Hyper Light Drifteris a story about dying. It’s more thanjustthat – there is beauty, and connection, and a hope for the future that the Drifter is able to bring about despite his inevitable fate. It is a story inspired by one man’s reality of living with illness that resonated with thousands of players who have experienced something similar in their own lives.
The next game set in the same universe,Hyper Light Breaker,will tell an original story focused on a more concrete and external foe whose desire for conquest threatens the entire world. Despite the narrative shfit,Hyper Light Breakershould still continue to examine the impact illness has on individuals throughout the world.
The Disease May No Longer Be Central, But Its Effects May Linger
Heart Machine has describedHyper Light Breakeras neither a sequel nor a prequel toDrifter,but a drastically different story taking place in the same world. However, producer Michael Clark did say “the Drifter’s experience takes place much later thanHyper Light Breaker.“This means that the Drifter’s destruction of the Perfect Immortal Cell and defeat of Judgment have not yet occurred – the Disease could still be around and ravaging the population. It is possible (although not confirmed) that the player will meet other characters affected by the Disease in the Cursed Outpost, thegame’s hub area.
It has not yet been revealed if the Abyss King and his Crowns have any connection to the Disease as Judgment did inHyper Light Drifter.The team was able to confirm that the game is more social, with a larger focus on playing together with friends and bonding with the various inhabitants of the Outpost. If there are characters who are struggling with a terminal illness like the Drifter, they will not have to face it on their own. The hope the Drifter represents may yet be far in the future, but nobody inBreaker’sworld is suffering alone.
Hyper Light Breaker’s Handling Of The Illness Theme May Be Different From Drifter’s
Hyper Light Drifterwas a deeply personal story to Heart Machine founder Alx Preston, who has been open about how his heart condition has affected his life and served as a source of inspiration for the Drifter’s own illness. Thedevelopers at Heart Machinedid not discuss in detail how this theme will be handled inHyper Light Breaker,but lead producer Michael Clark did confirm it is an ever-potent theme of the franchise:
“I don’t believe we could remove illness as a theme from Hyper Light.”
It will be fascinating to see howHyper Light Breakerapproaches illness differently than the previous title. For one, attitudes toward disease have changed sinceDrifter’srelease. In 2016, Alx Preston’s experience was far less universal than it is today; now, players who have lived through theCOVID-19 pandemiccan understand chronic illness and its life-altering effects in a way they previously could not.
In addition, there has been a trend of popular games exploring living with potentially life-threatening illnesses as a theme.Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthprovides a heartbreakingly realistic look at Kazuma Kiryu’s life post-cancer diagnosis, whileBaldur’s Gate 3’sparty pursuing every possible avenue to cure themselves of theirmind flayer tadpole infectionis intimately familiar to anyone living with a condition that could end their lives at any moment. It remains to be seen howHyper Light Breakerwill add to this discussion, but the team has stated that the theme of illness is and will remain crucial to the game’s world.
Hyper Light Breaker
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter the Overgrowth, a new realm in the world of Hyper Light. Play alone or with friends to explore open worlds, create new builds, rip through hordes and overcome the Crowns and the Abyss King.Breaker is a brand new entry in the Hyper Light franchise, with a unique story fully realized in 3D for the first time.EVER-CHANGING WORLDS TO EXPLORE; A world in disarray, with mysteries to solve, vicious enemies to fight, and fully 3D environments to explore. A vast, ever-changing world awaits with large scale open biomes and deep labyrinths. Worlds are procedurally generated with unique layouts, enemies, loot and rewards leading to multiple playthroughs.Traverse landscapes with incredible freedom with a variety of abilities; wall-dashing, hoverboard, glider and moreJOIN THE BREAKERS: Battle through the Overgrowth in alone or as a team in online co-operative play. Face hordes of enemies and brutal bosses in frenetic third-person combat. Rise to the increasing challenges stacking through every run.EXPLORE, COLLECT AND DESTROY: Discover and unlock a wide arsenal of weapons, items and upgrades to create the ideal build for new runs. Learn more about the Overgrowth from the fragmented memories of its mysterious defenders, the Crowns. Bring back resources to help the settlement flourish over the course of your journey.
