Hyper Light Drifter

 PC
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 403 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 315 out of 403
  2. Mixed: 54 out of 403
  3. Negative: 34 out of 403

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  1. senzog
    Mar 31, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Hyper Review Firster.

    Worth every cent and then some. Soundtrack by the guy who did Fez's. Art from your pastel-filtered techno-nightmares. Animation smoother than energybutter.    … Expand
  2. oscarteg
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    I have been waiting for the game for about 2 years. It was definitely worth it! The music, the graphics, the ambiance. Everything is just perfect. It's difficulty is not to hard but challenging. 10/10
  3. theponcho
    Apr 5, 2016
    10
    It is difficult but it's not frustrating at all, at least for me. Yeah, you might die a lot, but it has no cost at all, you re-spawn with all you had, close by, to try again. Kind of like Hotline Miami, just not that fast, and easier. I found myself hoping some final bosses were harder, since you can make a lot of mistakes and yet kill them.

    What people doesn't seem to understand is you    It is difficult but it's not frustrating at all, at least for me. Yeah, you might die a lot, but it has no cost at all, you re-spawn with all you had, close by, to try again. Kind of like Hotline Miami, just not that fast, and easier. I found myself hoping some final bosses were harder, since you can make a lot of mistakes and yet kill them.

    What people doesn't seem to understand is you can postpone the bosses for later in the game, when you have all the upgrades. There is no need at all to fight the bosses early in the game, when you are weak.

    All and all, nearly perfect game, tight controls, awesome art and music. Totally recommended.    … Expand
  4. Synt0xx
    Apr 5, 2016
    10
    his game is ART.
    It delivers so much more content and gameplay and love to the detail
    and than all AAA titles (except The Witcher 3) and it's story still gets me puzzled. The story is great visualized and it only answers a few questions whats actually up. You really need to dig for hints and still you are wondering, what happened to the world of Hyper Light drifter. really impressive!    his game is ART.
    It delivers so much more content and gameplay and love to the detail
    and than all AAA titles (except The Witcher 3) and it's story still gets me puzzled.
    The story is great visualized and it only answers a few
    questions whats actually up. You really need to dig for hints and still you are wondering, what happened to the world of Hyper Light drifter. really impressive!

    The gameplay is all about timing. if you try to buttonmash stuff, you will be wrecked in the next seconds. I really love this dashing skill, you can combine it so smooth with slashes and rip the enemies in pieces.

    It is so satisfying, when you slay a boss flawless.

    The Pixelart style is really hitting my sweet spot. I love this grunged, vast and beautiful colored sets. Really mysterious dungeons. Zelda Fans will love this.

    i just can recommend this game to skilled people. this game will frustrate you, if you aren't into harder games.

    but you will really enjoy the punishment. -promised

    Art style & graphics: 10/10
    gameplay: 9/10

    the menu is kinda weird when you try to swap guns... -1 for that

    ca. 20-30h playtime, when you want to find all secrets    … Expand
  5. Piata
    Apr 5, 2016
    10
    This game is mind blowingly good. It's a nice mix of Zelda and Metroid, only harder. The combat is tough but precise and every area seems feels like a puzzle you have to solve with guns and sword play.
  6. BBQnaoplox111
    Jul 2, 2016
    10
    Literally a perfect game . Sucks its not 60 fps though. But combat is the bomb. Art is fantastic. The only problem is i only got 29 hours out of it... sarcasm.... its hard to find a flaw beside the fps being stuck at 33
  7. audioandy
    Apr 3, 2016
    10
    Hyper Light Drifter is awesome! Super loving it.

    If you like Zelda, Dark Souls or Diablo buy this game! The combat is really satisfying and responsive, the world is beautiful to look at and the game doesn't hold your hand. It's incredibly frustrating to me to see reviewers complain about the difficulty of this game. I want more games like this, not less... People screaming left and    Hyper Light Drifter is awesome! Super loving it.

