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Its repeating, dreamlike cutscenes are cryptic. Interacting with an NPC conveys information in storyboard-like sequences.
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Its storytelling is a wordless experience that requires interpretation.
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It takes a commendable risk with its bold storytelling that intrigues, but doesn’t fully pay off in the end. And while I wouldn’t consider Hyper Light Drifter overly hard – I was able to defeat most bosses on my first or second encounter, with the exception of two disproportionately difficult ones – I would also shy away from calling it a style-over-substance kind of experience. But most impressively, they’re all optional – to the point where you can finish Hyper Light Drifter’s roughly seven-hour campaign without purchasing any upgrades at all, if you’ve got the raw skill to pull it off. That adds flavor to the combat systems without overcomplicating things. “With the exception of a grenade ability, these upgrades don’t introduce completely new mechanics, but instead only add interesting elements to your beginning skills.
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