Hyper Light Drifter
2016
- shooter
- role-playing (rpg)
- hack and slash/beat 'em up
- adventure
- indie
- action
- fantasy
- science fiction
- single player
- multiplayer
The story
Echoes of a dark and violent past resonate throughout a savage land, steeped in treasure and blood. Hyper Light Drifter is an action adventure RPG in the vein of the best 16-bit classics, with modernized mechanics and designs on a much grander scale.
What it’s like
Saturated pixel art in bright magentas, teals and sunset oranges, with deep shadow and glowing fog that drifts over ruined jungles, overgrown stone cities and snowy highlands. Its sprites are tiny and precise, the animation snappy, and the parallax backdrops feel painted and vast, so every screen reads like a faded illustration. The soundtrack is a moody synth-and-chiptune blend that swells during fights and falls to quiet hum and wind between them. Vibe: wistful, mysterious, quietly lonely, with a dreamlike melancholy under the combat. Combat is fast and demanding: a sword, dashes and ranged shots, with frequent enemies, sharp, bloody hits and brief splashes of gore; the violence is stylised rather than graphic, but it is constant. Pacing is exploratory, with long stretches of wandering, hidden secrets and gradual unlocking, and the story stays wordless and elliptical, told through glimpses of ruins and symbols. Best for players who love 16-bit-era action adventures, enjoy hunting for secrets across a big map, and don't mind a steady stream of fighting.
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