Published , by Josh Hawkins
Published , by Josh Hawkins
When Hyper Light Drifter released in 2016, it told a very personal story for developer Alex Preston, the head of Heart Machine, the studio behind the hit indie classic. Now, as the development team continues work on its newest project, Solar Ash, Preston is ready to focus on a new topic in a bigger, grander world.
Writing on the PlayStation Blog, Preston states, “Our first game, Hyper Light Drifter, is a very personal story. I began work on the game during a brutal low period, stemming from a lifetime of health problems. The game reflected these personal struggles, and development on the title helped to focus on a creative outlet that could sustain and help to build something bigger than the demons that would always be clawing.”
He continues, “Our second title, Solar Ash, has been about reflection and progress in many ways. Our ambitions are bigger and the team has grown to match. The story still remains personal, but evolves to be something beyond just the weight of the struggle into something more hopeful.”
It's unclear just how connected Solar Ash will be to the world introduced in Hyper Light Drifter, or if the two will even be connected at all. Still, there’s no doubt that what is on display in the first teaser for the game is beautiful and could definitely offer a perfect setting for a brilliant story.
Personally, Hyper Light Drifter was a fantastic game, and I’m extremely excited to see how Heart Machine continues to expand on their storytelling efforts in Solar Ash. For more info on the game, be sure to check out the trailer we’ve embedded above. You can also keep your eyes glued to our PlayStation 5 news hub, where you can even check out the various other announcements revealed during today’s PS5 livestream.