Graphics: Pink and purples feature heavily in Hyper Light Drifter, and this is no bad choice either. Time to talk about the main points of the game now. The fun I have missed, I can only imagine. My daughter isn't very good at gaming yet, and my son tries to eat the control pad, so I have yet to indulge myself in some co-op. I do not sadly, as my friends all live many miles away from me. There is even co-op available for you to try should you be lucky enough to have friends who appreciate 2D games from yesteryear. So a change like this is refreshing, and with the developer heading back to gaming roots, where you had to learn the hard way to complete a game and find your way through, Heart Machine have nailed it. The lack of hand holding game play that is apparent in games today, was far less prevelant of years gone by, and I can claim to be guilty of becoming dependent on games telling you everything you need to know in the first 5 minutes. This is a rich and colourful world with music and atmosphere to set the mood for you, and whilst it doesn't hold your hand and tell you what your every step should be, it is a game that any older generation of gamer should go and experience. A lot of people complain about the Indie game scene, and hark on about it being "shovelware", but does Hyper Light Drifter deserve to be lumped in with that category? In my opinion, no. The 2D top down view is what you will certainly notice first about the game, and the pixelated look from the 8 and 16 bit era will be obvious influences that you will recognise. So them hard to reach platforms will no longer be out of reach of our hero. Your dash ability is going to become essential as you will need it to keep yourself from dying quickly early on. But you can obtain further weaponry through exploration, along with upgrades and area attacks. You have an energy sword and a gun to use, and this needs to be charged for use, so to stop you spamming enemies from a distance. The difference is each direction you go from the main hub, shows off vastly different landscapes that have been carefully created to give you a unique world to explore. So it is extremely satisfying to see a game that nods towards that as well as the Zelda franchise. Just discovered them, and want o watch as much as I can. I for one loved that film, hey, it's Studio Ghibli. The world has islands of land, some of which you will need to dash over too, and teleport hubs scattered for fast travel, and it reminded me of Studio Ghibli's Castle in the Sky. You can use the Back button to bring up a map, which is very useful for a game that just let's you have free reign over your adventure. After progressing to the next screen, I found myself at a loss once more, as my canine target had simply vanished. So I decided to follow him, in case he was trying to tell me something, such as "follow me" in doggy language. So naturally I approached it as game dogs are usually friendly and seen as a sign of help. I felt a bit lost and confused over where I was supposed to go, and wandered about until I found a dog. Which is where I feel the game let's itself down a little. You get no direction of what to do, or where to go. Once you awaken in the main game itself, you will be in a house in the main town hub, and all is peaceful, no enemies, and the inhabitants milling about doing their own thing. I have died many times already, and can see myself dying many more times over. Simple to pick up and play, but hard to master should you want to complete the game without dying, which is a feat that any gamer would be proud of. The rich and colourful world of Hyper Light Drifter, has a varied world to explore once you are past the tutorial, which serves as a chance to learn the controls as one would expect. Something which people who have life threatening illnesses know all to well. You will see the Drifter cough up what appears to be blood, signifying his illness, which is unspecified, but to highlight illness as a whole. The game is devoid of any dialog, both voice and text, instead focusing on music and cut scenes to portray the story, which is a unique take, and one that may find some people confused as to what is actually going on within the game. From the name of the Developer (Heart Machine), to the unnamed protagonist and his unspecified illness within the game, which is an allegory for Preston's real life health issues regarding his congenital heart disease. Legend of Zelda is an influence for Alex Preston, and there is more behind the game than one may think. Hyper Light Drifter is for all intents and purposes, paying homage to the 8 bit and 16 bit gaming era.
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