![]() ![]() It isn’t trying to fit into a retro mold, pretending to be a long lost SNES game. ![]() Some of the game’s visual flair and thematic elements remind me of anime from the 1980s, particularly the 1984 film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.ĭespite these retro influences, however, Hyper Light Drifter is an unmistakably modern game. The game’s pixelated art style harkens back to the 16-bit action-adventure games of the 1990s, and Alex Preston, the game’s creator, sees Hyper Light Drifter as a combination of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Diablo. Without any dialogue, the game relies on its visuals and music to convey not only the world’s ambiance but also its story. All of this information is conveyed without a word, in fact Hyper Light Drifter contains zero spoken or written dialogue. Suffering from a mysterious illness and ominous hallucinations, the Drifter journeys to a ruined land in search of a cure, guided by a mysterious jackal figure. You play as the “Drifter”, a wanderer who scavenges long lost technology. Hyper Light Drifter is set in a sci-fi / fantasy world on the brink of collapse. I do discuss the end of the game at the bottom of this article but that part will be clearly signposted. I tried to keep this article as spoiler-free as possible, but because I am discussing the soundtrack’s context some minor spoilers are unavoidable. Richard Vreeland, who also composed the soundtracks to Fez, an indie puzzle-platformer, and the horror film, It Follows. The game’s soundtrack was composed by Disasterpeace, a.k.a. The first game in this series is Hyper Light Drifter, a 2D action-adventure game developed by the indie studio Heart Machine. Sorry my girlfriend has been watching a lot of Project Runway I do not have any formal education or experience in music criticism or theory, so forgive me if my analyses are a bit pedestrian. I am also coming at this subject from a purely amateur perspective. This is a topic that really interests me and I’ve been wanting to write something like this for a while. In this series, not only will I be analyzing individual tracks and their musical qualities, but also how a soundtrack can work with the game’s visuals, gameplay, or narrative to create a distinct atmosphere, mood, or sense of place. A soundscape is defined as both a piece of music considered in terms of its component sounds and the sounds heard in a particular location, considered as a whole. Sometimes you’re running around in circles, and it can be demotivating (but, of course, the guilty will always Google).Welcome to Soundscapes, a new article series focused on music in videogames! The purpose of this series is to explore different soundtracks and discuss how a soundtrack can form a fundamental part of a game’s identity. With a lack of guidance, it can be frustrating and is a downside of Hyper Light Drifter: Special Edition’s open-ended nature. ![]() Because of the top-down view, trees and scenery can obscure pathways completely, and you’d be forgiven for missing them entirely. Certain pathways aren’t accessible until you unlock doors or have certain abilities. With no instruction, it’s down to you to find your way, and it’s not always clear. Starting in the town at the centre of the map, you can travel North, South, East or West, with each having a different theme. The map is wide open, and it’s down to you which path you choose to travel. You’ll be challenged plenty, but with the option to select difficulty at the start of the game, various skill levels are catered to. Throw several enemy-types into the fray at once and you’re going to have to think quickly and move even faster. For example, wolves will rush in at close range, and snipers will have to reload between shots, so understanding when to attack or dodge is key. Each has a pattern of attack which is easily learnt. You have a dash move that’s essential to avoid close-range and missile attacks from the surrounding enemies. Combat moves quickly, and The Drifter has just a gun and sword in his arsenal (although abilities can be upgraded). Collect Modules to unlock areas of the map, battle enemies on the way, and overcome the final boss. ![]()
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