Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 84 | 18 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 80 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 93% | 87 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 85 | 29 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 91% | 85 | 48 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 138 reviews sampled · 134 total reviews in window · weighted 91 up / 9 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (80)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“It leaves the combat to speak for the story and trusts its murderer's row of cool ideas to, well, murder players.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“If you can get past its very obvious downsides and need to play a challenging, even a bit frustrating game, there's no dilemma that Hyper Light Drifter is for you. Yet, we remain sad that we didn't get to play the fantastic game which this one could have been had it spent more time in development. Maybe in the sequel.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Cameron Kunzelman tweets at @ckunzelman and writes about games at thiscageisworms.com. His latest game, Epanalepsis, was released on May 21. It's available on Steam.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While the story and graphics didn't strike me in the right way, the gameplay and challenge were fantastic. It's hard to make a comparison with this game, but that is due to its uniqueness and style.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“In the end if you’ve been itching for a game that mixes top-down adventure with challenging combat and secrets to discover pretty well all around you Hyper Light Drifter is a very appealing package. The added Switch content is a terrific touch worth the trouble to try to take advantage of as it will make finding those critical elements that will help you on your way a little easier. There’s simply nothing quite like it on the platform and it’s well worth your time if you’re up to the challenge.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“To put it simply, Hyper Light Drifter is incredible. Lovingly wrapped in a distinctly retro shell, the title fires on all cylinders. An intriguing, abstract narrative set in one of the most beautifully vivid world's we've ever seen helps provide a near flawless experience. Add in great combat and controls as well as an amazing soundtrack, and the end result is easily one of this year's must-plays. Its difficulty may scare away some, but for all who can cope, the experience is a truly rewarding one.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“Hyper Light Drifter is an exciting fast-paced adventure game, designed to pay tribute to a variety of cult classic games from the 90s. It does so with beautiful pixel art as well as detailed and mysterious spaces, not to mention an engaging and rewarding combat system.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Hyper Light Drifter is a sensory overload from a visual and audio standpoint. Add in the sublime gameplay, and even with its high difficulty and lack of direction at times and players are still left with a very satisfying game.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Hyper Light Drifter is a breathtaking game that draws heavily from gaming's most prominent pioneers without relying too heavily on their influence. It is an eclectic masterpiece that feels more like an experience than a video game.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Heart Machine's slash-'em-up is punishing and precise - and incredibly beautiful.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The stunning Hyper Light Drifter is a masterful mix of exploration and combat.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Hyper Light Drifter is unique, it highlights the issues of a real person in an abstract way. This game plays very smoothly, and offers stunning visuals and rigid difficulty. Hyper Light Drifter is a lot of fun, and it's beautiful too. It's a memorable experience, and can keep you interested the whole way through.”
read full review ↗
Slant Magazine
PLAY Zine
Paste Magazine
Kinglink Reviews
Nindie Spotlight
Push Square
LevelUp
ZTGD
The Escapist
Eurogamer
GameSpot
GameGrin…and 68 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Hotfix for April 4thApr 4, 2023
- Hotfix for December 30thDec 31, 2022
- Hotfix for December 5thDec 5, 2022
- Hotfix for November 17thNov 17, 2022
- Hotfix for November 10thNov 10, 2022
- Hotfix for October 27thOct 27, 2022
- Hotfix for October 19thOct 19, 2022
- 07/21/2017 - Credits FixJul 21, 2017
- 07/21/2017 - Credits FixJul 21, 2017
- 7/20/2017 - Alt Drifter Credits FixJul 20, 2017
- 7/20/2017 - Alt Drifter Credits FixJul 20, 2017
- 07/19/2017 - Co-op Control ChangesJul 20, 2017
- 7/13/2017 - Input Hotfix 3Jul 14, 2017
- 7/13/2017 - Input Hotfix 3Jul 14, 2017
- 7/7/2017 - Input Hotfix 2Jul 7, 2017
- 7/7/2017 - Input Hotfix 2Jul 7, 2017
- 7/6/2017 - Input Overhaul HotfixJul 6, 2017
- 7/6/2017 - Input Overhaul HotfixJul 6, 2017
- 7/5/2017 'Default' - Input Overhaul UpdateJul 6, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 7/5/2017 'Default' - Input Overhaul UpdateJul 6, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 7/4/2017 'Next Update' - Input Hotfix 2Jul 4, 2017
- 7/4/2017 'Next Update' - Input Hotfix 2Jul 4, 2017
- 7/3/2017 'Next Update' HotfixJul 4, 2017
- 7/3/2017 'Next Update' HotfixJul 4, 2017
- 7/2/2017 'Next Update' - Input Overhaul UpdateJul 2, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 7/2/2017 'Next Update' - Input Overhaul UpdateJul 2, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 'Default' - Controller Detection UpdateJun 29, 2017
- 'Default' - Controller Detection UpdateJun 29, 2017
- 6/26/2017 'Default' - Controller Support TweakJun 27, 2017
- 5/8/2017 'Next Update' - Controller SupportMay 8, 2017
- 5/8/2017 'Next Update' - Controller SupportMay 8, 2017
- 11/23/2016 - Miscellaneous FixesNov 23, 2016
- 11/23/2016 - Miscellaneous FixesNov 23, 2016
- 11/2/2016 - Fast CollisionNov 2, 2016
- 11/2/2016 - Fast CollisionNov 2, 2016
- 10/28/2016 'Next Update' - Mac and Linux 60FPSOct 28, 2016
- 10/28/2016 'Next Update' - Mac and Linux 60FPSOct 28, 2016
- 10/27/2016 'Next Update' - Phantom Slash fixOct 28, 2016
…and 32 earlier patch announcements.