HYPER LIGHT DRIFTER
The prettiest little post-apocalypse you’ve ever seen
Style over substance sounds such a dismissive term, suggesting we shouldn’t worry about the frivolous business of how something looks or sounds, but instead engage in the lofty pursuit of figuring out what it means. Good advice, maybe, but when a game boasts as much raw style as this one, it can be difficult to follow.
Because everything about this old-school actionRPG, from the satisfying sound of your drifter’s dash to the sight of landscapes littered with titanic cadavers, exudes an abundance of panache. And although Nintendo’s early Zelda games are an obvious template here, Hyper Light Drifter abandons fairytale charm for slick futuristic flair.
But this is no sci-fi reskin, and while Zelda made use of subtle signposting and finely-tuned gear-gating to shepherd players, HLD offers a less directed approach, allowing you to tackle dungeons and bosses in almost whatever order you please. This open-ended design isn’t without its drawbacks, though, and the price you pay for freedom is wonky difficulty scaling.
There’s often little sense of direction, and this isn’t helped by an overworld map that’s as aesthetically pleasing as it is functionally useless. Prioritising retro flair over readability, checking it will only give you a vague sense of where the next dungeon is located.
LIGHT HEARTED
But once you’ve got your head around navigation, combat has a chance to move to the fore, and it’s here that Hyper Light Drifter’s mechanical elegance becomes apparent. Although you start out with just a threestage melee combo and simple sidearm, the ability to replenish your pistol’s magazine by way of successful sword strikes expands your offensive options considerably. Master your dash move – which serves as both a speedy dodge and handy manoeuvring option – and you’ll soon be zipping around the screen in a strategic dance of blade and bullets.
It’s unfortunate, then, that Hyper Light Drifter can sometimes feel a little sluggish, and your attempts to chain-dash your way out of danger can come a cropper thanks to this unresponsive edge. It’s frustrating not only because the game would be challenging even without this spongy quality, but also because roughhousing with this diverse cast of pixelated miscreants is such a joy when it works.
Exploring the gorgeous overworld and dingy dungeons of Hyper Light Drifter is an exhilarating, satisfying and intense experience. But for every few sweet bites of retro adventuring and martial elegance you savour, there’s a bitter frustration nugget waiting, ready to explode onto your awareness like rancid popping candy. Hyper Light Drifter seems destined to divide opinion, then, but those with the patience to press on will find feels, flaws, and substance alongside that style.
VERDICT
“IT ALLOWS YOU TO TACKLE DUNGEONS AND BOSSES IN ANY ORDER YOU CHOOSE.”
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. James Nouch