The Drifter

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
This article contains spoilers. Proceed at your own risk.

“ A searcher, aspiring to find a cure.-- Steam trading card description ”
“ A lonely soul, in a desperate search.--Steam emoticon description ”

The Drifter, referred to on his tarot card as "The Magician", is the main playable character in Hyper Light Drifter. He is a member of the feline Blu species^[1]^[2] who has been infected with a strange terminal disease. The Drifter came to the Land of Light from the Northern Realms and travels the new continent in search of a cure.

When asked, developer Alex Preston said that "he" is the appropriate pronoun for Drifter. Source the Drifter is one of many different individuals referred to as "drifters," meaning that it is not his proper name but a descriptive title or nomadic type of occupation. According to the game's original description, "Drifters of this world are the collectors of forgotten knowledge, lost technologies and broken histories." Alex Preston also confirmed in 2022 that the Blu species featured in Heart Machine's upcoming 2024 game, Hyper Light Breaker, is the same one that the Drifter is a part of.

History[]

Not much is certain about the Drifter's history. It can be inferred that he was suffering from his infection prior to the start of the game, and can be further inferred that he came to the land in search for a cure for it. The opening cinematic seems to show him waking amidst a pile of corpses, possibly a result of the invasion the evidence of which is found throughout various points in the game.

It is possible that the Drifter originally hailed from the Northern Realms continent of the World of Light, as it is where his species, the Blu, are originally from, according to Hyper Light Breaker.

Lore and Story Analysis[]

The Drifter is a Blu who arrives in the Land of Light, a complete stranger to the new continent, having traveled from the Northern Realms continent to the northwest in a boat and crashed it on the northwestern shore not far from the central town, presumably to find a cure to his debilitation, following the Anubis-like Jackal in hopes that they will lead him to an answer. On his way there, he fights through a small gauntlet of enemies, where he picks up a pistol and immediately puts it to use. As he exits the dungeon and approaches the Library, he falls into a coughing fit, and is confronted by an entity referred to as "Judgement", who strikes him down. At some point he is found and nursed back to health by the Guardian, and wakes up in their house, picking up a map and learning how to access Immortal Cell. From there, he fights his way through the 4 corners of the Land of Light, activating the 4 obelisks and opening up the ground beneath central town and revealing the path to Judgment. After an intense battle, the Drifter finishes Judgment, and destroys the Immortal Cell. As the cavern collapses around him, Anubis abandons the Drifter, leaving him to drift away in peace one final time.

Weapons and Abilities[]

The Drifter is well versed in multiple combat abilities. He is more than capable with a sword, and with any form of energy-based firearm. It's unclear if the ability to turn destruction into projectiles is an aspect of the firearms, the sword, or the Drifter himself. He also is in possession of a small drone, used to interact with the technology within the Land of Light. The Drifter has the ability to drift, a titular dash-like burst which renders him invincible for a brief period and can be used for movement or to position around enemies.

Post credits[]

After ending the game an icon of the Drifter leaning against a wall nearby a campfire. If you click on it (or any other form of activation) it will load the post credits scene, with the Drifter’s skeleton still sitting down and the fire out. Stones have littered the floor and a light from above can be seen, indicating someone could have discovered this place in the future. Source

Trivia[]

A character assumed to be a beta design of the Drifter can be found on developer Alex Preston's art blog. Art 1 Art 2
Developer Teddy Dief once stated that the Drifter is "a human-like being, not an animal or beast or furry ;)" Source Ironically, this was shown to not be the case with the reveal of the Blu species for Hyper Light Breaker.
The Drifter's species is the same Blu species that is featured as a playable species in Heart Machine's upcoming game, Hyper Light Breaker. As such, the Drifter is covered in blue fur, has a long tail and wide, long, floppy ears under his helmet.^[1]^[2]