PeterVenkman
Member
I'll be curious how it performs as I had it on my mind that this was on everyone's radar. I actually went radio silence for it awhile back since I knew that I'd like it and that it'd probably take a long time to release.
Hyper Light Drifter |OT| We On A HyperLight Beam
- Thread starter More_Badass
- Start date
I'll be curious how it performs as I had it on my mind that this was on everyone's radar. I actually went radio silence for it awhile back since I knew that I'd like it and that it'd probably take a long time to release.
I don't really agree about the combat frustration. Fighting is a joy for me.
I do, however, agree that the map is almost functionally useless.
I do, however, agree that the map is almost functionally useless.
Only backers, and only those that paid an extra $10. It'll be available to everyone else as a free update in a few weeks or months.
GwyndolinCinder
Member
Saw this game yesterday looks great, how many bosses though?
Word-of-mouth among the enthusiast crowd is certainly great, but I think things will pick up a lot more once the big outlets start dropping reviews. OpenCritic only lists five at the moment, and the likes of IGN and Gamespot have yet to weigh in.
There's
four main bosses.
Thanks for the answer! Great to know
Agent_4Seven
Tears of Nintendo
Same here.
Yeah, Metroid style map would be alot better than what the game has right now.
PeterVenkman
Member
I used the same method (soft pull trigger on steam controller) And got 810 after about 2 hours - did you try turning the sound off and covering up the counter?
If you want to just beat it and be done with it, the fastest method appears to be setting your mouse over a dash pad and just hitting the dash button 800 times.
Honestly, I'm done with two bosses and I don't think beating the dash challenge legit helped me at all. The short dashes you do in combat are nothing like the continuous dash you do there. You'd be better served cheesing the challenge and fighting a tough group of enemies over and over.
Welp, got all the diamonds and I think all the yellow circuits (managed to upgrade every single thing...well except for the last weapon
)
Now the not fun part of finding the two missing stone tablets and the ONE door key missing which could be god knows where. At this point I could basically scour the entire map.
I like hard games and exploring but considering the key and tablet could be almost anywhere I don't want to go on a needle in a haystack hunt. Really wish the map like showed more information, even if it's after beating the game, just so I could narrow down my research
Anyway a really quick half-assed review, i've played through the game twice (on normal. Not touching new game+ for now). Clocked around 20 hours on it. Really really love it. Love the combat and the flexibility of it (use your grenades and ranged boys and girls, it's good for you). The amount of secrets is just staggering, it's ridiculous even.
The game is beautiful, although sometimes it's like bloodborne where it's so packed with details your eyes start to glaze a bit. But still everything is nice and mellow. I would say it's hard tho, really hard. Far from unbeatable but there are certain moments where I really groaned due to questionable checkpoints. There are some zones, especially in the forest, which can go on for a long time and you forget you don't get a checkpoint...until you die. There's a bunch of minor little design things that could help impvoe the game, like saving right after you get a collectable. Nothing more annoying than dying in a big zone without save triggers and having to remember to redo all the treasure hunting. Especialyl considering the map isn't really helpful in terms of telling you what you found or what's left to find. And I think the lack of coherent checkpoints and map is my main two gripe about the game. That and a lack of indication for certain things (such as set bonuses)
Otherwise, a joy to play. And boy did I
the super laser sniper. I upgraded it but apparently it bugged out and didn't count. Meh
Now the not fun part of finding the two missing stone tablets and the ONE door key missing which could be god knows where. At this point I could basically scour the entire map.
I like hard games and exploring but considering the key and tablet could be almost anywhere I don't want to go on a needle in a haystack hunt. Really wish the map like showed more information, even if it's after beating the game, just so I could narrow down my research
Anyway a really quick half-assed review, i've played through the game twice (on normal. Not touching new game+ for now). Clocked around 20 hours on it. Really really love it. Love the combat and the flexibility of it (use your grenades and ranged boys and girls, it's good for you). The amount of secrets is just staggering, it's ridiculous even.
