Sparklite | Xbox One Review

Tighten Up Your Nuts & Bolts

What is it about pixel art that gives one that warm, fuzzy feeling? Is it the retro vibe, or is it the expectation of a title to shift more focus onto core gameplay? As a result, pixel art roguelikes are becoming quite popular, and indie fans are absolutely eating it up. Let’s get ready to dash into Sparklite, the newest entry into the roguelike genre.

What’s Under the Hood

Sparklite is developed with love by console newcomer Red Blue Games, which is a three-man studio based out of Durham, NC. It is produced by Merge Games – the same team that is responsible for titles such as Dead Cells, Moonlighter and my new favorite Valfaris.

You play as Ada, an Airship Captain who has crash-landed. The world is in a state of unrest and rifts are tearing it apart. As a result, the landscape is constantly changing. Helped only by the company of her small robot, she must gather sparklite and protect a sacred crystal from the evil Baron.

Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey

Being a mechanic, Ada’s main attack is a deft swipe from her trusty wrench. Furthermore, her more powerful attack comes from a heavy hammer. The attack animations are crisp, and Ada’s movement is very quick and responsive.

Defeating enemies yields sparklite, which can be redeemed for patches or used to build workshops for the locals. By purchasing patches, you can pick and choose which abilities you’d like to augment. Therefore, if you want more health, you would purchase a heart patch. Likewise, you’d purchase a damage patch to increase your damage output. There are also multiple gadgets that you can recreate from blueprints found throughout the world.

When you fall in battle, you are taken back to the main floating hub. Every time you die, you lose all of the power-ups you earned during the last run. The next time you enter the world, the locations of the furnaces and zones will have moved around the map. I found myself avoiding enemies in an attempt to reach certain areas faster, and would often avoid combat altogether. The world seems empty in certain areas while overcrowded in others. It would have been nice to see another difficulty level implemented.

Always Use Eye Protection

The environments are well thought-out and beautifully rendered in a classic pixel art style. Multiple zones offer a variety of different atmospheres. The animations are very precise and aid in making runs feel quick. The boss design is intelligent, and I had a blast learning each one of their attack patterns. The soundtrack perfectly complements the whimsical and quirky gameplay, and was a joy to listen to.

Some Assembly Required

I thoroughly enjoyed Sparklite, and this was my first entry into a roguelike title. And although I loved the aesthetics and environment, I was rather disappointed by the lack of difficulty options. It would have been nice to see some more variety in the environments, or perhaps a longer more detail-oriented narrative. I finished the game wanting more. While Sparklite isn’t a bad game, I think those familiar with roguelikes will find this title to be a bit short. Newcomers to the genre should find this game welcoming and easy to learn.

This review is based on an Xbox One copy of Sparklite provided by Evolve PR for coverage purposes. It is also available on PS4, Switch, and Windows.