Hyper Light Drifter

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 98 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 73 out of 98
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 98
  3. Negative: 15 out of 98
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  1. 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.
  2. SWERY_51
    Jul 27, 2016
    10
    Wow, i honestly didn't expect that much, but this game is damn good.
    Action/adventure that looks like a weird dark 2D Zelda with a bit of Dark Souls and Furi. The gameplay is really good, the atmosphere and art direction are incredible (some Fez touch) and there are a lots of secrets to find with a nice world to explore and cool boss fights. There are also upgrades to buy and new    Wow, i honestly didn't expect that much, but this game is damn good.
    Action/adventure that looks like a weird dark 2D Zelda with a bit of Dark Souls and Furi. The gameplay is really good, the atmosphere and art direction are incredible (some Fez touch) and there are a lots of secrets to find with a nice world to explore and cool boss fights. There are also upgrades to buy and new equipments to collect. You are not treated like a child and have find out yourself, which is really nice. I really enjoy my 8 hours of play time so far. Highly recommended if you're not allergic to old school 2D visuals.    … Expand
  3. BornToMySoul
    Aug 2, 2016
    10
    Heart Machine have done a masterful job creating this game, its astonishing that it has been such an unceremonious release. The 2d graphics are nostalgic but the level of detail is very next gen, you want to explore and the game rewards you with plenty of areas you could have easily missed. The gameplay is fast paced and extremely fun. While there are comparisons to Zelda it doesnt feelHeart Machine have done a masterful job creating this game, its astonishing that it has been such an unceremonious release. The 2d graphics are nostalgic but the level of detail is very next gen, you want to explore and the game rewards you with plenty of areas you could have easily missed. The gameplay is fast paced and extremely fun. While there are comparisons to Zelda it doesnt feel like a knock-off and the hyper light drifter world has plenty of its own merits. Simply put one of the best games to be played on ps4.… Expand
  4. Metal_Days
    Aug 7, 2016
    8
    I was sceptical about getting this game at first, but after reading so much positive reviews, I got it.
    It did not dissapoint ! It's very enjoyable, but I would like to point out a few things:
    - This game is not as difficult as people make it out to be - Game is average short - took me about 7 hours to finish it - TONS of secrets for achievement hunters - I think I got like 15% of    I was sceptical about getting this game at first, but after reading so much positive reviews, I got it.
    It did not dissapoint ! It's very enjoyable, but I would like to point out a few things:

    - This game is not as difficult as people make it out to be
    - Game is average short - took me about 7 hours to finish it
    - TONS of secrets for achievement hunters - I think I got like 15% of them (and I finished the game)
    - Nonexistant narrative, however there is a lore - how you interpret it, is up to you. I tried, but in the end, I have no clue what happened in the story.

    All in all, good purchase. A solid 8.    … Expand
  5. consolfreak1982
    Jan 24, 2017
    9
    After its last update HyperLightDrifter deserves the 9/10.
    It now Features an "easy mode" as well as 60fps.
    Its great to see that Developers really put their heart into it. Much has been said about this game - its a throwback to the glory SNES days, the Zeldas, the Alundras, the Ys Series. HLD is a 2D Action-Adventure with some light RPG elements that has a very unique art style and    After its last update HyperLightDrifter deserves the 9/10.
    It now Features an "easy mode" as well as 60fps.
    Its great to see that Developers really put their heart into it.
    Much has been said about this game - its a throwback to the glory SNES days, the Zeldas, the Alundras, the Ys Series.
    HLD is a 2D Action-Adventure with some light RPG elements that has a very unique art style and way to tell its Story - the pixelated Art in this game is estaetically masterfull, with Vibrant Colors, flashy effects and some sceneries that are just a sight to behold. HLD tells its Story very cryptic, as there is no text or spoken Dialogue whatsoever - it uses Images to tell the Story, so much is left unknown and left for the Player to Interpret.
    Gameplay wise HLD Plays just like the old 2D Zelda games, just faster. You can evade with a single button and also chain these evading steps with perfect timing which is crucial if you want to survive.
    Speaking of survival - HLD is a kinda tough challenge ... in fact its one of the most hardcore gaming experiences this genre has to offer. Youll Need to use all of your Arsenal, have pixelperfect aiming and Timing, and stay focused - keeping track of whats Happening is also pretty challenging as the Action is extremely fast and full of flashy effects. HLD is never really unfair, but just so hard that it often feels like an unclimbable mountain. The implementation of an easy mode is surely welcome not only for Newcomers to the game thats for sure!
    The Soundtrack fits perfectly, its ambient, silent when its an atmospheric Moment youre experiencing, epic in the heat of battle.
    Controls work very well, except for aiming with your pistol which still feels kinda off even after hours of in game practice. Loading times are almost non existent.
    Its sad that the Vita Version has been cancelled though.
    Even for the full Price HLD is worth its Money, and this means something for an Indie/Kickstarter Title.
    Its lenghty, challenging and beautiful. Maybe not the Zelda Successor it wants to be, but it gets as Close to that as can be. A masterpiece!    … Expand
  6. MEMESAREPEOPLE
    Oct 19, 2020
    10
    I’m not going to beat around the bush. This is one of my favorite games of all time. Beautiful characters and environments, complemented by a tough, but fair combat system, make this game amazing in almost every category. A fair warning though: this game’s storytelling is a bit niche, and will not appeal to all players. If you’re coming in expecting a story served like something similar toI’m not going to beat around the bush. This is one of my favorite games of all time. Beautiful characters and environments, complemented by a tough, but fair combat system, make this game amazing in almost every category. A fair warning though: this game’s storytelling is a bit niche, and will not appeal to all players. If you’re coming in expecting a story served like something similar to contemporary story-driven games, then this game will not satisfy that desire.

