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. The_D4RknesS
    Aug 17, 2023
    7
    The game is good, the gameplay is fluid, tasty and fun but the game is difficult especially on the bosses which requires a good reflex so that you can progress in the campaign .
  2. Snowstalker55
    Jun 22, 2023
    10
    One of my personal favourite games of all time, Hyper Light Drifter is a masterpiece of a game which never ceases to entertain me, the amazing visual storytelling, the challenging combat and the absolutely beautiful soundtrack all pairs together to make a game which i believe everyone should play at least once.
  3. Wavew
    Jun 17, 2023
    0
    No me ha durado ni una hora instalado:

    1º falta de respeto, no se puede pasar la intro... en el año 2023. 2ºFalta de respeto, no se puede reconfigurar los controles, en el año 2023 3º Falta de respeto, pixeles como cabezas de niño tonto, en el año... Además de eso, el ritmo leeeentoooo y los horribles gráficos que no dejan distinguir los relieves o la profundidad, el juego es    No me ha durado ni una hora instalado:

    1º falta de respeto, no se puede pasar la intro... en el año 2023.

    2ºFalta de respeto, no se puede reconfigurar los controles, en el año 2023

    3º Falta de respeto, pixeles como cabezas de niño tonto, en el año...

    Además de eso, el ritmo leeeentoooo y los horribles gráficos que no dejan distinguir los relieves o la profundidad, el juego es un despropósito general.

    La música no esta mal, pero se repite.

    Os he avisado.    … Expand
  4. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    7
    Gorgeous and atmospheric game that is hard carried by its art design and environments. It's mystery is captivating and the gentle synth tones of its soundtrack are unforgettable. Gameplay doesn't really live up to that level, its serviceable and simple but no more.
  5. Kohut
    May 7, 2023
    10
    This is one of the greatest indie games (or just game) ever made
    Amazing soundtrack and visuals, unforgiving difficulty, minimalist storytelling, awesome bosses, and of course: heart
    Masterpiece.
  6. razermix
    Oct 15, 2022
    9
    Недавно заценил игру , понравилась , всё норм (все аспекты игры,сделаны на ура , за исключением деталей ) хотелось бы побольше локаций с видом на большие просторы мира.
  7. tdebug
    Sep 17, 2022
    1
    Not balanced. Boss fights are very difficult. Why the difficulty has to be so high w/o any way to adjust it? But I guess that is what you get by trusting indie developers. Will never buy from the same developer for sure - hope that is what they wanted to archive.
  8. EdSantos
    Jul 25, 2022
    10
    É um jogo muito bom, a jogabilidade é muito boa, os inimigos são balanceados, é divertido explorar o mapa, os bosses são difíceis, de um jeito bom, não tenho muito o que falar só que é um jogo incrível.
  9. BaldursThones
    Jun 22, 2022
    8
    The aesthetic and theme of the game are my reasons for loving this game, but it also is backed by some good bosses and secrets.
  10. Yosiris
    May 6, 2022
    9
    +
    Atmosphere
    Style
    Level design
    Mechanics
    Music
    Enjoyable