    If you like Zelda, Dark Souls or Diablo buy this game! The combat is really satisfying and responsive, the world is beautiful to look at and the game doesn't hold your hand. It's incredibly frustrating to me to see reviewers complain about the difficulty of this game. I want more games like this, not less...

    People screaming left and right about the North boss and I beat it on my fourth try (it was super satisfying mind you).

    I think people just forget how hard games used to be. This is extremely forgiving considering you get a checkpoint in every single room. Die? No big deal, you lost about 30 seconds of progress.

    People are just babies. These reviewers need to go play Disney's Magical Quest if they wanna talk about hard ****    … Expand
  8. JFilhol
    Apr 4, 2016
    9
    Hyper Light Drifter is an excellent video game by Heart Machine. A few of its influences are clear from the get-go, such as the top down Zelda games, and having played through it, even recent games such as Bloodborne came to mind. That said it is still its own thing, with its own strong identity. This is helped by the brilliant art direction and pixel art animation, which is hard to fault.Hyper Light Drifter is an excellent video game by Heart Machine. A few of its influences are clear from the get-go, such as the top down Zelda games, and having played through it, even recent games such as Bloodborne came to mind. That said it is still its own thing, with its own strong identity. This is helped by the brilliant art direction and pixel art animation, which is hard to fault. Disasterpeace’s soundtrack is moody, atmospheric and just plain gorgeous. The goal of the game is to activate the four pillars located in the Northern, Western, Eastern, and Southern areas.

    The game could best be described as action adventure, with a heavy emphasis on combat. You start the game with a sword and pistol, as well as the ability to dash. Using the combination of these three tools is key to progressing through the game. The combat can be fast at times, although in some trickier areas a slow approach may be advisable. The enemies are well varied, with some being particularly aggressive. Most of these feel challenging and yet fair, although a certain plant enemy did aggravate me especially with its hard-hitting attacks. Often you may need to switch up the way you face the larger enemies, and it helps the combat from becoming too repetitive.

    You will find various other weapons throughout the game, and also purchase new abilities or upgrades. In the main hub area you can find a selection of shops to do so, and deciding what to spend your currency on can be difficult in itself. Unlike many games such as the Zelda series, the currency is a rare resource, with 4 small ‘blocks’ being used to make a big one. The big ones are then used to purchase new gear. These blocks are found hidden among the environment, or after defeating certain enemies and bosses. If you find an area or boss too difficult, you may want to search these out as the upgrades can help tremendously in the long run.

    Exploration is another big aspect of the game. From the outset, you have access to three of four main areas - each having a unique look and feel. These are linked to underground areas, which are filled with hidden paths and secrets. Finding the majority of these hidden paths isn’t required to complete the game, but there are still some you may need to find to progress. This brings me to the map, which I feel could have done with a little improvement, since it can be a little dubious at times. A marker system, similar to the one found in Axiom Verge, could have been a great addition especially when looking for a particular item or place. Of all the areas, I found the eastern area to be particularly confusing when going back to search for secrets.

    The boss battles are by far the biggest challenge in the game. The bosses guard the pillars at the end of the areas, and, as in games such as Dark Souls, can be as frustrating to fight as they are rewarding to defeat. Each will test your skills, in both dodging and attacking. Again the variety here is great, with each presenting a different process to defeat them. And well done Heart Machine to making retrying so painless; if you die in an area you start the area again with exactly what you entered it with. This makes it easy to get straight back into the action, and I feel a lot of modern games could learn from this (although loading times can’t be helped in games sometimes, but that’s another discussion in itself.)

    Music and sound design are excellent; from the more ambient sound to the more upbeat tracks everything suits the design of the game. The sounds are great, such as the satisfying noise from your sword swings or the little beeps your companion makes, nothing felt out of place. Overall both music and sound only enriched the game experience.

