A Look Into The Metroidvania Everyone's Talking About
Today, I want to talk about another of my most recent favourite games: darkly atmospheric metroidvania, Hollow Knight from Team Cherry.
Now, it's far from hyperbole when I say that this game is one of the best in its genre. I loved it so much that I own it twice; once on PC and again the Nintendo Switch! But, man, oh man, if ever there was a game that had be praying for an easy mode it was this one.
I don't consider myself overly amazing at video games, in fact, I'm probably scraping the bottom of the barrel labelled 'mediocre'. So, believe me when I say that I struggled playing Hollow Knight.
I've never beaten Grimm, or The Radiance, I haven't even completed one of the pantheons in Godhome. And, okay, I'll admit it, the first time I came across Hornet, I had to look up tips to beat her... But boy, did I love this game to bits anyway.
Arguably difficult combat aside, there is so much to love about Hollow Knight. Here are my top 3 reasons to love this game.
1 - The Art-style
I am continually blown away by the sheer amount of beautifully dark atmosphere that the game designers, Team Cherry, managed to pull off. With a small part of my soul refusing to leave the emo phase, this art-style was so goddamn appealing!
I love the meticulously chosen colour schemes, and am I huge fan of the fact that each area has its own distinctive theme in its design. The world of Hollow Knight is huge, but every room, every area, feels distinct and lovingly created from the ground up (or from the well, down, I suppose...)
2 - The Soundtrack
Complementing the visual design perfectly is the hauntingly beautiful score composed by the talented Christopher Larkin. I found myself on more than one occasion, stopping to watch, listen and feel all that this remarkable game had to offer.
A particularly favourite spot of mine was the bench as you enter the City of Tears for the very first time (if you know, you know). Watching the rain and listening to the music as I ventured into this new area for the first time was an experience I am honestly very sad that I can never go back and have again!
3 - The Lore
Sure, exploring the huge labyrinth of underground caves was what initially drew me in, but the mysterious story and the massive amount of world lore is what made me stay.
I'll leave the specifics to mossbag and just say that Hallownest's story runs far deeper than it first seems when you play this masterpiece of a game. The full story is complex, riddled with questions and unsolved mysteries, and brimming with dark secrets.
Let me know what you think in the comments! Are you a Hollow Knight fan as well? What fights did you find the hardest?
For me, I really struggled with everything that transpired in the Soul Sanctum, and The Watcher Knights... seriously, screw those husks.