Hyper Light Drifter – Heart Machine — PC/Mac – 03.31.16 — $19.99
Retro, pixelated games have been trendy for some time now, but it’s rare that one strikes the proper resonant frequency to become a classic. “Hyper Light Drifter” is one of these rare titles—something that was crafted by artists that possesses the right balance of nostalgic influences and aesthetic innovation. It captures the controller-chucking frustration that defined my NES collection, but it’s so beautiful and weird that it compelled me to keep on trucking no matter how many times I had to watch my character die.
The game’s compelling beauty and weirdness is attributed to a story that is revealed via vague, wordless still-screens that depict an epic cataclysm that has destroyed a once powerful civilization. The protagonist is known as the Drifter, and it’s our job to venture forth into ruined temples to gather bits and pieces of ancient technology. Occasionally, the Drifter hacks up globs of blood, symptoms of an illness that may or may not be tied to the aforementioned cataclysm. Creating a story with no dialogue, subtitles or written language of any type is a risky move, but it pays off here. It encourages exploration, and rewards venturing off of the predictable path to find hidden areas. It also gives the player a good excuse to just take in every gorgeously rendered setting without any context—the world unfolds like a living work of art.
In addition to the game’s visual brilliance, I couldn’t help but notice the hauntingly ambient soundtrack. “Hyper Light Drifter” is one of the few games that made me stop and take note of the music. I freaked out a little bit when I discovered that the game’s soundtrack was composed by Richard Vreeland, aka Disasterpeace. Not only did he score the retro classic “FEZ,” but he’s responsible for scoring the fantastically creepy horror film “It Follows.” The music complements the game perfectly, and further solidifies my love for Disasterpeace’s musical abilities.
Despite the fact that “Hyper Light Drifter” loves to throw frustrating enemy encounters and traps in your path, combat is actually quite balanced—no matter how many freakish creatures surround you, there’s always a fighting chance. The Drifter has a good mix of ranged and melee attacks, and the dash mechanic allows for well-timed parries and dodges. Fighting in “Hyper Light Drifter” is extremely satisfying, and it’s fun to switch between ranged and close combat on the fly. It’s best suited for playing with a controller, but it’s not too shabby with a mouse and keyboard either.
“Hyper Light Drifter” can be easily compared to some of gaming’s most venerated titles. As I slashed and shot my way through hostile bird creatures and exploding plant parasites, I found myself thinking about “The Legend of Zelda,” “Metroid,” and even the more contemporary “Transistor.” Regardless of its influences, “Hyper Light Drifter” is something very special in its own right. It’s got a surprisingly vast world to explore, a tight combat system and it’s all wrapped up within one of the most visually and aurally captivating packages that I’ve seen in a long time. Buy this one now and thank me later.