    Having taken around 16 hours to complete Hyper Light Drifter I’m extremely satisfied with the game, and yet I also want to go and play more, to discover all the hidden secrets I’m yet to find. Far from an easy game, it may put a few people off, but bear with it and you’ve got an excellent adventure. I found the game as compelling as it was addictive. While there have been a few bumps in the release, Alex Preston and his team has delivered a quality video game, one that I hope many others will play and enjoy. Their hard work and dedication should be recognized with such a well-crafted game.

    I can’t wait for whatever is next.    … Expand
  9. Audhagan
    Mar 31, 2016
    9
    Extremely difficult. At first it seems unfair, but after a while you notice that the mehcanics where made so you would understand them with every death and ultimately git gud. Don't be put off by Rock, Paper, Shotgun's review. He claimed that he didn't wanna play further because he died too many times at the "first boss" fight. But the fact is you can choose which boss you wanna killExtremely difficult. At first it seems unfair, but after a while you notice that the mehcanics where made so you would understand them with every death and ultimately git gud. Don't be put off by Rock, Paper, Shotgun's review. He claimed that he didn't wanna play further because he died too many times at the "first boss" fight. But the fact is you can choose which boss you wanna kill first, he happened to have chosen the hardest. I encourage you to play this, if you're stuck, turn around, walk a different path, get upgrades, git gud, and everything will be alright. You'll be able to fully enjoy the awesome art, music, combat and platforming that comes with this beautiful game. BUY IT.… Expand
  10. Rogyapa
    Apr 1, 2016
    9
    love it. I love it so much. It's punishing but in a fair way. If you pay attention you are rewarded both in combat and exploration. I backed this on Kickstarter like 2 or 3 years ago and have been chomping at the bit to play it ever since. The graphics/color palettes are super lush, the music is perfectly suited to the wandering through the colorful apocalypse, and the combat is fast and brutal.
  11. szarkam
    Apr 5, 2016
    10
    This game is fantastic. The art and music are gorgeous, and work together seamlessly to create a beautiful and haunting atmosphere. Combat is fun and rewarding, and allows for growth; I continued to improve over the 11 hours I've played it. HLD isn't an easy game by an stretch of the imagination, but the "overly hard" comments are overblown; it isn't as hard as a Nuclear Throne, butThis game is fantastic. The art and music are gorgeous, and work together seamlessly to create a beautiful and haunting atmosphere. Combat is fun and rewarding, and allows for growth; I continued to improve over the 11 hours I've played it. HLD isn't an easy game by an stretch of the imagination, but the "overly hard" comments are overblown; it isn't as hard as a Nuclear Throne, but it's no walk in the park. Above all this game is interesting, fun, and has kept luring me back whenever I have a free moment. BUY IT!… Expand
  12. BoringDiego
    Apr 16, 2016
    9
    HLD is a beautiful game, challenging, with great game-play and excellent music. It requires some practice and patience, in order to get used to the control and skills, but once you are set, you can progress quite fast. The graphic language keeps you intrigued and kind of doubtful, but I don't think this is a negative feature. On the contrary, guessing or discovering what must be done,HLD is a beautiful game, challenging, with great game-play and excellent music. It requires some practice and patience, in order to get used to the control and skills, but once you are set, you can progress quite fast. The graphic language keeps you intrigued and kind of doubtful, but I don't think this is a negative feature. On the contrary, guessing or discovering what must be done, gives you a great, puzzle-like feeling. I think it is obnoxious when you get literal and textual instructions, and the game very linearly tells you "you have to do this" and that's it. Instead, HDL gives hints and you sort of discover the path.
    I found that improving the boots' skills had me defeating bosses soon enough. Afterwards, I improved skills randomly, having a more enjoyable game-play progressively.
    Bosses are very fun, and minions in general are excellent. You get the feeling that you improved on every session.
    The only one thing I dislike about HDL is that hidden things can be bothering to find. I've had my character rubbing on every wall and throwing himself to the void, in order to see if there is something I can't see. The chances of success are high, so you must remain on the same room for a while, go back and forth, in order to get things done.
    I am glad i backed this game on Kickstarter.    … Expand
  13. Terminus_Sever
    May 17, 2016
    10
    I wish I knew about this game when it was still being crowdfunded, I would have given Heart Machine all my money. This game is exactly what I always wanted: an enigmatic story set in a beautiful post disaster world, dark but awe inducing at the same time. I thought the difficulty level would throw me off based on all the negative reviews I've seen regarding this but instead I found itI wish I knew about this game when it was still being crowdfunded, I would have given Heart Machine all my money. This game is exactly what I always wanted: an enigmatic story set in a beautiful post disaster world, dark but awe inducing at the same time. I thought the difficulty level would throw me off based on all the negative reviews I've seen regarding this but instead I found it refreshing. You will die, it is by no means an easy game but with patience and some co-ordination you will persevere and it is by no means unfair.
    The soundtrack is top notch being both ominous uplifting at times, just like the world you're exploring. I only wish the main game was a bit longer(although there are tons of collectibles outside the main quest) because I am aching to go back for more however I will give it a 10/10 because I applaud the effort and vision to put this game out there and I cannot wait to see what else Heart Machine has in store.    … Expand
  14. rinzler689
    Jun 29, 2016
    9
    El apartado visual es hermoso, clásico y moderno a la vez, sin duda un buen homenaje al era delos 8Btis , la banda sonora se siente profunda y todo eboca un ambiente misterioso, la jugabilidad se aceptable no es de las mejore pero es aceptable.
  15. ThePian0Man
    Jul 26, 2016
    10
    Hyper Light Drifter is a true gem. It was a long time coming, (waiting for this game), but the years of anticipation have been beyond worth it! Here is my review, as succinct as it can be.

