Hyper Light Drifter

 Switch
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 121 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 84 out of 121
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 121
  3. Negative: 13 out of 121

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  1. djdnauk
    Nov 11, 2018
    9
    Reverb duck, original version was 30fps on all platforms... now theyve been updated and the worst drops on switch are 40-50fps, which is FINE, the game basically runs just as well on switch as anything else but its portable too... switch is the best platform to play this game on for that reason
  2. Gloone
    Dec 1, 2018
    8
    A nice, very polished game.

    The gameplay is a very satisfying mix of exploration and combat. In addition to a sword and various guns and grenades, you have a dash move, which makes combat quite interesting. For example, having a shotgun gets a lot more fun when you can dash right up to an enemy before shooting them. There are lots of cleverly hidden areas which mean that travelling the    A nice, very polished game.

    The gameplay is a very satisfying mix of exploration and combat. In addition to a sword and various guns and grenades, you have a dash move, which makes combat quite interesting. For example, having a shotgun gets a lot more fun when you can dash right up to an enemy before shooting them. There are lots of cleverly hidden areas which mean that travelling the overworld and dungeons is never boring. Finding these rewards you with various ability upgrades that keep the game fresh throughout.

    On a small number of occasions the combat felt frustratingly sluggish. I'm not sure if this was because of the console struggling, or if that's just how it is. This is rare though. I disagree that the game is particularly hard. It's challenging enough to be entertaining, but it isn't punishing, and it doesn't feel unfair.

    Something to make the game easier to 100% in the final stages would have been welcome. Instead, all you can do is retread the entire game world trying to find secrets you missed, which is tedious, and I don't think there's any final reward for doing it. In the end I didn't try to 100% the game, and I don't recommend anybody else does.

    The art and music are great. There are barely any words or dialogue in the game; the story is all visual, and as a result is impressionistic and ambiguous. Apart from some minor confusions, it's an effective approach.

    Overall, certainly recommended.    … Expand
  3. legrandmawak
    Sep 6, 2018
    10
    the art, the music, the scenery, the atmosphere, the story : everything is WoW !|
    its racefully paced in combat and its a contemplative experience when exploring or encounter new things.
    i've never experienced a game that says so much but there is not a single word written in this game. You never read or hear someone speaking to you. You have to figure it out by yourself. I have goose    the art, the music, the scenery, the atmosphere, the story : everything is WoW !|
    its racefully paced in combat and its a contemplative experience when exploring or encounter new things.

    i've never experienced a game that says so much but there is not a single word written in this game. You never read or hear someone speaking to you. You have to figure it out by yourself.
    I have goose bump just writing this short review.    … Expand
  4. Stowbot
    Nov 2, 2018
    10
    This game is powerful in almost all areas. The combat, art, music, and visual storytelling are just amazing. Most people may not agree with the wordless storytelling. In fact, it can kind of be troubling as to figuring out what certain upgrades do when a player wants to purchase one as it is all done with visuals. But to some, it's great to just let your imagination fill in the blanks.This game is powerful in almost all areas. The combat, art, music, and visual storytelling are just amazing. Most people may not agree with the wordless storytelling. In fact, it can kind of be troubling as to figuring out what certain upgrades do when a player wants to purchase one as it is all done with visuals. But to some, it's great to just let your imagination fill in the blanks. As for the music I can say without a single doubt that this is disasterpeace's best work. The synthy tracks just add to the layer of mystery surrounding this destroyed sci-fi world. All in all, it is a definite buy!… Expand
  5. Meeleepit
    Jun 15, 2020
    8
    Only got this game recently due to people stating it is beyond difficult.

    Seriously it was not that difficult and immensely fun to play. The pixel art is stunning.
    Seriously enjoyed this game. Definitely worth the play.
  6. JoeyPL5
    Nov 16, 2021
    9
    Even if it isn't the most fun game, it is so striking and unique that it's impossible to forget playing it.
  7. capedavenger
    Oct 7, 2018
    10
    Wow, what a great game. I was a little afraid that it's one of those "Hipster graphic look" games that don't amount to much of a game, but I was wrong. Great gameplay, great graphics, interesting worlds to explore... I love the "no words" approach, it doesn't make things easier, but hey...makes it all the more mysterious. Love it!
  8. battleTerror
    Jun 22, 2019
    9
    Really good game. Very good combat mechanics and loads of atmospheric exploration to be had.