    -
    Short
    Confusing graphics (sometimes)
    Healing delay
    Not much incentive for exploration
    Ridiculous achievement goals
    Ends with the boss defeat
  11. Wrathzo
    Mar 24, 2022
    6
    Hyper Light Drifter is a 2D action role-playing game developed by Heart Machine. The player controls the Drifter, a character that has access to technology that has long been forgotten by the inhabitants of the game's world and is suffering from an unspecified illness.
  12. andrew9
    Feb 15, 2022
    7
    good game .
  13. RadiationGamer
    Jan 30, 2022
    7
    I remember that I really enjoyed playing this game, but I always felt that there was a big deficiency in this game. There is a story in this game, yes, but the narration of this story with pictures is quite weak during gameplay if you ask me. During the game, sometimes I had a hard time understanding what I was fighting for, why I was going somewhere and stopping. It has a strong conceptI remember that I really enjoyed playing this game, but I always felt that there was a big deficiency in this game. There is a story in this game, yes, but the narration of this story with pictures is quite weak during gameplay if you ask me. During the game, sometimes I had a hard time understanding what I was fighting for, why I was going somewhere and stopping. It has a strong concept and gameplay, but I didn't quite get the feeling I wanted. This is the highest rating I can give this game.… Expand
  14. Dcat
    Oct 31, 2021
    10
    Игра очень хорошая но сюжет на любителя и он по большей части будет понятен только после просмотра ролика на Ютубе.
  15. MarxGT
    Jun 7, 2021
    9
    Hyper Light Drifter is a masterclass in everything it does. Its atmosphere and aesthetics are top notch, with wonderful art direction, sound design and soundtrack. The game itself is phenomenal, taking a minimalist approach to its storytelling, relying on environmental clues, brief cutscenes and a few NPC "dialogue" interactions to give you an idea of the world you are adventuring through.Hyper Light Drifter is a masterclass in everything it does. Its atmosphere and aesthetics are top notch, with wonderful art direction, sound design and soundtrack. The game itself is phenomenal, taking a minimalist approach to its storytelling, relying on environmental clues, brief cutscenes and a few NPC "dialogue" interactions to give you an idea of the world you are adventuring through. The game itself could be considered tough by some, but it is not unfair, giving the player a suitable arsenal to defeat various enemies and bosses. The game gives the player some agency in how they progress, allowing the player to choose which direction they would like to move once reaching the hub area. If you were to take the northern or western routes first, this might account for the "difficulty" of this game. With this non-linear design comes many secrets and challenges down hidden paths. You will most likely not find all of the secrets in your first playthrough, meaning that a the new game+ provides opportunity to find what you may have missed. In Hyper Light Drifter, if your experience is anything like mine, you will be engrossed in the world that the game creates. The combat is crisp, difficulty is tough but fair, the worldbuilding is immaculate and my god that soundtrack adds so much to this game. If you like a top down action game in the 16 bit style, this game will not disappoint.

    My only gripe with the game is in its length and replayability. For a $22 (CAD) game, it is pretty short, with the average first playthrough taking around 12 to 15 hours. While many may not consider a new game+ to be a worthwhile part of the price tag, there are enough new aspects (wont spoil anything here) that a second playthrough NG+ is actually quite enjoyable.

    I created my account just to review this game. After having played it again recently after 2 years, I can say with certainty that this game is a masterpiece.    … Expand
  16. Djehutix
    Apr 6, 2021
    5
    Well, the game is not hard at all. Don't know why people keep saying this. But it's also not fun at all. Was ok at the beginning, but the lack of progress is just boring. Most of the upgrades you can buy are useless and so you don't feel like your character is getting better at all. The worst about this game are the controls: Imprecise, unsatisfying and so slow. You feel like you struggleWell, the game is not hard at all. Don't know why people keep saying this. But it's also not fun at all. Was ok at the beginning, but the lack of progress is just boring. Most of the upgrades you can buy are useless and so you don't feel like your character is getting better at all. The worst about this game are the controls: Imprecise, unsatisfying and so slow. You feel like you struggle more to actually do the attack moves than learning enemy patterns and reacting to them. If you had the precise and fair controls of Hades, the game would be over in an hour.… Expand
  17. gab_izidio
    Feb 5, 2021
    9
    HyperLightDrifter - 9/10 - {highly recommend}
    The game is [Beautiful, Fluid, Challenging, Artistic]
    => Pros: + Good graphics with beautiful art; + Fluid gameplay with skill mechanics and perfect combat; + Variety of enemies with creative and varied design; + Challenging in certain extent; + Unique and different map; + Secrets and the possibility to obtain skins through    HyperLightDrifter - 9/10 - {highly recommend}
    The game is [Beautiful, Fluid, Challenging, Artistic]

    => Pros:
    + Good graphics with beautiful art;
    + Fluid gameplay with skill mechanics and perfect combat;
    + Variety of enemies with creative and varied design;
    + Challenging in certain extent;
    + Unique and different map;
    + Secrets and the possibility to obtain skins through exploration;

    => Cons:
    - Its history is not very explained to the player in the course of of the game, and many points remain open;
    - There is a tremendous difficulty in obtaining all the keys because their location is secret, and is not on the map, just making you waste time to recheck all the places (several times);
    - The almost impossible achievement of giving 800 consecutive dashes in the training area to release a skin;

