For the uninitiated, Steven Universe is a quirky show about a chubby little boy who lives with 3 aliens while helping them fight other aliens and having comical misadventures. It sounds like a really weird show, and it is, but it definitely works. I love it, and I've watched every episode several times (not addicted, but pleasantly compelled).
The game, Attack The Light, is a turn based RPG companion to the series, where you play as the aliens he lives with (the "Crystal Gems"). It costs $0.99, and it's worth every penny.
Let me start out by confirming that it's a must have if you're a diehard fan. Unless you absolutely loathe RPGs, this is definitely worth checking out. It has the style and humor of the show, and it even has a fairly nice (albeit light) storyline. It's good for a fan who wants to obsess over these characters as much as they can.
If you aren't a fan, you can skip all the story and get right to the game, which is a nice feature. And it's a really fun turn based RPG, as well. It has 3 characters who develop different actions, all drawing from a team based pool of energy points per round. These attacks have various perks, such as area of damage, stun effect, armor shedding, burning, etc. It makes for a strategic experience that can involve multiple rounds of planning.
If you save up enough energy, you can punch even harder! [2]
There is functionality to grind, and I had to do a bit of that before I progressed through the game. It was not necessarily required, especially given that the attacks have a skill based component that lets you land a second blow, as well as a tap based defense system that helps avoid most damage. Those factors mean that you can advance through the game without grinding if you're good with your fingers, or you can grind away and not worry too much about the skill side of things.
The loot system is nice, and pretty straightforward. The gems don't recharge health between encounters, but Steven himself is a healer, so it's not super critical. And you can use health items in between fights. There are also items to boost energy, boost attack, and even level up immediately. There are also equippable badges for each gem that give sustained bonuses, such as immunity to poison or chance for instant knockout.
Pictured: Steven being adorable [3]
The biggest negative of the game is that some of the secrets are poorly labelled or presented (such as having to buy a certain item in an area to satisfy the 100% explored requirement) and replaying levels can get tedious when scripted encounters are involved because they run through the dialogue every time, whether it's your first time or hundredth time completing it. I also would have liked warning about the level 30 cap.
However, those problems pale in comparison to the fun and whimsy of the game. It's very delightful to play, it has nice pacing, and while I thought it was a little short, it was definitely worth the dollar and I'd pay another for an extra campaign if it ever came out. It's really a great way to spend 10 hours or so and I highly recommend it for any fans of the show or fans of RPGs. If you hate both those things, then I don't know why you're reading this ryview. Seriously.
Until next time,
Ryan
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