    The game looks striking and kind of bizarre. I loved the Boss fights and the game is quite hard too. Looks and plays great on the Switch and is perfect for portable play. Check it out!
  9. LordOMO
    May 28, 2020
    9
    Hyper Light Drifter is a fantastic game, albeit a little rough around the edges. One thing everyone looking to play this game should know is that it is a very "mysterious" game: It's heavy on exploration and there is zero text or speech except for a short tutorial in the beginning. In that way it is quite similar to Dark Souls which also has this mysterious vibe to it and rewards playersHyper Light Drifter is a fantastic game, albeit a little rough around the edges. One thing everyone looking to play this game should know is that it is a very "mysterious" game: It's heavy on exploration and there is zero text or speech except for a short tutorial in the beginning. In that way it is quite similar to Dark Souls which also has this mysterious vibe to it and rewards players who explore levels carefully. Also similar to Dark Souls is that combat is quite methodical eventhough it is much quicker in Hyper Light Drifter. As the player you have to pay attention to the enemy attack patterns and react accordingly otherwise you will die in a matter of seconds. With bosses or multiple enemy encounters this leads to a careful dance of dodge and attack while keeping other enemies at bay with guns.
    Successfull combat encounters and exploring the levels will reward you with green healthpacks and yellow "upgrade points" which you can spend on vendors for various upgrades.

    I found myself being immediatly enthralled by this game. It's stylish visuals and beautiful dark synth soundtrack set the atmosphere well and progressing to the game was very rewarding.
    However, I already mentioned that the game is a little rough around the edges. I have two main issues with the current state of the game:
    - everything being very cryptic can leave the player confused in the beginning. Thankfully the core gameplay and the progression system of the game is quite simple to understand. But some of the "hints" the game gives you are simply so cryptic that I'm sure a number of players will completely miss them
    - exploring the levels can include a lot of trial and error. There are lots of hidden areas and finding them at times feels like luck since it isn't always communicated which parts of the level you can interact with. Sometimes there are secrets hidden behind what looks like solid walls. In the end this means you have to be prepared to basically run into every suspicious wall and search every cliff for invisible walkways. This can in fact be fun and it feels great to find new hidden secrets during the second or third playthrough. However, if you are NOT into this type of trial and error exploration you will find navigating the levels quite frustrating and you will be at a disadvantage since you'll be missing out on a lot of upgrade points that are hidden away.

    All in all Hyper Light Drifter is a 9/10 experience to me. It's a beautiful game and if you are part of the niche audience that enjoys fast but methodical combat as well as hunting for secrets this is a must have game for you. The only real disappointment is that the game is a little inconsistent in communicating to the player which areas are accessable and which are not, resulting in trial and error.    … Expand
  10. dkmjr
    Mar 8, 2019
    10
    Superb game, passionate soundtrack, and unique style. My only complaint is that it is not longer! I couldn't be more pleased. One of the best on Switch! Can't wait for a sequel (hopefully).
  11. Sijun
    Aug 27, 2019
    10
    As an early bird backer on kickstarter I can't praise this game enough even after 2 years. Once I heard it got released for the Switch I rebuyed it asap and enjoy every second of it. To play this masterpiece in handheld mode is great fun.
    Verdict: worth every single dime!
  12. PewPewMcP
    Nov 15, 2019
    9
    Hyper Light Drifter is a love letter to the first four Legend of Zelda games and a hallmark of the top-down Action RPG genre. In a genre oversaturated with procgen roguelikes/lites, it's stunning to see such a meticulously crafted world, where level design is allowed to truly shine as team Heart Machine fill the world with nooks and crannies bursting with secrets that reward the player forHyper Light Drifter is a love letter to the first four Legend of Zelda games and a hallmark of the top-down Action RPG genre. In a genre oversaturated with procgen roguelikes/lites, it's stunning to see such a meticulously crafted world, where level design is allowed to truly shine as team Heart Machine fill the world with nooks and crannies bursting with secrets that reward the player for spotting their little tells and going off the beaten path. Enemy design is excellent as well, as enemies of all rank are implemented effectively to test the player's grasp of the fluid and dynamic combat. Bosses are a particular treat, forcing you to memorize their patterns in a tough but fair way, and I especially must highlight that death brings you to the last autosave which usually happens when you enter a new map, so you're in this Cuphead-style rhythm against the bosses and tough scenarios where you can jump right back into the fight immediately after failure. The game also allows you to tackle its maps in a fairly nonlinear fashion, a feat which is never easily achieved yet well executed here. Hyper Light Drifter sits amongst the pantheon of indie greats, and more videogames would benefit from taking a little direction from it.… Expand
  13. pacofonix
    May 7, 2020
    10
    I am always looking for games to play with my SO (local co-op couch multiplayer) and this was a fun one to play!