    => VERDICT:
    The Verdict is that, if you are looking for a challenging game with a very fluid and addictive gameplay, this game is the perfect bet, outside that he is very beautiful and gives the feeling of freedom, however, if you care a lot about history, you will be disappointed, and if you are looking for platinum, I can only wish you luck, but regardless of those factors, it’s worth playing and exterminating all who dare to get in your way, all for healing.    … Expand
  18. doqmeat
    Feb 3, 2021
    10
    lovely game!!!! i love youuuu hyper light drifter ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
  19. epichalcon
    Jan 18, 2021
    8
    All though I didn't understand the story very well, I loved the movement, the visuals and the sound track. I really liked this game and recommend it
  20. Arfon
    Dec 4, 2020
    10
    This game was a really unexpected surprise for me. I didn't knew what to expect, maybe an action game and that's it. But no, this game has some "Metroidvania" feels but in a Top Down View that really felt good to explore the areas of the game. Combat is amazing and you have plenty of variety to experiment on your own. The soundtrack is breathtaking, story is very cryptic and I like it thatThis game was a really unexpected surprise for me. I didn't knew what to expect, maybe an action game and that's it. But no, this game has some "Metroidvania" feels but in a Top Down View that really felt good to explore the areas of the game. Combat is amazing and you have plenty of variety to experiment on your own. The soundtrack is breathtaking, story is very cryptic and I like it that way. I can't stop thinking on how great this game felt the first time I played it. Loved every bit of it!!… Expand
  21. PanMrkvicka
    Aug 18, 2020
    8
    Beatiful loooking game but the gameplay and level design is pretty simple it has great bosses but feels like it could be more than it is. Also **** boss rush.
  22. Keskin
    Jul 20, 2020
    7
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  23. Luigichief
    Jul 5, 2020
    7
    I liked this game and it was really worth it for its price. The combat is deep, fun, unique and. The exploration of this game is very tasty and rarely very 'complex', I'm not an open world fan but I liked this one. The story is well understood, something I personally don't like. The soundtrack is one of the weakest points of the game unfortunately, it is relatively 'unique', but I find itI liked this game and it was really worth it for its price. The combat is deep, fun, unique and. The exploration of this game is very tasty and rarely very 'complex', I'm not an open world fan but I liked this one. The story is well understood, something I personally don't like. The soundtrack is one of the weakest points of the game unfortunately, it is relatively 'unique', but I find it very difficult for someone to like it. I personally liked the graphics. I recommend it only if you like the gameplay.… Expand
  24. LordFarquad
    Mar 25, 2020
    8
    Неплохая инди-игра, но она мне не очень понравилась, НО, это не значит, что игра заслуживает плохую оценку. 8 из 10.
  25. Ryuail
    Feb 1, 2020
    8
    Tough as nails, but beautiful in a colorful yet desolate way Hyper Light Drifter manages to pull the wordless narrative off with grace and aplomb.

    Though much of the story is up for interpretation, there is enough going on in each of the four major zones to keep the mind wondering. Details can be lost of those who don't wish to focus on setting though, as the ending will not bother    Tough as nails, but beautiful in a colorful yet desolate way Hyper Light Drifter manages to pull the wordless narrative off with grace and aplomb.

    Though much of the story is up for interpretation, there is enough going on in each of the four major zones to keep the mind wondering. Details can be lost of those who don't wish to focus on setting though, as the ending will not bother tying everything up in a bow.    … Expand
  26. beta_Critic
    Oct 9, 2019
    9
    Great game, I had no expectations. Didn't even know what type of game it was. I booted it up and I haven't been able to put it down. If I may buthcer the analysis; think "Link to the Metroid Souls Past", that is what I got from this game and it was finework indeed.

    The markdown to 9 from 10 is because the controller detection os a bit iffy, and if my controller happens to disconnect I    Great game, I had no expectations. Didn't even know what type of game it was. I booted it up and I haven't been able to put it down. If I may buthcer the analysis; think "Link to the Metroid Souls Past", that is what I got from this game and it was finework indeed.

