Hollow Knight is the truest, most natural progression of the Metroidvania genre to date, the logical endzone every indie game strives to reach, and the crossroads of many gameplay philosophies first charted and set into motion by games such as Dark Souls, Super Metroid, Ori and the Blind Forest, and many, many more. If that sounds like high praise, it is, and deservedly so. Hollow Knight packs in more creativity, discovery, gameplay refinements, challenge, and value than most AAA $60 dollar games, and as far as I can tell by a team of only four indie developers. Not only that, but the game has received a steady stream of excellent, free DLC additions with still more on the way to keep players coming back. To top it off, at only fifteen dollars and ten dollars on sale this game is an absolute thievery and it is a crime for you not to experience the crafted experience developer Team Cherry has laid out for you. At 34 hours myself and nearing 100% completion on my first save I feel like I can safely review this game, but also like the game still has a few more lessons to impart to me, a couple more well earned deaths in store, and at least one or two secrets still hiding behind a cracked wall or breakaway floor for me to unveil. I could (and did) write for hours about all the genius, deliberate, and nuanced achievements Hollow Knight manages to cram into its little indie package, but at currently over 22 thousand reviews, I will do this game a severe injustice and just sum it up briefly for you.


-The gameplay is simple but subtlely complex. Your limited combat options expand inwardly to give you many, many options to approach any fight. Factor in different builds with the unlockable charm upgrades and you've got a game that truly lets you play it how you want.

-The animation and visual design is top shelf. You've never seen a world like Hollow Knight's. The denizens of this place are all insects or mushrooms or generally things you would not expect yourself to become as endeared to as you no doubt will. The different areas are dead or disgusting or unnverving or all three, and that's okay. Not every game has to be rainbows and sunshine, and Hollow Knight will make you revel in its creepy crawly world.

-The soundtrack lends itself well to the game world, story, and gameplay. The soundtrack never takes center stage, but it compliments the gameplay and atmosphere which is all it needs to do. There's nothing upbeat or catchy here, and it would be misplaced if that was so. The game is desolate, grim, and unforgiving, and it has a soundtrack to match.

-There is such a wealth of content in the game it's hard to believe that you paid only $15 (most likely $10) for it. The world expands as you explore, and you will be continually shocked at how far it continues to unravel, and these are big, fully fleshed out zones with tons of new enemy types, bosses, and secrets. All in all I think there are 28 unique bosses, and extra hard variants of those bosses for those who are gluttons for punishment. The amount of value you get for such a seemingly small little indie game is astounding.

-The challenge is real. For those who welcome a game that pushes back, and are willing to be patient and learn from their mistakes, Hollow Knight is what you've been waiting for. For those who rush into battle half prepared and will hurl themselves at an obstacle repeatedly while ignoring what the game is trying to communicate to you, Hollow Knight will sort you out until you yield to its gameplay vision.


-The tradional staples of Metroidvania games are all present, with all the trappings you may love or hate. Within the first few hours after getting a few necessary items and upgrades, the game essentially opens up in all directions which will inevitably lead you to many areas you just can't access. For some this is a draw of Metroidvanias, but for all the game philosophy progressions and logical improvements to the genre that it incorporates from many other well thought out games, I am surprised it sort of just left the idea of the map at the pass. You purchase icons for your map at the store which will mark things of interest automatically, but it would have been helpful if I could manually mark things myself that the game doesn't provide icons for like in many dungeon crawling games such as Legend of Grimrock. Marking save points and vendors is helpful, but was I really expected to remember that one ledge I couldn't reach 15 hours ago? Some would argue this is part of the fun of Metroidvanias, the retreading of old areas and rediscovery of areas you thought impassable previously, but I would have liked Hollow Knight to apply its forward thinking to the map in more than just purchasable icons at least as an option for players.

-The story. This is going to be where those who have played the game either vehemently disregard this review, or quietly agree with me. The story takes not a page but a whole chapter from Dark Souls' book in its subtle storytelling. Yes, there is a story that will be told to you (whether or not you understand or enjoy it will vary), but there is a much larger story hidden vaguely throughout the game world. I feel that when I replay it I will have a firmer grasp on what things said earlier meant now with context, but piecing together vague quotes from stone slabs and contextless jabber from random insects is difficult for me to get behind. As a concept, subtle background storytelling is something I love, but there has to be a middle ground. Many players, after finishing the game with little to no understanding of what was achieved, had to resort to online discussions to get some sort of closure on the game they just completed. This is another wholly subjective point as many players enjoy that sort of "community deduction" aspect of the story and lore. It really is up to you whether or not this is something you are going to find enjoyable. If it sounds like an interesting way to convey the game world and story to you, then you are probably safe. If you are more the type who would like to play a game by themselves and get a full grasp on the plot and lore without any need for discussion or scrounging the game world for answers, do not expect the story of Hollow Knight to do much for you.


Hollow Knight is probably one of those games that you can watch a trailer and tell, quite honestly, whether or not you will enjoy or despise it. Hollow Knight is not a game to play if you want to relax. Those types of gamers are completely justified in wanting that experience, but this is not it. Hollow Knight is not a game that is going to give itself over to you easily. You are going to have to work for it. Gamers who want a game to have fun and breeze through are also justified in desiring that experience, but this is not it. Hollow Knight is an exacting, challenging game full of unforgettable areas, visuals, characters, and enemies. If you push, it will push back, but it is not insurmountable, and for those willing to commit to it you will find an amazing experience absolutely deserving to be ranked among the very best games on Steam, and in general. I'll quite frankly say that it is personally up there with Super Metroid and Castlevania: SotN. If you have any interest whatsoever in any aspect of this game and think you would enjoy it, please, do yourself a favor and try this game. If 4 guys can make a game like this, it deserves to be played by everyone. Don't miss out.