    Battles are a mix of Diablo 3, Zelda and Cuphead feelings, music is great, art is really pleasing (we like 16 bits like art more than 8 bit style or 3D-meh graphics like Unravel Two) and it is really cheap on sales.

    Recommended!
  14. Tspeed
    Nov 4, 2020
    8
    Didn’t get on with this initially due to the ambiguity of it all. The lack of instructions or explanations left me running in circles not knowing what I was doing. But after getting my head around the pickups and power ups I’ve been having a good time with it. The fighting is good and it’s decently challenging. The graphics are nice although sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s backgroundDidn’t get on with this initially due to the ambiguity of it all. The lack of instructions or explanations left me running in circles not knowing what I was doing. But after getting my head around the pickups and power ups I’ve been having a good time with it. The fighting is good and it’s decently challenging. The graphics are nice although sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s background and what’s floor.… Expand
  15. Gontrand00
    Jan 20, 2021
    8
    Definitely worth playing. It has a great artistic direction, a marvelous soundtrack made by Disasterpeace and a nice challenge.

    The weak points would be that it's not perfectly balance. Some parts are harder that they should be just because your character doesn't respond as quickly as necessary, and there was some moments where the props were really in the way during a heat fight. They    Definitely worth playing. It has a great artistic direction, a marvelous soundtrack made by Disasterpeace and a nice challenge.

    The weak points would be that it's not perfectly balance. Some parts are harder that they should be just because your character doesn't respond as quickly as necessary, and there was some moments where the props were really in the way during a heat fight. They should have put a invincibility second or two after being hit, because for the final boss you just constantly get one-hit killed with some attack, because your character never has the time to recover from an attack before another one is made. Which is too bad because there are some great fighting moments too. Fortunately, it's forgiving and you just start the battle again, no need to go all the way back from the save point like in Hollow Knight, which was for me so **** frustrating.

    Also, graphically, even if it's beautiful, it can be sometimes confusing. I wasn't sure all the time where I could go on a platform or not, or if there was some secret things to find since they don't pop out even a little in the environment. And since there are a lot of things and secrets to be discovered (some of them are pretty much essential to the game), it would have been nice for them to be a little bit clearer. But it does reward you for exploration, which is nice.

