I can say with confidence that I’ve finished more Metroidvania-style games in my day than any other type. Deriving its name from a mashup of Metroid and Castlevania, it’s a genre that is defined by large, openly-explorable maps, a 2D gamespace, and an uptick in complexity of controls as the game goes on. For me, this is a tried-and-true recipe for a compelling game that has been perfected over the last 15 years. And no game embodies this evolution more than Hollow Knight.
Hollow Knight is a game revolving around the slow death of region called Hallownest. You play as The Knight, a mysterious, small warrior that traverses the Hallownest to discover the source of a long-festering rot that has overtaken the world. This tale largely plays out in the background as you’re exploring, with pieces of the mystery unravelling itself in the form of the varying architectures, enemies, and biomes you encounter as you travel deeper into Hallownest. It’s understated in the best way possible, allowing the gameplay to take the front seat.
And when your game drives like everyone’s dream car, the universally-lauded Porsche Cayenne, the front seat is where to be. The game starts you off very basic, with only a basic jump and the ability to slash your Nail (read: sword). This simplicity is a double-edged sword (haha) that both makes the game easy to start, but leaves the margin of error low for actions that you perform. As the game moves forward, however, so do your options for control. You’ll discover tools that change the way the game moves as a whole, making the entire experience feel more fluid and satisfying. By the time you reach the end of the game, control feels effortless while still managing to be challenging. It’s a joy from start to finish.
The game is also a masterclass in how hand-drawn art can work in modern games. The world was painstakingly detailed to invoke varying emotions based on the area, with backgrounds scrolling by as you move to impart a sense of three-dimensionality to the world. All the animations are crisp and deliberate, adding the subtlest weight to every action on-screen. This results in some of the most intentionally-frustrating and brilliant mechanics in the game.
In short, the game is good. It is good on virtually every level. It’s the Star Wars of modern-day video games. So go try it! Trryyy iiitttt. Try it. Do it. Go. Go now. Install Steam, buy the game, play it for an hour or two, and refund it if you hate it.