Before playing Hollow Knight, I read up on the game a bit. It seemed like another Metroidvania that doesn’t have a lot to offer. Oh boy, I can’t tell you how wrong I was! While it might sound like a cliché, Team Cherry has put in maximum effort into delivering a challenging and exciting game. So, if you are up for exploring a lost kingdom, keep reading!
Explore the Hidden Kingdom Below Dirtmouth!
Dirtmouth may seem like just another town, but it hides something unique. A lost ancient kingdom is located beneath it. That is why many embark on an adventure to find fame, riches or resolve the mystery of the kingdom. Although Hollow Knight does have a story, plenty is left to the player’s interpretation. There are two ends of the same scale – The White (The Soul) and The Black (The Void). That’s as much as I can tell you and the rest is up to you to discover!
The important thing is that the journey will be exciting. You will meet a bunch of intriguing characters with their own stories. Some of them may play a vital role in the story, and some might just seem there to lighten things up.
Fight, Dash, Jump, and Enjoy
Everything starts with understanding the gameplay mechanics. You can dash, jump, slash, and dodge, as well as utilizes abilities such as wall jumping. The world below the surface is vast and interconnected. Although you have freedom when it comes to moving around, you won’t be able to explore everything at once since passing to the next area might require specific abilities.
The enemies vary, and there are more than 100 of them. Aside from your fighting skills, you can also use spells and collect Charms, which give you extra abilities and powers. Battling the bosses might be the best part of Hollow Knight. A total of 30 bosses are there to stop you on your quest, and it’s up to you to defeat them.
The controls are incredibly responsive, which is vital because you will need to rely on your timely reactions. After all, this is a 2D platformer, which means you don’t have a lot of options when in the middle of a fight – you can only go left, right, up, or down.
Impressive Indie Graphics
When it comes to graphics, it looks impressive for an indie release. Still, you are aware that it is a game created by an independent developer every step of the way. The entire world is below the surface, so everything looks dark, but the characters are nonetheless incredibly charming. Cartoonish animations are beautiful, and the use of colors is fantastic. The designs of NPC and enemies also vary.
As for the music, it’s just what you can expect. At some points, it was spot on since it perfectly complemented to the atmosphere of despair, but over time it does get a bit repetitive.
The most significant downside of the game is that you will need to be prepared to die. If you are a fan of the genre, you will be used to that fact. However, if you don’t like to fail over and over again, be aware that HK is challenging to play.
