The controls were so responsive, it was a joy to move around with the Knight. It made obtaining new power-ups even more gratifying.

The exploration was more fun than in the previous Metroidvanias I've played. But I have to admit the distances between stagways were too large, that was a real nuisance. There should have been more teleporters.

I didn't like how I had to farm money to unlock several exploration features: whether it's the map itself, the compass, or markers to put on the map.
I had to grind money for a bit at the beginning, which wasn't the best way to start the game. And you can lose all your money if you die and don't manage to retrieve your corpse, which really bothered me. Especially near the beginning of the game when you need to buy expensive stuff like the lantern...

I ran in circles for 3 hours because I didn't know how to use the bouncy mushrooms in Fungal Wastes. I thought I had missed a power-up or an item somewhere else on the map, until someone explained me about the shrooms. That was a really dumb way to get stuck 😅

The Boss fights were extremely well designed and challenging.
Your character is fast & responsive, and the Bosses have really elaborate patterns. It made the fights so engaging and fun.
Defeating tough Bosses like Lost Kin, Grey Prince Zote or Nightmare King Grimm was so rewarding!
Thankfully, I could always go back to the Boss rooms really quickly after I died, whether because there was a bench nearby, or because I could use the Dreamgate. It was much appreciated!

They managed to get me invested in some of the characters, and I didn't expect a Metroidvania's story to hit me like it did.
Hornet has her cool moments throughout the story: when she rescues the Knight from the collapse in the cavern, when she appears in the Final Boss fight, or even during the 3rd Ending.
I appreciated the moments with Quirrel, and his help during Uumuu boss fight was dope.

I was also moved by the Hollow Knight's story. Seeing him in pain during his fight was saddening, and the music really adds to the moment.
Learning more about his backstory and the lore of the game made this fight even more depressing.
Defeating Radiance was such a nice & rewarding conclusion to my playthrough, and the ending was really bittersweet.

The game has some humorous moments aswell. I giggled whenever I met Zote; some NPCs have funny voice acting like Seer, Divine or Salubra; and there's also the moment you encounter the Banker Millibelle after he stole you :)

Deepnest made me very anxious. This kind of heavy & stressful atmosphere takes its toll on my mental health 😓
I was so relieved when I completed this area.
Similar feeling for areas like Ancient Basin or the Abyss, I didn't enjoy spending too much time here!

I cheated one time by looking a walkthrough on youtube. I couldn't find the entrance to the Hive. Those hidden breakable walls are really tricky sometimes.

Overall, I enjoyed the game a lot. This is definitely my favorite Metroidvania so far, and I can't wait to play Silksong!

----------Playtime & Completion----------

[Played in early February 2023]
Playtime: 40 hours
I got the first three endings with a 106% completion.
I stopped after defeating Radiance, but I didn't do the content in Godhome, or the Path of Pain.