The WhatsNext verdict
If you enjoy getting lost in a hand-crafted world, piecing together its mysteries, and earning progress through exploration, Hollow Knight delivers an unusually rich metroidvania journey. Skip it if navigation friction and repeated boss attempts quickly outweigh discovery for you.
What it does best
A vast, interconnected world built for getting wonderfully lost
Curiosity keeps opening doors
Melancholy beauty you can sink into
What might put you off
Minimal guidance and heavy backtracking
Punishing difficulty and runbacks
The setup
What you are walking into
A 2D metroidvania with an emphasis on close combat and exploration in which the player enters the once-prosperous now-bleak insect kingdom of Hallownest, travels through its various districts, meets friendly inhabitants, fights hostile ones and uncovers the kingdom's history while improving their combat abilities and movement arsenal by fighting bosses and accessing out-of-the-way areas.
Where it lives
Genre
Vibe
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