The Steven Universe mobile game Attack the Light for Android, iOS and Amazon just came out last week, and reviews are as positive as titular character Steven Universe. With good reason: this inexpensive RPG brought me way more entertainment and sincere delight than I thought a simple mobile game could.
Steven Universe is an adorable cartoon about a chubby little boy named Steven Universe, his three space alien caretakers from an immortal gem race known as the Crystal Gems, and his adventures growing up as a half-human, half-Gem child in an Earth shaped by generations of war. Brought to Cartoon Network Studios by former Adventure Time artist Rebecca Sugar, the show remains childlike in its tone by centering its narrative around gentle, good-hearted young Steven. The viewer is exposed bit by bit to the massive lore surrounding the Gems and shares in Steven’s confusions and misunderstandings even as it shares in his delights and triumphs.
A great part of Steven Universe’s appeal is the innocence and whimsy of the show. Everything is seen through an inquisitive and cherished child’s marveling eyes, and everything is accordingly marvelous, its wonders larger than life. Steven Universe: Attack the Light takes great care to remain on-message with the Steven Universe show. The original voice actors for Steven and the Gems all lend their voice talents to the game, and the short prequel cartoon that plays before you start the game could be taken from any episode. Steven tucks the stars he receives from treasure chests in his hamburger backpack, introduced early in the series. An early example of loot is a Cookie Cat which restores health aka harmony, another throwback to one of the very first episodes of Steven Universe.
The game’s mechanics are simple and gesture-based. You tap to get a bonus on your special attack. You tap to defend. You swipe to enter new rooms. You level up your characters periodically. Steven is a source of healing and support, while the Gems lead the way in combat. For $2.99, you get a pretty and adorable dungeon crawler RPG that is more than worthy of taking up your commute time.
I might also point out that Steven Universe: Attack the Light has none of those intrusive and unwelcome in-app purchases as of yet, and here’s hoping that it never does. For a nominal price, the Steven Universe team has produced a winning and addictive little game that I would have honestly paid twice as much for, considering the fun I’m having. Check out the trailer below:
