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A television series based on Alx Preston’s action RPG “Hyper Light Drifter” is currently in the works.
Preston is working with producer Adi Shankar (Castlevania) to bring the game to life as an animated series. Speaking to Polygon, Preston stated that he and Shankar are currently looking for writers to pen the adaptation, though the pair aren’t sure at the moment how to take the frenetic action of “Hyper Light Drifter” and translate it properly for a passive audience.
“The difference between a series and a game is vast in a lot of ways,” said Preston. “’Hyper Light’ as a game was pretty atmospheric and kind of overbearing at times. For a series, the question is: how do you sustain and keep your attention on a non-interactive run? Does it get really, really dark and serious? Does it have some levity?”
As a result, the pair are currently exploring options that better represent the stylistic intentions of the game, with a more straightforward anime-esque interpretation than pixelated graphics, which is what “Hyper Light Drifter” already contained. There’s also the matter of how to work narrative into the series, whether they’re going to implement voice acting or dialogue, and how much of it. Originally, the game featured zero dialogue, so it’s a hurdle Preston and Shankar will have to navigate.
“Hyper Light Drifter” is a 2D action RPG that pays homage to 8-bit and 16-bit games of yesteryear, described by Preston as a mixture of “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” and “Diablo.” It follows the Drifter, a character using technology that’s long been forgotten to the game’s inhabitants, who is suffering from an unknown illness, inspired by Preston’s heart disease. The Drifter’s energy sword can be upgraded with additional modules throughout the game.
Right now, there isn’t much set in stone about the game except for what Preston promised during the Vox Media SXSW panel: that the pair will “make it cool.” There’s no word just yet on additional talents that have been recruited for the show.
