The thrill is gone. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle brought demented genius to tactics by reimagining the possibilities of tile-based movement, simplifying hit accuracy (making battles more dangerous than expected), and flipping the morbid tone of XCOM on its head. This sequel drains Mario + Rabbids of its irony. Sparks of Hope offers more characters, fights, powers, and overworld exploration, but all these extras create a more plodding experience with predictable outcomes.
Sparks of Hope is adequate. Exploiting the unique advantages of Mario, Rabbid Mario, newcomer Slash, and the rest of the cast remains an engaging, albeit easier, proposition. It's better if you find your back against a wall, as when one scenario whittled my party down to Luigi, which forced me to carefully snipe at three enemies for numerous turns until I was the last thing standing.
But such moments are unlikely due to the addition of Sparks. Sparks resemble the Summons creatures from the Final Fantasy series, only they make combat much more lopsided in your favor, even if you crank up the difficulty setting. In addition to giving your party members passive stat bonuses, Sparks can be called upon during battle and enhance your already formidable list of abilities. Absurdly, each character can equip two Sparks. Unless you're new to turn-based tactics, there's no reason why you shouldn't dominate the competition with this overwhelming amount of game-breaking possibilities.
It doesn't help that Sparks of Hope lacks enemy variety despite ratcheting up the number of encounters to a gluttonous degree. The level-gaining potential is so high that you'll rarely be unprepared or caught off-guard.
The biggest disappointment in Sparks of Hope lies in its bullshit promise of increased spatial freedom. The game claims to take away the tiles that characterize tactical games, but the tiles are merely invisible now. Why pretend that limited spacing for character positioning doesn't exist? It's one of the most idiotic gameplay features ever conceived.
Similarly, the introduction of real-time factors, like ticking bombs and wind gusts, don't actually translate Sparks of Hope into a more dynamic game. Ubisoft could have gone wild with this concept. Foes waiting their turn could have unpredictably come alive for all-out brawls. Party members could have been synchronized for innovative combos. Environmental factors could have transformed areas into meat-grinding lessons of attrition and resilience. Instead, everything can be measured and foreseen. Sparks of Hope is just another proponent of ego-stroking modern design, where players sleepwalk through their uneventful gaming lives.
Sparks of Hope is adequate. Exploiting the unique advantages of Mario, Rabbid Mario, newcomer Slash, and the rest of the cast remains an engaging, albeit easier, proposition. It's better if you find your back against a wall, as when one scenario whittled my party down to Luigi, which forced me to carefully snipe at three enemies for numerous turns until I was the last thing standing.
But such moments are unlikely due to the addition of Sparks. Sparks resemble the Summons creatures from the Final Fantasy series, only they make combat much more lopsided in your favor, even if you crank up the difficulty setting. In addition to giving your party members passive stat bonuses, Sparks can be called upon during battle and enhance your already formidable list of abilities. Absurdly, each character can equip two Sparks. Unless you're new to turn-based tactics, there's no reason why you shouldn't dominate the competition with this overwhelming amount of game-breaking possibilities.
It doesn't help that Sparks of Hope lacks enemy variety despite ratcheting up the number of encounters to a gluttonous degree. The level-gaining potential is so high that you'll rarely be unprepared or caught off-guard.
The biggest disappointment in Sparks of Hope lies in its bullshit promise of increased spatial freedom. The game claims to take away the tiles that characterize tactical games, but the tiles are merely invisible now. Why pretend that limited spacing for character positioning doesn't exist? It's one of the most idiotic gameplay features ever conceived.
Similarly, the introduction of real-time factors, like ticking bombs and wind gusts, don't actually translate Sparks of Hope into a more dynamic game. Ubisoft could have gone wild with this concept. Foes waiting their turn could have unpredictably come alive for all-out brawls. Party members could have been synchronized for innovative combos. Environmental factors could have transformed areas into meat-grinding lessons of attrition and resilience. Instead, everything can be measured and foreseen. Sparks of Hope is just another proponent of ego-stroking modern design, where players sleepwalk through their uneventful gaming lives.
Ephemeris
6 months ago