Sparklite

Put simply, Sparklite is best enjoyed as a single player experience, and to that end, it excels.

Those who enjoy gradually powering up while conquering procedurally generated Zelda-style dungeons will have a blast with Sparklite.

Though levels are procedurally generated, Sparklite succeeds in building a cohesive world that feels as though it has been carefully designed, making it a great entry point for those apprehensive about this trait of roguelikes.

What makes Sparklite noteworthy isn’t so much its gameplay ideas, which will certainly be familiar to fans of the genre. Rather, it does an admirable job of putting an engaging pick-up-and-play spin on a simple formula of roguelike elements fused with classic sensibilities, and becomes something greater than the sum of its parts. It isn’t incredibly lengthy, but each moment feels like progress made toward a larger goal, with plenty of inherent replayability baked right in; a top-tier soundtrack and pixel art presentation are just icing on what’s already a tasty RPG cake.

Sparkle might look a little bit Zelda-ish, but it’s actually a roguelike with no big surprises. If you enjoy the genre, you’ll have a good time with it.

Inspired by classic Zelda games Sparklite’s strengths are its motivating character development as well as the hunt for loot, while the co-op-mode leaves a lot to be desired.

Sparklite is probably best suited for younger players and those looking for a delightful (if somewhat insubstantial) romp through a gorgeous world. It probably won’t be something I look back fondly on in a few years, but it’s entertaining and whimsical enough to be worth a purchase.

Whenever you die, you are returned to the Refuge and the world resets, with the order and position of the ‘rooms’ changing. But while death means you lose any consumables you may have picked up on your adventures, you keep any Sparklite you’ve collected, taking the sting out of what could otherwise be a frustrating mechanic. And while it’s not in the realm of soulslike difficulty, there’s enough challenge for this game to feel rewarding and make you want to keep playing. [Issue#170, p.92]

Sparklite is an appealing rouge-like action adventure that can entertain you for a few hours. If it wasn’t a bit short and if the developers gave it more development time, it could have become a AAA title and a main player in its genre.

All in all, Sparklite is a nicely built game, if you scale your expectations to an indie title and you do not expect the bells and whistles of AAA game. There are flaws though, especially when it comes to the story. The narrative part occasionally feels neglected, Sparklite relying mainly on the thrill of exploration. Also even though it is fun, the game is rather short and offers no replayability, thus having a hard time justifying its price.

Sparklite is a fun title that is born from a wealth of classic influences. However, it may test the patience of players in the latter half of the game due to it's procedurally generated world and crazy difficulty spikes that force you to grind as much as possible just to give yourself the smallest of advantages.

Sparklite is, for the most part, successful at being an accessible, enjoyable roguelite. It falters in terms of pacing and, whilst the tale can sometimes feel brisk, the final area really forces you to hunker down for the last challenge. It's a fun ride that stalls towards the end but there's a good sense of progression as slice and save towards the big upgrades.

Sparklite is a pretty fun game. It’s vibrant and cute and as a fan of pixel art, I admit that I may be a little biased. However, thanks to its rogue-lite elements, you can play in short spurts or sit down for a few hours at a time which is a real plus in my books.

For fans of the Rogue-like genre, Sparklite is a cute, easy-to-learn title. If you’re looking for a single-player adventure and you don’t mind spending some time grinding in order to upgrade your character, then this is a great title for you. The controls are smooth and sleek, its characters intriguing, and its boss battles ingeniously challenging. The fun soundtrack is also worth a mention, channelling classic adventure games of the 90s. Just don’t expect much from the co-op elements of the game, and you’ll have a good time.

There's much to love about Sparklite, and it's clearly been a passion project for the small development team, but my overall experience was a frustrating one. It's hamstrung by its half-formed and unnecessarily repetitive roguelite structure that undermines the positives of the aesthetic and challenging boss fights. A good roguelite gets better and more complex with repetition, but Sparklite just increasingly overstays its welcome.