Honestly, I bought this game 8 months ago, played for 10 hours, and was so confused that I shelved it.
It is now my favorite video game I've ever played.
Hollow Knight, my first Metroidvania, is certainly cryptic and refuses to hold your hand, but if you can find enough interest in exploring, seeking clues re: what the hell is happening, and getting a handle on how the game controls for a few hours, you will be rewarded exponentially. The story is good at face value, but becomes immensely interesting with a bit more effort invested by the player to draw connections for yourself (or watch a YouTube video explaining everything). By the finale, I found myself emotionally invested in the world of Hallownest, and would've regretted sparring with some of the many excellent bosses if not for their quality (ranging from decent to utterly brilliant) and difficulty (hoo boy, a few of them whooped me, but if you come back to an impassable one in a few hours chances are you will obliterate them).
Combat and platforming are oh-so-crispy. It feels amazing, and by endgame I could only ever blame my own ineptitude for mistakes (and for getting used to the analog sticks--if you're new, consider using the D-pad for added precision). This foundation is paired with customization which gives you room to tweak without becoming overwhelming (and thus unapproachable, which is a problem I have with massive RPGs). To be clear, I've seen combat, platforming, and customization done better on their own elsewhere. Charm balancing isn't perfect, combat could be deeper, god I hate pogoing on analog sticks, etc. But the combination of elements is stewed perfectly here. It scratches a satisfying-video-game itch I didn't know my brain had. And the best part is, your improvements and upgrades are only gained after earning it. This game is so rewarding for the player: beating hard bosses or obtaining long-needed mobility upgrades both just feel so good.
Hallownest is also gorgeous. The many, many areas in this game were almost all unique, with beautiful hand-drawn art and subdued colors accentuating the otherwise dark and gloomy world/story (seriously, there is apparently lore written in bug-language on the backgrounds of many rooms). Moments of intense color in Hollow Knight are few and far between, but feel well-earned and refreshing upon encountering them. The settings, amazing soundtrack, characters I grew to love, and integration of those elements into the story and journey combine to create a one-of-a-kind world. It is wholly immersive, and I found it borderline magical.
After 30+ hours of wandering, getting lost on side quests, and dreading the end of my experience, I finally bit the bullet and reached the credits. Thankfully, I had only finished about 2/3 of the game at that point, and the end encouraged me to dive back in for another 15 hours to complete the entire base game and some DLC content as well, my first ever 100%. I had to cut myself off from the bulk of the (apparently endlessly replayable) DLC content so I don't fail out of law school.
I counted at least 4 or 5 moments in Hollow Knight which actively made me grin ear to ear as I realized what was going on/that I just kicked some ass/both. For me, there is simply nothing quite like this game, which is a damn shame because I would give anything to experience it blind from the start again. Top 2, and it ain't 2.
It is now my favorite video game I've ever played.
Hollow Knight, my first Metroidvania, is certainly cryptic and refuses to hold your hand, but if you can find enough interest in exploring, seeking clues re: what the hell is happening, and getting a handle on how the game controls for a few hours, you will be rewarded exponentially. The story is good at face value, but becomes immensely interesting with a bit more effort invested by the player to draw connections for yourself (or watch a YouTube video explaining everything). By the finale, I found myself emotionally invested in the world of Hallownest, and would've regretted sparring with some of the many excellent bosses if not for their quality (ranging from decent to utterly brilliant) and difficulty (hoo boy, a few of them whooped me, but if you come back to an impassable one in a few hours chances are you will obliterate them).
Combat and platforming are oh-so-crispy. It feels amazing, and by endgame I could only ever blame my own ineptitude for mistakes (and for getting used to the analog sticks--if you're new, consider using the D-pad for added precision). This foundation is paired with customization which gives you room to tweak without becoming overwhelming (and thus unapproachable, which is a problem I have with massive RPGs). To be clear, I've seen combat, platforming, and customization done better on their own elsewhere. Charm balancing isn't perfect, combat could be deeper, god I hate pogoing on analog sticks, etc. But the combination of elements is stewed perfectly here. It scratches a satisfying-video-game itch I didn't know my brain had. And the best part is, your improvements and upgrades are only gained after earning it. This game is so rewarding for the player: beating hard bosses or obtaining long-needed mobility upgrades both just feel so good.
Hallownest is also gorgeous. The many, many areas in this game were almost all unique, with beautiful hand-drawn art and subdued colors accentuating the otherwise dark and gloomy world/story (seriously, there is apparently lore written in bug-language on the backgrounds of many rooms). Moments of intense color in Hollow Knight are few and far between, but feel well-earned and refreshing upon encountering them. The settings, amazing soundtrack, characters I grew to love, and integration of those elements into the story and journey combine to create a one-of-a-kind world. It is wholly immersive, and I found it borderline magical.
After 30+ hours of wandering, getting lost on side quests, and dreading the end of my experience, I finally bit the bullet and reached the credits. Thankfully, I had only finished about 2/3 of the game at that point, and the end encouraged me to dive back in for another 15 hours to complete the entire base game and some DLC content as well, my first ever 100%. I had to cut myself off from the bulk of the (apparently endlessly replayable) DLC content so I don't fail out of law school.
I counted at least 4 or 5 moments in Hollow Knight which actively made me grin ear to ear as I realized what was going on/that I just kicked some ass/both. For me, there is simply nothing quite like this game, which is a damn shame because I would give anything to experience it blind from the start again. Top 2, and it ain't 2.