    First, and foremost, this game looks astonishing. The 16-bit environments and characters work perfectly well with the often calm and serene soundtrack, composed by Disasterpeace. The game makes clever use of its environments and storyboards to tell tales that are open enough to be interpreted by the player. The story is completely wordless. Instead of dialogue, characters speak through storyboards that are meant to be figured out by the player, instead of having it told to them, like a storybook. It’s an idea that clicks in my eyes, but may not click in yours, so be wary of this going into the game.

    The gameplay mechanics are simple, but is evolved upon by collecting currency hidden throughout the world to buy upgrades. Some currency is given to you when enemies die, while some are cleverly hidden in the environment, requiring thorough exploration from the player. You can shoot enemies, and slash some more with your sword to replenish the ammo for your guns, so you can shoot more enemies, all while dashing out of danger with your handy dash ability. The upgrades you obtain can be as simple as increased ammo, or as game-changing as the ability to reflect projectiles with your sword, or to be able to dash as many times as you wish, given you have proper timing. Despite these powerful abilities, you’re still pretty fragile, and you can still die in as many as 3-5 hits, or 1-2 hits on the hard difficulty setting. Learning how to quickly assess the situation and reacting accordingly is the key to success, and is a ton of fun to do. However, I would like to nitpick that collecting currency has no gameplay value once you collect all the upgrades, apart from achievement/trophy hunting. This nitpick is not nearly enough to detract from the amazing experience I’ve had with this game.

    All in all, Hyper Light Drifter is an amazing game, reminiscent of those from the SNES days. While the method of storytelling may not be for everyone, but it is for me, and the beautiful visuals and challenging combat make it worth the money on its own. If you enjoy challenging action-adventure games, then I urge you to not skip out on this one.    … Expand
  7. SileSixEcho
    Aug 5, 2016
    9
    Awesome game so far. Great controls, very well paced and lots to explore. It surely isn't an easy game, probably it will even be one of the hardest you play this year, but it's all the more rewarding. The art dicrection is pretty cool as well. Don't make the mistake to put it down to early, it's worth investing some time to fully unravel its potential.
  8. ricklongo
    Nov 15, 2016
    8
    Helping fund a game through Kickstarter is often a dangerous proposition. Some end up not getting made at all, while others go through changes in scope or release plans. Hyper Light Drifter is an example of the latter; I was really looking forward to play the now-cancelled Wii U version, especially because of a the map possibilities of the gamepad. Thankfully, it did get released on PS4,Helping fund a game through Kickstarter is often a dangerous proposition. Some end up not getting made at all, while others go through changes in scope or release plans. Hyper Light Drifter is an example of the latter; I was really looking forward to play the now-cancelled Wii U version, especially because of a the map possibilities of the gamepad. Thankfully, it did get released on PS4, and it very much lives up to the hype.

