Hollow Knight
I had only heard a few things about Hollow Knight upon first picking it up off of PSN. Almost 40 hours later I found myself inescapably drawn into the hauntingly beautiful world of Hallownest. You play as a silent warrior known as the Knight. Wearing a shroud around his tiny frame the only thing he carries is a rusty sword, or nail, as the game calls them. He surveys the world with large cavernous eyes that seem to stare right through you. For reasons unknown to the player, he is currently on a mission to journey into the dark, twisted city of Hallownest. And as strange as he might seem though the Knight is only a drop in an underground world filled to the brim with odd insect people and peculiar places.
Gameplay follows a fairly standard Metroidvania pattern as you progress through the depths of Hallownest. You explore new areas until unable to continue due to this environmental block or that strange bug boss. Searching every nook and cranny will often net you precious rewards like extra lives and more soul, the game's term for magic. Sitting at a bench will allow you to outfit yourself with charms, badges that can be equipped for an edge in traversal or combat. Combat is surprisingly unforgiving. Hollow Knight earns the title of a game that is easy to pick up but hard to master. The controller scheme is deceptively simple. You only use one button for your main attack, another for magic, and later on another button to dash away, and sometimes toward danger. The trick, I would come to find, was pattern recognition and plain reaction speed. Upgrades can be found in just about any order which can lead to some frustrating moments upon retrieval. Take the double jump, for instance, a common staple in games with similar Castlevania-style elements. I was more than halfway through the main game when I found it. Up to that point, my battles had been hard-fought brawls with extra emphasis on precisely timed jumps. A misstep on my part could mean the difference between the Knights triumphant victory or swift tragic death.
And death will come. In many different forms and many times over. This is where Hollow Knight shines. Even augmented with charms there were several battles that seemed to come down to speed and willpower. One of the greatest feelings when playing a video game is overcoming a difficult boss and Hollow Knight has it down to a science. When challenging a difficult foe the music will often pick up in a way that’s almost imperceptible. In these moments with the life bar waning and your heart pounding, every step becomes a calculated move using strategy and reaction. It was then that you can really hear the music playing in between crossing nails or claws with an opponent. I struggle to think of a game in recent memory that has augmented the heat of battle in such a subtle, suspenseful way.
There was a large amount of extra content for this game despite the main game being a fun time sink. With several DLCs that included extra content like new characters, game modes like a boss rush, and even a couple extra endings. Hollow Knight doesn’t disappoint when it comes to value. There’s plenty to do even when the main game is over and more than enough bosses to keep you coming back for days. I definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a way to spend some free time. As of this writing, a sequel is in the works called Hollow Knight: SilkSong. Definitely something to consider once you finish with the lonely little Knights story. You can pick up Hollow Knight by Team Cherry on PSN and PC for less than $15.
