BUILT DIFFERENT

How Heart Machine’s Hyper Light sequel is breaking new ground for the open-world Roguelike

- Chris Schilling

The city seems quiet and tranquil from here. Stepping out onto the balcony, a slender masked figure with cerulean hair, a short red jacket and a long tail takes in the view of a part of this metropolis they’ll never visit, its houses, hotels and skyscrapers at once so close yet so far away. Peering through the aquamarine haze, the Blu – one of several humanoid species in this world – glances to the right where a vast waterfall emerges from a flourishing mass of greenery. Heading back inside, they trot around a plush lobby, itself not short of plant life. There are vendors and other NPCs here, but no one is demanding the Blu’s attention. A soothing ambient score, noticeable but not obtrusive, sustains the peaceful vibe as they head outside, toward a vast elevator, bathed in pink light.

Down below, it’s a very different story. This is the Overgrowth, a sprawling land fragmented into disparate biomes. Stepping off the platform onto the surface, the Blu – as piloted by Heart Machine’s