    HLD throws you, the drifter, head first into a vibrant, mysterious world. You wake up from some slumber to find a post-apocalyptic land flooded with gorgeous, neon-painted landscapes and scenery, made    Hyper Light Drifter is a true gem. It was a long time coming, (waiting for this game), but the years of anticipation have been beyond worth it! Here is my review, as succinct as it can be.

    HLD throws you, the drifter, head first into a vibrant, mysterious world. You wake up from some slumber to find a post-apocalyptic land flooded with gorgeous, neon-painted landscapes and scenery, made possible by some freaking fantastic pixel artistry. You begin to wander the land, still totally unaware of who you are or why you're here, until you stumble upon the contrasting elements to this world's eye-grabbing visuals. A vile, destructive disease has poisoned your heart, and innocent land dwellers have been slaughtered by dreadful barbaric wars. If that weren't enough, some dark, sinister force seems intent on either killing you, maliciously toying with your soul, or both.

    And so begins your journey. From here, you'll talk to villagers through pictographs (no words are ever spoken) and hear their tragic accounts. You'll stop by the local upgrade shops with their neat cryptic language to get a sneak peek at your later, stronger self. When you head out in one of four cardinal directions, you'll begin to master your sword, your pistol, and - of course - your dash/drift. You'll encounter numerous enemies of varying size, race, and attacks, and with every death, you'll understand how to outsmart them on the next life.

    This game is intriguing, and so terribly satisfying. Finding secrets, beating bosses, buying upgrades, you feel awesome. The combat is challenging, but incredibly rewarding. When you clear out a large room and just barely survive, there's a sense of accomplishment that says: "You earned this." And to top it all off, through the entire experience, a gorgeous soundtrack by one of gaming's best (Disasterpiece) immerses you in this universe of light, death, and hope.

    I cannot recommend this game enough. Major props to Heart Machine, you guys are brilliant.    … Expand
  16. Trotticus
    Jul 31, 2016
    9
    Fantastic game; a breathtaking work of art.

    However, I want to clear something up: this is NOT an RPG. This game is nothing like Dark Souls; nothing whatsoever. It's a game with difficult combat- that's where the similarities begin and end. I hate how every challenging game with swords is getting labelled a 'Soulslike'. This game involves no Roleplaying. That doesn't detract from the    Fantastic game; a breathtaking work of art.

