The game began on Kickstarter in September 2013 and Heart Machine was able to raise $645,158 thanks to 24,150 generous gamers.
There was an Alpha released in 2014 and the gameplay footage from the Alpha was engaging. The hero dashed and teleported across gaps in the ground, zapping nearby enemies with what appeared to be a type of laser gun.
At one point, the hero ran out of ammo, so he unsheathed his sword and slashed his enemies to nothing more than 8-bit puddles of blood. When the hero got hurt, the edges of the screen would darken. Keeping a good stock of ammo and learning to kill foes quickly will ensure a player’s survival throughout this game.
Each level has enemies, but also has puzzles and tasks to complete in order to advance to the next stage. Some of the levels have music, but in the Alpha gameplay video, one level was eerily silent, at times only leaving the sound effects of the hero’s footsteps for the player’s ears to enjoy.
Players assist the hero with their mouse pointers, pointing him in the direction to which he should shoot his laser gun, dash or teleport, and swing his sword. The hero is able to change weapons, obtain ammo from deceased foes, and destroy almost all the debris in a level.
Luckily, most enemies are rather easy to kill with just one laser beam shot. Some enemies, as seen in the Alpha gameplay video, have energy shields, but that still doesn’t stop the hero with his mighty sword. The hero’s companion sometimes unlocks doors and helps progress through the levels. The only thing it can’t do is revive him from death.
Hyper Light Drifter is available for pre-order on HumbleBundle.com and will be on PC, Mac, and Steam later on this year, and eventually will make its way to the PS4 and Xbox One.
