Heart Machine, developer of 2016’s hit action-RPG Hyper Light Drifter, has fallen on hard times after that game’s follow-up, the roguelike prequel Hyper Light Breaker, failed to resonate with players. Still officially in Early Access, the game will get some more attention from Heart Machine, but the studio has announced that it is winding down development, and that members of the team have been laid off.
“We’ve had to make the difficult decision to part ways with a number of talented team members,” Heart Machine said in a statement (h/t Joshua Wolens at PC Gamer). Attributing the challenges its facing to “broader forces beyond our control, including shifts in funding, corporate consolidation and the uncertain environment many small studios like us are navigating today,” Heart Machine has hit bumpy patches in the past as well, with a previous round of layoffs implemented toward the end of 2024, Though it seems like Hyper Light Breaker might never be completed in the ways its creators once envisioned and hoped for, the studio is promising to issue an update in January and bring Breaker to some kind of finish line.
‘As an avid Hyper Light Drifter Fan, I have tried to enjoy this game multiple times. I just can’t’
Fans of the very cool and visually captivating 2016 indie hit Hyper Light Drifter have, by and large, failed to latch on to what Breaker is offering. “I just can’t,” reads one Steam review of the game in its present Early Access state. “The only thing that actually ties this game to Drifter is the title of the game and the art style. […] Characters currently are limited to select weapons to artificially promote character diversity. Extraction as a concept is pointless aside from being a source of infinite health.”
“The core combat feels decent enough at times,” reads another negative review. “But pretty much everything this game has to offer is either very rough around the edges or just questionably designed, on top of a large amount of smaller issues that quickly add up.”
It’s not all doom and gloom in the reviews section. Some folks seem to be more patient with the game in its Early Access state, while others are finding genuine fun. Still, these are the lesser voices speaking out behind the game’s “Mixed” user review status on Steam.
Though the game is still going to receive some attention, it’s unfortunate that its creators will never be able to implement their full vision for it, and particularly unfortunate that people have lost their livelihoods. Heart Machine continues on with its other projects, including the side-scroller Possessor(s) due out next month. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to all of our projects, and to our community for their continued support as we look forward to the future of Heart Machine,“ the statement says.