    However, I want to clear something up: this is NOT an RPG. This game is nothing like Dark Souls; nothing whatsoever. It's a game with difficult combat- that's where the similarities begin and end. I hate how every challenging game with swords is getting labelled a 'Soulslike'.

    This game involves no Roleplaying. That doesn't detract from the amazing experience, but it's deceptive on the developer's part to label it an RPG. This game is basically a far better Zelda game; expect as much.    … Expand
  17. davedrummer88
    Apr 1, 2016
    9
    Link and Samus taught their baby to play Dark Souls. Very tough but fair action-platformer that utilizes its controller layout quite well. Those seeking an arty game with some meat on its bones, dig in. The warbly, melty soundtrack from Disasterpiece just glues the whole package together.
  18. chettone
    Apr 4, 2016
    9
    Its like a child born from Dark Souls and Hotline Miami. If you know these titles you know you have to expect a difficult game were dying is part of the learning curve.
    The combat system is fast and fluid. The game will reward you if you have nice reflexes to dodge or parry incoming attacks and will punish you for every mistake you make. Exploring in this game is optional, but also truly    Its like a child born from Dark Souls and Hotline Miami. If you know these titles you know you have to expect a difficult game were dying is part of the learning curve.
    The combat system is fast and fluid. The game will reward you if you have nice reflexes to dodge or parry incoming attacks and will punish you for every mistake you make. Exploring in this game is optional, but also truly rewarding. Boss fights are intense, but not impossible. If you are an explorer guy there are tons of secret paths and some puzzles to solve.
    The art is just fantastic. The music and the world design are a true masterpiece.
    I would give a 10 to the game, but for its current price (19$ with 10% discount) I think the game is a bit too short, even with the "new game plus" option.    … Expand
  19. Wisdumb
    Apr 1, 2016
    10
    May contain spoilers:
    Yeah, it is a hard game, but if you give it any effort the difficulty is not an issue. You are given the tools needed to get the job done the game just doesn't hold your hand. You will have to experiment, you will have to think, and you will have to die - a lot. That's perfectly fine in a game like this. There is no dialogue, an extremely detailed and beautiful    May contain spoilers:
    Yeah, it is a hard game, but if you give it any effort the difficulty is not an issue. You are given the tools needed to get the job done the game just doesn't hold your hand. You will have to experiment, you will have to think, and you will have to die - a lot. That's perfectly fine in a game like this. There is no dialogue, an extremely detailed and beautiful environment, and an enchanting and atmospheric score. You are begged to soak it in and spend time getting to know the drifter and his world. If HLD was an easier game I would not be enjoying it so much. I even found myself wishing one of the bosses was more difficult, as I took him out on my second attempt with basically no upgrades. It was easy because I spent time experimenting with my kit and realized one of my weapons could be absolutely devastating - even to bosses - at close range(chunking about 1/5 of their massive health bars with a single shot).
    If the difficulty is scaring you away DON'T LET IT. HLD has so much to offer. You'll get out of it what you put in.    … Expand
  20. dr34mf0x
    May 8, 2016
    9
    First off, it looks gorgeous, sounds great, and plays like a dream. This is coming form someone who played the game on a laptop with no mouse so when I say the controls are good, I really mean it.
    Everyone keeps saying this game is too hard, but I've beat maybe 6 games in my entire life (and lets not forget absolutely the worst possible gaming setup) and I got through it. I think it's    First off, it looks gorgeous, sounds great, and plays like a dream. This is coming form someone who played the game on a laptop with no mouse so when I say the controls are good, I really mean it.
    Everyone keeps saying this game is too hard, but I've beat maybe 6 games in my entire life (and lets not forget absolutely the worst possible gaming setup) and I got through it. I think it's difficulty adds to the flow by allowing you to go through the levels at your own pace, and I think it adds to the tone of the game. Also, it's short, so if it weren't as difficult as it is, it might risk being over too quickly. hat being said, it is true: Hyper Light Drifter is hard as balls.
