In Hyper Light Drifter, you play a mute warrior that wields a sword made of light and wanders the land looking for adventure. It’s a combat game that balances pace and intensity perfectly. At first glance, it looks like a self-indulgent arty puff piece – yet as soon as you load it up and hear the first few bars of the soundtrack, you realise it is anything but.

Hyper Light Drifter is a moody, post-apocalyptic game where you wander the land. You meet monsters and robots, explore forests and dungeons and make your way across a very immersive land. You wander in whatever direction you feel like taking. There is no hand-holding, there are no corridors – you go where you like. Sometimes this will take you up against seriously hard mobs that you cannot tackle. But that’s fine, make a note and revisit later. It’s all good with the game.

Graphically, Hyper Light Drifter is rich in character and colour. It may not be the highest definition game in the world, but what it lacks in graphics it makes up for in depth and immersion.

As a combat game, Hyper Light Drifter has the right balance. The game world and the music score take you on a literal rollercoaster. There are periods of intense action where the music ramps up accordingly. Then there is the aftermath, where the score calms down and you as the player can relax a little and take a breath. This pacing is spot on and the combat is pretty slick.

Combat is a mix of standard moves and dashes referred to as drifts. These drifts make up powerful combos that you will need to take down harder bosses.

You have four distinct lands to explore to unlock the final land. Each has a distinct character communicated by colour. You fight your way through a land, kill a boss and get upgrades for your weapons and armour. Return to your home village to upgrade, then head out to the next land. It sounds simple and it is, but in all the best ways.

There are few games out there right now that are both surprising and rewarding at the same time. Hyper Light Drifter is one of them.

Jesmond Darmanin is a technology enthusiast who has his own blog at www.itnewsblog.com.