r/hyperlightdrifter • u/Javerlin • Apr 03 '16
The Hyper Light Drifter Story Analysis Experience. [Oh so many spoilers]
Edit 22/09/2019: After much deliberation, I have decided to take this post down. I feel as though this post has stifled discussion around a game with themes and stories I would like to be discussed more. If I could go back in time I wouldn't have pushed some ideas I had so forcefully. As such I feel like this post is not, and was never, fit for purpose. I know that taking this post down now is not likely to have much effect on the lore zitegeist of this game, but I feel this is necessary.
I see many of the ideas that were posited in this thread being repeated as though it were canon. I have, since time of writing, changed my mind on much of what I had writen especially the details. As such I have removed the post. I think there is a slightly outdated version floating in the depths of the steam forums if you really wish to read this post again.
If at any point I re-write this post I will link to it from here.
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Jul 11 '16 edited Jul 11 '16
Just finished this gem of a game myself. This looks like the best interpretation I've seen so far.
To add my 2c, the battle for the Drifter's mind between Anubis and Judgement is an interesting one. It represents a number of things to me, particularly after reading an article about Alex Preston's experiences of his illnesses and how mortality and physical frailty is a constant, pressing aspect of his life.
On the personal level I think it might be the dual sides of Alex's perspectives on death - on one side, Judgement, the gripping animal fear of the end and pain, sometimes frenzied, that drags you away from chasing the closest things we humans have to immortality right now - our creative works & art here represented by the Immortal Cell. Judgement and the Cell are inextricably linked, for without the fear of the end, though it sometimes overcomes or distracts us, perhaps many of our greatest works would never have been made.
The Drifter's attempts to reach the Cell in the opening cinematic also remind me of his comments about the things that didn't quite make it into the game - although he achieved his goal of producing it, perfection remained just out of reach, as it surely always does...
Anubis, on the other hand, represents the calm acceptance, the dignified death, and the hope and mysticism surrounding the end that has permeated all human cultures for time immemorial that maybe there is something more, a realm beyond, and that although one chapter ends, it is not the end of ends.
Art is suffering, some say. Maybe HLD is Alex's own little bit of suffering, his human experience pressed down into the diamond of immortality.
But in terms of the universe itself, I read it as a battle between the mystical/human and the technological. Anubis, God of the Dead, a presumably immortal being itself as signified by the diamond halo, would be understandably pissed if organic life gave birth to ageless sentient AIs which then murdered all the living things in Anubis' domain, hence his urging the Drifter on to destroy the Immortal Cell.
Now, as an enthusiastic follower of our current-day ascent (or descent, depending on your perspective) into transhumanism, further biological manipulations and body alterations, potential for immortality, etc. etc. I can't help but feel a bit sad when games take the 'technology is ebil and it ruined everything' stance, as realistic as it may be, because it feels like the Drifter might well have made the decision himself to join the hivemind in return for immortality as his health is a pressing concern - but the representation of Judgement as an evil, ominous presence skews the balance of this potential interpretation in favour of one side.
But this is why the Drifter's mind being fought over by Anubis and Judgement is so interesting. I believe Judgement is represented as a shadow for the fear it instils in the minds of free-willed creatures when confronted by the notion of assimilation, so although the Immortal Cell itself appears pure and holy, the reality inextricably linked to the mission is actually a terrifying, tendril-filled conglomerate of self-torturing and animalistically self-preserving thought - it apparently never tries to communicate, just lashes out.
Whether the Drifter is a fully sentient, free-willed AI, an organic lab-grown creature, or some combination of the two is an interesting thing to consider because it implies whether you lean more towards the universe being purely technological - if the Drifter is AI, his 'visions' might be conflicting media being sent from weakened transmitters - perhaps Anubis is a kind of failsafe program the librarians created in the event their creations went haywire? An inbuilt mortality timer, like replicants in another well-known sci-fi universe... If he were to be totally or partially synthetic, this would also explain how the Drifter's physical health could be held in limbo by two conflicting forces, leaving him in constant poor health but able to continue, Anubis doing work to preserve him for long enough to slay Judgement, although the large number of dead drifters found elsewhere suggests that Judgement might have the upper hand.
Were he to be purely organic, his visions come from the dreamstate, and his health is held in the balance by forces from beyond, implying a superstitious or divinely-oriented slant. But as has been said, was this civilisation truly advanced enough to create titans, AIs and immortality, they might have had the means to manipulate organic brains in ways we might consider magical even today, for we still understand relatively little about our brain compared to the rest of our anatomy. Could the city be manipulating those with a certain chemical makeup, or a susceptibility to certain frequencies or other invisible stimuli?