The game is beautiful, although sometimes it's like bloodborne where it's so packed with details your eyes start to glaze a bit. But still everything is nice and mellow. I would say it's hard tho, really hard. Far from unbeatable but there are certain moments where I really groaned due to questionable checkpoints. There are some zones, especially in the forest, which can go on for a long time and you forget you don't get a checkpoint...until you die. There's a bunch of minor little design things that could help impvoe the game, like saving right after you get a collectable. Nothing more annoying than dying in a big zone without save triggers and having to remember to redo all the treasure hunting. Especialyl considering the map isn't really helpful in terms of telling you what you found or what's left to find. And I think the lack of coherent checkpoints and map is my main two gripe about the game. That and a lack of indication for certain things (such as set bonuses)
Otherwise, a joy to play. And boy did I
Shifty
Member
Finally figured out how to get the triangle under
. Turns out the entrance I saw was an exit, and there was a
.
For the most part I'm loving the obfuscation but damn if some of these hidden things aren't brutal to find.
the eastern area with the submerged giant
rifle switch column thing on the left edge of the area
For the most part I'm loving the obfuscation but damn if some of these hidden things aren't brutal to find.
PeterVenkman
Member
Oh shit yes you can buffer the charge sword move while doing the a+X dash. So good on bigger enemies and on swarms.
Yeah like I don't feel like it's gonna make me a better player, I just want all the outfits so I can be the prettiest drifter around XD. I think my problem is that I get all nervous that I will choke when I get above about 500, and then I end up choking because of that, so maybe you're right I need to just cover the counter.
Bought this on Steam even though I kickstarted for Vita - just couldn't wait that long, and this looks like a game that's worth it. Played about an hour, not quite to the first boss yet. So far it's definitely challenging, but not too crazy. I feel like it's just me needing to learn the controls better.
Woo, beaten N, S W areas on NG+, all tri pieces, all 8-tri piece dungeons, 7 keys. Sure I've probably missed some but hoping that by some miracle I've gotten all of them from those areas. Probably not...
Have to say I've been enjoying the game even more on NG+... It does actually feel like it's the way the game is 'meant' to be played, in as much as that Dark Souls effect where it initially seems impossible, but actually just demands that you focus and improve. Once you do, it makes the challenge of Normal mode seem trivial.
Or maybe I'm just a masochist.
Have to say I've been enjoying the game even more on NG+... It does actually feel like it's the way the game is 'meant' to be played, in as much as that Dark Souls effect where it initially seems impossible, but actually just demands that you focus and improve. Once you do, it makes the challenge of Normal mode seem trivial.
Or maybe I'm just a masochist.
Welp, with a bit of outside help (and thank heavens because they were in place so dumb it would've taken me ages to get to them without any indication) i got all the door keys and all stone tablets, hurray ! NOW I AM FREE OF THIS GAME FOR THE TIME BEING
Nothing much happened tho, apart for both unlocking new suits at their respective 16 key door and the tablet viewer. Yet to have someone possibly decipher the tablets tho
Glass Shark
Banned
It's really interesting to see the varied reactions this is getting. I usually hate difficult games and turn the difficulty down to the easiest it will go if given the option. But I just loved the satisfaction of getting good at HLD's systems.
More_Badass
Member
I'm pretty sure I know what part you're talking about. I found the best way to handle that encounter was to snipe a few enemies from afar, then dash in, throw a grenade, dash out, and then clean up the remaining enemies. The projectile reflecting attack is also extremely useful.
Tactics are key. Fuckin love it.
forgeforsaken
Member
I find it very frustrating as well. I've beaten N,W,E. Mechanically I have all kinds of little issues. Despite it being my 2nd upgrade I still can't double dash reliably, never mind the 800x combo chain, the timing on it feels too tight as I don't know what I'm doing different when it works and when it doesn't. This is problematic in that some secret areas it seems like a prerequisite to be able to use it at will. The bullet dash shield doesn't always kick on, as I've been hit with bullets despite having the shield, is this something that only inits if you dash right when a bullet is near you? Also, I just got to a section where I was dash attacking at guys on a platform and the game had me falling through it instead.
Health packs really should refill at the telepads too. Aggravating when you realize you've screwed up an area too much and have no way forward with your low health and need to abort, and then need to spend some time running around looking for health packs so you go into the undergound fully stocked.
It's a bit too easy to get chain hit/stunned, and again timing feels too short on some boss tells and recoveries. They recover from some moves and are attacking you again faster than you can use your heal item.
I'm also not really a fan of all these false walls you need to walk through for stuff, I feel like at least one boss triangle was hidden behind one too.
