Have you ever felt like going on an adventure without any goal in mind? To just explore without being bound by direction? In the whimsical yet gloomy indie RPG Hollow Knight, you control an empty husk of a creature with no specific destination in mind–just a sharp nail and the vast, mysterious map of the abandoned kingdom of Hallownest. Fighting your way through a variety of cute bugs and bosses, you gradually uncover the kingdom's dark secrets. Originally released in 2017, Hollow Knight quickly rose to popularity, selling over 250,000 copies within the first two weeks of its launch on the Nintendo Switch in 2018. The game received very high ratings from well-known critics, including a 9.4/10 from IGN and a 10/10 from Destructoid. The PC version of the game ultimately received an 87/100 aggregate rating from Metacritic. Not only presented with high ratings from websites, Hollow Knight was also nominated for a multitude of awards and won the following:

Best Sound For Interactive Media - ASSG (2017)

Independent Game of the Year - Australian Games Awards (2018)

Australian Developed Game of the Year - Australian Games Awards (2018)

Game Design, New IP - NAVGTR Awards (2019)

Enough said of the game’s accomplishments; to understand the appeal of Hollow Knight, we must discuss the game itself. A Metroidvania, Hollow Knight has many routes and endings to choose from, all providing different angles to the story. The lack of guidance given only enhances the experience; you are free to roam the ancient kingdom however they like.

The story of Hollow Knight is revealed in bits and pieces, unveiling a much more complex tale than initially expected. And although the lore of Hollow Knight runs deep, players can choose to not pay much attention to it without missing anything in terms of gameplay. The mechanics of the game are intuitive and the movement feels crisp; two essentials of every video game.

The mood of Hollow Knight is another major factor in the game’s enjoyability. The graphics are dark yet vibrant, and the use of lighting and perspective only adds to the immersion. As you play the game, you are free to explore all of Hallownest, yet you still feel trapped. Not by limits of the game, but by the cute, stunning visuals and the melancholic, somber music. The claustrophobic effect induced by the game only glues you to the screen, keeping you playing for hours on end.

Works Cited:

Hollow Knight. Team Cherry, www.hollowknight.com. Accessed 17 Mar. 2022.

“Hollow Knight.” Wikipedia, 28 Feb. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow_Knight. Accessed 2 Mar. 2022.

Grixti, Shannon. “All the Winners From the Australian Games Awards.” Press Start, www.press-start.com. Accessed 2 Mar. 2022.