    The markdown to 9 from 10 is because the controller detection os a bit iffy, and if my controller happens to disconnect I need to use the keyboard to go into the settings to change the settings to check for the ps4 controller, and only then does it start working again.    … Expand
  27. HSuke
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    This game is incredibly precise and well-designed. It's a difficult game, but in like in Hollow Knight and Dark Souls, you'll practice and get gud. I didn't find it as punishing as those other 2 games, and it's much, much shorter. One thing I do really like about its design is that there are visual hints for the location of all hidden items, unlike in games where there is absolutely noThis game is incredibly precise and well-designed. It's a difficult game, but in like in Hollow Knight and Dark Souls, you'll practice and get gud. I didn't find it as punishing as those other 2 games, and it's much, much shorter. One thing I do really like about its design is that there are visual hints for the location of all hidden items, unlike in games where there is absolutely no clue that there's a breakable wall in a specific spot.… Expand
  28. spielratz
    Aug 25, 2019
    9
    Great take on Zelda.
    Less puzzles, more focus on fighting than in Zelda. Fights can be quite hard. Original art style. An inspired and fun game.
  29. ilnik
    Aug 16, 2019
    5
    This game was too damn hard 4 me. It has really climatic and nice looking graphics concept and fairy-like but crooked, dark world.
  30. AdaptiveTech
    Jul 5, 2019
    2
    It's incredibly painful to come back to a game where the mechanics of the beta left me feeling so inspired and free, but the final product was so lacking.

    The soundtrack, visuals, mood, and arc are all extremely well executed, and are all shining examples of "how to do things right". But it all comes crashing down when you die for the thousanth time by getting stuck on yet another    It's incredibly painful to come back to a game where the mechanics of the beta left me feeling so inspired and free, but the final product was so lacking.

    The soundtrack, visuals, mood, and arc are all extremely well executed, and are all shining examples of "how to do things right".

    But it all comes crashing down when you die for the thousanth time by getting stuck on yet another invisible wall, crash into yet another wonky parallax edge, or the frame jitter drops your input and you just stand there and eat it. I wish the team spent some of their enormous Kickstarter and pre-order money to pay for engine experts to help them address these issues.    … Expand
  31. polvorin
    Apr 25, 2019
    8
    okey this game is a beautiful game- love the soundtrack, love the art.. but only one thing the bosses are easy i guess or the difficulty curve are good... i can not wait for buy it on the switch
  32. CRAZYF1R3
    Feb 4, 2019
    10
    This game is just amazing, like really amazing. In my opinion - best game of all time. Stunning atmosphere, great design, best ost that I ever heard and hard gameplay, but not too hard to actually play.
  33. QuatokyTonberry
    Jan 25, 2019
    7
    Gameplay: - Good
    Story: - Bad
    Visual: - Amazing
    Music and sound: - Very Good
    Average time: - 11H
    Score: - 7 (Good)
  34. amralchalati
    Jul 3, 2018
    10
    The visual and music are superb in this game. while the story hints and the ending is greatly emotional and amazing.
  35. eded9999
    May 21, 2018
    8
    Very nice game, nice pixel art and addictive gameplay, but a little short..
  36. cci81337
    May 11, 2018
    10
    [h1] Hyper Light Drifter – красочное приключение от студии Heart Machine

    Игра собирала деньги на Kickstarter’e и после успешно собранной суммы вышла на просторы магазина Steam. Многим игра действительно понравилась и поэтому у Hyper Light Drifter более 5 тысяч положительных отзывов в Steam. Hyper Light Drifter в цифровом магазине стоит 12.59$. Так же игра была замечена во многих    [h1] Hyper Light Drifter – красочное приключение от студии Heart Machine

    Игра собирала деньги на Kickstarter’e и после успешно собранной суммы вышла на просторы магазина Steam. Многим игра действительно понравилась и поэтому у Hyper Light Drifter более 5 тысяч положительных отзывов в Steam. Hyper Light Drifter в цифровом магазине стоит 12.59$. Так же игра была замечена во многих номинациях, даже таких как лучшая инди-игра 2016 года, но из-за долгостроя, такого как Firewatch пройти в финал так и не смогла. Но, не смотря на это, обзор от BigBadWhale на Hyper Light Drifter всё же выйдет! Вот кстати и он.

