I believe Hyper Light Drifter made its debut at the perfect moment. Back in 2016, indie games were emerging as a strong force in the gaming world, and that year was packed with standout titles—Firewatch, The Witness, Inside, Cuphead, Enter the Gungeon, Darkest Dungeon, and even Stardew Valley. Looking back, 2016 might just have been the year where indie games truly shined! In the years just before, we saw favorites like Her Story, Undertale, Downwell, Soma, Octodad, and Shovel Knight making their mark.
When you think about it, a common thread among these games is their focus on unique, standalone experiences. Sure, Stardew Valley offers co-op, but most of these games are designed for solo play, quite different from what we see today with many games leaning towards multiplayer experiences or aiming to be live-service titles meant for endless play.
Reflecting on these games, especially Hyper Light Drifter, it’s interesting to see where the industry has gone. Back then, Drifter captured attention with its modern pixel art, synthy soundtrack, and mysterious world—a trio that hooked many during its Kickstarter campaign. The final product delivered a narrative that players needed to piece together themselves, emphasizing world-building and combat free from today’s gaming industry trends.
Nowadays, on platforms like Steam, there’s a rush for developers to hit it big, often sacrificing those isolated experiences. Multiplayer dominates, live-service games keep popping up (despite mixed success), and roguelikes are seemingly everywhere. Given the economic crunch, creating replayable games can seem like the safer bet. It feels like only indie teams with significant clout can afford to pursue single-player adventures inspired by classic JRPGs or Zelda.
Heart Machine’s choice to transform Drifter’s universe into a roguelike with Hyper Light Breaker, likely with live-service aspects, is an understandable move. But, whether this was the best path remains to be seen. Being in early access still means it’s in its early stages, with only the core gameplay loop established so far. While Drifter’s combat has transitioned well into 3D, it’s bound for further refinement over several updates.
Interestingly, this venture coincides with FromSoftware’s upcoming Elden Ring: Nightreign, another roguelike with procedurally generated worlds targeting epic boss fights. Both of these projects highlight just how much the industry has morphed over the last ten years.
Does this shift sadden me? A bit, yes. Classic indie experiences like Drifter’s aren’t gone; in fact, there are more such projects than ever. Yet, their survival in a market driven by replayability is precarious, compounded by today’s heightened challenges of discoverability.
The leap forward in the industry is hardly shocking but seeing it through Breaker has made the transition feel stark. While I’m refraining from casting judgment, I genuinely hope Heart Machine thrives with Breaker, unlocking its potential as early access progresses. There’s a chance they’re crafting something truly special.
