Hollow Knight

🎮 Steam ⏳ 65 hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

A Fallen Kingdom #

This videogame is one of the most acclaimed indie games of its era, a shining example of how atmosphere, challenge, and exploration can come together in near-perfect harmony. Developed by Team Cherry, this Metroidvania plunges you into the subterranean kingdom of Hallownest, a vast and decaying world filled with secrets, danger, and forgotten history. Its hand-drawn art style and fluid animation give each cavern, ruin, and character a unique personality, while the haunting orchestral soundtrack enhances the sense of melancholy beauty that permeates every corner of the game.

Precision And Exploration #

Gameplay is centered on tight, responsive combat and gradual exploration. Armed with a simple nail weapon, you fight hordes of insect-like foes and formidable bosses that demand both skill and patience. Progression comes through discovering abilities, such as wall-climbing, dashes, and spells, that not only improve combat but also open up new paths, rewarding curiosity and persistence. This game does not implement a lot of new ideas when it comes to the foundations of it’s genre, but the level of quality of the execution is what makes it standout so much that it even makes you feel like this is really reinventing the whole thing.

Mystery And Atmosphere #

Not to mention, at the sam time, it drinks a little bit of the fountain of the Soulslike genre. What sets Hollow Knight apart is its masterful use of atmosphere and storytelling. The narrative is told subtly through environmental details, cryptic dialogue, and fragments of lore, letting players uncover the tragic fall of Hallownest in their own way. This sense of mystery, combined with the game’s challenging but fair difficulty, creates a deeply engaging experience that keeps you pushing forward even through moments of frustration.

Perfectly Balanced Challenge #

Some people may consider this game somewhat hard because of the little Soulslike influence, but in my opinion the difficulty level is practically perfect, it is the most balanced game that I’ve ever experienced, since there are a lot of builds you can mix and match different perks for specific challenges, it is truly a very flexible and complex combat system, even though it looks simplistic at first.

Enduring Indie Legacy #

Though it can be demanding, especially for those unaccustomed to difficult action-platformers, the payoff is immense. With its generous amount of content, hidden areas, and optional bosses, Hollow Knight offers dozens of hours of exploration and mastery. Its success has left a lasting mark on the indie scene, raising the bar for Metroidvanias and leaving fans eagerly awaiting its sequel, Silksong.

A Once-In-Lifetime Game #

I highly recommend playing this game to the fullest, enjoy absolutely all of it’s contents, go 100% go wild, it’ll be one of the best gaming experiences you can provide for yourself. I tried to finish this entirely, playing the DLCs and the hidden secret contents, but unfortunately I’m not skilled enough and I admit that I could never beat the optional boss-rush content, and face the secret boss, which is the considered the hardest one (no spoilers). Overall, this is one of those games that you wished your memory was erased so you can play it all over again for the first time, multiple times, truly one of the best games of all time and a must-play for literally everybody, not just fans of similar titles.