9.5 /10 39

Hollow Knight stands as one of the most acclaimed independent games ever created, earning an 86/100 on Metacritic across multiple platforms. This hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania redefines what indie developers can achieve, blending meticulous level design, punishing but fair combat, and artistic direction that elevates the entire platformer genre. Players journey through the ruined kingdom of Hallownest, uncovering lore through environmental storytelling while mastering increasingly complex combat encounters.

The game introduced accessibility options that became industry standard, proving that difficulty can coexist with inclusivity. With four free expansions bundling 10 additional bosses and substantial gameplay, Hollow Knight delivers extraordinary value while maintaining impeccable design philosophy from Team Cherry, an Australian studio that proved indie games could rival AAA productions in every meaningful dimension.

How to Play Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight begins as a straightforward exploration game but evolves into a skill-demanding action experience. You navigate claustrophobic caverns, solving environmental puzzles while acquiring abilities that unlock new areas. The Knight starts vulnerable, unable to kill flying enemies or absorb certain attacks. Progression comes through locating Mask Shards (health increases), Vessel Fragments (magic capacity), and Charms (passive abilities that radically reshape combat). Each boss teaches specific patterns, rewarding pattern recognition over raw reflexes.

1. Controls – Arrow keys or controller for movement, mouse-click or button for attacks. Jump and dash are essential; the tight controls respond instantly, making deaths feel deserved rather than cheap.
2. Progression – Acquire abilities like Double Jump, Dash, and Wall Climb to access previously blocked areas. Boss defeats grant Mask Shards and new spells, creating tangible progression loops every 2-4 hours.
3. Combat/Mechanics – Strike enemies by attacking in their direction; chains of hits fill your Soul gauge, fueling spells like Fireball and Shade Soul. Charm combinations like Quick Slash (faster attacks) or Thorns (damage enemies on hit) fundamentally alter playstyle.
4. Tips – Don’t rush; explore methodically and rest at benches frequently. Memorize boss attack patterns by watching before responding. Use Dream Gate charm (from DLC) to create fast-travel checkpoints, eliminating backtracking tedium.

Who Should Play Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight attracts players seeking atmospheric exploration, challenging combat, and narrative depth delivered through wordless storytelling. Its difficulty scales through optional content, accommodating everyone from casual explorers to masochistic completionists hunting pantheon bosses. The game respects player intelligence, never hand-holding while remaining fair and learnable.

• Metroidvania Fans – This is essential playing. The map design, unlockable abilities, and secret-dense world define modern Metroidvania standards. Fans of Castlevania and Super Metroid will recognize every design philosophy perfected here.
• Challenge Seekers – The Godmaster DLC provides Pantheons: brutal boss-rush modes with optional modifiers that extend difficulty infinitely. Speedrunners find frame-perfect platforming and sequence-break opportunities.
• Atmospheric Adventure Enthusiasts – Hallownest’s grotesque beauty, haunting soundtrack, and environmental narrative create immersion rivaling triple-A titles. Each region feels genuinely distinct.
• Skip if – You dislike punishing difficulty, prefer story-driven narratives with dialogue, or want fast-paced action games. Hollow Knight demands patience and will-power through frustration.

Hollow Knight Platform Performance

Hollow Knight demonstrates exceptional optimization across six platforms. The 2D hand-drawn aesthetic runs flawlessly from powerful gaming PCs to Nintendo Switch portables, maintaining consistent 60 FPS on modern hardware. Console performance varies by generation, but frame rate hiccups are rare. The art direction means even lower resolution Switch versions look stunning due to the hand-drawn aesthetic that avoids polygon-dependent visual degradation.

Hollow Knight System Requirements

PC requirements are incredibly modest, running on hardware from 2008 era. Even budget gaming laptops exceed minimum specs significantly. Recommended specs ensure flawless 4K 60 FPS gaming. The game’s 9GB footprint is tiny compared to modern AAA titles, making it perfect for limited storage.

Similar Games to Hollow Knight

Several games share Hollow Knight’s Metroidvania DNA, though few match its achievement in atmosphere and boss design. Each offers distinct experiences: some prioritize narrative, others emphasize exploration or combat. Players who conquered Hallownest will recognize similar design patterns but find enough variation to justify playing through multiple titles.

• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night – Spiritual successor to Castlevania with Symphony of the Night’s formula. More RPG-heavy progression and faster combat, but less atmospheric storytelling than Hollow Knight.
• Ori and the Blind Forest/Will of the Wisps – Platformer-focused Metroidvanias with stunning hand-drawn art and emotional narratives. Lighter difficulty curve than Hollow Knight; emphasize momentum platforming over methodical combat.
• Dead Cells – Roguelike Metroidvania with permanent progression. Faster-paced action than Hollow Knight; trades atmospheric world-building for replayability through randomized runs.
• Salt and Sanctuary – 2D Dark Souls-inspired Metroidvania. Similar difficulty philosophy but emphasizes character building and stat optimization over ability unlocks.

Hollow Knight vs Competitors

Hollow Knight’s £14.99 price point undercuts competitors by 50-66%, yet delivers comparable or superior content depth. Critical consensus ranks it among the greatest Metroidvanias ever created. Average playtime expectations range from 25-hour story runs to 54+ hour completionist journeys, significantly exceeding competitor values. Metacritic scores demonstrate its artistic achievement across every platform.

Hollow Knight Story and World

Hallownest exists as a decaying insect kingdom sealed beneath the earth, ruled by the eponymous Hollow Knight—a failed attempt at containing a supernatural plague called the Infection. You play as an unnamed Knight arriving centuries later, discovering that the sealing has cracked, allowing Infection to spread. The story unfolds entirely through environmental observation, NPC dialogue, boss designs, and cryptic item descriptions.

Themes explore sacrifice, contamination, and destiny without explicit narrative exposition. Multiple endings hinge on player choices made through the entire campaign, rewarding thorough exploration and hidden boss defeats. The worldbuilding suggests deep lore—gods, kingdoms, calamities—without ever explicitly explaining everything, trusting players to piece together history through experiential discovery.

Hollow Knight Multiplayer and Online

Hollow Knight is a strictly single-player experience with no multiplayer modes, PvP arenas, or cooperative features. The solitary exploration through Hallownest reinforces atmosphere and personal challenge. Some optional boss fights (particularly Pantheon modes) function as personal skill-testing challenges where only leaderboard rankings provide indirect competition through speedrun data.

• Single-Player Campaign – The entire 25-54 hour experience is solo navigation and combat
• Pantheon Modes (DLC) – Challenge runs featuring specific boss sequences; no competitive elements but players compare completion times
• Community Challenges – Fan-created speedrun categories and challenge runs shared via social media; no official competitive systems
• Cross-Platform – No cross-platform play needed; story saves transfer across PC/console versions

Hollow Knight DLC and Expansions

Team Cherry released four entirely free DLC packs adding 10 additional bosses, new charms, alternative endings, and a complete boss-rush mode. Every expansion remains free forever; no paywalls exist. The Voidheart Edition bundles all four DLCs into one purchase on console, but PC/Steam includes everything automatically. This generosity sets industry standards, proving games can release substantial content post-launch without aggressive monetization.

• Hidden Dreams (August 2017) – Two new bosses, Dreamgates fast-travel ability, music tracks; introduces quality-of-life improvements like improved platforming sections
• The Grimm Troupe (October 2017) – Carnival storyline with new boss encounters, alternate endings, and atmospheric new locations; establishes mysterious tone
• Lifeblood (April 2018) – Additional charm upgrades and supplementary content addressing player requests for customization
• Godmaster (August 2018) – Seven new bosses, Pantheon boss-rush modes with adjustable difficulty, god-themed narrative extensions; ultimate post-game challenge

Hollow Knight Community and Support

Team Cherry maintains active community presence despite their characteristic transparency minimalism. Official forums host development discussions; Reddit’s r/HollowKnight boasts 500k+ members sharing strategies, art, and lore theories. The game received consistent balance patches for three years post-launch, addressing community feedback on charm tuning and boss difficulty. Modding communities on PC created content ranging from boss remix packs to total conversion mods, though official mod support remains non-existent. Player-created guides cover everything from 100% completion routes to pantheon strategies.

• Official Forums – Team Cherry monitors their main website forums; patch notes appear there before anywhere else
• Reddit Community – r/HollowKnight (500k+ members) hosts active lore discussions, speedrun tracking, and community events
• Modding – No native Steam Workshop, but extensive PC mod scene on GitHub; mods range from cosmetic changes to full boss replacements
• Updates – Development concluded in 2019; no further patches planned, but the game remains stable across all platforms