But these health packs are a lot rarer than they should be in a game that’s already pretty difficult (even Dark Souls gives plenty of opportunities to refill your Estus Flask). The Drifter can find small health packs, which are collected and stored, only to be used when the player hits a particular button. But an issue arrises with the game’s rather stingy nature in giving the player extra health. It should also be noted that Hyper Light Drifter is a rather difficult game. For one thing, dashing across some areas can prove cumbersome, as the (admittedly beautiful) retro visuals often make it difficult to discern the game’s perspectives, leading you to plummet to an accidental death more often than you’d like to admit. On the downside of things, not all of the gameplay works as well as you may like. Complimenting the visuals is an equally atmospheric, ambient score, which helps evoke the game’s aura of mystery. But the atmosphere and insanely detailed retro visuals draw you into the game’s world. It’s a simple enough setup, with the actual plot involved purposefully being minimalistic (there’s no dialogue text, only images appearing in bubbles above characters’ heads). Hordes of monsters and massive bosses stand in the Drifter’s way, and strange relics and batteries can be uncovered to give the Drifter access to new weapons and abilities. The Journey will take the Drifter across the four corners of this mysterious realm (the player can decide which area to conquer in whatever order).
The Drifter also possesses an ever-important dash move, which is necessary to get across chasms and other dangerous areas. The Drifter is equipped with an energy sword, and can find other weapons along his journey across this vast world. The Drifter inhabits a mysterious world that very much echoes Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind in its atmosphere and creature designs (many dormant giants can be found in the backgrounds, and bear a striking resemblance to the God Warriors of Nausicaa). Players take control of “The Drifter,” a caped warrior who is suffering from an unknown illness. It’s actually a pretty apt comparison, as Hyper Light Drifter combines the top-down nature of a 2D Zelda and squeezes in some Diablo-style hack n’ slash combat. Though Hyper Light Drifter ultimately suffers from a few gameplay quirks, it is nonetheless a unique gaming experience that provides players with a captivating world.Īlex Preston has described Hyper Light Drifter as a combination of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Blizzard’s Diablo. Hyper Light Drifter was one of the more notable indie releases of 2016, not only for its often-delayed production, but also for its personal aspects, with its story reflecting developer Alex Preston’s heart disease.