Hyper Light Breaker Developers Address Blended Feedback Following Early Access Launch: Calls for “Immediate Enhancements” Acknowledged

Heart Machine, the studio behind the innovative motion roguelike Hyper Light Breaker, recognizes that the game holds a Mixed rating on Steam just 24 hours after its Early Access launch and is quite unperturbed by it.

In a series of tweets, Heart Machine admits that not everyone is pleased with Hyper Light Breaker in its current state and suggests this is simply part of the Early Access process. This is a valid point; the essence of Early Access is to release an unfinished game to the public, usually with the intention of obtaining constructive feedback in the form of player reviews.

“Part of releasing the game in Early Access means we accept the risk of unfavorable early reviews and feedback,” Heart Machine states. “Each player has unique expectations for what an Early Access game should offer.”

As of this writing, Hyper Light Breaker has garnered 1,276 Steam reviews, with 55% being positive. A quick review of the feedback indicates that most criticisms revolve around bugs, game balance, lack of refinement, and quality of life features, which is generally what one might expect from an Early Access title. That said, it also seems that there are some valid concerns regarding accessibility, which Heart Machine acknowledges in its response.

Overall, the developer appears confident in its ability to address issues and make improvements.

“All the feedback regarding the absence of keybinding and sensitivity controls, FPS drops, etc., is entirely justified. Additionally, receiving large volumes of similar actionable requests significantly aids us in prioritizing our future updates.

“It’s reassuring that these are the points players are raising as a) they are aspects we were already intending to implement, and b) advocacy for accessibility is crucial and valid.