I think my favourite interpretation would be that he is both organic and machine, his body and mind as much a conflicted battleground on the inside as it is in the world he is trying to save, his mind influenced by the plight of the organic-supernatural and the technological in equal measure. Once one side overcomes, the balance is ended, and so he dies, Anubis withdrawing his power to leave a dead creature of a potentially dying race atoning in his final moments for the sins his people committed in the name of Judgement.
Thanks for putting this all together.
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u/Jeffzero23 Apr 03 '16
You sure the Eastern race aren't otters. That would fit with the water theme of their level more than mice.
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u/TheOnin Apr 03 '16
I think the biggest hole in this explanation is the titans. Pun intended. You say the races all created one. Why? They're working together, they were working to technological advancement, not to war. There's no reason to have such weapons of mass destruction.
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u/Javerlin Apr 05 '16
The theory has been substantially updated, check it out and see if it fixes the plot holes for you.
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u/omegashadow Apr 05 '16 edited Apr 11 '16
As far as I am concerned there is no need for the mystic explanation of the god power.
In the opening scene the 4 races light up around the Jackal. The Jackal is to them perhaps a traditional symbol of death like for us, so it is a poignant choice as the icon for a device that will bring immortality to all.
The Jackal is the intended system that would link everyone. Something causes the corruption which spawns an AI entity we refer to as Judgment.
Those who see the Jackal are those who had the cell embedded in them, by exposure to the wellspring. Had it worked as intended Jackal would be a guiding entity, but instead they are subjected to the conflict caused by the two systems competing. Jackal aims to compell through visions the afflicted drifter to destroy the cell corruption, and the cell itself if need be to stop the ongoing but slowed disaster of Judgement's existence.
Judgment simply tries to kill the person by having the system make them sick, thus preventing Jackal from using them as his agents. It also tries to cut short any visions Jackal sends.
In the end you have to destroy the cell to end Judgment, you render the Jackal useless to in the process and as such it can not act to repair the damage done or cure the sickness and so the drifter does.
Edit: side thought. The west boss may be embedding himself with crystal tech in an attempt to be able to control it to free his people! He seems to be able to do so on a small scale during the boss fight. But the process of trying to control the crystals leave him less than sane.
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u/Javerlin Apr 05 '16
Is it cool if I add this to the alt theories section? It's very much like my original idea but much better reasoned. And I'd like to have a plausable alt theory for those who don't beleive mysticysm is a part.
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u/czys_ Apr 05 '16
Reread your post.
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I think that "pink substance" is in fact called Hyperlight for the reason I told you earlier.
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I still don't think Titans were build by anyone, what actually gave you this idea? IIRC, in southern labs there's no equipment that one would use to create such huge elements. There are smaller inactive, machines which look like they were build.
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What's also important I think, is the 4 bosses and other monsters we fight in South were build with fighting being their only purpose. You only create fighters if you're going to fight something. I believe they were meant to fight Titans when they still roamed the planet. We can't say how many there were of them (titans), and I don't think they were ever activated or anything.
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I'm also not convinced that Drifter is an AI. It's too much of a speculation for me. Though the history of drunk man is intriguing.
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I believe Titan parts were salvaged from them during "Prehistory" or "Ancient history" times and are standig there since then untouched.
Overall I like these theories. I agree with most "Prehistory" (besides Titans), most "Ancient history", confirmed bits in "Modern history", reasons for Drifter sickness, most "Anubis and Judgement (besides resurecting Titan bits)", most "The Opening" and most "The Ending".
I say 'most' because there's still too much speculation for me in some parts. I also see you added some of my reasonings and thoughts, so that's nice.
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u/Javerlin Apr 05 '16
Hyperlight dosen't sound like it fitts well as as a name for a substance, when the game universe already uses "solidified light." and "Hard light"
The Titans are quite clearly mechanical, implying they were built by someone. I agree now that it probbly wasnt the founding four races. I don't know who built them, saying it was the fifth race is pure speculation.
Well they certianly wern't there before the explosion so somthing either woke them up or braught them into being.
The drifter is not an AI in the computer sence. I beleive him to be a biologically engineered life form. Similar to the Eldar from warhammer 40k or Mewtwo from pokemon. Or even humans being made by engineers in the alien universe. The blue race can be seen in the tanks to the south regardless of origin. I think this means they were originally grown.
I believe Titan parts were salvaged from them during "Prehistory" or "Ancient history" times and are standig there since then untouched.
I agree, and this could very well be the case. I just used them in my interpritation to say they were being studied by the old races. This adds a connection to the fifth race and is just a bit of extra explanation as to how they made the Immortal Cell.
Damn straight there's too much speculation. I have to admit I tweeked things to make a good story here and some things still don't fit. Oh well, I geuss we have to wait for more ideas and possible DLC. And your ideas and help are always aprreciated.
