Lynked: Banner of the Spark, developed by FuzzyBot and published by Dreamhaven, is a refreshing hybrid of roguelite action and life simulation that brings an endearing twist to a genre often saturated with grim tones and procedural fatigue. Set in a distant future where nature has been ravaged by a robotic force, the game centers on a world in recovery, brought to life through colorful visuals, quirky characters, and a tone that never takes itself too seriously. What sets it apart immediately is the “rogue-life” approach we mentioned – a blend of procedurally generated action stages and community-building downtime. On PlayStation 5, the game is both visually sharp and smooth to play, helped by its 60fps performance and low loading times that make each run feel seamless.
At the heart of Lynked is a satisfying gameplay loop that alternates between intense hack-and-slash missions and relaxed town-building segments. Players wield a unique grappling weapon called the Wyre alongside ten weapon classes, each with dozens of variants. Combat is fast and flashy, especially when playing co-op with friends or accompanied by Unibot allies, who add their own fighting styles and combo moves to the fray. The mid-mission upgrades are randomized and add a lot of strategic flavor to each run, ensuring that things stay fresh even after repeated playthroughs. While the combat is accessible, there’s surprising depth thanks to the various permanent upgrades and weapon synergies that players can explore between missions.
Outside of battle, the game shifts gears as players work with the Unibots to develop a thriving village. Here, players can fish, farm, catch critters, and build out the community with various buildings and amenities. These aren’t just cosmetic features either – everything contributes in some way to the upgrades you bring into your next run. The balance between the action and life sim sides of the game is well maintained, making the downtime genuinely rewarding rather than a distraction. It’s especially engaging in multiplayer, where up to five players can contribute to the town’s progress and share in its rewards. This cooperative angle is one of the game’s strongest assets and helps it stand out in the crowded roguelike and life sim markets.
Visually, Lynked adopts a bold and stylized look, with exaggerated character designs and clean, saturated environments. The presentation is bright, welcoming, and distinctively cheerful. The game’s UI is polished, and the animations are punchy and expressive, particularly during combat. The audio design complements the visuals nicely, with upbeat background tracks and charming effects that give the world personality without overwhelming the senses. Together, these elements create an atmosphere that’s playful but never shallow, ideal for a game that invites repeat visits.
Still, the launch version of Lynked isn’t without rough edges. There’s the occasional visual glitch, like pixelation in character models, and a lack of preview functionality in customization screens is a missed opportunity. Fortunately, these issues seem fixable through patches, and none of them fundamentally break the core gameplay loop, which remains fun and addictive.
Lynked: Banner of the Spark succeeds by fusing high-energy combat with heartfelt, community-driven downtime. It’s a game that rewards both action junkies and laid-back builders, offering a wide enough range of activities and progression systems to appeal to a broad audience. While it still needs a bit of post-launch polish to iron out technical issues, the underlying design is strong, and the creative fusion of genres feels both confident and original. It’s not just another roguelite – it’s a game with real charm and staying power, and one well worth linking up with on PlayStation 5.
Score: 8.1/10
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