Hollownest, for lack of a better term, is empty.
barren.
desolate.
but despite it all..
it is absolutely breathtaking.
In worlds Beyond..
Hollow Knight, developed by Team Cherry, is often considered one of the greatest indie games ever made—and for good reason.
You play as a nameless, silent protagonist known only as “The Knight,” descending into the rotting corpse of a once-great kingdom. Hallownest sprawls beneath you, vast and decaying, its history buried under layers of ruin and silence. As its shell continues to erode, The Knight presses forward, uncovering fragments of a story long forgotten.
And yet, despite its collapse, Hallownest is anything but lifeless.
Every inch of the world feels deliberate. The muted greys of Dirtmouth give way to the overgrown beauty of Greenpath, which in turn fractures into the harsh, radiant glow of Crystal Peak. Each region carries its own identity—not just visually, but emotionally—making the near-constant backtracking feel less like repetition and more like rediscovery.
Nothing here is procedurally generated or hastily assembled. The entire world is hand-drawn, and it shows. The art direction isn’t just impressive—it’s defining. It turns decay into something elegant, and emptiness into something worth exploring.
They Speak your Name..
The Knight is a simple bug, with a worn Nail to swing and a torn cloak to cover its shell.
The Knight is small, brittle, and nothing in comparison to its foes.
however, all things change.
overtime The Knight gains new tools, a sharper nail, a more agile cloak, magical charms to aid in its journey, even learning to use its very soul as a weapon through its shell, or focusing deeply to repair itself from within. becoming a god slayer in its own right
if the Knight is to rest, it can do so upon a bench, functionally this saves your game and updates where you respawn, but it also invites you to rest, take in the sights and sounds of an empty, cavernous kingdom. as it pencils itself a map of the caverns its explored. allowing for a side quest of sorts to map the region.
For you the Challenge Met..
Hollow knight has a very intuitive and simple combat system, options are limited, but through this, many avenues exist to create a beautiful flow of combat. the combat however due to its simplicity is difficult. having to dance the dance inches from danger to attack any given enemy, all the while being fluid, when the combat flow is finally understood, the game becomes all the more satisfying to watch as well as partake in.
before this happens however you will fail, and die, leaving a remnant of yourself behind, a Shade, haunting the area of which you fell. containing your soul, used to cast spells and heal, and all of your money (geo) forcing you to slay yourself to save yourself in an almost poetic way.
Under Palest Watch..
The story of Hollow Knight is not something given to you, it is searched for, and explored in its entirety for the sake of scanning every corner, with numerous challenges blocking you from uncovering the sad and slow decay of the setting. and meeting the remaining individuals still sane in the battered kingdom, with you being able to save them from their fates, or failing and letting them die.
Through your exploration you learn of the many individuals, gods, kings, queens and knights of the buried kingdom. making the story impeccably interesting especially due to the amount of piecing together required by the player themselves.
As They had Never Dreamed.
I love Hollow Knight, it is a masterpiece in most aspects only lacking in specific departments which are so small I don’t even consider mentioning. Allowing for multiple routes, amazing amounts of content, buried lore to dig up and expose, and a challenge even exciting for even the most experienced players
this game doesn’t hold your hand, nor does it show you where to start, it simply gives you the opportunity to begin.
I would love nothing more than to play this game with fresh eyes again.
10/10
