Hyper Light Drifter is an intriguing blend of The Legend of Zelda’s original concept – notably A Link to the Past – a mystery atmosphere, and a harsh fighting system.
The designers do not lead us by the hand at all; you must figure everything out for ourselves. This feature is explored even farther than in the Souls series, which is notorious for not explaining anything. We don’t even have item descriptions or basic conversations, which makes things harder – and this isn’t always a positive. Discovering everything on your own may be exciting and fulfilling, but the early stages of the game can be frustrating because you don’t even know how to upgrade weapons or get new abilities. However, patience is rewarded, and after playing Hyper Light Drifter for an hour or two, we find that we are charmed by the peculiar ambiance, the ubiquitous mood of mystery and sorrow.
We play the game Drifter, and we have no idea who our character is. Following an outstanding start that depicts terrible events and the hero’s significant difficulties, we find ourselves in a little town, saved by a stranger. This is how the journey begins, and it takes roughly ten hours to complete it once – without looking for secrets or being stranded in one area for an extended period of time. Our purpose is vague and not explicitly articulated. In the settlement, we see a pattern on the ground that appears to be unfulfilled. It is difficult to reach the shards since many portions are securely hidden and cannot be found without extensively exploring each area. We strive to locate hidden tunnels or ways to get to locations that appear to be inaccessible. We watch the hero from above, and the background is two-dimensional, making it difficult to distinguish details at times. We spend the most of our time combating numerous foes. Each adversary has a unique attack technique; you must master the sequence in which the monsters strike in order to properly time your dodges and counterattacks. The challenge level is great, requiring the player to masterfully handle the hero, as well as patience and dexterity.
We fight with a sword, a rifle, and grenades. Throughout the quest, we may enhance each equipment and earn new weapons. We recover ammunition by striking foes or destructible pieces of the environment, which is a well-designed blend of sword combat and shooting. This indicates that the game urges us to fight more aggressively. However, there is a huge issue with the frame rate lock – we will not be able to exceed 30 FPS here. This decision by the developers is perplexing, given that we are dealing with a title that focuses on rapid, dynamic action and relies heavily on reflexes. The game Hyper Light Drifter is a fantastic illustration of how the FPS number may diminish pleasure. Combat is typically satisfying, but we’re always conscious of how much better it would be at 60 frames per second. All boss battles are well-designed, and formidable foes stand out from regular opponents – they are also significantly more challenging. The game, on the other hand, is not unfair and penalizes mistakes. You can evade the attacks if you timing your dodge correctly and begin evading at the perfect moment. Perfection in this craft needs perseverance. The Hyper Light Drifter universe is full with mysteries. You may return to the game in additional Game Plus mode after finishing the adventure once to uncover additional equipment, upgrades, and even optional bouts with hazardous creatures. This is a production for folks who enjoy discovering secret components and locations.
Despite the awful FPS lock, the visuals are fantastic. Heart Machine exemplifies what pixel art should look like. The animations are wonderful, and the colors are stunning. The fighting seems fantastic, and we’re excited to replay the same battles if something goes wrong on the first go.
Hyper Light Drifter is an engrossing, enigmatic journey that rewards patient with a terrific atmosphere and a rewarding combat mechanics. However, it needed an additional 30 frames per second to really appreciate the experience. Some games may be excused for such limits, but in the case of a dynamic and action-oriented game, it’s tough to overlook such an odd solution.