Prtn
2006
A soul-less, charmless shell of its former self.
2005
A revolution in AI design. Still the most engaging and stressful gunfights in any game.
The Sonic action stages are fun and that's really the only compliment I can give.
2017
There is only one Metroidvania I hold in higher regard than Hollow Knight, Super Metroid.
To say that an indie game would rival the masterpiece that is Samus Aran's jump to 16-bit hardware would have been a ludicrous thing to say pre-2017, but here we are.
The first thing you'll notice when starting up the game is the absolutely gorgeous art direction, which never at any point disappoints. Same can be said about the music, ranging from atmospheric tracks to beautiful compositions, each perfectly fitting their respective areas and bosses.
Speaking of bosses, Hollow Knight is not an easy game by any means. You will be tested, and you will die. But every single time it feels like your own fault, not the game's. So you keep trying, over and over, until you manage to overcome the odds and walk out victorious. The combat isn't particularly deep, but it doesn't really need to be. You're given more than enough tools to deal with enemies and bosses, yet you never feel overpowered. The difficulty progression is absolutely masterful, with new areas getting tougher and tougher until you've acquired the muscle memory to destroy the opposition swiftly and precisely. Don't get cocky though.
Which brings us to the areas. One of the Metroidvania genre's key factors is the atmosphere, which Hollow Knight is absolutely drenched in. From overgrown caverns, to an abandoned spider nest, to a city with everlasting rain, this game makes sure you'll never get bored of looking at the screen.
And look at the screen you will, with a gigantic map and a ton of post-game content to tackle, you won't run out of things to do until well past the 30 hour mark, especially if you decided to do some of the harder post-game stuff.
In short, if you in any form or way enjoy Metroidvanias, please for the love of god play this game. I guarantee that you will return to it again and again, and thus you will join me in the everlasting agony that is the wait for Silksong's release.
To say that an indie game would rival the masterpiece that is Samus Aran's jump to 16-bit hardware would have been a ludicrous thing to say pre-2017, but here we are.
The first thing you'll notice when starting up the game is the absolutely gorgeous art direction, which never at any point disappoints. Same can be said about the music, ranging from atmospheric tracks to beautiful compositions, each perfectly fitting their respective areas and bosses.
Speaking of bosses, Hollow Knight is not an easy game by any means. You will be tested, and you will die. But every single time it feels like your own fault, not the game's. So you keep trying, over and over, until you manage to overcome the odds and walk out victorious. The combat isn't particularly deep, but it doesn't really need to be. You're given more than enough tools to deal with enemies and bosses, yet you never feel overpowered. The difficulty progression is absolutely masterful, with new areas getting tougher and tougher until you've acquired the muscle memory to destroy the opposition swiftly and precisely. Don't get cocky though.
Which brings us to the areas. One of the Metroidvania genre's key factors is the atmosphere, which Hollow Knight is absolutely drenched in. From overgrown caverns, to an abandoned spider nest, to a city with everlasting rain, this game makes sure you'll never get bored of looking at the screen.
And look at the screen you will, with a gigantic map and a ton of post-game content to tackle, you won't run out of things to do until well past the 30 hour mark, especially if you decided to do some of the harder post-game stuff.
In short, if you in any form or way enjoy Metroidvanias, please for the love of god play this game. I guarantee that you will return to it again and again, and thus you will join me in the everlasting agony that is the wait for Silksong's release.