    My other criticism starts out as praise. The story is told not through dialogue, but through the world, and that's cool, it's just from what I can tell, the story the world is telling doesn't entirely make sense. Not too much of a problem, though.
    Also, I feel like it may be a bit too short.
    Overall, could've used a bit more time in development, but a beautiful and lovely game which I would recommend to anyone looking for a challenge.    … Expand
  21. MadPumpkin1
    Apr 1, 2016
    9
    The first for a very long time high-quality old-school Zelda clone . A game for those who loved old games such as Land Stalker, Light Crusader, Story of Thor, Alundra, and series of games about Link of course .
  22. davidagga
    Apr 3, 2016
    8
    It's a great game a mix of zelda and metroid with some dark souls put into it, amazing pixel art, with probably the best pixel art cutscenes I have ever seen, good soundtrack, great combat very simple to learn, and really well thought level design, I also love how this game respects the player, it never explains what you have to do,it leaves you completely in the dark and just says "go"It's a great game a mix of zelda and metroid with some dark souls put into it, amazing pixel art, with probably the best pixel art cutscenes I have ever seen, good soundtrack, great combat very simple to learn, and really well thought level design, I also love how this game respects the player, it never explains what you have to do,it leaves you completely in the dark and just says "go" because it respects the player and doesn't think the player is an idiot who needs everything explained from the start, like so many other games think
    The negatives I have for this game are that it's a bit too short,and a bit too easy (I am not trying to show off I seriously can't see why everyone says this game is hard, I beat the last boss in 2 tries,not saying it's not at all difficult compared to the baby pandering of AAA games but I was expecting more), and I believe if it was a bit more difficult it would be longer, there are 4 areas in this game, each one I could finish in about 1 hour, if it was more difficult it could be a 10 hour game but instead it was like 6 or so for me, it can take longer if you collect all the extra stuff, but here is another negative I have with the game, they are useless, there's no reason to collect them(expect one type of the collectables but even those not as much) other than being a completionist    … Expand
  23. TheRoundup
    Apr 1, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A really incredible game. While it can be frustratingly difficult, it's never unfair. Some of the best pixel art visuals I've ever seen in a game. The soundtrack is always at the forefront, but when you're just exploring, it sets the mood perfectly. Fun, exciting combat. An interesting and beautiful world that encourages exploring every nook and cranny. I would have loved a bit more exposition, but the wandering, voiceless drifter works. The world does make you want more though, a little more backstory about what happening. Overall, well worth $20, and one of the best games I've played this year.… Expand
  24. puma777
    Apr 2, 2016
    10
    I've kickstarted numerous games and this is the one I love most. It is deeply beautiful, evocative, and cryptic in its design and storytelling. Its challenging and swift combat is a true thrill. It's style is truly charming and entertaining. While it has influences from Fez, Zelda, Journey, etc. it's altogether unique. A real work of art.
  25. Messerschmitt
    Apr 3, 2016
    10
    A fantastic game with beautiful pixel-art graphics (and I mean absolutely stunning!), mind-blowing soundtrack and some very cool game mechanics. Hyper light drifter shares some similarities with the dark souls - nothing is really explained, the world is very mysterious and alluring (also filed with secrets), it's difficult and rewarding, the plot is told largely by the surroundings. TheA fantastic game with beautiful pixel-art graphics (and I mean absolutely stunning!), mind-blowing soundtrack and some very cool game mechanics. Hyper light drifter shares some similarities with the dark souls - nothing is really explained, the world is very mysterious and alluring (also filed with secrets), it's difficult and rewarding, the plot is told largely by the surroundings. The game as a whole is just fantastic. It hits the right notes for me and I absolutely love it. One more thing - the game is not as difficult as people say except when your are playing on K+M. Just be patient.… Expand
  26. vegemonsta
    Nov 5, 2017
    8
    There's no doubt that HLD is a great game. Heart Machine knows how to make a great metroidvania. To make it easy to understand, I'm simply going to break down the major aspects of the game and score them individually based on its effectiveness.

