{"id":161895,"date":"2019-09-13T00:00:09","date_gmt":"2019-09-12T16:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.geek.com\/featured\/-1803742\/"},"modified":"2019-09-13T00:00:09","modified_gmt":"2019-09-12T16:00:09","slug":"hands-on-sparklite-is-a-fun-zelda-inspired-roguelike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/test\/wordpress\/2019\/09\/13\/hands-on-sparklite-is-a-fun-zelda-inspired-roguelike\/","title":{"rendered":"Hands-On: \u2018Sparklite\u2019 Is a Fun Zelda-Inspired Roguelike"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you\u2019ve read my work here on Geek.com<\/a> or seen some of my tweets then you\u2019ll know I\u2019m not exactly a fan of roguelikes. I made this abundantly clear in my review of Rad<\/em><\/a>. As I said in that write-up, though I don\u2019t care for the genre, I\u2019m always willing to try out new games to see if one clicks with me. I\u2019m here to tell you that I have found this mythical roguelike with Sparklite<\/em><\/a>. This title is the very definition of a surprise and one which I hope sets a new precedent for roguelikes.<\/p>\n

Though a roguelike at its core, Sparklite<\/em> takes strong inspiration from The Legend of Zelda<\/em> series. Specifically, games like A Link to the Past<\/em>, The Minish Cap<\/em>, and Link\u2019s Awakening<\/em><\/a>. Its top-down camera angle, screen transitions, map design, and pixel art hearken back to those class<\/a>ic Zelda<\/em> titles. Of course, the big difference here is that Sparklite<\/em> features randomly-generated maps and its own take on permadeath. These disperate elements serve to create a unique and satisfying experience.<\/p>\n

Sparklite<\/em> stars a protagonist named Ada, who uses tools and gadgets to explore her strange world. Persistent earthquakes cause the land\u2019s geography to constantly shift. This plot element is a genius way to explain the randomly-generated maps. Though the land changes, the one constant in this world is the sparklite element. With this, citizens power their floating cities and machinery. However, dangerous monsters, both great and small, stalk the land in search of the very sparklite Ada seeks.<\/p>\n

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Core combat consists of melee attacks. In the demo I played, Ada used a sword to dispatch foes with a series of quick slashes. What spices up combat is the ability to dash. Some of the foes I faced, particularly the bosses, forced me to keep a steady finger over the dash button in case I had to make a quick escape. Considering how you\u2019re thrown back into the main hub when you lose health, you\u2019ll want to use dash to avoid any and all attacks if possible.<\/p>\n

Permadeath is a key feature of roguelikes. While Sparklite<\/em> has a form of permadeath, it isn\u2019t as punishing as it is in other titles. When enemies render Ada unconscious, she returns to the game\u2019s hub world. You lose all progress with regard to missions. For example, if you found a quest item, you will lose it upon death and need to retrieve it again. What makes permadeath tolerable is that Ada remains as your main character and she gets to keep any and all collected sparklite. This is important since it prevents players from feeling frustrated over losing their progress upon death.<\/p>\n

The other key element that makes Sparklite<\/em> digestible is the ability to upgrade. During my demo, I farmed to get 100 sparklite in order to upgrade my sword\u2019s attack. I died several times in the attempt but I rested assured knowing I\u2019d always leave with some sparklite on every run. My persistence paid off when I eventually had enough sparklite to procure the desired upgrade. This encouraged me to brave the wilds instead of giving up in frustration.<\/p>\n

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The randomly-generated maps I explored contained the same basic elements in different configurations. What I found interesting is how some maps seemed nearly identical to each other while others were wildly different. Since the land always changes, it is easy to lose one\u2019s way. Thankfully, the in-game map always displays your objectives. This is a great feature that prevents players from wasting time wandering around looking for things to do.<\/p>\n

During my travels, I ran into a number of NPCs that gave me side quests. These quests are also randomly generated. For example, during one run, I found a boy seeking his lost sister. He tasked me with giving her half of a medallion. I died during the middle of the quest, thereby canceling it. On another run, I found the sister who gave me her half of the medallion. During this instance, I managed to find her brother and complete the quest. This approach to quests (like most of Sparklite<\/em>) keeps subsequent runs feeling fresh.<\/p>\n

Along with weapons and health, you can upgrade your home base and turn it into a functioning society. After completing quests for NPCs, they\u2019ll join your base and set up a workshop where you can purchase upgrades and equipment. This incentivizes players to scour each of the different maps looking for these useful characters. I didn\u2019t get a full taste of this base building-ish aspect, but I can see myself becoming obsessed with finding every NPC I can. After all, every upgrade helps you survive the harsh world and shops are the only way to make that happen.<\/p>\n

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The big highlight for me was the one boss battle I experienced. Taking place within a dark dungeon, I battled a giant mechanical foe whose main weapon was a ball and chain. Dodging the oncoming ball proved challenging but I managed to do so by studying the boss\u2019 movements. The biggest challenge came when the ball began to suck in air. The trick to avoiding the powerful vacuum was to run instead of pressing dash. I didn\u2019t get to defeat the boss, though I came close. The battle proved exhilarating and I can\u2019t wait to see how inventive the other boss battles get.<\/p>\n

Sparklite<\/em> is pure eye candy. Its bright, vibrant graphics recall the glory days of the 16-bit eras. Animations are buttery smooth and it\u2019s easy to read enemy movements. Despite the random nature of maps, each has a life of its own. I mostly played within a forest, but the game also has other environments to explore. Even in an industry overflowing with \u201cpixel art\u201d games, Sparklite<\/em> stands out with its distinctive and inviting graphics.<\/p>\n