    There's little story in the game, or at least little discernible story. Everything is mostly told through textless cutscenes, and it's pretty tough to follow. You play as someone who's obviously sick, coughing blood and experiencing hallucinations, and the plot (supposedly) revolves around searching for a cure. It's unfortunate that the details are so fuzzy, because the world is absolutely gorgeous, with excellent stylized graphics, insanely good music, and an ominous atmosphere that allows for some pretty exciting exploration.

    Hyper Light Drifter plays similarly to top-down Zelda titles, albeit a bit more on the high-adrenaline side. Action is often relentless, and dungeons are very well-designed, making the gameplay loop quite addictive. Combat is one of the best aspects, as every single enemy requires that you learn a pattern instead of mindlessly button-mashing.

    The search for collectibles is also quite engrossing, as the game gives subtle clues that always make you feel smart when you spot them. The lack of clear communication with the player can sometimes be a problem here as well, though; for example, you probably won't find out what exactly each new set of clothes do unless you google it up.

    TL;DR:
    If you enjoy top-down action-adventures, Hyper Light Drifter is a game you should not miss. With great graphics, music, and a very peculiar feel to its worldbuilding, it offers quite a few hours of great, fluid gameplay. The storytelling and overall communication could afford to be a bit clearer, but it's hard to get hung up on that when there is such an awesome setting to explore.

    8.5/10    … Expand
  9. LolTacoBell
    Jan 18, 2021
    9
    Just the heart in this game takes your breath away, it's got everything you could ask for in a 2D action exploration game, with a sincerely gratifying atmosphere and tone. The music, story, and journey is very morose, almost depressing in a way, but it feels so unique and focused. It seriously scratches the over-world action adventure itch, with games like Link to the Past that it feelsJust the heart in this game takes your breath away, it's got everything you could ask for in a 2D action exploration game, with a sincerely gratifying atmosphere and tone. The music, story, and journey is very morose, almost depressing in a way, but it feels so unique and focused. It seriously scratches the over-world action adventure itch, with games like Link to the Past that it feels like it draws the perfect level of inspiration from. My 1 and ONLY qualm was the world map confusion I had quite often up until the very end of the game, I really had a lot of trouble navigating around the map, and the map didn't always help very much with directing me. Maps aside, this game absolutely dominates, it's atmosphere, tone and absolutely fantastic music set it apart from other over-world adventures, with fast reflex combat, smooth framerate at 60fps, and a beautiful color pallet. Give this one a try if you like a good challenge, it'll be sure to put you up to the task!… Expand
  10. chesaro
    Apr 17, 2018
    10
    Absolutely genius, the gameplay is almost perfect (you have to upgrade several things to find it perfect, but that is ok), the music makes you feel anxious (as it should), and the bosses are really great, this might be a game maker game, but the developer should be proud of what he achieved with everything in this one.

    I just finished the main story, on normal, and i think this could be    Absolutely genius, the gameplay is almost perfect (you have to upgrade several things to find it perfect, but that is ok), the music makes you feel anxious (as it should), and the bosses are really great, this might be a game maker game, but the developer should be proud of what he achieved with everything in this one.

    I just finished the main story, on normal, and i think this could be a little hard for some people, but this game just tries to be what it is, and avoid to be generic and/or too easy, the learning curve is ok for me but some might think there are several spikes.

    It's just good, as simple as that.    … Expand
  11. veeshan28
    Aug 18, 2016
    9
    I held off on buying Hyper Light Drifter for several months thanks to the constant mention of difficulty in other reviews. With the PS4 release, I decided it was finally time to give such a beautiful gem a try. What a fantastic game!

    The graphical style and color palates are incredible. It feels like any given scene could make a wallpaper during the outdoor portions. The animations are    I held off on buying Hyper Light Drifter for several months thanks to the constant mention of difficulty in other reviews. With the PS4 release, I decided it was finally time to give such a beautiful gem a try. What a fantastic game!

    The graphical style and color palates are incredible. It feels like any given scene could make a wallpaper during the outdoor portions. The animations are great, and it complements the game play perfectly.

    Going back to the aforementioned difficulty, it really did concern me coming into first picking up the game. I played Dark Souls before and found the dreariness and depth of unexplained systems just as off putting as the mechanical difficulty itself. Hyper Light Drifter allows you to focus. Play well and you progress. Mess up, and try again (from a recent point, thankfully).

