The New Classics #61: Hyper Light Drifter

 

The Backstory: Hyper Light Drifter first piqued my curiosity with its impossibly evocative title, and kept piquing harder with its deliriously beautiful special edition — which, incidentally, is the sole way to go if you wanna own that game physical. I had to secure that thing of beauty; and after unpacking it and discovering all the high-quality feelies included, I was more than eager to see if the game itself was as much of a gorgeous work of love.

 

 

The Game: For once, I didn’t mourn the fact that the introduction sequence is not skippable — because HLD’s intro is simply one of the most mesmerizing preambles I’ve ever witnessed in a video game. It’s just a couple of pictures and a theme track, with no text whatsoever; but these elements manage to create an atmosphere so encompassing that you just want to know more. 

 

 

Once that splendid intro is over, you’re let loose in the game world. No briefing, no tutorials, no explanations whatsoever; you’re just left to your own devices, free to figure out the gameplay and progress at you own pace. In-game menus and gameplay hints are kept to a bare minimum to enhance immersion; factor in the mesmerizing graphics and the riveting music, and you get an incredibly absorbing gameplay experience. When I finally emerged from my session, I had an Inception-like feeling of coming back to the surface — like I was returning from some deep, out-of-this-world place. 

 

 

I could rave about the great physics, the inspired puzzle-lite gameplay, the lush graphics and the haunting soundtrack; but for me, HLD’s most memorable aspect is first and foremost its immersive quality. It’s a game that pulls you in like few games I’ve encountered — not thanks to its gameplay, but thanks to its atmosphere. Gameplay in itself in remarkably simple — activate switches, kill foes, collect stuff — but the allure and mystery of HLD’s universe lends even the most basic act some meaningful weight. You’re not just a player pushing buttons: you’re a lone soul — the titular ‘drifter’ — trying to escape an unfriendly environment and to make sense of what happened to you. 

 

 

The Verdict: Why, of course Hyper Light Drifter is a New Classic! It’s absolutely splendid, and it totally deserves my love and my playtime — and a spot in The Collection. Maybe Heart Machine will see fit to port upcoming sequel Hyper Light Breaker to the Switch — fingers crossed!