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u/czys_ Apr 05 '16 edited Apr 05 '16
Hyperlight dosen't sound like it fitts well as as a name for a substance, when the game universe already uses "solidified light." and "Hard light"
They could be just another names, descriptions. I think these music files are a strong evidence. Besides what would you use that word for otherwise?
The Titans are quite clearly mechanical, implying they were built by someone. I agree now that it probbly wasnt the founding four races. I don't know who built them, saying it was the fifth race is pure speculation.
They indeed look quite mechanical.. hm. But I still can't find a reason why would they be built in the first place. The technological advance just isn't enough for me. Why would you build giants of all things? And then wage war against them?
Well they certianly wern't there before the explosion so somthing either woke them up or braught them into being.
Why do you say so? I think I missed some information about it somewhere.
The drifter is not an AI in the computer sence. I beleive him to be a biologically engineered life form.
I understand, maybe you're right. But it's still a big speculation I think.
Damn straight there's too much speculation. I have to admit I tweeked things to make a good story here and some things still don't fit. Oh well, I geuss we have to wait for more ideas and possible DLC.
There's so much meaningful information in this post already considering how obfuscated story of HLD is. It's always a pleasure to work on such things for me, and this wall of text is a great read.
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u/Archimedes13 Apr 19 '16
This will probably get buried, but how would you explain the bonus scene added when you defeat Judgement? You can find it when you load the save after completing the game as an attachment to the side. Spoilers
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u/Javerlin Apr 19 '16
You're dead. I think this scene is provided to give conformation of your death as that's intrinsic to the plot of the game
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u/Archimedes13 Apr 19 '16
I know that you are dead, but WHEN did you die? I get that your life ended after your battle with Judgement but it seems odd that you find your corpse in the exact same position that it was in when you started the game. On top of that it seems that the area you are found is now underground and you have been there for quite some time. How did that area that was well above ground suddenly get buried?
It also seems odd that your finishing blow to Judgement warps to you actually stabbing the Immortal Cell. If Judgement and Anubis are physical interpretations (or perhaps only visual interpretations) of AI is it not possible that you might be as well. It could explain why the world seems so glitchy. Perhaps you; as well as the other drifters (or even all other life which I will explain in a moment), are only representations of long dead people from before or during the great war? It seems that technology from that time was capable of creating both wonders and horrors. Perhaps everyone was linked to some degree to some great database or network, which is why they are affected by an AI entity. Or perhaps dirfters themselves are just echoes brought back by Anubis under the false pretense of finding an impossible cure which would lead them to face against Judgement.
Or maybe; and I'm just throwing this out there, the world is already dead. The Library monolith states that the Immortal Cell was created to house all sentient life. Why would a normal world have need of something like that? To achieve a form of virtual immortality? Seems unlikely. It makes more sense for something of this scale to be a preservation effort. Perhaps the Immortal Cell has nothing to do with what started the war. It could only be a product of it. Nothing is ever stated as to what actually caused the war and who was fighting who. Maybe the four main races where fighting each other. They all possessed Titans so it is possible that they were using them as war machines. Or perhaps they were all fighting against the Titans or another separate entity like whatever your race is. Either way the world was devastated to the point that organic life would need to be preserved.
Now what's to say that they hadn't been preserved? Perhaps the Wellspring; that halo above the city, is now the world. A virtual world. I know that sounds matrix-esque but it might hold some merit. Everyone and everything that you see in HLD might have been what little was saved before the collapse of the real world. And if you were in a virtual world it would explain how AI like Judgment and Anubis have control over it.
Now if the Immortal Cell is what houses everything in the world, why would you try to destroy it? Because it has been corrupted and can no longer serve its purpose. In the beginning we see a perfect Immortal Cell. White, bright, and clean. It is then corrupted by that black webbing and becomes what we recognize as Judgement. But what of Anubis? Maybe he's the "system" and recognizes that the goal of preservation can no longer continue. If the Immortal Cell is corrupt then it can not house and preserve what little life is left. So Anubis decides that it must be shut down since it can not maintain its directive. Maybe that is why when the Immortal Cell is destroyed everything falls apart. With the Immortal Cell dead and the Wellspring subsequently destroyed the world steadily falls to ruin. Perhaps that is why your body is found where it is. You never went anywhere. You died ages ago but an echo of you was preserved virtually. And when that virtual world could no longer be sustained you finally "died".
Then again, this is all just speculation and subjective. Or perhaps I'm just rambling and none of this makes sense. Either way it would be great to hear your thoughts on this.
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u/czys_ Apr 03 '16
There's too many details that are speculation in your theory for my taste. But I agree with most things you say. However I don't think Titans were created by old races and their origins remain unknown. What you find in labs in south zone are parts of them taken by some race during the war.
