1725: Spark in the Dark demo PC \\ Dark Souls + Diablo + Roguelike = really really hard! And coool
1Trying the October demo for dungeon action RPG "Spark in the Dark" from Steam on PC. Full game release TBA. Demo is also on itch.
My roguelite playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZO3OPzPjIzNsH-GVgM4EfGZErWW-tP_1
0:00 - start
0:16 - settings
2:38 - dungeon
1:01:06 - where 2 rest
1:04:22 - best run
1:24:18 - a cozy bedroom!
Soulslike + Diablolike + Roguelike? New tri-hybrid super-hardcore genre: SDR aka SparkintheDaRklike!
Dark Souls-style combat, a Diablo feel to the dungeon, high camera, and monster placement, & roguelike permadeath & procedural monster, item, & certain dungeon element placement--but I think the main dungeon architecture stays the same from run to run.
It's hard / I'm terrible at it, don't think I managed to clear more than a half-dozen rooms or so before some monst or 2 would KO me.
Might like non-permadeath option, but I suppose that would probably make the game too short. I die in under 10 mins so a demo is all I'd need for a good while. But:
No controller support in the demo! It's mouse to turn, WASD to move, Space to roll forward / jump back, Shift for weird headlong dash, other funcs on QEFRI etc (keys shown on ESC menu during gameplay). Feels a bit much. Steam Store says "Partial Controller Support"--"Xbox Controllers"; but Steam counts my DS4 as an "Xbox controller" (oh possibly it's thinking of my HRAP5 2017 arcade stick in PC mode). & the demo's Library page said "No controller support" & something like "Your Xbox controller is not supported." Devs have said they intend controller support; my body can't hang w/ mouse/keyboard games so here's hoping.
I like the minimal inv management: you only carry one weapon or armor of each type. Pick up a new two-handed weapon, for instance, & the game pops up a comparison between it & your current two-hander: hit one button to keep the old item, or the other button to drop the old one and equip the new one.
Didn't feel much difference between the 3 play choices--they read like Explorer, Nightmare, Middle Option. In a Google-Translated thread from Russian, people called it the difficulty setting.
There are 4 character classes: Warrior, Blacksmith, & uh thief, ranger or so. Only tried Warrior bc I'm simple.
Can rest on a bed, but has to be behind a closed door or else nightmares will prevent healing wounds, updating your journal ('p'), reading found books, etc.
Certain darkness starts to kill you. The small, very nondescript Lamp somewhere near the starting point can save your bacon. I found a fancier lamp further on once. Standing under a wall lamp heals you, as long as you aren't under attack by a monster.
Heavy weapons can knock enemies down. Complaints your character makes in combat, like saying they really want a sword, or they can't pierce the opponent's armor, are hints a different weapon would be MUCH more effective vs that opponent.
Hits can inflict debilitating effects that really pile up; one dose of spider venom can reduce your speed 30%, leaving you at the monsters' mercy. One bad trap snap while facing an enemy can equal curtains, too. Retreat doesn't feel like much of an option but maybe is doable to some degree? Maybe I didn't run far enough, or you need a door you can close? I got easily disoriented in the dim sameness. You get shiny gold coins specifically to use as breadcrumbs and I didn't try that.
Some weapons can do multi-hit combos, but don't be like me and just think you can go non-stop combos, that failed. Gotta know when to hit Space to skip backwards, out of range. Of course there's Soulslike a Stamina meter--rolling, blocking, attacking, etc drains it.
Couldn't find much on dev Stellar Fish; on LinkedIn someone saying they work there identified as Ukrainian. No dev comment in 2 months, some users are worried. A 2-year-old demo video looked very similar.
12/27/23
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