OK, Hollow Knight Is F***ing Amazing

One of the first games I picked up when I purchased my Nintendo Switch was a cute little Metroidvania called Hollow Knight. Going in, I was expecting a challenging 2D platformer that gradually opens up in a "Metroid-like" fashion the more I explored, but aside from that I didn't know much about the game. I was a little worried about the difficulty level (I still am, truth be told), but I love the art style, and the high praise Hollow Knight received at launch was enough to warrant a purchase from me. I'm only about 15 hours in, but I am in love with this game.

Before I get into what I love about Hollow Knight so much, let me set the stage. You play as a tiny insect-knight with no known name, history, or pursuits. Your only weapon is your trusty nail, a cone-shaped sword that you'll upgrade throughout your journey. Your adventure begins with your arrival in Dirtmouth, a mostly abandoned village save for a wise, old bug that greets you upon arrival. You're told that Dirtmouth lies on the surface of a massive web of tunnels and caves known as Hollow Nest: an ancient kingdom of disrepair that attracts those seeking wealth, glory, and enlightenment. Like many brave knights before you, you drop down a well, into the unknown, and your journey begins. *Spoilers ahead*

What you'll discover is that the world of Hollow Knight is dark, breathtakingly beautiful, and occasionally even melancholic. There is no better example of this than the City of Tears, a region with towering, rain swept skyscrapers made of glass and stone. As you hack your way through dejected streets of enemies, a gentle, almost haunting melody of stringed instruments plays over you. The city and music evoked a certain pensive sadness that I couldn't quite explain, but it soon became clear that I was exploring the remnants of what Hollow Nest was in its golden age. It was my first realization that the world of Hollow Knight is more than just tunnels and more tunnels of things that want me dead. Each of the dozen or so regions has a story to tell, and it was to my benefit to explore as much as possible before moving on.

Like any other metroidvania, you'll immediately encounter areas of the map that you're not meant to access until you've unlocked different abilities-- a ledge that's just a bit too high, an enemy that's just a bit too tough, etc., etc. Don't get discouraged if you encounter one of these enemies and it hands your ass to you on a silver platter. Chances are, you're not meant to fight it at that point in the game. So much of Hollow Knight's enjoyment comes from gathering new abilities and retreading your steps to take revenge on the boss that you couldn't beat before, or access a new area of the map that previously had been inaccessible.

Upon discovering a new section of Hollow Nest, you'll find that you have to locate the map maker before you can chart areas that you've explored. That means that until you find the maker, you're as blind as your great aunt Deborah (apologies if anyone reading this actually has a blind aunt Deborah, I'm sure she's a very sweet lady). If you pull up your map, all you'll see is a little white icon (you) in a sea of black. It's definitely as foreboding as it sounds. This fear is only made worse by the fact that a strange, hulking figure standing across the room might be a new enemy type that smears your brains across the floor (9 times out of 10, it is a new enemy type that smears your brains across the floor). Or, it could be a new merchant peddling much needed upgrades to your abilities, there's literally no in-between. That possibility is almost always enough to sucker me into a fight I'm not ready for, and at that point, you're as good as dead. When you do inevitably die, your soul, along with all the Geo (money) you've earned leaves your body and you're sent back to the last bench you rested at. During the time your knight is separated from its soul, you're missing a much needed fraction of your spirit gauge, which you use to heal yourself and perform certain attacks. You keep your abilities, but this means that if you want to reclaim your lost Geo and refill your spirit gauge, you'll have to retread your steps and locate your soul. This mechanic is most similar to something like Dark Souls, but that said, I don't find it to be quite as punishing. 15 hours in and I've yet to lose all of my money, which happens if you die before you can reach your soul. If you die in a spot that's particularly hard to reach, you also have the option of returning to a vendor in Dirtmouth that, for a price, can safely summon your soul for you to reclaim. You'll want to take advantage of this if your knight died with its pockets loaded. Speaking of which, along your journey you'll meet all kinds of different characters and vendors, and almost all of them have a story that gets drip-fed to you throughout the game. You'll want to speak to everybody you meet as often as you can, because that's how each of the game's excellent (at least so far), branching narratives unfold. Hollow Nest always has me on the edge of my seat, so stumbling across a reoccurring friendly face, like the map maker, brings such a profound feeling of relief-- a bit like running into a familiar face in unfamiliar surroundings. That said, not everyone you speak to will turn out to be your friend.

Early in the game, I found a vendor claiming to be a banker that I could deposit my Geo with. "This would be a wise investment," she told me. My money would be safe should I ever die before reaching my soul. In retrospect, I should have been more skeptical. I deposited about 3000 Geo (certainly nothing to bat an eye at), and continued my journey. When I needed it again, I returned to the location only to find *gasp* her stand was empty. Burning with righteous fury, I struck her "bank" with my nail. I noticed that as I did so, the entire structure shook slightly. I hit it two more times, and to my amazement, the entire thing just falls over. As the realization dawned that I'd just been swindled out of my hard earned Geo, I couldn't help but laugh. I'd been played. I hear that later down the road this story arc pays off in a rather satisfying way-- but I won't give that away for anyone. These are just a few small examples of what makes this game so special to me, and I doubt I've even made a dent yet in everything Hollow Knight has to offer. This game is perfect for something like the Switch, but if you don't have Nintendo's handheld it also just recently released for the Xbox One and PS4 for ~15$. If you're a fan of metroidvanias, or gorgeous game worlds, or breathtaking soundtracks, or supporting amazing game developers that don't take advantage of your hard earned money, I urge you to give Hollow Knight a spin. Thanks for reading, Jake