Hyper Light Drifter mashes up classics in a hot new sci-fi RPG

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Inspired by gorgeous games of the past.
Inspired by gorgeous games of the past.
Photo: Heart Machine

Even if this upcoming game from indie studio Heart Machine wasn’t already so hotly anticipated, I’d be caught up in its gorgeous art style.

Hyper Light Drifter seems to channel the 8- to 16-bit visual look of games like Sword & Sworcery while also connecting classic Legend of Zelda-type environmental puzzles and Diablo-style action RPG fun together in an awesome mashup that’s sure to get my attention and money when it releases next year.

Check out the second official trailer below for a better taste of what this game is promising.

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It looks like a ton of fans are already behind this game, as it funded on Kickstarter at $645,000, quite a bit more than the asked-for $27,000 for sure.

You’ll explore a massive ruined world full of dangerous lost technologies when Hyper Light Drifter comes to Mac, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox one next Spring. You’ll need to master lightning-fast tactical combat, so many smart and menacing enemies, and the ultimate true story behind the twisted world itself.

Scary, but super-cool, right?
Scary, but super-cool, right?
Photo: Heart Machine

“Drifters of this world are the collectors of forgotten knowledge, lost technologies and broken histories,” says the game’s team on its Kickstarter page. You’ll play as this Drifter, a haunted character looking for the truth about the ruined planet while searching for a cure for a mysterious illness.

If you’re as excited as I am about this game, you’ll enjoy this fascinating look at the sound design for Hyper Light Drifter, too.

We’ll keep an eye on this game as it makes its way out of beta an onto our screens in the Spring of 2016. If you’re headed to PAX Prime this September, you’ll be able to meet the team at the Indie MegaBooth showroom in Seattle August 27th-31st.

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