The confusing beginning of a fantastic journey

The story of Hollow Knight takes place in the underground kingdom called Hallownests. The protagonist, a nameless knight, wakes up with no memory of his past and begins to explore the realm, searching for answers and facing hostile creatures along the way. Early on, we can see a slight resemblance to Dark Souls, which also does not explain exactly what is going on, but invites the player to explore this world.

During the exploration, the knight discovers that Hallownest is suffering from a mysterious plague that is corrupting the creatures of the kingdom, which was once ruled by the Pale King but was eventually killed due to the rise of a plague called Radiance, which is consuming the world.

The story of Hollow Knight is told in a subtle way, through dialogues with a number of curious and interesting characters, items, and environmental elements. The story is rich in mystery and intrigue, with many twists and surprises. It is a complex story that rewards players who pay attention to detail and dive deep into the game world.



The basic formula of a good Metroidvania

Containing all the elements that make this genre what it is, Hollow Knight masterfully presents all of them. If you are already used to games of this genre, you know how it works. The game has a gigantic map, which to be fully unraveled, the player must acquire powers and special abilities. And these can only be found with the good old-fashioned exploration of the scenery and attention to each object that can arouse your interest. In fact, Hollow Knight is not one of those games that you enjoy just to pass some time and forget about external problems or a difficult day at work or in your studies.

If you want to know more details about the game's plot, you should go into all the unexplored areas. And what makes the genre completely different from anything else is that even with a map, a series of secrets are not delivered so easily to the player. Sure, the map works as a north to get an idea of where you are, but the game offers much more than that.

The feeling Hollow Knight gives you is that you are always lost, because the objectives are not clear what you have to do next, as this is very much at your discretion. And this differs greatly from other games in this genre. Here, you have the freedom to create your own roadmap and clear it the way you see fit or even the way you end up discovering its secrets.



"A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad"

If you have never heard that phrase before, it was uttered by Shigeru Miyamoto, and it applies very well here. Hollow Knight was funded through a Kickstarter campaign and was delayed several times. These, certainly did the game a lot of good, as it is impossible not to be impressed by the care and attention to everything that surrounds the game. From scenarios very well created, filled with life, and very well drawn, the variety of characters and enemies that are encountered during the journey, the way each environment cleared tells more details of the narrative and even how the soundtrack was carefully chosen for key moments of the game.

Again talking about Dark Souls, besides Hollow Knight presenting a series of enemies, all of them have secrets and loopholes to be defeated in a different way. Whether they are creatures more easily found throughout the vast world of the game, mini-bosses of the region that hold some kind of secret or special item for the player, or even the wonderful bosses, in which one is more difficult than the other. Don't be fooled by the game's fantastic and beautiful visuals, because the challenge here is very real.

Despite the degree of difficulty, it is fair to the player, because all enemies have a parameter of movement, attacks, and gaps, and it is up to the player to understand all this ballet of elements to find the best way to win. And believe me when I say that a victory here has a very special flavor.

In order for such feats to happen, the player has a kind of stinger to strike his enemies, as well as some amulets that can be equipped, bringing some benefits. Not only that but when defeating the creatures, a goo called a soul is sucked out and this is the source of life, which can be used at any time during the game. It is worth noting that if you are defeated, you will return to the beginning of the game, losing everything you have collected, and in order to recover them, you will need to go back to where you lost the items and defeat your enemy.



Worthy of a Tim Burton novel

Hollow Knight is a visually stunning game, in a dark and elegant way. The graphics are carefully hand-drawn and feature a dark and atmospheric aesthetic that fits in perfectly with the theme of the game, perfectly matched with the 16-bit graphics.

The game uses a 2D art style with detailed animations, lighting effects and shadows, and a limited color palette that helps create a sense of mystery and danger. Each character has its own personality and story, and the details of their appearance help tell that story. Not to mention the details of the scenery, which although simple, is of great magnitude.

The soundtrack is equally impressive, with music that fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the game and helps create an immersive and engaging experience. Composed by Christopher Larkin, the music is orchestrated and features a variety of themes that fit perfectly with the atmosphere and gameplay of the game.

Each area of the game has its own unique soundtrack, which helps create a distinctive and immersive atmosphere. Not only that, but it is eye-catching how the music changes as the player is near some important area or some boss is in their way.

Released in 2017 for PC, later coming to Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo Switch consoles in 2018, Hollow Knight was a big hit in a crowdfunding campaign in the year 2014. If you're wondering about a long time until the game arrived worldwide, it all had a purpose so that the game wouldn't have any flaws. And so it was done.



The game was played on an Xbox Series S, via Xbox Game Pass.