Hyper Light Drifter Cheats & Secrets for PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One

The debut game from indie developer Alx Preston and his studio Heart Machine, Hyper Light Drifter is one of the more iconic indie games of the last decade. Originally released in March 2016, HLD would go on to appear on several other platforms, including a version released for the Nintendo Switch in 2018. The title famously utilizes creator Alx Preston’s real-life heart issues as a means of storytelling, with the game’s main character also suffering from a terminal illness. Hyper Light Drifter‘s initial debut on Kickstarter would prove to be a rousing success, with the game’s crowdfunding campaign raising over $100,000 (4 times the initial goal) in just a few days.

The success of HLD‘s Kickstarter allowed for the game’s scope to dramatically increase, as well as for new staff to join Preston at Heart Machine. Notably, chiptune composer Disasterpeace (known for his work on the game Fez and the movie It Follows) would compose the game’s score. Hyper Light Drifter‘s launch was met with considerable critical acclaim and commercial success, including several award nominations and even two wins at the Independent Games Festival (for Excellence in Visual Art and Audience). While there is no official sequel as of yet, Heart Machine has plans to release a roguelike follow-up taking place in the same universe into Early Access in 2025.

Hyper Light Drifter Premise

The story of HLD begins with players taking control of the titular Drifter as he awakens on the shore of a new land. As players make their way through this tutorial section the reason for the Drifter’s pilgrimage becomes obvious, with his suffering from a terminal illness leading to him coughing up what appears to be blood. After following a prophet-like figure known as the Jackal, the Drifter succumbs to his infection only to be rescued by another character known as the Guardian. He awakens in the Guardian’s hut to learn that there are four guardians he must defeat across the World of Light before he can seek out the Jackal once more in hopes of finding a cure for his illness.

With that general setup, players set off in search of adventure, which HLD delivers in spades. Gameplay in HLD is reminiscent of the 2D Legend of Zelda games, specifically The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. The main character has a powerful energy sword that he can use to “phase” or dash through the air with and attack enemies. Additionally, players have ranged options in the form of various firearms they can collect and upgrade, including the standard pistol, shotgun, and rifle. The game’s world is split into four main areas or quadrants, each of which contains 8 Modules for the player to collect. After collecting half of each quadrant’s modules, the player gains access to the area’s boss enemy and progression through the critical path.

Along the way, players can explore and uncover secret areas that feature platforming and combat challenges that reward currency that can be used to upgrade equipment and purchase new abilities.

Hyper Light Drifter Main Characters

The sole main character in HLD is the Drifter, a mysterious individual who wields a powerful energy sword. While the game’s story is mostly conveyed through subtle environmental cues and short cutscenes, some things about the Drifter become glaringly obvious. The Drifter suffers from a deadly affliction that leads him to travel throughout a strange land facing an impending crisis. Along the way, he fights against both enemies and his own illness, constantly working against the clock to finish his mission before his body gives out on him. The main characters in Hyper Light Drifter include:

• The Drifter: The main protagonist and player character of the game, The Drifter suffers from a mysterious terminal illness. He ventures to the World of Light in search of a cure, eventually battling 4 powerful guardians that block the path to a final confrontation with the mysterious “Judgement” entity. Notably, the Drifter is what is known as a “Blu”, a humanoid race of feline creatures with bluish skin/fur.

Games From Developer Heart Machine

The studio behind HLD, Heart Machine, would officially open up shop in 2013. Originally just the working name of founder Alx Preston’s efforts as a solo developer, Heart Machine gradually added more and more members to its staff as Hyper Light Drifter‘s development continued and its scope increased. Following the launch and critical acclaim of HLD, Heart Machine set out to work on its next game Solar Ash. The developer’s current upcoming project is a 3D follow-up to HLD that takes place in its same universe but features new gameplay elements. Games from Heart Machine include:

• Hyper Light Drifter (PC, PS4, Xbox One, 2016)
• Solar Ash (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, 2021)
• Hyper Light Breaker (PC, 2025)
• Possessor(s) (PC, TBA)

Hyper Light Drifter Cheats & Secrets

While there are no cheats for the console versions of Hyper Light Drifter, there are plenty of secrets and unlockables for players to discover. Additionally, there are several achievements/trophies players can earn from completing in-game challenges. The PC version of Hyper Light Drifter is compatible with various cheat engines.

Hyper Light Drifter Unlockables

There are several secret modes that players can unlock after beating the game once normally.

Hyper Light Drifter Cheat Engine/Trainer Cheats

PC players can download a cheat engine to enable cheats in some of their favorite games, Hyper Light Drifter included. The WeMod cheat engine has a trainer file available for Hyper Light Drifter that players can find and download here. The trainer file contains the following cheats:

• Infinite Health
• Infinite Ammo
• One-Hit Kills

Hyper Light Drifter Achievements/Trophies

Complete the following in-game activities to unlock the corresponding achievement/trophy.

Hyper Light Drifter Cheat FAQs

Does Hyper Light Drifter have an easy mode?

There are 4 difficulty modes in Hyper Light Drifter, with two available when starting the game and the other two unlocking after beating the game once. The lowest difficulty tier is more forgiving but still difficult, and some achievements are inaccessible when playing in this mode.

How do you unlock the Alternate Drifter in Hyper Light Drifter?

The Alternate Drifter is a secret bonus character who was originally an exclusive for players backing the game’s Kickstarter. She is accessible after beating Hyper Light Drifter once and plays somewhat differently from the main Drifter. She has less health but deals more damage while also having two support bots instead of one.

How long to beat Hyper Light Drifter?

A typical playthrough of Hyper Light Drifter should take most players about 8 hours on average. Of course, this time varies based on how much players explore. Those who are hoping to find all of the many collectibles in Hyper Light Drifter and 100% of the game can expect to spend roughly 25-30 hours.

Do you need to collect all Modules in Hyper Light Drifter?

Each of Hyper Light Drifter‘s 4 main areas (or, quadrants) features 8 Modules for players to collect. While some of these are necessary to access each quadrant’s boss arena, others are not. That said, collecting all the Modules in a particular area unlocks 8-Module Doors that lead to rooms containing Gear Bits and other useful items, so it’s worth exploring to find all 8 Modules in each area.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Hyper Light Drifter key art.