This feature was originally written for TheNintendoVillage.com, a website I founded and ran from 2018 to 2021.

***The world you explore is beautiful to behold.***

Sparklite is a procedurally generated, top-down action adventure that sees you mining the eponymous substance to unlock new weapons and abilities, giving you the tools to take down the game’s formidable bosses.

Playing as the hero Ada, you’re tasked with exploring the colourful world of Geodia in an attempt to thwart the evil Baron’s attempt to mine the planet for all it’s worth. The planet itself is split up into 5 biomes, offering the player a variety of interesting locales to explore.

Captivating Narrative

Given the procedural generation, each run requires you to pay close attention to your map as the world splits each time Ada is defeated - mother nature re-arranging itself to ward off the Baron a little longer. It was a neat narrative twist to explain why the planet keeps changing.

That world building is fleshed out in the whimsical characters and interesting alien terrain too. There’s a sci-fi meets steampunk vibe to the aesthetic, all set off beautifully by some excellent sprite work.

This writer isn’t usually the biggest fan of procedurally generated fare, preferring meticulously crafted level-design over the rouge lite concept. Yet I soon found myself totally absorbed in running around collecting Sparklite in order to kit Ada out with the best gear.

The shiny blue crystals are everywhere. You can break open rocks or hack down fruit from trees (though they didn’t look like they’d be too appealing in a pie or crumble). You were also rewarded with Sparklite after defeating any creatures that cross your path.

The enemies were impressively varied for the small area of the game I got to explore. From sword wielding pigs to weird, armoured armadillo type things (I have no idea what it was to be honest), each foe presented a unique attack pattern that needed to be carefully studied so as not to come a cropper.

***You can upgrade and change-up your loadout back at The Refuge between runs.***

Varying Loadouts

If you do run out of hearts, Ada is deposited back at The Refuge; an airship above Geodia where you can use your harvested Sparklite to kit yourself out. Extra health is available, as is upgrades to your weaponry and ability to collect those crucial blue gems. Players will likely kit Ada out differently depending on what run they’re embarking on down on the planet’s surface. Harvesting Sparklite? You’ll want the ability to generate more of the stuff. Going after a boss and you’ll want to ensure you’re dealing maximum damage.

Besides Ada’s Wrench (which double as a massive hammer if you hold down the attack button) there are also widgets you can utilise. For example, I made good use of the ‘boom balloon’ - a radio controlled explosive blimp - to blow open rocks for more Sparklite.

These widgets are perishable, but you can find shrines during your exploration that give you the ability to craft them back at the Refuge so you’ll no longer be reliant on finding or buying them. The shrines themselves definitely have a Zelda-esque feel, as you’ll have to make use of whatever item it is you’re trying to unlock in order to get to the end. Piloting the Boom Balloon through mazes to hit a switch was a to of fun.

I can imagine that as you make your way through the game upgrading your gear, you’ll soon be laying waste to baddies left right and center. This is only going to get more and more satisfying thanks to the tight controls and smooth combat.

The game is due to launch on 14 November and on this form, it will well be worth checking out.