Hyke: Northern Lights

When I first saw the screenshots for Hyke: Northern Lights I was enamoured immediately. The pixel art in pastel colours coupled with the promise of playing the game in cosy style or with more difficulty was very appealing. 

The game is set in the aftermath of a war a between humanity and witches, with the latter very much on the losing side. You'll begin the game playing as Aurora, the mother of the titular Hyke, in her final battle against the leader of humanity, Wiseman. It's a short and efficient tutorial with the game's mechanics - you can dash and use two attacks, one close quarters, the other projectile. With this simple combination you'll enter the final battle and utilise them again when the game moves forward in time and you play as Hyke. The young witch starts on a camping trip looking for clues as to her mother's whereabouts with her friend Riko.

Character deigns are varied and gorgeous. 

The game takes a top-down perspective with some lovely character portraits adding some flavour. The game is voiced in Japanese but handily subtitled (mostly - some incidental lines while wandering go untranslated) as the story unfolds. It's a beautiful game to look at, I spent most of my time taking in all the detail while exploring - even the first forest delights with downed planes, vehicles and abandoned buildings covered in nature. Anyone who has played a 16-bit Zelda game will be right at home in this environment, the additional horsepower of a modern machine lending it that little bit of extra finesse when it comes to special effects.

As you traverse through the game, you'll meet new witches who can join your party. Each has new abilities and playstyles and can be swapped at will. Early on you'll be able to switch to Riko, whose magic includes the ability to clone herself as well as transform into a powerful bunny - the trade of for this increased power is lower defense, but you'll see the trade-offs often in the game. Back at camp you can upgrade HP, magic power and spells using limited supplies, so you'll have to think strategically about what play style you favour and which witch is the witch to switch to. 

I regularly enjoyed watching the witches camp out, building the site adds a feeling of progress

The game has what I'd call a "cosy camping" mechanic that allows you to rest and watch Hyke and friends relax around the campsite. You can select music from areas you've visited and more options open up as you progress through the game. There's a journal that gives you details on items and characters, with a chance to see some of that lovely pixel art a little closer. You'll heal as you rest but it's like a fun, interactive screensaver. You can also visit the nearby town, which provides side quests and challenges to level up and earn rewards. When you leave camp to explore a new area, you get a choice of meal which will provide a buff, usually on attack and defence, which will last until you return.

When it comes to combat, Hyke does stumble a little. You can freely approach and attack enemies, but if you don't use the lock on for projectiles you can waste a lot of spells. The trouble is, the lock-on is seemingly random with no manual way to cycle through targets, so it's all a bit imprecise. This is a massive shame because the variety of party members and their powers  makes combat quite varied, but it's all for nought if the attacks don't land. If the developers clean this up with a patch, it would make a world of difference to a key element of the game.

Graphically, the game varies as you progress, with many areas looking as though they've seen better days. Unlike the recently reviewed Star Fire: Eternal Cycle, the areas you visit feel tightly woven into events, the wounds inflicted on the world by the battle between witches and humanity writ large on screen. 

The game does have a tendency to overuse assets, but sometimes they're really enemies - a smart way to add tension

I never found the story to drag, every character has their own unique personality, even if many aren't as fleshed out as I would like, but that's really just testament to how much I enjoyed their company. I found myself just enjoying the world, especially playing the cosey setting and just working through the story. True, it's more of a game when you increase the challenge, but whatever your approach, spending time with these characters in this blighted world is very absorbing thanks to the presentation and earnestness of those who live in it. 

Given that the game is under £25 you're getting excellent value for what's on offer. Arguably some of the most charming worldbuilding and sprite work I've seen in a while, this is a wonderful coming-of-age story told against a tragic backdrop with settings that really convey the themes of the story. A little update patch to tighten the combat and you'd have a near perfect adventure game. My main complaint that is that this is a digital-only release, and with the artwork lavished on the game I'd love to see a limited edition down the road.