Hollow knight is a game very different to the others I've reviewed so far. It is a 2-D Metroid-Vania game based around a lowly knight emerging from the stormy wasteland and into the world of Hallownest, a mystical underground kingdom of bugs. However, all is not well. A plague has long-since ravaged Hallownest, and it is up to you to delve deep into the caves and tunnels, fight your way through all manners of bugs and beasts, unravel the mysteries of this once great kingdom, and ultimately, find a way to end the plague and save the bugs who
have succumbed to it.
If the description sounds familiar to you, that is because the game has many worldbuilding and story influences from Dark Souls, from the kingdom in ruin to the exploration of descending into the unknown in the pursuit of new areas and secrets, before looking for the next bench or stag station. Some would say that makes it derivative, but I think that it instead found elements of another great game and used them in an honest and clever way with a whole new setting and style. For example, a story like this in an expansive 2-D map works incredibly well, with the NPC and boss encounters occurring as naturally as any Souls title.
There is enough of its own game to make these nods and references endearing rather than overbearing or uninspired, like the more simplistic and wholesome art style and characters. Regardless of whether you are a big a Dark Souls fan as I, there will be something in Hollow Knight for you, and if you are, then don't expect much to complain about, especially with the near instant load times between travelling areas or respawning from death.
What provides Hollow Knight with a sense of progression is the items you find along your journey that make traversal and combat easier, as well as opening up new routes and secrets for you to reach. There is nothing like being barred from entry early on due to a lack of equipment, and slowly but surely finding whatever you need to overcome it for building a sense of development and accomplishment.
I also really enjoy the idea of descent, of going further and further away from safety to find the source of the world at the bottom. It puts the idea of exploration and level progression on a whole different level, connecting areas and branching pathways as you go.
The DLC content isn't too shabby either, from expansions of the game to boss rush and trial modes that are sure to scratch the itch of veteran players (or those with a masochistic wish to suffer).
I won't have a boss or area ranking written in this review just now, and will keep it spoiler-free (well, as much as it is already by this point), but expect a revised version or a separate list later down the line. I'll have to give Hollow Knight a 9.5/10 for its really fun platforming and combat, lovable NPCs and totally unique art and sound design, that in an age of triple A titles and spectacle, has managed to deliver a brilliant gaming experience that recaptures the magic of earlier, simpler times with a modern twist. A big thumbs up from me!
UP NEXT
Netflix's Castlevania. Admittedly I've never played any of the classic games, but since I've recently finished the fourth and final season, I thought I would get it down while my thoughts are still fresh.
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