicks and don't sway me to view this game negatively.”
- “In fact, the simplistic screen-to-screen movement actually helps prevent the physics glitches that plagued Save the Light.”
- “In the end, I'm fine with going back to the simple map exploration because it leaves less room for glitches, and the combat is my focus in how fun these games are anyway!”
grinding
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be typical for achievement hunting, though some aspects, like the Palace of Light, can feel redundant due to high encounter rates and the introduction of more efficient options. Those who enjoy grinding or are comfortable with imbalances in gameplay will likely appreciate the experience, especially with the addition of new characters and mission modes that enhance the challenge. Overall, the game offers a mix of traditional grinding with some engaging updates.
- “As I mentioned, I got all achievements for this game, and mostly it was the usual grinding you'd expect from undertaking a process like this, but one main, glaring issue with the process was the Palace of Light.”
- “I understand this is the endgame location and the idea behind the high encounter rate was likely for grinding purposes (or just general difficulty), but with the inclusion of the black hole mode, it makes the palace feel redundant.”
- “If you like grinding or you're okay with some options being obviously and drastically superior compared to others, you will enjoy this game.”
replayability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its diverse features, including dungeon crawler elements and multiple game modes like the black hole and rose's room, which provide nearly infinite replay value. Players are encouraged to engage with both modes to achieve 100% completion, and the introduction of new, well-balanced characters enhances the overall experience.
- “I believe it was genius to add a dungeon crawler-esque experience into this game; it adds to the replay value quite a lot, especially considering there are achievements tied to both game modes. If you want 100% achievements, you'll have to grind both considerably.”
- “The black hole and Rose's room game modes are a lot of fun and add basically infinite replayability. The new characters are also a ton of fun and surprisingly well balanced, and the story is an amazing side plot to the show.”
- “I believe it was genius to add a dungeon crawler-esque experience into this game; it adds to the replay value quite a lot (especially considering there's achievements tied to both game modes, so if you want 100% achievements, you'll have to grind both considerably).”
- “It has a ton of features and is definitely replayable!”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humor, with players highlighting the funny story and likable characters, including new additions like Connie, Lion, Bismuth, and Lapis Lazuli. Overall, it is recommended for its comedic elements and engaging character interactions.
- “The story is funny and the characters are really nice, including the three new characters: Connie, Lion, Bismuth, and Lapis Lazuli!”
- “Best game and funny game, I recommend!”