Also it's important to note that Judgement come out of the drifter, and that Judgement that pink drifter sees looks different from Judgement we fight at the end of the game.
Also I think you overlooked the drifter bleeding in the final cutscene?
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u/Javerlin Apr 03 '16
So how do you explain the prescense of four ceromonial statues in the southern labs where the titans were probably built? One lizard, one bird, one mouse, and one racoon. Not an accusation, you see there is a fith race in the game... The ones that appear when you actvate an monolith.
I've been looking for a video of the pink drifter's death do you have one?
The bleeding represents his final death. I'll update with this information.
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u/antone416 Apr 03 '16
So do the monoliths say different things from when they are in the monolith room, to when they are in the wild?
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u/Javerlin Apr 03 '16
There are 16 "wild" monoliths. When you collect them all more text appears in the libuary in the northern region.
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u/Leweeggee Apr 03 '16
This is fantastic! I'll admit that while being very intrigued by the wold and what was happening it, I only had a bare bones grasp of what was going on during my play through. Having an analysis is invaluable as I process my experiences post completion.
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u/Javerlin Apr 03 '16
Thank you. I'm still in the process of updating it as new ideas that fit better come along
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u/ignaeon Apr 04 '16
Just FYI the Drifter's card is "the magician", which, according to wikipedia, symbolises the bridge between the spirit world and the real world.
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u/Javerlin Apr 04 '16
Tarot cards have lots of differnt meanings (thats kind of the point so that the tarot readers can make up whatever the hell they want) I chose the meaning that fit my speculation the best.
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u/doc_steel Apr 04 '16
each typo made me die a little inside
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u/Javerlin Apr 04 '16 edited Apr 04 '16
Sorry I'll fix what I can... I'm not exactly good with text.
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u/ZombieMike286 Apr 06 '16
"There is also, another Blue-skin in the city. These days he sits drunk on the east of town. When you speak to him he tells of how the villagers beat him and left him for dead. I believe this to be because the villagers have some knowledge of what the Blue-skin race did in the past, during the war with the racoons."
I thought they simply robbed him. He's carrying a sack of (presumably) salvage/loot, and at least one of the people who ambush him is a shopkeeper (the ammo vendor).
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u/Javerlin Apr 06 '16
I considered this too, however the townsfolk otherwise are pefectly polite and happy. Then even seem to want to take down the tyrants in each region. At least the ones you talk to and tell you where the bosses are. My reasoning is that if the dev had wanted the townsfolk to have a more malicious side, he would have shown it in their design aswell as in this one story. So I thought there must be anothe reason.
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u/horizoning Apr 04 '16 edited Apr 04 '16
I agree with a lot of what you say in light of the translations. But I cannot agree that the Immortal Cell is an AI, and I'm not sure why multiple people continue to suggest it - the only evidence I've seen is that the underground city looks like a server farm, but that doesn't feel substantial enough to me. To me, it just makes more sense that the four races, at their peak, found a way to harness the power of their god, the Anubis.
There are three similar-looking Anubis statues in the game: one in the east, one in the underground city, and one in the very first area of the game. I think these statues, which have an archaic-looking design, imply that the races (maybe originating with the Otters?) worshiped Anubis before they reached their technological peak. Much like the story of Akira was about creating a god and Evangelion was to unify all humans into a godly tang soup, I think that the four races colluded to reach out to their god with the power of hyperlight, and ended up creating the Immortal Cell. This doesn't inherently mean their god did or didn't exist; all that matters is what they created in their efforts.
The god's power could be imbued within all sentient life, linking all hearts and minds (without having to make an Evangelion soup). And while it was a noble goal, I don't think it failed due to betrayal. I think it failed due to fear. People feared their minds being linked as it was happening, which poisoned and divided the Immortal Cell who they were connected through, and led to the explosion in the intro.
The Immortal Cell could manipulate the world through hyperlight, as that had been the power source that led to its creation; I agree with you on this. However, I say that the shadow side formed from the fear and hate of those opposed to unification, and converted those lives into the Titans - which is why they appear as if from no where in the vision of the past, from all directions (not just the south!) and begin to attack the survivors. I don't think the Titans were grown in the lab, though one is being reassembled - but I do believe that the shadow is manipulating the hyperlight powering the drones in order to rebuild that Titan.
The Anubis side formed from the original faith of the four races that had driven their desire to make contact with god, which had then led to the creation of the Immortal Cell. The Anubis is a symbol of hope and peace that is displayed in the architecture of the four races all throughout the course of their advancement.
The only things I'm still struggling to find a personal interpretation for are the big floating matrix halo from the intro/ending, and how the monolith ghost birds play into everything.