I started playing The Drifter this week. Don’t want to say too much about it without having completed it, but I’ve played through the first few chapters now (about a third of the way through) and so far it is living up to its reputation and then some.

• Initial impressions:

Great pixel art that is surprisingly expressive, some great animations and a nice synth soundtrack. Pace is breakneck and breathless, it often feels like you’re playing out a classic pulp thriller. Controls are great, it actually plays fantastically well on controller which is a rarity with these kinds of games. Writing is razor sharp, at times quite funny and the dialogue is actually good. The plot is interesting and as befitting the genre involves a conspiracy that keeps going deeper, although it’s too early to say how well it is tied up at the end. Voice acting is phenomenal throughout, and almost everything is voiced, too. The main character is great, and I love the noir-y internal monologue.

Puzzles and gameplay so far have been equally impressive. Not a single “moon logic” instance so far, every solution has been very logical. The internal monologue of the protagonist is also a great vehicle to deliver some subtle clues when you interact with things, or occasionally when you fail a certain puzzle a couple of times.

Overall I’m completely hooked.