It's that time again for a new episode of Chichuki Plays, the show where I go hands-on with upcoming games and show them off. Usually, it's about an hour or so but I don't want to spoil too much of the game for you. This time we're looking at Hyke:NorthernLight(s) on the Nintendo Switch 2. The game is also on Steam but I really wanted to check out the Switch 2 version.
It feels like this era of gaming has a lot of 2-D top-down action games but HYKE takes that genre and runs with it. It also adds RPG elements as well as a life sim as well. It's a n ambitious task but HYKE really does a great job with it.
Right off the bat, the game gives you an option to play: Adventure mode and Action mode. Adventure for those who want to enjoy the story and action for those who want both story and action. For the case of the video, I stayed with Adventure, but you play the mode you feel comfortable with. The first chapter is basically the tutorial where you learn how to attack and what skills you'll have. Make sure you explore everywhere because you never know what you'll find. You might find something that really helps you in battle.
A cool aspect of combat is that some spells attack multiple enemies. You'll be able to set up a combo by luring enemies together. There will be a lot of enemies on screen sometimes and you will want to take advantage of it. Spells have cooldown timers so take that into consideration when attacking too. There will also be boss encounters against some pretty hefty boss monsters. Use your skills to attack and win.
We play the role of Hyke as well as other members of her traveling party. Hyke is looking for her long-lost mother, who if I was to guess, was the playable character in the tutorial but I don't want to speculate. The game has an interesting combination between RPG, action, and life sim. It feels like it should be too much, but the genres combine pretty nicely. The life sim aspect is different campgrounds Hyke, and her party members will stay in. Here you'll be able to make the campsite look the way you want it with different custom items/features. You'll also be able to cook tasty meals that will have stat buffs. You'll also be able to listen to music from the soundtrack and take pictures. I really like how the map for locations looks like an old-school guide to campgrounds or an old road map. I had slight issues with figuring out how to out things away in the camp but eventually figures it out.
Hyke has different types of attacks both long and short range as well as magic spells. Master what feels comfortable to your playstyle. I really like how the different locations look. It really looks like a major event happened and decimated the world. How can you say no to an abandoned amusement park and mutated giant spider bumper cars? When leaving camp, you'll be able to select a buff for your party. That could range from faster movement speed to more defense and more. Riko, one of Hyke's party members, has a different playstyle all together. You'll be able to switch between party members on the fly. One of the better things is that characters don't share a health bar. Riko can transform into Bunny that is super strong but slow. Riko has low HP and attack so turning into Bunny at the right time could give you the advantage in battle. I was not a big fan of Bunny and the attacks Riko had so I stuck with Hyke for most the video.
You can also head to town and talk to townsfolk, buy things in the store, and take on side quests. You'll buy recipes in the town to have better cooking options. It would have been nice to take on multiple side quests instead of one at a time, but you go right to them from the town, so I understand why. You'll have different objectives in the quests like defeating certain enemies or a certain amount for example. I love the idea that you buy recipes from the dog in the town. You'll be seeing these folks a lot because you need the right tools/items to cook as well as the right ingredients so stock up. Meal buffs appear to last only until you go back to the camp from the current stage so be prepared.
I have to say that Hyke: Northern Light(s) is a blast. It is shaping up to be one of my games of the year and does a great job mashing genres together. Fans of RPG, life sims, and action games will want to try it.
Make sure you check out the hands-on video below!