    Graphics: 8/10 + Great world design. The four areas of the game look unique. + Varied enemy design. Each area has their own plethora of    There's no doubt that HLD is a great game. Heart Machine knows how to make a great metroidvania. To make it easy to understand, I'm simply going to break down the major aspects of the game and score them individually based on its effectiveness.

    Graphics: 8/10
    + Great world design. The four areas of the game look unique.
    + Varied enemy design. Each area has their own plethora of enemies which fit into the zone.
    - The map is practically useless. It's a small gripe, but the map is about as useful as the map in LoZ:aLttP. It shows the general location of the player character and important locations. It
    works somewhat, but It would've been more useful for the map to clearly show where the
    player is and where things are. The underground map is especially difficult to understand.
    - The perspective of the game lies somewhere between overhead and third-person. In certain areas of the game where platforming or timing is key, you can easily find yourself
    dying because you weren't looking at the game from the correct perspective. (Are those
    cubes moving up and down, or are they moving forward and backward?!?)

    Gameplay: 8/10
    + The combat is fast paced and easy to understand. You can swing your sword in quick
    succession 3 times. You can perform a dash move in quick succession 3 times (unless you
    get an upgrade).
    + The best aspect of the gameplay is the exploration. There are a lot of collectibles hidden in
    exceptionally clever locations throughout the game world. It's very rewarding when you do
    find something which almost seemed like you shouldn't have been able to find.
    - The game difficulty is unbalanced at times. In one area in particular, you have to fight
    dozens of enemies. The game doesn't work well in this situation. You can fight enemies in
    a fun, difficult and rewarding way in small groups or against singular bosses. However, it
    becomes a grind to push passed arenas filled with enemies which attack in random order.
    Imagine a bullet hell where the bullets just randomly flew around the screen. That's what
    this arena was like.

    Story: 6/10
    - It's hard to really pin down anything good with the overall plot. The game tries to keep
    things mysterious by not telling the player anything in words. All character dialogue is
    shown through images of past events. This does add some element of world building and
    lore, but it would've been much more effective if the dialogue was just normal dialogue text.
    This issue also leeches into the gameplay. You can unlock special outfits which effect your
    abilities, but you can't know what they do unless you Google a guide. The game has ZERO
    text to explain anything. It has similar visual story telling to the Souls games, which is a
    great thing. They just... should've taken a step back. They could've told a much better story
    with real dialogue.

    Sound: 9/10
    + The soundtrack is fantastic. It adds just the right amount of ambiance to every location in
    the game and fits perfectly with the aesthetic.

    Overall the game is very fun. It has just the right amount of content. The game is challenging, but USUALLY fair and rewarding. I have no idea what is going on in the world, but it is fun to explore it and try to figure out what happened. The sad thing is, it would've been so easy to make the world interesting. There are 16 monoliths in the game. Each one has some kind of language written on them. They easily could've gone the Metroid Prime route and added a library which added the lore from those monoliths into an easy to access menu. That alone could bring the story from a 6 to an 8 or 9 if done right.    … Expand
  27. Domsenshi
    May 19, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I HIGHLY recommended this for RPG Lover, pixel animation is amazing, Combat styles are very good and unique and its a mix between Zelda: Link to the past and Mega Man ZX styles, its a very story driven game (sorta), enemies in different areas are unique based on their locations for example the birds are north and sea creatures from the east and crystal creatures from the east and etc,

    But the Downside is that it has no dialogue or text just pictures depicting the situation and the Difficulty is kinda hard with no option to turn it down.

    so if you wanna have a experience you'll never forget play this game    … Expand
  28. pyzk
    Sep 29, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Hyper Light Drifter is a masterfully crafted game. The soundtrack (Created by Disasterpeace, and which I loved so much that I went out and purchased it) is a gorgeous tapestry of chiptune textures that go beautifully with the pixel graphics. The character design is fantastic, and the color pallet is inspired. Gameplay is simple but well constructed for an easy to learn, hard to master experience.

