Dashing into Hyper Light Drifter 💨[Geeks & Grounds #058]

this week's podcast 🎧

our discussion of what we played over the last week and other media that's captured our attention

Don't miss our final reflections on the April title, American Arcadia! While the community discussion was filled with a WIDE variety of opinions on the game, both Joel and I felt like this was overall a strong experience. Listen as we get into the details of what we enjoyed and what we'd change.

this week's brew ☕

what we're focusing on this week.

A world in ruins. A population decimated. We begin our May game, Hyper Light Drifter, with a desolate, pixel art landscape that indicates a tragedy has come and gone.

Life seems to be moving forward, but your character — and maybe others in this world — are living with a mysterious, chronic, and (quite possibly) terminal illness. Will we find the cure?

As we play Hyper Light Drifter, note that this is a game may feel more mechanically challenging than previous G&G picks! The combat has difficulty options, but if you’re unfamiliar, even the easier modes may feel initially intimidating. My biggest tip is to be patient and don’t panic: consider the battles to be more strategic -- almost like puzzles -- rather than opportunities for button-mashing. (I say this as someone who loves button mashing).

This is also a game where, if you’re wanting to dig into the narrative, you’ll need to pay close attention. There is no dialogue, and plenty of secrets, so if you’re feeling stuck or wanting to bounce ideas off of folks, hop into the discord!

You can technically (I think) play the game in any order, so feel free to explore the four regions as best suits your fancy. We’ll be starting in the North this week, if you’d like to match our route.

Check out the playthrough guide for the full reasoning of why we're playing the game, where you can find it, and the timeline for play.

reflection question 💭

reflect on a question related to the game by drawing in your experiences, other media, and the game itself in your response. if you'd like, send your thoughts my way – i read all of them – and you may get featured in a future newsletter!

When a game’s story is more abstract, what do you pay attention to (and how do you play) to make sense of what’s going on?

pour over ☕

sift through these supplementary links and suggested activities to help explore the game's connections to your life and the world around us.

• The lead designer of Hyper Light Drifter, Alx Preston, mentioned Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a source of inspiration for the game's world (and players often liken the game to another Ghibli film, Castle in the Sky). Read up on the plot, or take some time to watch the movie.
• Watch this short (under 10 min) VICE feature that highlights the dev team in the weeks just before (and the day of) launch. It provides some context for Preston's intention in making the game, as well as provides a quick peek behind the curtain of what it's like to launch a game.