    Вердикт: Погружение глубже чем Марианская впадина.

    Обзор был составлен Ci8, членом группы Ключ к игре предоставил издатель, но это не влияет на моё мнение и оценку.    … Expand
  37. MzMazzaire
    Dec 15, 2017
    10
    One of the best, most challenging and beautiful indie games ever made in the recent years. It challenge may seem unforgiving at first, but if you're a veteran of many other difficult games like Dark Souls, then you'll love Hyper Light Drifter to death.
  38. 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
  39. aditya1101
    Oct 5, 2017
    10
    Really great controls and I thought they did a great job of balancing the difficulty of the game with the player's ability to improve and beat bosses after trying many times. But the real gem of this game was it's artstyle, and the way that the art was used to convey the story. It's hard to think of another game where such a rich story was portrayed without the use of any words whatsoever.
  40. BlazingLlama420
    Oct 2, 2017
    10
    I have no Idea where to start due to so many positive things to say about this game

    Hyper Light Drifter is an absolutely amazing game for anyone who wants a good challenge. I will go in depth with details down below. -Art style Simplistic yet effective. The game art is style is nothing too complex or very busy and difficult to see what exactly is going on. The colors are rich and    I have no Idea where to start due to so many positive things to say about this game

    Hyper Light Drifter is an absolutely amazing game for anyone who wants a good challenge. I will go in depth with details down below.

    -Art style
    Simplistic yet effective. The game art is style is nothing too complex or very busy and difficult to see what exactly is going on. The colors are rich and vibrant and really captures the 16 bit look.

    -Controls/Mechanics
    My god, they are absolutely great. Dashing around the world feels very satisfying and the combat is excellent. It’s one of those cases where it is easy to pick up, yet difficult to master. Throughout the game, you will encounter large waves of enemies and having such tight controls really makes you strategize on what techniques for survival will work best. You will never die from the controls acting up on you or the game being completely unfair to you, it is always your fault and learning from those mistakes is makes dying a satisfying learning experience.
    A complaint I have heard a lot about from HLD is the game’s map and how vague it is. Sure it may not be the best map in the world and at first glance you may not find it all that useful and also very confusing. The more you play the game You just have to give yourself some time to get used to it and the overworld shouldn’t be so difficult to navigate through.

    -Soundtrack
    It’s not really something that is catchy and you will want to listen to it every now and then, but it does an outstanding job creating the feel of being isolated and lost in its huge world. Disasterpiece’s work of art is truly a masterpiece.

    -Plot
    The way the plot is told is very debatable. Some will like it and some won’t. The plot is told in a way where it only uses still images and no dialogue to display what happened during those events and leaves the player to determine what happened. At first I wasn’t very fond of this style, but it eventually grew on me once I started to piece everything together. It will make more sense to you the more you progress through the game.

    I know this is a really minor thing about the game, but if I were to change one thing about the game, it would be adding a menu to keep track of all of the items you have collected especially gearbits (the currency in the game)

    Do I recommend this game?
    YES, GET IT NOW. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT
    10/10    … Expand
  41. Zoilus
    Aug 17, 2017
    9
    This game is worth your time absolutely. It's fun, engaging, and hard without being frustrating. At its comparatively low price point, you should get this.
  42. rodericrinehart
    Aug 7, 2017
    6
    I really tried to like the game, but I found it rather empty and boring. I do give it points for great atmosphere, good pixel graphics, and excellent soundtrack. I just found the combat boring and the world lifeless, so as a game, it fell short for me. I see a lot of other people really like it, so that's great.
  43. TitaniumDragon
    Jul 11, 2017
    4
    Hyper Light Drifter is a top-down (or perhaps more accurately, a 3/4ths view) action game. You play as the drifter, a swordsman with the power to dash (or perhaps, “drift”) a fair distance in a straight line, which is used for platforming (of sorts – there is no jumping, but many gaps need to be cleared) as well as for dodging attacks and navigating over some hazards.