As it is, I find I can only play the game in short bursts before having to take a break, basically soon as I get a triangle I need to put it down for a bit.
It's a stark contrast for me coming off of Salt & Sanctuary, another hard game, that I utterly adored and generally had little aggravation with. I find myself swearing at HLD a lot in comparison.
Almost no invincibility frames after getting damaged and a big old hit box that seems have a gravitational pull on projectiles make this a pretty tough game. Making each of the three zones open at first doesn't help either because two of them are significantly tougher than the third. West has nice open arenas with reasonable amounts of bad guys, and those bad guys follow kung fu movie rules and only attack one or two at a time. North is mostly OK until the end when a half dozen birds dive bomb melees already filled with multiple ground based enemies. East though. There are so many encounters that include multiple projectile throwing bad guys being backed up by tiny close range threats that explode when they die. It's overwhelming and especially so if East is the first zone a player tackles. No upgrades plus learning the ropes of combat plus being surrounded by hard hitting, hard to avoid projectiles is a bad time. I'm getting gud, but having done all three zones I feel like the game would have been better off pointing new players towards West as their first area. Or better yet, doing a bit of balancing on North and especially East to make them play more like West.
A lot of people in this thread have said East is the first to tackle. I'm loving the variety of thoughts that I'm reading. Some people saying it's too hard and some saying it's just right. Some people loving the obscurity and trying to decipher what the story is.
This game is almost exactly what was promised from the very start of the kickstarter. Listening to interviews at PAX and stuff, the devs knew exactly what they wanted and went out and made it (minus some bugs that they're still fixing).Also, I love how this combat is actually skillful. You can actually be "good" at it.
I do agree that the absolutely worst part of the game so far is the inconsistent encounter design. Some are made so you can dash around blocks and enemies poking them with bullets and sword and them finishing with a charge/dash slash and it works beautifully.
Others feel more like a clusterfuck of respawns that I'm not supposed to beat before my 3rd try.
The lack of invulnerability frames is intentional. Every enemy has some start up to their attacks and most walk around for some time before starting, so you can dash around for a couple seconds and heal yourself just in time. It's as risky as going for a third sword slash in the middle of a group, but very deliberate. The combat in itself is pretty great and I would become a hardcore Zelda fan if the franchise was anywhere near this. I really don't get what people are saying about being easy to get stunlocked (outside of getting knocked down on crystal spikes - why the fuck do they push you around), that never happened to me. Just keep moving and timing your shots/slashes.
I strongly suggest you buy sword reflect for the East area, it makes it much more manageable. And whoever is having much difficulty handling the game in general, buy the grenades ASAP.
Others feel more like a clusterfuck of respawns that I'm not supposed to beat before my 3rd try.
The lack of invulnerability frames is intentional. Every enemy has some start up to their attacks and most walk around for some time before starting, so you can dash around for a couple seconds and heal yourself just in time. It's as risky as going for a third sword slash in the middle of a group, but very deliberate. The combat in itself is pretty great and I would become a hardcore Zelda fan if the franchise was anywhere near this. I really don't get what people are saying about being easy to get stunlocked (outside of getting knocked down on crystal spikes - why the fuck do they push you around), that never happened to me. Just keep moving and timing your shots/slashes.
I strongly suggest you buy sword reflect for the East area, it makes it much more manageable. And whoever is having much difficulty handling the game in general, buy the grenades ASAP.
There's visual cues for all of them. Of course, not all of them are obvious.
The samurai guys attack based on distance. Get close to a bunch and suddenly you'll have to deal with 4 melee ones and 2-3 ranged ones.
gabrielt16
Member
Anyone know how to get the Meditation achievement? Plus I assume Nothing's Easy, Now is it? means dying once you start the game, right?
Also, a good chunk of the shards are behind false walls but the trick is visual cues. If you see a wall that has like a path or a few stone tiles near it, it is most likely a false wall. If you see a ledge with a single stone tile or marking on the floor you can probably get close to the ledge and reveal invisible tiles with the companion.
Also, a good chunk of the shards are behind false walls but the trick is visual cues. If you see a wall that has like a path or a few stone tiles near it, it is most likely a false wall. If you see a ledge with a single stone tile or marking on the floor you can probably get close to the ledge and reveal invisible tiles with the companion.
