Hyper Light Drifter
While Hyper Light Drifter can, in quite bare terms, be called an ode to the 16-bit era of action adventure games that was pioneered by The Legend of Zelda, it is actually so much more. It’s a wonderfully well designed experience with the kind of frustratingly challenging combat that both works in and against its favour at all times. The game is difficult in the simplest way imaginable- not because of mind-bending puzzles, or because of its mechanics, but simply thanks to the sheer number of enemies it throws at you in a single encounter, and how it demands you to clear all these enemies using the numerous abilities and weapons you acquire throughout the course of the game. It’s by no means a perfect game, and its combat and grueling difficulty can be maddeningly frustrating at times, but it is ultimately an extremely rewarding experience that should not be missed.
