Sparklite Review (Xbox One X)
Welcome Ada, a mechanic from the world of Geodia. A world that is reliant on the blue glowing ore called Sparklite. Think of it as a clean green version of coal, with even more versatility. Problem is with resources like this there is always someone who wants it all to themselves. Enter the self proclaimed Baron, an evil man with evil intentions. Backed up by many an evil henchman, the Baron wants all the Sparklite for his war effort. Come on Ada, it is up to you to stop him.
Another 8-Bit Rogue-like?
Um, well, yes it is. Sparklite has a nice way of explaining the procedurally generated rogue-like world though. Due to the Barons disruption of the worlds Sparklite, Geodia periodically repairs and recreates itself in the hope of stopping the Barons mining efforts. Thus giving Ada an unlimited amount of areas to explore in her mission to also stop the Baron. This results in one of those ‘just one more run’ gaming experiences we all find ourselves having, usually at 2am on a work night…
Is There a Link to Zelda?
You can’t help but get a Zelda feel from the the look of Sparklite but it is far from a sprawling role playing experience. Sparklite is a loot gathering affair that has you gathering Sparklite and blueprints to upgrade and enhance your equipment. In turn this equipment allows you to venture further into the world of Geodia to collect more loot to upgrade and enhance your equipment. Your overall goal. To stop the Baron getting to the Sparklite core of Geodia.
Dying Ain’t Much of a Living.
Dying is inevitable, after all Sparklite is a Rogue-like. Thankfully your base of operations is anchored in the sky above you and always ready to haul your corpse back up for revival. Every time this happens any consumables you have on you will fall out of your pockets but Sparklite and blueprints are saved. Someone needs to invent zips for your pockets, that’s for sure. Once revived you can spend your Sparklite and upgrade areas of your base to aid in the defeat of the Baron.
Closing Comments.
As is the way with many Indie titles these days, visuals have taken a back seat to gameplay in Sparklite. And who can blame Red Blue Games for that. Making games is big business and the little guys have to compete with some big players with deep pockets. Going with the 8-bit look is much better than aiming high and failing in the graphics department. I’d imagine it makes working across multiple platforms much easier too.
Anyway, Sparklite is a nice little Rogue-like with some Zelda-esque icing. Doing a few runs into the world of Geodia is an excellent way to fill in time when you don’t have hours up you sleeve to game with. It’s not all that original but is well executed, easy to pick up, and deep enough to last a while. Why not give it a crack.
