Phantom Spark Review (PlayStation 5)

by Jim Smale · August 20, 2024

Phantom Spark Review, Dive into the captivating high-speed world of Phantom Spark. Engage in precision time-trial racing to beat the champions in the single-player campaign, challenge your friends in split-screen local multiplayer, or make your mark on the global online leaderboards.

Phantom Spark Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
3.93GB download size.
Platinum trophy.
User interface size scale option.
Racing gameplay.
Simple controls using just accelerate, and break along with steering.
Handy restart button.
Camera stiffness option (smooth/balanced/stiff).
Local multiplayer game mode.
Opening tutorial race.
You play as a spark in a vessel and harness energy from the decaying world to help propel you forward.
Great animations where your vessel transforms effortlessly between airborne and ground-based movement.
Fast loading times.
A fantastic-looking world.
The world is split into domains with each domain having an owner or big boss.
All racing is timed and you get ghosts to play alongside.
It has the appearance of a Wipeout game but the replayability of the tracks that you get from a Trackmania.
You can replay levels and it’s highly recommended.
Full replay option at the end of an event.
The game is all about going through the domains and building links by completing the events in a timely fashion.
Replaying an event lets you add a Challenger to your run and they are in ghost form.
Full feedback on progress both in race and out of race.
You earn Spark points from beating challengers and leveling it up unlocks new vessel designs and new domains.
It’s a game where you keep trying to get better each time.
Online leaderboards for each event in domains.
Every track has an initial flyover to show you the layout.
You can see and feel yourself getting better each run.
Lightning-fast restart race button.
There are three link-building strengths and this determines what events and domains open to you.
I like how the first time you go on a new path/event you get to do it alone with no stress.
It has such a strong sense of satisfaction when you pull off a great run.
You have an energy bar and it goes down with wall contact, eventually, you blow up.
It’s a unique offering.
Very addictive with ridiculously high replay value.
Aside from the pathways you can unlock special trial events which are special one-on-one events.
You can select to play against any player’s ghost data from the leaderboards.
You do not need PlayStation Plus to use the player ghost challengers.

Phantom Spark Review Cons:

You cannot remap the controls.
No voice work for the many characters.
Takes a little bit of getting used to.
No sensitivity sliders.
The difficulty is best described as imagine playing Wipeout at a fast speed (not quite piranha) and you can’t hit any walls.
It’s not a game for everyone.

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