I didn't have too much trouble on East as my first zone with no upgrades.
If you're having trouble with encounters remember to use cover to your advantage or aggro enemies, you can draw the ninja star guys to you pretty easily. Don't think you have to go and get in the middle of everyone and stay there, most ranged attacks are fairly slow and easy to dodge if youre not just dashing all over the place
If you're having trouble with encounters remember to use cover to your advantage or aggro enemies, you can draw the ninja star guys to you pretty easily. Don't think you have to go and get in the middle of everyone and stay there, most ranged attacks are fairly slow and easy to dodge if youre not just dashing all over the place
Yeah I agree with a lot of the encounter design stuff, but it really does become better as you meld into the game, expand your options, and get used to how the game is supposed to be played. I'm sure there was a ton of push and pull between combat complexity and difficulty balance in an open world design, but it feels at times like they gimped early combat a bit too much for the kind of encounters you can come across.
I started East, and I was there bashing my head against frog people and their bullshit shurikens as much as anyone else, but as soon as I got that area's weapon, it really leveled out. Same thing would've happened if I went in there with the cleave or the i-frame dash or the multi-dash, I'm sure. It just feels like they cut one skills too many for the start. Everyone's hardest area is their first.
But man, that doesn't really make the RPS impressions any better. I'd be a bit more understanding under different circumstances, but, you know.
It looks like it's building word-of-mouth, which is great to hear. I don't know how long it'll continue trending significantly upward, but it does seem to be bucking the typical AAA sales curve.
I started East, and I was there bashing my head against frog people and their bullshit shurikens as much as anyone else, but as soon as I got that area's weapon, it really leveled out. Same thing would've happened if I went in there with the cleave or the i-frame dash or the multi-dash, I'm sure. It just feels like they cut one skills too many for the start. Everyone's hardest area is their first.
But man, that doesn't really make the RPS impressions any better. I'd be a bit more understanding under different circumstances, but, you know.
granted, that's definitely the hardest of the 3 starting bosses
It looks like it's building word-of-mouth, which is great to hear. I don't know how long it'll continue trending significantly upward, but it does seem to be bucking the typical AAA sales curve.
The first room is in the East with the big mutant plants is so frustrating. While exploring I went through it a couple of times and only a few time it goes smoothly. Although usually that is how it goes in most encounters: either I dash-slash and shoot perfectly or get completely wrecked in a few seconds.
Also, chiming in wishing the map was more useful. I now have 4 keys and I cannot find a door for 3 keys I saw earlier in the East. I do think the exploration and the hidden stuff is ace though!
The East boss was easier than the north one but the animations it does to punch and jump on you come out so fast that I had to mentally train myself to get the fuck away preemptively.
Also, chiming in wishing the map was more useful. I now have 4 keys and I cannot find a door for 3 keys I saw earlier in the East. I do think the exploration and the hidden stuff is ace though!
The East boss was easier than the north one but the animations it does to punch and jump on you come out so fast that I had to mentally train myself to get the fuck away preemptively.
BriareosGAF
Member
I dunno, I tried going north, ran into a gated fight eventually that I couldn't beat after ten or so tries due to respawn with no medkits, warped out and turned off. Started it up again today, went east, ended up in another gated fight I couldn't beat after a dozen tries (plant jumper, then sequential plant jumpers plus gunner, then another round with two plant jumpers and two gunners) and decided if the game wanted to be deliberately obnoxious and obtuse, that's its right, but I don't really have the discretionary free time to waste. Uninstalled, onto the next item in the backlog.
Mood and aesthetic are nice though, reminded me at times of Out of this World/Flashback.
Messofanego
Banned
It's too bad you went off the game, but if you mentioned any particular areas, I could make videos to help out in them. I didn't run into gated fights, it's not an RPG where you gotta grind before tackling an area, every fight felt doable with my skills.
My order was East->North->West->South.
Here's my video playlist of the bosses if anyone needs help: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4fyeE7-K5Bnp-47b4EQ8qOIMOrjkDgjZ
That and get a gun like a shotty and hit it close range.
In fact, shotgun or it's variant work just incredibly well against large ennemies with a lot of HP as you can often dispatch them in a single salvo. Use the smaller ennemies around to recharge your weapon and then unload on the big ones
I agree with this. I've been exploring every single corner and i'm super afraid to miss anything. Been a pain to keep track of so far
Shifty
Member
And I'm done. All modules, all keys, all monoliths, 7 outfits, all weapons, and all but three of the upgrades.