    It is a stylish    Hyper Light Drifter is a top-down (or perhaps more accurately, a 3/4ths view) action game. You play as the drifter, a swordsman with the power to dash (or perhaps, “drift”) a fair distance in a straight line, which is used for platforming (of sorts – there is no jumping, but many gaps need to be cleared) as well as for dodging attacks and navigating over some hazards.

    It is a stylish game with solid pixel art and a decent variety of enemies and environments.

    Unfortunately, it also is a game where some seemingly minor control issues cause some frustrating problems, and several bits of content feel like they are vastly more difficult than the rest of the game, making them take a long time to beat and stretching out the game’s length far beyond what it should be.

    The core of the game is the dash, the sword, and a small repertoire of guns. You start out with just a basic attack with your sword, but over time you can buy the ability to charge up your sword attacks, make dash attacks, deflect projectiles, and even do a multi-dash ability where you chain together dashes one after another.

    The guns are okay on the whole, but sadly, it is unlikely that the player will use most of them; the starting pistol, the shotgun, and the rifle are the three best weapons, due to their speed, damage, and penetration respectively. The other three weapons all feel of pretty marginal value and to generally be outclassed; I only tried them out shortly before replacing them, and unfortunately the shotgun’s high damage is just so useful for dispatching high-hit point enemies you’re likely to use it most of the time after you get it.

    This multi-dash ability, however, is likely to be a source of great frustration to players. The timing on it is very precise and isn’t very regular; each consecutive dash has to be done faster than the last one (well, up to a limit of a dozen dashes, after which point it reaches a limit, but that’s mostly irrelevant in actual gameplay) and the timing is very specific. If you press too early, you can’t press again and dash; you’ll stop. If you press too late, there is lag on the end of the move that prevents you from doing another dash, even though there is no animation associated with said lag period.

    And this is extremely frustrating for the few sections of the game where this ability is required; players may spend an inordinate amount of time on six or so puzzles in the game which require the multi-dash. Half of them can be overcome by heavy use of healing kits if you are struggling, but the rest simply must be done correctly, or else the player must start them over.

    Over and over and over again.

    This can potentially absorb very large amounts of the player’s time, and is not much fun. Indeed, I nearly uninstalled the game after the first multi-dash puzzle I encountered took me a very long time to complete.

    There are also some other weird aspects to the game. For one thing, the player does suffer hitstun from some attacks, and the invulnerability period on getting hit is quite short. This means that the player can be combed by certain enemies attacking them multiple times, or even a single enemy hitting them repeatedly in some cases. This can be kind of frustrating, though it is largely avoidable outside of the arenas, where the player is more likely to get cornered and swarmed, but it happens on occasion, including on the final boss, and it can be a little irksome when it happens.

    More annoying is the fact that sometimes inputs simply don’t register for some reason, or an attack passes through an enemy for no apparent reason. While this is an infrequent occurrence, there were a few points at which I used a gun in close quarters and a bullet went right through an enemy, or where I attempted to use a bomb attack and the bomb attack never registered.

    This is most noticeable in the arena section of the game. A bit of content in the town unlocked after getting 12 keys, you find a series of rooms that send waves of enemies at the player. You must survive ten waves of ever increasing numbers of enemies to win. Doing this for ten rounds wouldn’t be that bad, but instead you must do it for ten rounds *five times*, in five different arenas.

    This stuff felt like it was intended to fill out time, rather than to really improve the experience.

    That said, the game isn’t all bad. The game includes four major areas, each with its own distinct tileset and set of enemies. There are eight bosses in the game, all of which feel distinct from each other and all of which are reasonably fun to fight against. Fighting against groups of enemies in varied environments is largely satisfying, and the game does a reasonable job of keeping things fresh for a good chunk of the game, though it does feel like all of the areas were maybe a few sets of rooms too long.

    Still, I can't recommend it.    … Expand
  44. 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
  45. degaboss
    Feb 3, 2017
    10
    This game came like a surprise to me, it has elements from the action rpg genre but used correctly, its a mix between bastion and dark souls, the game doesnt hold your hand or give you extensive tutorials, it doesnt tell you what to do or where to go, you just have to fight your way and explore the beautifully crafted world, the setting, the music, everything pulls you in.

