Making Hyper Light Breaker's fizzy 80s anime character designs

Crafting the characters of video game Hyper Light Breaker; a blue haired character stands in a field holding a sword
The angular design of Hyper Light Breaker's character design feels nostalgic, drawing on the same 80s cartoons and anime of the original game. (Image credit: Heart Machine / Arc Games)
Hyper Light Breaker details

Crafting the characters of video game Hyper Light Breaker; a group of stylised game characters

(Image credit: Heart Machine / Arc Games)

Developer Heart Machine
Publisher
Arc Games
Release
Late summer
Platform Unreal Engine 4
Formats PC (Steam), consoles TBC

Anyone who played Hyper Light Drifter fell in love with its colourful, impressionistic world rendered in tiny pixels. Our minds filled in the gaps and embellished every angular, geometric ruin and colour-washed 8-bit forest. With follow-up Hyper Light Breaker, set in a 3D open world, developer Heart Machine is colouring inside the lines for us.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

TOPICS
Editor, Digital Arts & 3D

Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on digital art, VFX and video games and tech, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5.

Latest in Video Game Design
Sonic Adventure Redux
I'm not saying this Sonic Adventure Unreal Engine 5 remake is the best thing I've ever seen, but I'm not not saying it either
An image from Half-life 2 RTX demo
Nvidia to show off powerful video game remix capabilities in Half-life 2 RTX demo
Your House indie game art interview; A stylised illustration depicts a young woman seated, seemingly contemplative, in a setting that combines elements of a comic book panel and a vintage aesthetic
"This is a game you can read, or a book you can play” – solving the visual design of Your House, a detective game crossed with a Daniel Clowes comic
Image of Aloy in Horizon
Sony's made an AI-generated Aloy. Does it not see the irony?
Atomfall hands-on; various scenes from a video game set in a 1950s England after the apocalypse
"We wanted it to feel big" – playing Atomfall from an art director’s perspective
Best video game architecture; a woman stands in front of a city scene, in the distance is a mix of gothic and modernist buildings
The best video games for architecture and design fans
Latest in Features
Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau; a vibrant, dynamic illustration showcases Spider-Gwen in a dynamic action pose amidst a cityscape, radiating a sense of energy and playful confidence
"Art is not easy. You have to suffer in joy" – Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau reflects on what it takes to succeed in comic art
Your House indie game art interview; A stylised illustration depicts a young woman seated, seemingly contemplative, in a setting that combines elements of a comic book panel and a vintage aesthetic
"This is a game you can read, or a book you can play” – solving the visual design of Your House, a detective game crossed with a Daniel Clowes comic
AI generated images of a male creative director and a female parent
AI's gender bias is even worse than reality
Augustinas Paukšte waving out of a window
"I tried to be a human orchestra": a day in the life of creative director Augustinas Paukšte
Lady Phyll
"She embodies strength, resilience, and pride": Ron Timehin on photographing LGBTQ+ icon Lady Phyll
Atomfall hands-on; various scenes from a video game set in a 1950s England after the apocalypse
"We wanted it to feel big" – playing Atomfall from an art director’s perspective