Sparklite Reviews
A roguelike, very beautiful, very funny, very easy to play but difficult to master and with mechanics that mix the pleasant playable flavor of the great classics with the most current formulas
Review in Spanish | Read full review
One indie gem that I thoroughly enjoyed was 2018's Moonlighter. Sparklite is the "outdoor" version of that game, but doesn't succeed as well as it. This is a 2D Zelda roguelike that implements so much for its own good that it turned out a bit underwhelming in the end. The pixel graphics hit the spot, the music is soothing and evokes previous eras of gaming, and the controls are responsive. There's so much here, however, that no one particular element feels exceptional to another or as a whole, leaving many features of Sparklite feeling like they can be ignored. Red Blue Games is talented and sparked something good, but one should take the "lite" for its word.
Sparklite is a beautiful game that will attract same players who love games like Moonlighter. It's repetitive as you explore ever changing worlds, unlock new skills and push further into unknown.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Sparklite does an exemplary job of taking what works from the 2D Zelda genre but putting their own unique look and feel to the design. Where it falters is that the maps and dungeons that are a joy to explore in the Legend of Zelda have been replaced with dull and monotonous procedural generation. The discovery of new items and the different ways you can defeat enemies are enough to recommend Sparklite to those who are fans of the genre, the lack of meaningful exploration unfortunately prevents it from becoming a must-play title.
Even once I finished it I was still wishing there was more to do and that should be endorsement enough.
Sparklite is one of those games that can take you an hour or a year to complete! If you are a fan of the top-down action games of old, then you’re going to especially love this game! The joy of it as I said in my intro, is that it is clearly inspired by but not a gimmicky copy of the classic Zelda games.
Sparklite is overflowing with charm, and it is an absolute delight to explore the constantly shifting land of Geodia. While shallow gameplay, a lack of narrative complexity, and a few frustratingly random boss battles hold it back from "must-play" status, there's definitely something here for old-school Zelda and rogue-lite fans alike.
It’s okay. It’s fine. Its art is beautiful and its music wondrous, but somehow it’s missing its own magic. So if you have nothing going on, and it seems your jam, give it a go. It’s totally fine. Personally, I need something a bit more than okay these days.
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.
In the end Sparklite feels like a game that could have been great, but ended up just being good.
All in all, 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.
Sparklite is a wonderful adventure that may be a bit short for those who have played lots of roguelikes before, but has wonderfully unique mechanics that make it well worth trying out.
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.
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 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.
Review in Persian | Read full review
The randomization is a blessing and a curse. Early on, the ever-changing world map allows for a real sense of discovery as you relearn where everything is, but it doesn’t take long before you begin to recognize how empty and featureless areas tend to be as a result.
Sparklite is a fun and visually beautiful game, but it lacks content. I'm sure they'll add to it in the long run, so I'm left with the good things about the title, a very solid playable base and a game that's a pleasure to play. And it's fun, which is what matters.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sparklite is a fun little game lifting inspiration from games like The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past and Rogue Legacy. It’s not a particularly hard game unless you’re not strong enough for something just yet. After a while, you’ll have seen most of the screens the game can generate in the world, and then the world will start to become a bit less interesting and repetitive. I’ve had a fun time with Sparklite anyway, though. It is an interesting spin on Zelda-esque gameplay. I say Zelda-eque, because this is not really a Zelda clone. It just borrows a few core design ideas from that series rather than trying to be that series. It basically melds some bits of the classic Zelda formula with a bit of rogue-like and other elements. I’ve spent nearly 20 hours in Geodia at this point, and have mostly completed the game (minus a few side quest things and achievements). Sparklite is available on Steam for $24.99, or you can get the Deluxe Edition for a little more if you want the soundtrack and digital art book. You can also get Sparklite on Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. This review is based on the PC version. Can you overcome the obstacles ahead and save Geodia from the greedy baron?
"The whole affair felt either rushed or like a product borne from a lack of experience."