A bug’s life… and deaths

Ever since the ‘Dark Souls’ series seeped its way into mainstream gaming, it was only a matter of time before some of its more unique mechanics spread into new genres. As a fan of the ‘Souls’ series, I won’t complain, especially when those stylings are combined with a beautiful, melee-focused Metroidvania.

In the world of Hollow Knight, there are forgotten and dangerous ruins named Hollownest, which sits underneath an anthropomorphic insect society. These uncharted ruins have danger, treasures and no shortage of mysteries. A nameless knight, the game’s protagonist, descends below to see what the ancient kingdom has to offer.

Price: $14.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $14.99

Knight-time

The Knights main weapon, his ‘Nail’, is a simple melee weapon that can attack in 4 directions. When an enemy is hit by the nail a soul meter is filled. The soul meter can be used to heal, which takes a few seconds and can be interrupted – or can be used to shoot projectiles and other abilities. It’s cool that all these moves share the same pool, because it reduces spam of projectiles and forces the player to think quickly as well as strategically.

One progression path through Hollow Knight is the charms system, which are perks that greatly change what the Knight can do. Some cater to certain play styles while others can be experimented with in order to help out with specific tough spots or boss fights. There’s a limit to how many charms can be active and the more powerful the charm, the more slots it takes up.

Dark Souls comparisons

Geo, the currency of Hollow Knight, can be found all over Hollownest; from every enemy killed, to hidden stockpiles. If the player dies, geo will remain at the location of the death until the player dies again, or until it is recovered at the scene. Hollow Knights version of bonfires are benches, where the Knight regains full health and that becomes the new spawn point in case of death.

Fighting through husks of enemies around dilapidated, yet beautiful architecture is also another similarity. In each of the varied levels, there is an impressive number of new enemies that crop up and there are also friendly bugs that sell charms, map markers, and other upgrades. The most engaging character of Hollow Knight is the world itself. Ancient monuments and text liter Hollownest, giving hints to the past. The game’s sound effects, art design, and especially the superb orchestral score provide surprising grounding and weight to a game that has bug-like creatures exterminating each other.

Shortcuts and connecting paths are frequent while exploring the ruins and they usually come after a spike in difficulty, of which there are more than a few. Shaping and changing a world so rich and intriguing really propelled me through the game, forcing me to wonder what I’d see next.

Wandering through Hollownest

Besides the tough boss fights, things get the most intense when entering a new area, because in addition to fighting enemies with new attack patterns you don’t have a map at your disposal. To get a map for each area you must find a character named Cornifer, who sells partial maps and is tucked away somewhere in the area. This design choice does various things. For one, it immerses the player into a new environment and forces them out of relying on a map for directions, which tends to be a problem in the genre.

It of course adds challenge, but in a palpable way, adds so much tension. If you have a lot of geo, and you’re stuck in an area without a map – which happens – it will be hard to find your way through the confusing labyrinths of Hollownest. In a situation like that, finding a fast-travel location or a bench brings out satisfying relief.

The only major complaint that weighed on me in any meaningful way becomes a problem toward the end of the game. The map is huge and dense, and unfortunately, there are simply not enough fast-travel spots. The ones that do exist aren’t even centrally located or at the most important part of the area – most of the time. When I needed to see a vendor or find out where I needed to go for the critical path, the lack of useful fast-travel really slowed the momentum of the game. With a few quality of life improvements, this game would truly approach masterpiece level.

Hollow Knight will stick with me for a while. It blends a Metroidvania and Dark Souls in near-perfect fashion. Its tight gameplay as well as its fantastic look and music immersed me into caring about a mysterious civilization of bugs. If “Soulsvainia” is a new sub-genre, then count me in. Also, count me in for the next thing that Team Cherry releases.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Art style
  • Sound and music
  • Dark Souls mechanics
  • Expansive world-building
Bad
  • Weak fast-travel
9
Excellent
Written by
Wyatt is a recent college graduate of Ohio University’s Journalism program. He’s an Xbox guy, but loves playing great PlayStation exclusives. Also, he has far too much nostalgia for the old Nintendo.