What games would you compare to Hyper Light Drifter?

[void_dance]

This is the game that brought me back to gaming. I know that sounds dramatic but it's the truth. It's the first "indie" game I ever played, and now I'm an obsessive. I scour steam, itch.io, youtube videos, reddit, and I'm chasing the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ dragon because very few things compare to the feeling I got from this game.

Namely, the combat and art style. It's gorgeous, it's quick, it feels skillful and satisfying. The music being ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ perfect doesn't hurt either.

Most of the games that people compare to Hyper Light Drifter are very surface-level comparisons. It has pixel art. It has a lot of pastel colors. It has a boss rush mode. I would like to know what games made you FEEL something the way Hyper Light Drifter does.

Games I'm already well aware of and love: Hollow Knight, Axiom Verge, Momodora Reverie Under the Moonlight, Specter Knight. I also have a lot of games on my wishlist that aren't out yet.

[Vandal Savant]

The closest game to HLD I've ever played is Songbringer, but it's more of a retro Zelda clone: dungeon areas, panel level layout, items/item upgrades, and some simple "puzzles." A gadget item in the game basically gives you dash, and if you bind it and the attack button to be the same as HLD, it's a criminally similar playstyle. https://store.steampowered.com/app/367080/Songbringer/

Lucah: Born of a Dream looks really similar to HLD as well, but I've never played it so I don't know really what to make of it other than the fever dream-ish visuals. https://store.steampowered.com/app/896460/Lucah_Born_of_a_Dream/

[FRΛCTURΞD SOUL]

id say titan soul is getting near for the difficulty
https://store.steampowered.com/app/297130/

[void_dance]

Lucah looks like it could be something really special! Very interesting.

[void_dance]

I snagged Lucah while it's on sale. Haven't played it yet but I think I'm going to love it. Only part that makes me nervous is the game timer. I don't want to be rushed if there are secrets!

[Heron]

Hollow Knight for sure! There is a sequel incoming, Hollow Knight: Silksong!

Apart from that, Ori and the Blind Forest is a very beautiful game that you will instantly fall in love with.

[ArrRti]

I would have overlooked a game like Lucah if not for this thread.
Not finished yet (level 3 atm) but it seems really fleshed out in a lot of categories and if you like the HLD gameplay then it is a must play.

[vilantobe]

This game is coming on September. I've played demo. Looks close enough to HLD.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/330020/Children_of_Morta/

[DankSlayer]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/631980/



It's slower than HLD and more 'Dark Souls' themed but it does use the dash mechanic which also functions as a attack - you can dash into enemies on low stanima to tackle and stun them for a long while

[Chanchoberto]

I would recommend the first Dark Souls game. It has a seamless interconnected world that opens up as you explore it and open new paths. It has very little direction in terms of what you need to do, a mysterious vibe and enviromental storytelling.

The gameplay is challenging and rewards patience and studying your enemies. The game also has a lot of customization on how you build your character which allows for multiple playstyles (this also adds a lot of replay value).

The newer games in the series are a bit more fluid in terms of combat, but they lack the interconnected world that makes the first one so special.

[Jamie2049]

Maybe this?
https://store.steampowered.com/app/445870/Phantom_Trigger/
I haven't played it but the trailer makes the combat look almost indentical to HLD.
User reviews are rather poor though.

[Clarence Boddicker]

Dead Cells

[Sved]

If you don't have it yet, Bastion is pretty fun too

[Prophet OFC]

Late to the party, but been keeping an odd eye on this guy for 2+ years now. Gonna be good I reckon if they can get it out the door. I'm not a kickstarter fan at all and haven't backed anything but I'm eager to see what's what.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/studiokoba/narita-boy-the-retro-futuristic-pixel-game

[void_dance]

Oh yeah! Narita Boy has been on my "personal" wishlist for over a year now. It'll be on my Steam wishlist as soon as they have a page. I think the comparisons to HLD are mostly visual but the gameplay looks frenetic.

[Prophet OFC]

I tend to agree. I believe it has that capacity to capture people and really push the modern retro indie gaming trend further to the mainstream.