I don’t think there’s a more enjoyable sonic experience that I’ve had in a game thus far with SUBPAC. The score and sound of Hyper Light Drifter, crafted by electronic musician “Disasterpiece”, is a perfect combination of moody, Vangelis-esque synthesis, staggeringly precise low end rivaling the very finest minimal techno, and a extremely digital aesthetic that makes it’s harsh yet beautiful emotional tone so powerfully easy to embrace. I feel nostalgia for a place I’ve never been, and sadness for people who lives I do not know.
I dashed around pixelated, magical environments, slashed stuff with my sword, and died seemingly without end. There’s not really a narrative, but I am more engrossed in the occurrences than this game that other titles relying on thousands of lines of text. This fact speaks to the truly creative execution of one of the most original and best-sounding games of the year.