Hollow Knight Review
Hollow Knight Review
Developer(s): Team Cherry
Publisher: Team Cherry
Release: February 24th, 2017
Platform(s): Switch, PC, Xbox One, PS4
Hollow Knight, a game made by 4 people is a great action-adventure Metroidvania. You control the Knight as he explores the runes of a kingdom known as hallownest. With tight gameplay and hard bosses, you will have a tough but enjoyable time playing Hollow Knight.
The story is conveyed through the environment and character interaction with very few cutscenes. This works wonderfully and makes you pay more attention to the world and characters around you, not everyone will enjoy this type of storytelling though. Some of the memorable characters in the game are Cornifer (the map seller), Zote the mighty (an experienced adventurer who has a weapon he calls the life ender), and Elderbug (the kind old bug in the starting area). Meeting and frequently talking to all the characters I met throughout the journey was enjoyable. While the game is incredibly hard it never feels unforgiving. If you fail to defeat a boss you almost always want to get back in the ring and fight it again. You use charm abilities you find hidden throughout the world and buy in shops to create a build centered around your playstyle. You can only equip charms if you're on one of the many benches (savepoints) around the world. You have a set number of charm notches that you can increase by finding or buying more. Each charm will require a set number of charm notches to equip depending on its power. For example, the Dream shield charm that will make a shield follow you and help protect you takes up three charm notches and the Sprintmaster charm which makes you move faster takes up one charm notch. The Wayward compass is the only charm that I wish was always active, this charm gives you the power to see where you are on the map. Other than this one charm each of these charms is incredible and when stacked together can create an epic build that will help you defeat enemies with ease. You have a soul meter in the top left corner of your screen. This soul meter slowly fills up as you attack enemies or statues that are designed to give you soul. You can either use this soul to heal some of your health or use spells you will find as you play the game to attack your enemies. This choice between defense and offense is one of the most essential choices you will have in each and every battle. Do I attack it with my spell in the hopes it's almost dead or do I heal in case this battle runs long? As you start to recognize how certain enemies attack each fight with them will get easier and easier. The bosses will test all the skills you have gained up to that point and they won't go easy on you. The world of Hallownest is a creepy and scary place to explore. I always found it fun to explore a new area or get a power-up that gives me access to new rooms in old areas. Sadly I got lost way too frequently to really enjoy the exploration. As you explore and go through the game you will unlock all types of power-ups. Some of my favorites are the Mothwing cloak (which gives you the power to dash), the Monarch wings (which give you the ability to double jump), and the Matis claw (which lets you cling and jump off walls).
Hollow Knight is a great game. I enjoyed my time with the game even when dieing repeatedly to some of the bosses but getting lost frequently dragged down the experience. I'd recommend Hollow Knight to anyone who is a fan of Metroidvanias or souls likes. Let me know what you think of this review and Hollow Knight in the comments below. Links to both the trailer and official website will be below.
Hollow Knight 9/10
Concept: Explore the ruins of the once peaceful kingdom of Hallownest.
Graphics: The hand-drawn art style looks amazing both in and out of combat.
Sound: The game is full of both eerie songs for exploration and hype songs for fights.
Playability: The controls felt amazing, something that is hard to pull off in a 2D game.
Entertainment: Unlocking new abilities and facing big bosses is always a joy.
Replay Value: Moderate
Thanks for reading and Game On!!
