yesterday i felt like i should really get to some of the stuff in my backlog, there's tons of stuff sitting there that i would have a great time with that i really have no excuse not to play. so what did i do? i replayed the game i had already played 4 or 5 times instead.

usually when i play a game too much, get really familiar with everything about the game, i start to see its cracks more clearly. i might cool down on it a bit. i guess that happened with Hyper Light Drifter, but only in that it went from my absolute favorite game to just a solid top 10. this game does everything that matters very, very well. the aesthetic and presentation alone could carry the game - the visuals are phenomenal, the music isn't something i'd usually go for but it perfectly fits into the game, and everything comes together to create a perfect atmosphere for just about every area. the gameplay has flaws, but is well designed, with the combat the highlight. there are certainly a few issues, bugs and things mostly, but they don't really detract from everything the game does great. my single biggest issue with it is occasional input inconsistency, which can turn one attack into another and throw you off if it's a particularly intense fight. apart from that infrequent issue, the combat is just about the best i've ever played. the harder fights can get pretty damn hard, but they feel great to master. challenging fights aren't even something i usually care much about in games, but something about HLD's combat just perfectly clicks for me. it's pretty simple at its core, but variety in enemy design gives plenty of depth to encounters. gameplay outside of combat mainly involves exploring the ruined, decaying world, searching for secrets. there are some non-combat challenges, mainly focusing on precise sequences of dashes. these are, to be honest, the weakest part of the game, made worse by the rare input dropping. the longest of these challenges is inconsistent enough that the 99% category is much more popular among speedrunners than 100%. however, none of these dash challenges are required to beat the game, and are only necessary if you really want that 100% achievement. for the most part, you're just wandering around, getting in fights, and finding hidden passageways, and the game is great for all three of those things.

Hyper Light Drifter, even after i've played it over and over and found every single flaw, remains one of my favorite games. i'm really excited for Solar Ash and, unless that turns out to be a huge disappointment, i'll probably throw my money at whatever the developers do after that as well.

also um it turns out there's gonna be an HLD animated show by the castlevania guy? not sure how i feel about that

The atmosphere in this game is unparalleled to me. The grandness and beautify of this tragic world is communicated so clearly to the player, all without a word being said- That’s right, there is NO dialogue at all in this game. It leaves it up to the player to find their place in the world and the story, letting you piece together the bits you find and make your own meaning.

The gameplay is slick, dashing around slicing with your sword to charge up bullets in your gun is a very fluid experience. It encourages you to actively be cycling through your abilities as you dance around the enemies.

It’s not as hard of a game as you might initially think. Yes, you will die a lot, but you have plenty of check points to keep you from losing progress. You’re never really going to be set that far back by death, so you can get right back into the action and try that fight you lost again.

The visual language of this is stunning. I was absolutely enraptured by the art, general atmosphere, and ambient music. It's a home run with all of those elements. It's also a joy to play. Being locked into challenge areas was always chaotic and satisfying to complete. And every boss here is a winner. Very cool designs, not too difficult, but a suitable challenge.

Hacking and slashing with a sword is a joy and having to come in close for a shotgun blast creates these awesome moments of tension that I would crave for. It's a steadily ramping challenge throughout. It can get a bit hectic and hard to see everything when you're in the middle of a fight, but the upgrades (like a multi-dash) give you the upper hand.

Where it falls apart is in its wordless storytelling. I can very easily be taken in by abstract stories, but this gives you so little context and the environmental storytelling isn't enough to give you a sense of urgency or any real grasp on what's going on. You need the things. You're gonna get the things. You don't feel well, but that's not super relevant. Some things are in your way. Kill them.

I just found myself wishing there was more under the hood than there is. That doesn't stop it from being a wonderful piece and, while you may be left wanting for more, it's a great journey to go on.

This is a fairly good game. I think my main gripes are with the mechanics and level design. The mechanics feel off in terms of execution. There is an odd "feel" that you never quite get used to. It isn't anything major, or it may not even feel that way for someone else, but it was noticeable for me.

As for the level design, there were a few times when it wasn't clear where to go or what to do. And while I definitely appreciate having to put things together yourself, it felt more like a consequence of flawed level building rather than a conscious design decision.

I also didn't really care for the currency used to buy upgrades. You need 4 pieces of 1 item to get 1 of that item. It doesn't hinder your progress, but I just think there could have been a better way to distribute the upgrades.

I know these are all negatives but I really do think the game is good lol. I just think these are some things that keep it from being really good/great.

With all that said, I recommend this. It is fast paced and can be beaten in less than 10 hours. It also has some decent and somewhat tough boss battles. The OST is pretty good too.