Hylics is a look into an abstract world of pixels and clay. It’s described by the creator, Mason Lindroth, as “[...]a recreational program with light JRPG elements.” That it certainly is!
You play as Wayne, a guy with a moon shaped head, and you’re tasked with defeating Gibby, the King of the Moon. Along the way you meet Dedusmuln, an archeologist from the city, Somsnosa, your long-time friend, and Pongorma, Greatest of the Dread Knights, and they become part of your crew (party).
Most of the text (minus some of the main characters’ dialogue) in the game is semi-randomly generated, often including a lot of fancy words that I don’t know the definition of.
It’s often lumped into the “RPG Maker Horror” category with games like Yume Nikki, Lisa: The Painful, and OFF, but it’s not really a horror. It does have some elements that are somewhat disturbing (such as enemy/NPC designs and certain areas) but it’s not really enough to constitute the ‘horror’ label.
Admittedly though, I did get paranoid for the first hour I played. The world Wayne lives in is strange and unfamiliar, and the random dialogue from NPCs doesn’t help in any way.
The music really stands out to me. Lindroth uses a combination of acoustic and electric guitars, various pianos and synthesizers, and even a theremin to create an eclectic score.
When I know I can’t focus without something instrumental in the background, I like to play the full game album and loop it. (By the way, the songs that play on my homepage are all from this game!)
A couple years after the release of the original, Lindroth announced Hylics 2, which would be made in Unity and featured music from Chuck Salamone.
A lot of fans of the original were worried because they liked Lindroth’s music and were uncomfortable with the soundtrack being composed by someone who they didn’t know.
However, Salamone is an absolutely wonderful composer and did an awesome job (this is an objective fact btw).
Hylics 2 differs from the original because it is 3-dimensional, and features a lot more content. There’s new mechanics, like slapping, jumping, and rolling/dodging, as well as a platformer minigame and a first-person dungeon crawler.
You, playing as Wayne again (although it is revealed that Wayne is a species and not an individual, so he might not be the same one) are tasked with stopping Gibby’s followers from resurrecting him. You reunite with Dedusmuln, Somsnosa, and Pongorma again to accomplish this.
The main characters and NPCs have a lot more to say, but this time it’s normal(ish) speech, and it’s implied that the strange dialogue from Hylics 1 was Gibby’s doing (as when our heroes eventually fail, the world falls into the randomly generated chaos once again).
It's Wayne! He's just some guy, to be honest. And he's very.. chill? In the first game, his dialogue is basically "yeah," "nah man, nah," and "whatev," in response to questions, and is mostly silent for the rest of the game.
He takes on a more formal tone in Hylics 2 (along with the rest of the characters), but still retains this nonchalantness. Aside from this, he's basically up to interpretation.
To me, Wayne is very tragic. Throughout the story he seems very casual about the fact he has to save the world (twice). In the song “An Endless Cycle,” and later in “The Champion of Ennui / Into the Pastel Sky,” it’s revealed that he feels trapped by this.
He was made to do this, but he doesn’t want to. What he wants in life is to screw around and eat burritos and have jam sessions with his friends. He wants to rest. Yet he has no choice; he must stop Gibby at all costs, over and over again. And so it continues.
Uh, sorry, did I project too hard? I used to project on Wayne a LOT when I was really into Hylics. There's just something about him and that cycle of his that I can really relate to. Doing the job over and over again becaause you have to, in order to survive? Yeah. Okay.
When I first found out that Wayne was just one member of an entire species of Waynes (or a hivemind? not exactly clear), I didn't really care for it. It made him seem like less of an individual.
After a while, though, it really grew on me, especially since it made for interesting character motivation (something about wanting to be different, not fitting into the role you're born into). Also because what the hell man. You were born a larva? That's fucking awesome!
Headcanons: Transgender. Super transgender. Doesn't even matter which way (transfem, transmasc, enby, agender etc), though I'm biased towards transmasculine. ;) Can play other instruments besides the guitar. Hylics 2 Wayne is the same one from the original Hylics.
Fun Facts: His starting weapon in Hylics is a pistol with no bullets. 'Wayne gets tonsil stone.' He is the band's guitarist. Ambiguosly dead/not present after the events of Hylics 2.
In Progress...
When we first meet Somsnosa, she’s curled up on her couch, depressed because her basement is overrun by Ambulent Skulls (who would kill her with a single touch), and she can’t reach her magic gauntlets.
From her behavior you can tell she’s extremely depressed, and probably hasn’t talked to anyone in a while. In Hylics 2, the rest of her house was overrun, so she moved out and started a juice ranch. She seems to be a lot more content than in the first game.
I love her. Her conversations with Wayne are so fun, I wish she was real so I could be friends with her.
Headcanons: She got a lot stronger physically after working on the juice ranch for so long (taking care of the juice beasts is hard work!). Wayne taught her a bit of guitar and she plays rhythm/bass. Her dominant hand is her left.
Fun Facts: Her name is comprised of the five letters out of Mason’s name. She has dominion over the Bugs and can convert them into Mightiness (although she no longer uses this power in Hylics 2). She is the band’s singer. Her helment in Hylics is the skull of a bicorn demon and in Hylics 2 the skull of a Post Dog.
In Progress...
An archaeologist of the highest order on a life-long search to find paper cups! Their passion for their work is very evident, and they become ecstatic when you offer to help them on their quest.
In Hylics 2, they still search for paper cups, but their main focus seems to be on 'active cabinets' (arcade machines).
I have no idea why paper cups and water coolers are considered ancient technology. Don't even worry about it.
They are so bright and full of love for both their hobby and the world around them. I couldn't not help them find what they're searching for!
Headcanons: 'Muln' is their personal name, and 'Dedus' their family name. Intersex nonbinary (maybe transfem?). Asexual, both in terms of sexuality and straight-up reproduction. Smuldunde is their cousin.
Fun Facts: Dedusmuln is consistently referred to without pronouns throughout both games. The yellow hair-looking bit on the back of their head is a 'seasonally occurring lamellar structure.' They have no facial features under their horns. They are the band's percussionist and thereminist.
In Progress...
The minute you enter his tomb, Pongorma challenges you to a fight. After you win, he says he will "aid the party in their violent endeavors," because he's just like that.
In the second game, it's revealed that Pongorma was present for the Age of Sages, and Gibby speaks to him directly, referring to him by name.
Old ass man. Me when I get trapped in a cave for thousands of years.
Headcanons: Nonbinary-adjacent. (I will not elaborate on this.)
Fun Facts: 'His helmet in Hylics 2 sort of looks like a fish.' He has dominion over Ambulent Skulls (protecting the party from being killed by them).
Salamone has released two albums (featuring Lindroth) meant to musically expand on the world of Hylics. The first, “Moonage Lobotomy,” is an instrumental EP with four songs representing each of the main cast.
The second, “Absent Moon,” is a rock opera/concept album that functions as a sequel to the events of Hylics 2, detailing characters’ actions and ambitions with Wayne and Gibby gone. Also, Lindroth has teased a new Hylics game that has yet to be released, and I am so unimaginably stoked.
Mason Lindroth is a phenomenal artist with a distinct and incredible style. The way he blends pixel art, 3D models, and traditional clay sculpts fascinates me and I consider him to be one of my main inspirations as an artist.
I’ve sculpted a lot of Hylics fanart (most of which I’ve never posted online) both because I want to practice making pieces like his and because I just love the games so much.
(Click the above images to be taken to their respective store pages. Game images are linked to Itch.io, Steam links are here: Hylics/Hylics 2. Albums are free to listen to, because Bandcamp rules.)