    All in all, a great and unique indie game that you need to try at least once. Just know that's it's challenging, but I've seen much harder and unfair. The uniqueness of the game really stands out and it should be known more (kinda like Katana Zero)"    … Expand
  16. Rubbish
    Dec 2, 2020
    9
    I love a game with good art direction and boy does this game deliver, it is just so pretty to look at. The atmosphere and environments are incredible.
    The controls feel great and the combat and exploration is very fun.
    The only thing losing it some points is just how un-beginner friendly it is. Some of the items you need to find are super hard to find, many in hidden paths. This game    I love a game with good art direction and boy does this game deliver, it is just so pretty to look at. The atmosphere and environments are incredible.
    The controls feel great and the combat and exploration is very fun.
    The only thing losing it some points is just how un-beginner friendly it is. Some of the items you need to find are super hard to find, many in hidden paths. This game uses no dialogue, it tells you everything visually, which is super cool but can also make it difficult if you aren't used to looking for these visual clues.
    There are a ton of hidden paths, some of which are a little TOO well hidden. Once you know the visual clues to look for it gets a lot easier but some are still very easy to miss. Personally, I went in blind then used guides and walkthrough when I got stuck, I don't mind using guides sometimes so this wasn't too much of a big deal for me.
    If you prefer a game with a more linear progression and don't like grinding to find stuff or using guides, this may not be the game for you, but I've loved it so far.    … Expand
  17. leeuk321
    Apr 14, 2022
    9
    Absolutely fantastic game. I love top-down 2D action RPGs, but the genre is a dying breed, so it's incredibly refreshing when a game developer makes one but also makes one so well. I think that the level of exploration and combat is perfect, both in terms of the amount and the difficulty. Loved the pixel graphics, and I personally thought that the "hands-off" approach in terms ofAbsolutely fantastic game. I love top-down 2D action RPGs, but the genre is a dying breed, so it's incredibly refreshing when a game developer makes one but also makes one so well. I think that the level of exploration and combat is perfect, both in terms of the amount and the difficulty. Loved the pixel graphics, and I personally thought that the "hands-off" approach in terms of storytelling and guidance was really refreshing (so many times a game overloads you with endless fluffed-up story, and holds your hand too much in guiding you along, taking away all the wonder and mystery).

    I only have one main criticism, which takes away from it being a perfect game, which is that the bosses are ridiculously irritating to beat. I don't simply mean difficult, it's more the manner in which they're difficult. Because of the 5-bar health system, which can't be increased throughout the game, you have to constantly nanny the health bar going down and time using a medkit *just right*, so you:

    1) Don't do it prematurely and use one up unnecessarily
    2) Don't wait too late and die
    3) Pick a moment in the fight, taking into account points 1 & 2, to allow for the 2-second heal animation to finish (which can and does get interrupted by the boss, resulting in either dying if the boss gets you before it completes, or getting damaged if it's just after)

    I've found that beating a boss is more about monitoring the health bar about learning how and when to use it, which just isn't a satisfying way of beating a boss. I think that the 5-bar health system is perfect for regular gameplay, because it lends to tactics of using medkits wisely as you navigate through the terrain and dungeons. But, I think for bosses it should act differently, perhaps temporarily taking away one medkit from your arsenal and expanding it to 10 bars. Yes, that'd make it easier to beat bosses, but the developers could balance that by making the bosses stronger and/or their weapons and tactics better. Again, it's not about decreasing the difficulty of the bosses, I just found the type of difficulty irritating (I didn't have that "Yes!" feeling when beating them, just a "Urgh, finally" feeling.

    All of the non-boss stuff I throughly enjoyed, but I just didn't enjoy going up against any of the bosses. Since fighting the bosses only accounts for a small portion of the game, it's still a strong 9/10 from me.    … Expand
  18. TheRadiantMoth
    Oct 23, 2022
    10
    This game is amazing in many ways.

    The only way in which it is really mediocre is story. The story is just told in a pretty vague way and very lacking in detail. This isn't a significant detriment to the game at all though, if anything I kind of like it because it makes the world a bit more mysterious. It's not like you can figure out nothing, you'll be able to get the general idea of    This game is amazing in many ways.

    The only way in which it is really mediocre is story. The story is just told in a pretty vague way and very lacking in detail. This isn't a significant detriment to the game at all though, if anything I kind of like it because it makes the world a bit more mysterious. It's not like you can figure out nothing, you'll be able to get the general idea of what happened in each area and a very vague understanding of the overall plot, but the exact threads connecting the story together are very poorly explained if they are explained at all. But a simple, vague plot is better than a bad, overbearing one.

    Everything else is incredible.

