As the gaming industry trends more and more toward high-fidelity graphics and breakneck gameplay, the reign of pixel design and the heyday of 2D adventure games feel far away. That said, a ton of developers are still putting out games we would have fallen head over heels for 30 years ago. At first sight, HYKE:Northern Light(s) pops on the screen with its colorful design work, but how does it compare to the top-down titans of action RPGs? Here’s our review of HYKE:Northern Light(s) on PC!

In HYKE:Northern Light(s), you play as the titular Hyke in a world full of turmoil thanks to a war between humans and witches. In search of your mother, you’ll explore the Forbidden Areas, unexplored lands with enemies, and potential answers, you can’t possibly anticipate. After finding a mysterious band of witches, Hyke is set on a path to not only explore her own secrets but also bring peace to the world around her.

In a 2D top-down action RPG style, you play through a gorgeous world created by Aniplex, Blast Edge Games, and Akatsuki Games. Story-wise, things are relatively simple, so I want to emphasize how much the production of HYKE:Northern Light(s) carries your experience. The visuals, full of color and natural environments, are such a pleasure to look at and spend time in. Voice acting, while not featured throughout the game, is also very strong and enjoyable, but clearly chosen carefully to save costs.

As you meet more of the witches in the Forbidden Areas, your game loop becomes cyclical. You’ll progress through stages of the dangerous world by defeating enemies and traversing environmental dangers. Utilizing boosts via perks and recipes that can provide a stat boost, finding treasure is made challenging thanks to traps and extra enemies that await if you venture too carelessly.

Boss battles, as well as enemies in general, are straightforward and not terribly captivating. Similar to titles like Fire Emblem: Engage or Cult of the Lamb, you’ll return to your camp between stages and customize your base. It’s fun to track your missing decor and head back to stages to find missing items, but that’s the bulk of the replayability here, outside of really loving the combat. I don’t have major complaints about combat either, other than the repetitive nature of the stages.

There is an upgrade system with material collection that helps to build up your spells and party. The diverse and interesting movesets of the witches you meet that aid you are different. The crafting, whether it’s for upgrades or cooking, is easy to navigate, which isn’t always a given in some of these menu-intensive RPGs. I think that’s a perfect example of my impression of HYKE:Northern Light(s). Nothing the game offers is mind-blowing, but it’s enjoyable throughout.

Thanks to an excellent soundtrack, great visuals, and a unique combat-to-camp-building loop, HYKE:Northern Light(s) is a joy to play and explore. There is a lack of jaw-dropping moments, but that is made up for with a pleasurable experience for fans of top-down action games. The combat doesn’t offer too many challenges, nor does the customization of your camp provide a massive array of options, but there’s plenty here to enjoy. HYKE:Northern Light(s) is now available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and PS5.

A PC review copy of HYKE:Northern Light(s) was provided by Aniplex Inc. for the purposes of this review.

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HYKE:Northern Light(s)

$27.99

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Great visuals and soundtrack
• Satisfying loop of combat and camp customization
• Upgrades via abilities for your party are exciting

Cons

• No point of the story hits the highs you're hoping for
• The game is good throughout but never jaw-dropping