Hyper Light Breaker didn't have a great launch. Heart Machine's early-access roguelike was released with undercooked gameplay and mechanics, leaving the Steam reception at a firm 'mixed.' Combine that with Breaker's stark departure from the original Hyper Light Drifter, and players found it incredibly difficult to give Heart Machine's newest game a chance. That's hopefully about to change, however, as Breaker's biggest update since launch is here, and it makes colossal improvements and game-changing alterations.
While we didn't give it a score at launch, our Hyper Light Breaker update, called Buried Below, might just rectify a lot of these problems.
For starters, Breaker finally has a robust tutorial. After watching a new intro cinematic, you'll experience the basics of the game's mechanics in a safe environment. Once completed, you're sent to the Cursed Outpost hub area, giving you a much stronger foothold on Breaker from the jump. You can also go to a dedicated space to practise advanced combat mechanics, like dash attacks and parries, meaning you (hopefully) won't lose a run because you haven't learned Breaker's intricacies yet.
Once you're out of the tutorial, you'll experience Hyper Light Breaker's entirely new structure. Heart Machine has turned Breaker into a more traditional roguelike experience, making it much easier to get into, but harder to master. You now only have one life, meaning you lose your entire loadout when you die. To get around this, you can either buy medkits or extract with your loot, which you can now do more often. Instead of just having one way to extract, you can now leave your run via any shrine in the Overgrowth, with no waves of enemies blocking your path. These changes are astronomical, as not only is Breaker easier than before, but it's been rebalanced to be a much fairer experience.
Breaker's playable characters have also undergone a big change, as each now only has one SyCom – which helps to define your build – with multiple perks to choose from. Heart Machine is making every character feel like a distinct class going forward, giving you reason to try each of them out while still coming up with your own, distinct builds.
That's not all, though, as Heart Machine has also overhauled inventory and vendors to further streamline your time in the game. Now, the only item that will carry over from your vault when you die is Golden Rations, Hyper Light Breaker's main meta-progression currency. This change frees you up to focus on getting new gear in your runs, instead of struggling with what's in your backpack. Vendors across the game also have new roles, as hub stores no longer sell gear, but instead offer you upgrades. Stores you find during runs now only require Brightblood for purchases, too, making them much easier to use.
The Buried Below update doesn't just include comprehensive mechanical changes, either. You can play as the new character Rondo, who prefers dual and balanced blade weapons over the rest of your arsenal. That's perfect, though, because Buried Below also features two new blades: the Gloom Shiv and Dreamblade. These weapons open up entirely new ways to fight your opponents, whether you want a whirling polearm or curved sword for strong, rapid attacks.
Now that Buried Below is finally here, I'm hopeful that Heart Machine can turn Hyper Light Breaker around. Steam Early Access is the perfect opportunity to listen to players and make changes based on their , and that's exactly what the team is doing. It's a long road, sure, but Breaker's 1.0 launch suddenly looks like it could be a roguelike to .
Heart Machine's Hyper Light Breaker Buried Below update is available now, and you can grab the game at 20% off until Tuesday May 6, so expect to pay $23.99 / £19.99. Just head here.
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