Steven Universe: Attack the Light was a mobile party game with great characters and a solid story. It’s not perfect, but it had its moments and a lot of fans liked it.
Save the Light builds on the idea of a mobile RPG and adds in some new mechanics. It’s not perfect, but it still has its moments and is a fun adventure with lovable crystal gems.
Gameplay
Attack the Light is a simplified role-playing game that takes place in five color-themed worlds. Players use the touchscreen to navigate their characters through each level. They can then interact with chests, mechanisms, and hidden areas to obtain items that can be used in battle or opened up in other areas.
The gameplay is based on classic turn-based strategy RPGs, with a Mario RPG-sy flair. The Crystal Gems, including half-human charge/bestie/party-starter Steven, work together to fight through dungeons filled with enemies created by the prism.
Despite the game’s simplicity, it remains challenging in all the right ways. There are more and more enemies to beat as you level up your character, and each new power comes with a new mechanic to learn and master.
Graphics
In this Steven Universe game, kids use all four characters to battle enemies, collect items (loot!) and solve simple puzzles. During the turn-based combat, players swipe to activate attacks.
In many ways, Attack the Light – Steven Universe echoes Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario in its gameplay. Timed hits, badges and other elements are designed to make it feel more like a satirical RPG than a standard adventure game.
Throughout the levels, the Crystal Gems (Pearl, Amethyst and Garnet) fight their way through five color-themed lands. They level up as they fight and gather powerups.
Story
In Attack the Light, Steven Universe – a little boy who lives in a world where his mother inherited a powerful gem weapon – teams up with his Crystal Gems (his surrogate mothers, who were also warriors like Steven’s mom) to restore seven creatures who escaped from a light prism back to their own homeworld.
The game is a turn-based RPG, which means kids take turns swiping and tapping the screen to fight enemies, utilizing swipe mechanics inspired by Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario. Tapping the screen in response to visual cues lets players land a timed hit, but this can often be slow and tedious.
Attack the Light has a lot of positive qualities, including a fun story with cute characters. Even if you’re not a fan of the show, it’s worth a look if you enjoy games that are easy to play yet challenge you in interesting ways.
Ease of Use
Despite some clunky animation and a few untimely delays, Attack the Light is an entertaining experience for kids and adults alike. It takes a cue from popular RPGs like Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario by offering the best of both worlds: turn-based combat and light puzzle-solving elements in the right order.
There are plenty of other gimmicks, but the standout is the fact that Steven and his fellow Crystal Gems take to the screen in a swashbuckling fashion that makes you feel like you’re actually on an epic adventure with these beloved characters. Seeing Pearl, Amethyst, Garnet, and their kin navigate the game’s five levels is a thrill that’ll keep you coming back for more. With a little practice, you’ll have no trouble taking on the hordes of cartoonish monsters and saving the day in the process.
Value
For fans of the Cartoon Network show Steven Universe, Attack the Light is an absolute must-play. It’s a well-developed, streamlined role-playing adventure that captures the essence of its source material and its characters.
Compared to other games in the genre, Attack the Light offers a lot of value for your money. For $2.99, you get a game that doesn’t have in-app purchases and has enough length to keep you coming back for more. It’s also quite easy to pick up and play, with a quick menu screen that takes you to a new level each time.
What really sets Attack the Light apart is its personality, and it owes much of this to its voice cast, which includes the same actors from the show. Pearl’s reassuring nature, Amethyst’s goofy enthusiasm, and Garnet’s mysterious glare all come across clearly, and you can hear Steven encouraging them to keep moving.