Phantom Spark Review (Sony Tark II)
An amazing game that is essentially an anti-grav Trackmania, but it does its atmosphere so well that Trackmania feels sterile in comparison, while also having gameplay that’s just as good. The game creates an incredible environment and is such a well-knit, cohesive package that becomes very addicting.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is amazing and creates this light, airy, laidback feel that almost goes for a heavenly aesthetic. The game is set around stone structures up in the clouds and each area has a unique variation of it. It also has an atmospheric DnB soundtrack that matches the setting so well and perfectly complements the racing with its fast tempo as you focus on beating your previous time. The sound design in the menus and the quick restart is also equally satisfying.
Each area also has a champion to match as you go through and beat their times. They’ll make comments as you play and each has a different perspective on racing. They don’t have a ton of depth but it fits the atmosphere and really helps add character to the world.
Gameplay
The entirety of the racing is also very satisfying as you do everything you can to maximize your momentum and use the entire width of the track while being just inches from scraping the wall. This is especially compounded when you’re near your top speed and have to squeeze through some narrow high-speed sections. The whole experience is just a thrill.
The one downside of the game is that it’s a little short on content but does manage to be very addicting and incredibly easy to stack up time as you chase down gold and platinum medals or even times above that on the leaderboard.
Overall
It’s honestly a crime how little attention this game has received. It nails its atmosphere better than the vast majority of racers and it has addicting gameplay as well. This is a very good addition to both the Time Trial and Anti-Grav subgenres and is definitely a hidden gem.