Hyper Light Drifter cover art

games like

Hyper Light Drifter

Hyper Light Drifter leans Execution (Practiced Mastery). Below: catalogued games with the closest cheat-test profile, and exactly where each one differs.

Matched first against: Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up - then ranked by cheat-test profile.

EXECUTION7 /10READS2 /10VARIANCE1 /10OPTIMIZATION5 /10

Like Hyper Light Drifter, but easier

Same cheat-test neighborhood, lower Execution demand - the hands aren't as punishing.

12 games like Hyper Light Drifter

A cross-genre tag below means that pick didn't share a genre - it filled a slot on cheat-test profile alone.

Kingdom Hearts II cover art
Kingdom Hearts IIPracticed Mastery · action RPG

Both lean on execution about the same (7 vs 7). Biggest difference: reads (2 vs 1) - Even superbosses run scripted, mappable patterns

full comparison →
God of War III cover art
God of War IIIPure Mechanics · hack and slash

Both lean on execution about the same (7 vs 7). Biggest difference: reads (2 vs 1) - Bosses fully scripted spectacle.

full comparison →
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 cover art
Marvel's Spider-Man 2Practiced Mastery · action adventure

Both lean on variance about the same (1 vs 1). Biggest difference: execution (7 vs 6) - Symbiote and dual-hero combat demands inputs.

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Blasphemous cover art
BlasphemousPracticed Mastery · action metroidvania

Both lean on variance about the same (1 vs 1). Biggest difference: execution (7 vs 6) - Punishing 2D combat and platforming

full comparison →
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link cover art
Zelda II: The Adventure of LinkPracticed Mastery · action RPG platformer

Both lean on execution about the same (7 vs 7). Biggest difference: reads (2 vs 1) - Ironknuckles feint but follow fixed logic

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Streets of Rage 4 cover art
Streets of Rage 4Practiced Mastery · co-op beat-em-up

Both lean on execution about the same (7 vs 7). Biggest difference: variance (1 vs 2) - Enemy arrangement is largely fixed; minimal RNG

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Final Fantasy XVI cover art
Final Fantasy XVIPracticed Mastery · action RPG

Both lean on variance about the same (1 vs 1). Biggest difference: execution (7 vs 6) - Action combat with dodge and combo timing

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Death's Door cover art
Death's DoorPracticed Mastery · action-adventure

Both lean on reads about the same (2 vs 2). Biggest difference: execution (7 vs 6) - Tight dodge-and-strike combat

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TMNT: Shredder's Revenge cover art
TMNT: Shredder's RevengePracticed Mastery · co-op beat-em-up

Both lean on reads about the same (2 vs 2). Biggest difference: execution (7 vs 6) - Tight combo windows, taunt timing, and boss parries demand execution

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time cover art
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in TimePracticed Mastery · arcade beat 'em up

Both lean on execution about the same (7 vs 7). Biggest difference: reads (2 vs 1) - Foot Soldiers run fixed scripts.

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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 cover art
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2Practiced Mastery · third-person action

Both lean on execution about the same (7 vs 7). Biggest difference: variance (1 vs 2) - Tyranid swarm spawns vary run to run

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Darksiders III cover art
Darksiders IIIPracticed Mastery · souls-like action

Both lean on execution about the same (7 vs 7). Biggest difference: reads (2 vs 1) - Sin bosses are pattern sets, not adaptive minds

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Game details

Released
2016
Developer
Heart Machine
Platforms
PS4, Linux, PC, Mac, WiiU, Vita, XONE
Modes
Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
IGDB critics
89/100
IGDB users
80/100
ShooterRole-playing (RPG)Hack and slash/Beat 'em upAdventureIndieActionFantasyScience fiction