Playtime depends on what you hope to accomplish in a run. Decent use of environmental storytelling, but the core story is a bit lacking because of the presentation method. Tldr: HLD has great asthetics and music, as well as great fighting. You can also root around for lore or secret areas that will unlock throughout the game. Some of the bosses feel overwhelming at first, but you will notice patterns and gaps in their defences, so they can be overcome eventually. Hyper Light Drifter generated those oaths of fury and joyful frustration that are unique to hard games. Going for upgrades Will likely extend playtime). To be fair, swearing is one of my favourite things in general. Upgrades can be obtained by spending a few small yellow chips you find hidden thrpughoyt the world. Fights are interesting and challenging, and if you go for the upgrades (perfectly possible to conplete game withoyt upgrades, it's just very difficult. Some of the scenery and environmental storytelling is fabulous, the music is great, and very fitting of the atmosphere. Where HLD really shines is combat and visuals. To complete the main 'storyline' (in quotes because the story is rather vague, but that's mostly due to the unique way it's presented) would nit take terribly long, I'd say 10 ish hours. There’s very little signposting and no hand-holding at all (though that’s in the spirit of the classic games it strives to not just emulate, but stand shoulder to shoulder with across the decades).Ĭhallenging games are fine and it’s horses for courses, but not being able to change the difficulty can be a bitter pill if someone starts the game and finds it too much of a struggle, they’ll have to start again to embark on the easier difficulty.HLD is a sort of throwback to old video games. Platforms: Nintendo Switch (version tested), PS4, Xbox One, PC. It’s still a tough game and the mix of action RPG, swordplay, dodge roll, bullet hell, giant monster madness won’t be for everyone. Hyper Light Drifter isn’t all nice, however. It’s splendid however you choose to play, but – along with that sound and that rumble – it really sparkles on the Switch’s small screen. Hyper Light Drifter delivers a haunting and personal take on classic Legend of Zelda (rolled through a lo-fi Tron filter) and it’s not diminished in the journey to Nintendo’s little console that could. Its evocative art style and wordless narrative – tying together the physical and emotional struggles of both the titular drifter and its creator, Alx Preston – are as powerful as ever. The game is, of course, as beautiful as ever. In nearly every Hyper Light Drifter review from Steam, IGN, and other gameplay sites, players agree that Hyper Light Drifter is a beautiful game. The combat itself is refreshingly simple you attack with the Y button, dash out of the way of incoming attacks with B and fire your gun with ZR. You play as the Drifter, a character wielding a sweet energy sword and, at a very early point in the game, a handgun. If you’re playing with headphones – preferably in the dark, bathed in the fluorescing glow of the game’s unique visuals – you’ll feel the thump and thrum of Hyper Light Drifter’s audio wired directly behind your jawbone. Don’t let the gorgeous visuals distract you from the dangers within. It feels like a clashing jangle of nerve endings. It tingles, vibrates through your hands and up your wrists and along your forearms. Or rather you didn’t realise it was missing, until now.īetween the HD Rumble and the vibration of the Switch’s gutsy speaker, you’ll feel a combination of music, effects, and feedback from the game. With a fairly open world and little to no explanation as to what is going on in it, Hyper Light Drifter instantly gives off a Dark Souls vibe that is initially quite appealing. Whether that’s through the Switch’s on-board speakers or in your ears with headphones, there’s a sense of connection to the game’s audio which has previously been missing. They’re beautiful however you play, but on handheld, you’re going to feel them. They fizz and spark electric, with a rumble of synth keys and eerie cries of tortured machinery. The soundscapes in Hyper Light Drifter are something else. There’s Nintendo’s HD Rumble feature, of course, which allows the Joy-Con to return different sensations via their multiple vibration motors, but you still get that playing docked and on a TV. Despite sporting art familiar to the 16 or 32-bit era, the game looks and feels incredibly beautiful. There’s something intimate, tangible, playing Hyper Light Drifter with the Switch undocked. There is even more to Hyper Light Drifter than solid gameplay and level design.

Hyper light drifter review