Whew. I'll admit, I used a guide for the last third of all that.
Overall, I very much enjoyed the game, but feel like the obfuscation went too far in some cases (outfits, secret design language). The combat was good, but kept from being incredible by poor performance during intense encounters and lack of 60FPS.
I also think that you get the really cool stuff too late to really have fun using it. I just spent 10 minutes playing with the
from the 8 module door in the south and holy crap that thing is AMAZING. Unfortunately, it was the last item on my checklist and I'm done now.
I feel like the game could have really used a Bloody Palace, some kind of combat challenge mode. That plus fixing the performance would put it on DMC/Ninja Gaiden levels of good combat.
Whew. I'll admit, I used a guide for the last third of all that.
Overall, I very much enjoyed the game, but feel like the obfuscation went too far in some cases (outfits, secret design language). The combat was good, but kept from being incredible by poor performance during intense encounters and lack of 60FPS.
I also think that you get the really cool stuff too late to really have fun using it. I just spent 10 minutes playing with the
super railgun
I feel like the game could have really used a Bloody Palace, some kind of combat challenge mode. That plus fixing the performance would put it on DMC/Ninja Gaiden levels of good combat.
Crash55118
Member
Finished it up, crashed at the credits. Beat the boss again, crashed again.
Otherwise that was the first technical hiccup of the game.
Incredible experience, loved it.
Otherwise that was the first technical hiccup of the game.
Incredible experience, loved it.
Permanently A
Junior Member
This game has all of a sudden started to really hurt my eyes.
I feel like most people who have issues with this game aren't thinking things through after they get merc'd and/or are either mashing the attack button blindly. I felt that every encounter in this game was fair. I approached them like puzzles and got better every time I came back if I died.
Here is a prime example of me mashing through one encounter and dying. Then I come back and time my attacks instead of swinging my sword and shooting like a mad man.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1cl0sQhYv8
The game really wasn't that hard for me at least. Maybe it's from all the fighting games and shoot'em ups I play.
What a fantastic experience this was. I'm about to dive in with the Kickstarter character.
Here is a prime example of me mashing through one encounter and dying. Then I come back and time my attacks instead of swinging my sword and shooting like a mad man.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1cl0sQhYv8
The game really wasn't that hard for me at least. Maybe it's from all the fighting games and shoot'em ups I play.
What a fantastic experience this was. I'm about to dive in with the Kickstarter character.
Permanently A
Junior Member
West boss second phase
Maybe I should save my bullets for them.
Maybe I should save my bullets for them.
forgeforsaken
Member
Uh, no, I think the problems I outlined in my other post show that's not the case, at least for me.
Just beat the south boss, who was a pushover compared to all the other bosses including all the midbosses in the south zone.
Permanently A
Junior Member
Just beat west boss, what a cool fucking fight. Especially when I had the revelation that
Although I have no idea what I would have done if this guy was my first boss. Like 99% of my damage was from the reflected projectiles upgrade, I don't think I used my sword once in the entire fight.
you can bait him into killing his own crystallized soldiers so he can't spawn them in the second phase.
Although I have no idea what I would have done if this guy was my first boss. Like 99% of my damage was from the reflected projectiles upgrade, I don't think I used my sword once in the entire fight.
fierrotlepou
Member
Is this game supposed to be hard? Really enjoying it but I'm wondering if I'm playing it right.
Movalpolos
Banned
The combat and encounters are great in this game.
To people having issues:
Make sure to use your ranged attacks. Not using them was a common mistake I was making early on in the game. Use all of your tools because they all have purpose.
Every enemy has a pattern and at certain times be sure to focus your attention on your character placement for avoiding projectiles (like in a shmup) rather than where the enemies are on screen.
To people having issues:
Make sure to use your ranged attacks. Not using them was a common mistake I was making early on in the game. Use all of your tools because they all have purpose.
Every enemy has a pattern and at certain times be sure to focus your attention on your character placement for avoiding projectiles (like in a shmup) rather than where the enemies are on screen.
DarkSoul520
Member
Spoiler tags man.
I actually died so many times to him, I took a break and went north so I could collect enough currency to upgrade.