    The entry    This game came like a surprise to me, it has elements from the action rpg genre but used correctly, its a mix between bastion and dark souls, the game doesnt hold your hand or give you extensive tutorials, it doesnt tell you what to do or where to go, you just have to fight your way and explore the beautifully crafted world, the setting, the music, everything pulls you in.

    The entry barrier is the somewhat punishing difficulty of the first area,and the bosses can be very difficult at first, but you need to learn the patterns of the bosses and to some extent the mobs, its a short game but its the perfect length for me, its very rewarding when you beat every boss, highly recommended    … Expand
  46. Reed618
    Jan 9, 2017
    10
    This is the best game i've played in months. I didn't expect to enjoy it so much but it has so much to offer. The art work, character design and music are both fantastic.
    Normally when a story seems unclear to me I count it as a negative but not in this case. There's just enough presented to provide something which is unique and open to your own interpretation.
    I loved the combat, it    This is the best game i've played in months. I didn't expect to enjoy it so much but it has so much to offer. The art work, character design and music are both fantastic.
    Normally when a story seems unclear to me I count it as a negative but not in this case. There's just enough presented to provide something which is unique and open to your own interpretation.
    I loved the combat, it becomes very addictive. The dash mechanic can be a little unpredictable at times but it adds so much to the gameplay.
    The boss fights are particularly enjoyable. Difficult enough to provide a challenge but never overwhelming or too frustrating.
    The only downside is that it can be difficult to find modules at times so you may wander around feeling a little lost and it's also a little short (7 and a half hours on my first playthrough, 5 and half for new game plus).
    If you enjoy games like dark souls and furi as well as anime by hiyao miyazaki (I think elements like the giant warriors from nausicaa and as well as **** from princess mononoke had some influence on the game) then i'd highly recommend picking it up.    … Expand
  47. xboxkid
    Dec 19, 2016
    10
    The game is perfect gives you the necessary tools to win, everything depends on your skill, you will die many times as any game that is difficult, but the abosfera of solead and that you are in another world will make you absorb so much that you do not mind dying times And times, As much as they say that it has no history is a lie, what they want is for us to lose ourselves and make crazyThe game is perfect gives you the necessary tools to win, everything depends on your skill, you will die many times as any game that is difficult, but the abosfera of solead and that you are in another world will make you absorb so much that you do not mind dying times And times, As much as they say that it has no history is a lie, what they want is for us to lose ourselves and make crazy theories, the game tells you the story even in their scenarios, and in the graphic aspect is a wonder as they have used the Pixel art.… Expand
  48. imnamine
    Dec 18, 2016
    9
    Great music. Great ambiance. Great graphics. Hard enough difficulty. Dreamy, oppressing atmosphere. Could I ask for more ? Well, I don't think so. Maybe it lacked a bit of a background to make it an all-time favourite.
  49. Mandulum
    Nov 18, 2016
    7
    Five Word Review: Challenging throwback to Link's days
    Favorite Thing: Some nice and challenging boss fights.
    Least Favorite Thing: The unfun timings on dash and attack.

    Playtime: ~ 8h
    Enjoyment: 7/10
    Recommendation: Yeah, it's a solid game.
  50. Obe
    Oct 2, 2016
    10
    my favorite game of the decate!!!

    une influence esthétique 80's de toute beauté, un gameplay léché et nettoyé de tout élément superflu (signe d'un aboutissement sublime) un level design enthousiasmant qui structure bien la narration. Du beau boulot quoi!
  51. 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
  52. VonSeux
    Sep 9, 2016
    4
    Game is gorgeous but after one our playing I feel this isone of the most pointless games I've ever played, no sense of direction, flow, purpose, gameplay is more complicated than fun. The question before shutting down this game for forever was "why am I playing this game ?"
  53. 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
  54. 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
  55. 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
  56. 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.
  57. Underpants158
    Jun 28, 2016
    7
    This isn't my cup of tea. When a game is billed as being difficult over anything else that is usually an indicator that it is not for me. It is hard, believe me, but there are frequent checkpoints so it's never punishingly so. The enjoyment comes from being frustrated by defeat then basking in the light of victory. The west boss literally had me shaking after I bet him.

