Hollow Knight: A Review of the Epic Metroidvania Game
Hollow Knight is a 2D action-adventure game that takes place in a vast and mysterious kingdom of insects and heroes. The game was developed and published by Team Cherry, an indie studio based in Australia. Hollow Knight was released in 2017 for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Nintendo Switch, and later for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
The game follows the journey of the Knight, a silent and masked protagonist who explores the ruins of Hallownest, a once-glorious civilization that has fallen into decay. Along the way, the Knight encounters various characters, enemies, bosses, and secrets that reveal the history and lore of the world. The Knight also gains new abilities and upgrades that allow them to access new areas and overcome challenges.
Hollow Knight is widely praised for its beautiful hand-drawn art style, atmospheric music, fluid gameplay, rich world-building, and challenging difficulty. The game has received several awards and nominations, as well as critical acclaim from both critics and players. Hollow Knight has also sold over 5 million copies worldwide as of 2020.
Hollow Knight is not a linear game, but rather a metroidvania-style game that encourages exploration and backtracking. The game does not have a fixed order of progression, but rather lets the player choose their own path and discover secrets at their own pace. The game also features multiple endings depending on the player’s actions and choices.
Hollow Knight is also known for its extensive post-launch support, as the developers have released four free content packs that add new features, areas, bosses, modes, and more to the game. The content packs are: Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster. The developers are also working on a sequel to Hollow Knight, titled Hollow Knight: Silksong, which will follow the adventures of Hornet, a fan-favorite character from the original game.
If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding game that will immerse you in a dark and beautiful world of insects and heroes, Hollow Knight is a game you should not miss. You can find more information about Hollow Knight on its official website, its wiki page, or its walkthrough guide.
One of the most appealing aspects of Hollow Knight is its gameplay, which combines platforming, combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving. The game offers a lot of freedom and challenge to the player, who can customize their playstyle with various charms, spells, and upgrades. However, Hollow Knight can also be quite difficult and unforgiving at times, especially for newcomers. Here are some tips that can help you survive and thrive in the game.
- Make use of your down-stroke attack. This is one of your most versatile moves, as it allows you to bounce on enemies and hazards, deal damage, and reach higher places. You can use it to avoid taking damage from spikes, acid, or projectiles, as well as to gain momentum and height for your jumps. You can also use it to break some walls and floors that hide secrets or shortcuts.
- Buy the map and quill as soon as possible. The map is essential for navigating the vast and complex world of Hallownest, and the quill allows you to update your map as you explore new areas. You can buy them from Cornifer, a friendly cartographer who sells maps for each area. You can also buy pins from his wife Iselda in Dirtmouth, which let you mark important locations on your map.
- Don’t skip benches. Benches are the only places where you can save your progress, heal your wounds, equip charms, and fast travel with stag stations. They are also where you respawn if you die. Therefore, it’s very important to sit on every bench you find, even if you don’t need to rest or change your loadout. Otherwise, you might regret it later when you have to backtrack a long way or face a tough boss again.
- Collect Geo and don’t be afraid to spend it. Geo is the currency of Hallownest, and you can use it to buy items, services, upgrades, and more. You can collect Geo by defeating enemies, breaking jars and statues, finding relics, or selling items to certain NPCs. However, Geo is not a scarce resource in Hollow Knight , and there are plenty of ways to earn more if you run out. So don’t be too stingy or hoard your Geo for too long. Spend it on things that will help you progress or make your life easier.