    Seriously one of the best games I've played in a year. Try it yourself!    … Expand
  12. ourtimehascome
    Dec 18, 2016
    8
    Hyper Light Drifter accomplishes a great deal in such a short time. With no text at all, it conveys an engrossing, emotional story. With no tutorials, it teaches you how to play and master the deep combat. And does both without the player even noticing what's going on. It's astounding how a game of this magnitude could come from Kickstarter, and be an indie title no less.
  13. Scoutulambo
    Jul 3, 2017
    9
    The only complaints I have with this game is with enemies sometimes being able to hit the player while they're in hit stun, which can lead to instant death even on the easiest difficulty, and forced cut scenes for picking up "gear-bits". The game has striking visuals, strong visual and environmental story telling, fast-paced but simple combat, and your character goals are simple toThe only complaints I have with this game is with enemies sometimes being able to hit the player while they're in hit stun, which can lead to instant death even on the easiest difficulty, and forced cut scenes for picking up "gear-bits". The game has striking visuals, strong visual and environmental story telling, fast-paced but simple combat, and your character goals are simple to understand. The game rewards exploration and the sword-and-gun combat system is more deep than I thought it would be when I first picked the game up. My first play-through of the game took about 14 hours and, even with a guide, it took me about 10 hours to discover every hidden item on my fifth play-through. I've found myself coming back and speeding through the game when killing time, and a full run of the required content to complete the game takes 2 hours max once you're familiar with the game.… Expand
  14. amralchalati
    Aug 24, 2018
    10
    The visual, music and game play are so amusing. I have enjoined every second of the game and specially the ending was so emotional!

    The only bad thing I can say about the game is the multi-dash system is so hard, I finished the game and I couldn't master it!
  15. Knbb
    Jun 20, 2020
    10
    I love this game sooooooo much. It is the best game every body should play it
    Soooooo good 10 out of 10
  16. Awanka
    Mar 25, 2021
    9
    Perfect minimalist combat and game design. Has a great aesthetic and sense of style. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that there is no talking in this game, or bloated overlong cutscenes. The only reason I can't rate it a 10 is that it doesn't have the high production values or length of a game like Bloodborne or Witcher 3. For what it set to accomplish though, this was a flawless victory.
  17. ameron
    Nov 12, 2021
    9
    The gameplay, the mood, the graphics, the metrovania like progression, all tie beautifully together. It is rare for me to completely finish a game and still want more.
  18. Deoem
    Oct 10, 2021
    10
    Hyper Light Drifter is great for fans of exploration, combat, pixel art, and secrets.

    This game was the perfect difficulty for me, and it never felt unfair, every enemy felt unique and interesting, and HLD was great at combining enemies types together or with level hazards for interesting challenges. There are also great bosses. While the exploration initially felt unfair, with    Hyper Light Drifter is great for fans of exploration, combat, pixel art, and secrets.

    This game was the perfect difficulty for me, and it never felt unfair, every enemy felt unique and interesting, and HLD was great at combining enemies types together or with level hazards for interesting challenges. There are also great bosses.

    While the exploration initially felt unfair, with hidden paths that hide items necessary for progression, once I worked out how to identify hidden passages, the game clicked with me, and exploring was my favourite part of the game. It doesn't hold your hand at all, and gives you the choice to tackle areas in whatever order you prefer.    … Expand
  19. sbasxv
    Dec 6, 2022
    10
    incredible game. Art, story, gameplay and score all ten out of ten. Took me a while to finish but can't get enough of it.

Awards & Rankings

64
#64 Best PS4 Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Multiplayer.it
    Sep 10, 2018
    90
    Hyper Light Drifter Special Edition for Nintendo Switch is the best version that you can buy and play.
    Read full review
  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Sep 26, 2016
    70
    It may not live up to the standards of its own impeccable presentation, but Hyper Light Drifter is still an intense and affecting retro adventure with lots to love. [Oct 2016, p.87]
  3. The Digital Fix
    Aug 30, 2016
    80
    A perfect example of learning by playing - Hyper Light Drifter offers a unique experience of exploration and discovery in a beautiful world with a well paced challenge, even if you still have no idea what’s going on by the end.
    Read full review
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