Hyper Light Drifter truly seemed to hit the scene at the perfect moment. Back in 2016, indie games were carving a distinct niche in the gaming industry, and that year was packed with standout releases like Firewatch, The Witness, Inside, Cuphead, Enter the Gungeon, Darkest Dungeon, and Stardew Valley. Looking back, it might even be fair to dub 2016 the year of the indie game! Not too long before, we were treated to equally beloved gems such as Her Story, Undertale, Downwell, Soma, Octodad, and Shovel Knight.
A common thread running through these titles is their uniquely singular experiences. Unlike the trend we’re seeing today, with many indie games experimenting with multiplayer or live-service elements, these classics were mostly crafted for solo play. Sure, Stardew Valley offers co-op, but it stands as an exception among its peers, which mostly provide self-contained adventures—a stark contrast to today’s focus on live-service games and roguelikes geared for endless play.
Reflecting on these titles, especially Hyper Light Drifter, as they’ve now been around for roughly a decade, it’s fascinating to observe how much the landscape has evolved, a change clearly highlighted by its successor, Hyper Light Breaker. When Drifter first captivated audiences on Kickstarter, it was its blend of modern pixel art, haunting synth soundtrack, and an intriguing world that drew players in. It promised a game experience where you’d piece together the story yourself, which it successfully delivered.
The game’s charm lay in its combat and world-building, untainted by today’s industry trends. Nowadays, it seems every day brings a flood of new developers aiming to be the next standout title on Steam. Yet seldom are these offerings self-contained. Multiplayer is now monstrous, live-services are often the default (even if they frequently underperform), and the indie scene is flooded with roguelikes. It’s hard to fault creators for this; in financially trying times, crafting a game that’s replayable makes strategic sense, otherwise, you risk losing out on sales. It’s mainly the more established indie developers (who by now aren’t so indie perhaps) who can venture into single-player, JRPG-styled, or Zelda-inspired territory.
Given this context, it’s understandable why Heart Machine opted to transform Drifter’s world into a roguelike framework in Breaker, possibly incorporating live-service features to encourage repeated play after its early access phase. We haven’t seen enough yet to know if that choice will pay off. The game is in genuine early days, with just its core loop operational. The transition of Drifter’s challenging combat into 3D shows promise, though I anticipate further refinements will roll out with time.
Drawing parallels with the upcoming FromSoftware’s Elden Ring: Nightreign, another roguelike featuring procedurally generated maps and daunting bosses, it’s clear Heart Machine finds itself in esteemed company. Yet, ironically, Nightreign also underscores the industry’s evolution over the past decade.
Does this shift sadden me? A bit, yes. Developers are still crafting games in the spirit of Drifter and all those earlier indie darlings I mentioned, and there might even be more of them than ever before. Yet that’s a part of the conundrum as well—there’s no space for them in a crowded arena where games with high replayability have better survival odds, not to mention the added challenge of discoverability in today’s market.
It’s no surprise that the industry has transformed this much in a decade. Realizing it took a title like Breaker really brings it home. I’m not here to pass judgment on these changes, but instead, I sincerely hope Heart Machine is onto something exceptional, if they can polish away those early access kinks.