    The visual style is superb. The pixel art has sort of a cell shaded look to it with very vibrant colors that make the game look both very unique and very beautiful. And the animations are just incredible, of everything from the player character to environments to enemies, which is a big part of why the game looks and feels so good to play.

    The music is very ambient but it fits the gameplay well. It changes dynamically with pretty much everything, like getting to a new room or the next phase of a boss, which makes everything feel much more impactful. I can't say I really "liked" any of the songs but they were all really perfectly atmospheric for the part they take place.

    The combat is the part most people love. And I agree, it's great. All of your abilities flow together perfectly. You can act so quickly from one move to another, combat feels more like a continuous string of inputs than multiple individual inputs. Your three primary actions are sword moves for melee damage and charging guns, dashing for repositioning or dodging, and guns for ranged attacking (or high damage bursts depending on which one you use). The game gives you enough options that you can be incredibly creative with how you approach combat. You can use a highly evasive playstyle, a high damage one, a mix of the two, whatever you want.

    Of course the player is only half of the combat, and the enemies are just as good. There aren't many of them and they all have pretty simple behaviors but the game makes great use of them by combining different enemy types in interesting ways and layouts. Two combat rooms can use the exact same enemies but in completely different ways, meaning you'll need a different strategy for each. It always keeps things fresh and makes each and every encounter a joy to figure out.

    The bosses are especially incredible. Each of them is reasonably challenging, fun and fair while also being extremely challenging with varied and dynamic movesets that really force you to learn them and truly understand each boss.

    My favorite part of the game, and what really blew me away, is the exploration and world design.

    The overall world design is very simple, just a central hub with four areas expanding out in each direction. But what makes the game so great is that the world design within each area is incredible. For starters, each area has a real sense of history and detail to it. Each area has its own story and you can see it in details of the area. For example, the western area was very militaristic, and you can see cannons and armories scattered around many of its ruins. The above ground and underground sections of each area also have very different atmospheres, making each area even more memorable. (Again going back to the western area, the upper levels are a dense forest while below ground are high tech prisons and armories.)

    The way you progress through each area is also great. For one, each feels different. The northern one is mostly linear but gets more open at the end, the western is pretty open overall, the eastern is pretty linear but loops around on itself in interesting ways, and the southern is more like a simple overworld with a series of mini-dungeons. This makes each incredibly memorable. You can also go through each multiple times and find new things each time. I went to the north first, and was delighted to find that I hadn't found even half of the content, secrets, even rooms upon a revisit. This game rewards observation and curiosity amazingly, and you will be rewarded for paying attention. But it isn't necessary which is great for people who just want a general guide through the game- very few things are actually required for the ending, and the game guides you to these, so most of the secrets are great, which I love. They're challenging and rewarding to get for people who want them, and people who don't can skip over.

    So if you want a game that looks beautiful, has amazing atmosphere, feels incredible to play, and has rewarding exploration, definitely try this. It is incredible.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best Switch Game of 2018
52
#52 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2018
94
#94 Most Shared Switch Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Oct 29, 2018
    95
    A near-perfect dayglow samurai dream. [Issue #36 – November/December 2018, p. 20]
  2. Nintendo Insider
    Oct 22, 2018
    90
    If you groan every time you see another 2D action-RPG on the Nintendo eShop, don’t be dissuaded by Hyper Light Drifter: Special Edition. While it borrows from the Zelda blueprint and games that have followed, it is packaged so perfectly that it stands above the rest. The depth of its vivid world goes beyond what you see on your screen. There’s more lurking there, and you’ll want to discover it all.
    Read full review
  3. TheSixthAxis
    Oct 8, 2018
    90
    Hyper Light Drifter is a jaw-dropping experience no matter the platform you play it on. What started as an engaging masterpiece in 2016 continues to be just as rewarding and worthwhile of a video game in 2018. With the Nintendo Switch you get the valuable bonus of being able to take this journey with you anywhere you want and believe me when I say this is a journey you will not want to step away from once you start it.
    Read full review
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