Possessor(s)

Developer Heart Machine is arguably in recovery mode right now. It debuted with the fantastic Hyper Light Drifter in 2016, a challenging, action-packed, stylish game with fantastic pixel art, music, and a wordless, engaging narrative. Its follow-up, Solar Ash, was similarly well-regarded, even if it didn’t have quite the same impact as its first game. But its latest, Hyper Light Breaker, which should have been a triumphant return to the Hyper Light universe, stumbled out of the gate. Hyper Light Breaker launched into Early Access in January, and its reception has been tepid. The game is still being actively developed and is integrating player feedback, so there is plenty of time to find its footing, but it has left fans of the developer wanting. It makes the timing of Possessor(s) feel perfect, if surprisingly fast.

I spent about an hour with the game, playing through its intro, first boss, and generally getting lost in its world. Heart Machine producer Myriame Lachapelle refers to Possessor(s) as a “search action game,” which is the term generally used in Japan for the genre. But make no mistake – it is a Metroid-inspired game.