My save file for Hollow Knight recorded a playtime of 38 hours and two minutes, with a completion rate of 98% (out of a possible 112%, thanks to its downloadable content). What my save file can’t track, however, is how long I’ve spent thinking about the title since I first completed it more than six months ago. In much the same way that Hollow Knight‘s world is haunted by the specters of its past, Team Cherry’s much-adored first outing has weighed heavy on my conscious. Hopefully by confronting these thoughts head on, I can make my peace and finally lay this all to rest.
In an evergrowing sea of 2D action platformers released over the past couple of years, few have had their praises sung so consistently as Hollow Knight. Initially released in early 2017, this indie darling features a potent blend of the Souls-like and Metroidvania genres that, along with a unique story and setting, set it apart from the rest. It’s clear that Hollow Knight‘s creators are fans of the genres, as their influences ooze from the game’s very seams. Tough as nails platforming, brutal enemy confrontations, ominous character interactions, and tons of backtracking; this game has it all.
Hollow Knight is teeming with personality. The fallen bug kingdom of Hallownest, which serves as this game’s setting, is very well realized and beautifully depicted. The roughly fifteen territories you’ll traverse are distinct, fantastical, and often memorable. Hallownest’s inhabitants, both friend and foe alike, have just enough personality to keep things interesting, thanks to a combination of well-written dialog and accompanying auditory feedback that give the characters some much needed identity. Bretta, for example, is a shy bug you rescue a few hours into your adventure. Once she’s returned to the game’s starting town of Dirtmouth, you find that she has developed somewhat of a crush on you. She quickly became the highlight of my trips back to town…please don’t read into that too much.
Most of Hollow Knight‘s other innards are just as well-built. Jumping, dashing, and climbing all feel tight and responsive. Combat is equally as solid, though relatively simplistic on its surface. Luckily, it is enhanced by two robust systems that provide some much needed depth. The first of these is your character’s SOUL gauge, which acts as a sort of pool of mana. This allows you to cast offensive spells or regain lost health in a pinch. To replenish your SOUL, you must engage in combat and strike your enemies with a melee attack. You will also find hidden statues throughout the world that, when hit, will help replenish your gauge. This creates an intricate balancing act of offense and defense, which can lead to some tense and satisfying moments.
That leaves us with what the game refers to as “Charms”. These equipable items augment your character in a variety of ways. Some charms affect things like your health or damage output, while others go so far as to give you completely new abilities. You only have a limited number of slots to which you are allowed to equip charms, so choose wisely. Charms encourage players to experiment with different play styles by allowing them to essentially tweak certain gameplay elements to your preferences. If you are feeling particularly confident, you may even enter an “Overcharmed” state which allows you to equip one additional charm, at the cost of taking double damage. So many options!
Like any proper insect, Hollow Knight has plenty of sturdy legs to stand on. For all that this game gets right though, it’s not without its issues. My biggest gripes stem from its navigation mechanics, which were a constant source of frustration during my time with the game. Some of these decisions feel particularly painful, considering that exploration is one of the game’s biggest draws. To start us off, let me introduce you to Cornifer and Iselda.
Cornifer is an adventurous cartographer who you may encounter very early on in your adventure. He, along with his wife Iselda (who helms their map shop located in Dirtmouth), are the game’s sole purveyors of maps and map related accessories. Cornifer can be found charting the kingdom’s numerous regions. If you do happen to cross paths with him, he will gladly sell you an incomplete map he’s created of the area you found him in. He frequently sits just off the beaten path, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for his signature paper trail. Luckily, his map will become available in Iselda’s shop once you’ve completed the area’s main objective.
While we’re on the subject, let’s hop over to Iselda’s shop for a bit. Aside from the occasional missed map, Cornifer’s other half also sells a handful of items that are meant to make those maps more helpful. Pins automatically mark locations of important landmarks that you come across. Vendors, save points, and fast travel locations are among the eight total types of purchasable pins. Markers are similar to pins, but can instead be placed manually by the player. Markers come in four different flavors that are vaguely defined by a blurb of text shown alongside them in the shop’s menu. If you plan on using markers, be sure to commit their definitions to memory, as you will be unable to check their descriptions after they are purchased. Markers proved to be a particular pain point for me, as hours would pass between marking locations, and without any other context to go off of, they would lose whatever meaning I’d originally given them. I ended up making multiple trips back to locations I’d previously marked, only to find I was still unable to make any progress.
Iselda also keeps a quill in stock, and while that doesn’t sound exciting, it just might be her shop’s most important item. Once purchased, you will be able to finish any incomplete maps that you’ve acquired from the couple. My issue rests not with the quill itself, but rather with what it represents in relation to her other wares. The quill existing as an in-universe mechanic for actively updating your map makes me question why pins and markers are even necessary in the first place. I feel as though they were created purely as an excuse to get the player to make the trip back to Dirtmouth more frequently, instead of just providing the player with a coherent and streamlined navigation experience.
Iselda’s last noteworthy item is the Wayward Compass charm. When equipped, this charm allows you to see your current location on the map. By it’s own merit, it is extremely useful, but allow me to provide you with some context. The amount of charms you can have equipped is already limited, so having to relinquish valuable customization space just because I’d like to see my position on the map kind of feels like a punishment. While only tangentially related, the Steady Body charm (which prevents you from being knocked back upon hitting an enemy with a melee attack) further exemplifies this design flaw. These two charm are thankfully exceptions rather than the rule, but they are nonetheless blemishes on an otherwise polished system.
I doubt that Team Cherry is looking for feedback on their insanely popular title, but humor me for a moment. First, provide players with an option to purchase some parchment along with the previously mentioned quill. This would be the only item required for players to properly navigate and map their surroundings. While we’re at it, lets move pins and markers into functions of the player’s map and quill. Next, modify Cornifer’s maps to be more about providing hints to secret areas and points of interest. That way, his maps will exist purely as optional purchases that are available to players in need of some assistance. Bonus points if the Wayward Compass charm is removed completely, as it’s inclusion feels at odds with itself. Allow players to see their current location on the map by default. Finally, condense the in-game economy a tad to make up for any items the player no longer has to purchase. I’m oversimplifying things a bit here, but I really think any of these changes would have led to a more cohesive experience for players.
To describe my relationship with Hollow Knight as anything less than complicated would be an understatement. Despite these criticisms, I genuinely tried to enjoy my time with it. So much so, in fact, that I was actively trying to reach 112% completion before ultimately calling it quits. There were multiple days where I couldn’t wait to get home from work to spend more time in its dark and strange landscape. For me, Hollow Knight was at its best when I was set loose upon the world to explore to my heart’s content. Unfortunately, much like my encounters with the many hostile bugs that plague Hallownest, that excitement was always short-lived.