    Negatives: -The    This isn't my cup of tea. When a game is billed as being difficult over anything else that is usually an indicator that it is not for me. It is hard, believe me, but there are frequent checkpoints so it's never punishingly so. The enjoyment comes from being frustrated by defeat then basking in the light of victory. The west boss literally had me shaking after I bet him.

    Negatives:
    -The abstract telling of the story leaves a lot to be desired.
    -The mini map sucks. It doesn't display exactly where you are. It's like there are invisible sectors and your icon will remain stagnant until you change sectors then the icon will remain stagnant in that sector. It makes trying to find the pink triangles (story!) needlessly annoying.
    -Upgrades are largely ineffectual. Double dash is the only thing I found useful.    … Expand
  58. GameReviewJrnal
    Jun 18, 2016
    7
    Gorgeous artwork and a soothing soundtrack to counter the intense combat, it has all the elements to be a great game. However navigating the map can be frustrating since there is no way to grind, and a wrong decision is very costly. What I mean is going to the same place or backtracking offers no rewards in regards to EXP, and this happens quite a bit. Boss battles are incredibly fun andGorgeous artwork and a soothing soundtrack to counter the intense combat, it has all the elements to be a great game. However navigating the map can be frustrating since there is no way to grind, and a wrong decision is very costly. What I mean is going to the same place or backtracking offers no rewards in regards to EXP, and this happens quite a bit. Boss battles are incredibly fun and creative, I just wish there was more of it.… Expand
  59. 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
  60. 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
  61. 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
  62. GodOne
    Apr 27, 2016
    5
    A game with a crappy music, a crappy graphic, a crappy story(really there is not a story at all).
    A funny game for few hour but there are tons of better games on snes with better graphic and gameplay.
    If you are over 30 and you find this graphic beautiful then you have serious problems...
  63. c3p
    Apr 17, 2016
    6
    I'm left with really mixed feelings.
    Pro: it's provides a unique style and good gameplay.
    Con: You have to wall-hug pretty much the entire time to miss no secret passage, because you have no way of telling where they are hidden, time-consuming and boring. When you are stuck in a part the map is not helpful, it would be great to leave notes or mark closed doors. In conclusion i would    I'm left with really mixed feelings.
    Pro: it's provides a unique style and good gameplay.
    Con: You have to wall-hug pretty much the entire time to miss no secret passage, because you have no way of telling where they are hidden, time-consuming and boring. When you are stuck in a part the map is not helpful, it would be great to leave notes or mark closed doors.

    In conclusion i would say that old-style Zelda fans should try it, but probably check out a few reviews first. (And beware of the Hype)    … Expand
  64. 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
  65. 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
  66. 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
  67. 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.
  68. 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
  69. 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
  70. 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
  71. 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
  72. 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
  73. BigTanuki
    Apr 3, 2016
    7
    Beautiful art. Very difficult combat. I don't think the rewards you get are satisfying enough, you don't feel like you're progressing that much, and then suddenly the game's over.

    Overall I'd say, wait for a sale. Not enough content to warrant $20 at the moment.
  74. 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
  75. 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
  76. 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.
  77. 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
  78. 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.
  79. 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
  80. 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.
  81. 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 .
  82. 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
  83. Ophenix
    Apr 1, 2016
    1
    I was an early backer and very excited for this but I'm not happy with the end result.
    The game is stunning and the soundtrack is also really good. Overall design and aesthetics are stellar, like, Bastion level of art and design.
    But the difficulty is made of **** You have health packs that don't really heal you since they lock you in place for around 2 seconds (which is forever in an    I was an early backer and very excited for this but I'm not happy with the end result.
    The game is stunning and the soundtrack is also really good. Overall design and aesthetics are stellar, like, Bastion level of art and design.
    But the difficulty is made of **** You have health packs that don't really heal you since they lock you in place for around 2 seconds (which is forever in an action game) and every hit knocks you down, like a rubber doll, while not giving you invulnerability. So one hit can mean you get hit by 2-3 more projectiles that you would have otherwise evaded. This makes the bosses with their obvious adds a nightmare.
    Basically, come in expecting a challenge and a buttload of repetition or don't bother. The game is beautiful and mesmerizing, but what good is that if you can't get past the middle :|    … Expand
  84. 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
  85. 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

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

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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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