    The story is told without any dialogue or text, meaning it is subtle, but makes for a game that can be interpreted in many ways. From my own personal interpretation, I feel that the developers were able to convey a pretty thoughtful message along with a visually stunning and fun game.

    This is a HARD game. I have rage quit this game (bosses only). If you get frustrated with dying 10 times in a row in a single area, then this game might not be for you. However, this constant dying is part of the game's mechanic. In the first playthrough, you have 5 hp, but in New Game+ (unlocked after beating the game on normal mode) you've got only got 2. However, I found New Game+ to be approximately the same difficulty as when I played through the first time, because I had gotten so much better by playing it through once.

    Hyper Light Drifter is easily in my top 5 favorite games. I've played it through on regular and New Game + multiple times and it never gets old. Can't wait to see what Heart Machine produces next.    … Expand
  29. MusicStud22
    Apr 2, 2016
    10
    Hyper Light Drifter is a challenging, but rewarding, update on classic 16-bit games like Link to the Past. Visually, the game is beautiful, with crisply animated pixel art and an expressionist color palette that enlivens what would otherwise be a dreary post-apocalyptic landscape. The soundtrack is also phenomenal with shades of Blade Runner. If you enjoy classic 8-bit platformers or indieHyper Light Drifter is a challenging, but rewarding, update on classic 16-bit games like Link to the Past. Visually, the game is beautiful, with crisply animated pixel art and an expressionist color palette that enlivens what would otherwise be a dreary post-apocalyptic landscape. The soundtrack is also phenomenal with shades of Blade Runner. If you enjoy classic 8-bit platformers or indie games like Titan Souls than this game is a must-buy.… Expand
  30. everin
    Feb 6, 2017
    8
    TIER 2

    + Amazing environments, character art, animations, and general aesthetic. + Offers a world that is very fun to explore, with tons of nooks and crannies for those who want to look for them. ? No coherent difficulty curve as the player can take things in whatever order they want, including unlocking abilities and weapons that actually have a MASSIVE impact on how the game plays.    TIER 2

    + Amazing environments, character art, animations, and general aesthetic.
    + Offers a world that is very fun to explore, with tons of nooks and crannies for those who want to look for them.
    ? No coherent difficulty curve as the player can take things in whatever order they want, including unlocking abilities and weapons that actually have a MASSIVE impact on how the game plays.
    ? An update to the game makes finding all the secrets generally easier, but with one of the worst maps I've ever seen given to a player, the game has no respect for the player's time if you're interested in 100%'ing it. Exacerbated by such a massive (and at times randomly organized) world, hard to remember where what is.
    - Some of the secrets require a gun you can only unlock in one area of the game, requiring stupid backtracking.
    - The combat generally feels good, but also inconsistent in execution -- some enemies (particularly flying ones to the north of the map) are nothing but annoying.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Best PC Game of 2016
51
#51 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
16
#16 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 47
  3. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. GameGrin
    May 15, 2017
    90
    Hyper Light Drifter is unique, it highlights the issues of a real person in an abstract way. This game plays very smoothly, and offers stunning visuals and rigid difficulty. Hyper Light Drifter is a lot of fun, and it's beautiful too. It’s a memorable experience, and can keep you interested the whole way through.
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  2. Easy Allies
    Dec 1, 2016
    80
    Hyper Light Drifter places high value on your efforts and sense of discovery. The impressionistic storytelling, inexplicit clues, and tough challenges, place the emphasis on your journey as a player. Things are never clearly laid out for you, but in the end, it’s both beautiful and satisfying.
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  3. Riot Pixels
    Oct 14, 2016
    75
    A worthy heir to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. It compensates for its narrative shortcomings with immersive atmosphere, top-notch combat system and flawless pace.
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