Hollow Knight
Year: 2017
Rating: E10+
Time Played: 2,712 minutes / 45.20 hours
Every once in a while, I come across a game that hooks me right out of the gate. The music, ambiance, and gameplay mixed in a perfect combination that encouraged me to keep playing. Despite the sharp difficulty curve I encountered for the main bosses, the stakes made me continue the journey all the way to its conclusion (at least one of the few different endings, that is). There is nothing more rewarding than feeling so close to defeating a boss, only to mess up and need to try again and finally succeeding.
For an affordable indie game, Hollow Knight is filled with content. Even if I found myself stuck at a particular junction, I could merely explore some other facet of the gigantic map until my skills improved to the point where I could defeat the roadblock in my way. All the while, I marveled at the unique visuals for each area and got chills at Christopher Larkin’s soundtrack. Sure, there are still some parts of the game I haven’t even attempted yet (I only have a ~104% complete game file), but I’ve spent enough time in Hollownest to truly enjoy the experience.
Some may fault this game for its “Souls-like” difficulty, but I think that’s part of its appeal. Sure, if it was easier, I might have finished it sooner. As it was, I had to let it sit for a few months before finally confronting the eponymous Hollow Knight (I didn’t feel confident enough to face the “true” final boss). Once the controls were ingrained in my muscle memory, it became a truly immersive experience as I started to memorize all the enemy attack patterns and load my charms to give the little Knight the best chance at survival. If you haven’t played this game yet, you are missing out.
An immense and satisfying Metroidvania, I give Hollow Knight 5.0 stars out of 5.
