Unlocking Lore in Hyper Light Breaker: A Step-by-Step Guide

In the realm of early access gaming, Hyper Light Breaker stands out with its rich lore, much like its predecessor, Hyper Light Drifter. The narrative unfolds through exploration rather than conventional storytelling; players must piece together the events that shaped the world from scattered lore fragments found while navigating the Overgrowth. These fragments provide insights into the historical context of the two Crowns, Exus and Dro.

Similar to the mechanics in Hyper Light Drifter, Hyper Light Breaker features stone monoliths that players can engage with around various locations. Interacting with these stone tablets awards players with lore snippets presented in an engaging manga-style format. These comic panels can later be viewed in the Outpost, offering context about the world’s history, the fate of its inhabitants, and the identity of the Abyss King.

Discovering Phantom Fragments

Memory Decoding screen in Hyper Light Breaker

If you are familiar with Hyper Light Drifter, you will recognize the stone tablets that are cleverly hidden throughout the game. Although different from Drifter in terms of gameplay mechanics—where they provided keys to secret areas—these monoliths yield three Phantom Fragments upon interaction. While these fragments serve no immediate function, collecting them becomes critical as they can be exchanged with a specific vendor for rich lore.

In cooperative gameplay, it’s efficient to have only one player interact with the monolith, allowing the entire team to receive the Phantom Fragments. This strategy enables expedient exploration of the Overgrowth, where the memory monoliths can be found in various unpredictable locations. Given the game’s procedural generation of maps, encountering them can feel like a serendipitous treasure hunt. Typically, these monuments are nestled close to smaller structures rather than appearing isolated in open spaces.

It’s worth mentioning that these monoliths do not usually appear near high-traffic areas, such as gear pickups or Prism miniboss encounters. Therefore, players should take time to explore the less traveled pathways to maximize their collection efforts. Once you successfully collect the Phantom Fragments, you can continue with your gameplay as these collectibles remain safe regardless of the outcome of your run; you simply cannot utilize them until you return to the Outpost.

Unlocking the Stories of Exus and Dro

Engage with Pherus Bit to Discover More about the Crowns

Pherus Bit in Hyper Light Breaker, with the lore menu highlighted

Upon returning to the Outpost, whether after a successful extraction or a defeat, ensure to converse with Pherus Bit near the entry teleporter. One of the menu options allows you to spend the Phantom Fragments you’ve collected, along with an additional 50 Bright Blood, to unveil a memory linked to either Exus or Dro. It’s important to note that you cannot select which memory to unlock, adding an element of surprise to your exploration.

Set as a distant prequel to Hyper Light Drifter, Hyper Light Breaker unfolds over an undetermined period prior to the events of the original game by Heart Machine. To unlock each memory, a total of six Phantom Fragments is required; these memories are depicted in five-panel comic formats that illustrate crucial backstories of each boss.

Through these panels, players gain a deeper understanding of how the world of Hyper Light Breaker developed and the significant role Breakers play in its continuation. While the current lore may be fragmentary, the full release is poised to present players with intriguing puzzles and revelations, compelling them to utilize both the Phantom Fragments and their analytical skills to uncover the larger story.

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