Hollow Knight

 PC
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 2265 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,028 out of 2265
  2. Mixed: 123 out of 2265
  3. Negative: 114 out of 2265

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  1. ujinroth
    May 27, 2023
    4
    Hollow knight has good things, but navigation makes it unnecessarily long, the map is full of empty areas, you will have to deal with 80h only for travel, the full length game must be 150h...
    The balance is like 99% of the game is easy and medium easy, and then there's 1 impossible particular area and 1 impossible particular boss at the very end of the game. Sure it was necessary to put    Hollow knight has good things, but navigation makes it unnecessarily long, the map is full of empty areas, you will have to deal with 80h only for travel, the full length game must be 150h...
    The balance is like 99% of the game is easy and medium easy, and then there's 1 impossible particular area and 1 impossible particular boss at the very end of the game. Sure it was necessary to put those two, just in case people want to do it without glitch (they must be max 500 in the whole world). And now imagine people going to play Silksong after they beat everything in HK...?    … Expand
  2. robomartion
    Jul 18, 2022
    4
    Totally boring with needless retreading of steps to go back and forth to the shop etc, the fast travel train is out of the way and doesn't even speed up the process. Even the boss fights you can just spam attack unlike Cuphead where you would be quickly punished. The atmosphere feels very shallow and rather than being mysterious or creepy it is just dull and depressing. There is noTotally boring with needless retreading of steps to go back and forth to the shop etc, the fast travel train is out of the way and doesn't even speed up the process. Even the boss fights you can just spam attack unlike Cuphead where you would be quickly punished. The atmosphere feels very shallow and rather than being mysterious or creepy it is just dull and depressing. There is no worldbuilding or feeling of immersion.

    A lot of time spent running around aimlessly and there no impetus or something of interest to keep going. Cuphead is a more action packed version of Hollow Knight with no filler and more challenge. Salt and Sanctuary or Vigil the Longest Night, or Bloodstained have better atmosphere and worlds and more rewarding and engaging gameplay with reward for exploration and they draw you further in. Every area in Hollow Knight is just boring and repetitive to traverse. The platforming is boring and you can just literally switch off and have go through the motions especially when you have already been through that section 10 times already. Rayman Legends has much better levels than this. The levels are much more dense in that game and actually have effort put into making them fun with variety. When you buy the key at the start you open a door all there is inside is literally a person that tells you that she can't help you. Wow that was worth buying. Then you finally get the wings and go all the way across to a once locked area and its just another shop. Again no reward.

    The dialogue is cringeworthy gibberish. Dirtmouth, Greenpath? That should tell you how stupid the writing is in this game. And don't get me started on the annoying sounds the characters make. Totally boring game with stiff controls, repetitive gameplay and stale graphics. Only saving grace is the music which is OK but also just a drone in the background and isn't evocative of anything and doesn't build the world or tell any sort of story.    … Expand
  3. lhmtgame
    Mar 2, 2017
    4
    - Hollow Knight's story is not impressed!
    - This is a 2D Side-scrolling game, I have nothing to say about the graphics.
    - The character's ability is boring.
    -> I felt free in Ori and the blind forest more than Hollow Knight.
  4. Naldosand
    Jan 6, 2018
    4
    The game has several balance problems, and his difficulty in some cases is really unfair. If u get stuck there's no way to see what's the way to continue. I love games like Dark souls or Bloodborne, or other 2d platforms like Salt & Sanctuary, after 48 hours expended I have to say, the whole experience isn't that good. Is true, the graphic environment and sound is quite perfectionistic,The game has several balance problems, and his difficulty in some cases is really unfair. If u get stuck there's no way to see what's the way to continue. I love games like Dark souls or Bloodborne, or other 2d platforms like Salt & Sanctuary, after 48 hours expended I have to say, the whole experience isn't that good. Is true, the graphic environment and sound is quite perfectionistic, but in terms of game design isn't in the same level.… Expand
  5. tobivv
    Nov 26, 2019
    4
    Good combat and aesthetics, but the amount of backtracking makes it not worth the effort
  6. Zeddiken
    Apr 13, 2020
    4
    This game wants to be Dark Souls so bad that it hurts the gaming experience. So tired of people trying to remake dark souls in their games. You die? Go back 70 miles and fight every single enemy again because you aren't running past them. God forbid you get a save before a boss fight too. This game is way over-hyped. Art could be better but I am fine with it music is good game playThis game wants to be Dark Souls so bad that it hurts the gaming experience. So tired of people trying to remake dark souls in their games. You die? Go back 70 miles and fight every single enemy again because you aren't running past them. God forbid you get a save before a boss fight too. This game is way over-hyped. Art could be better but I am fine with it music is good game play mechanics is a solid 7/10, but it wants to be dark souls so bad it can't stand itself. ARTIFICIAL DIFFICULTY IS A VERY VERY VERY SOLID 9/10. Don't make games difficult by taking away saves and making people fight through hordes of enemies just to get a chance to beat a boss again. Even dark souls has saves before bosses, I honestly hate devs that do this artificial difficulty bs.… Expand
  7. StarkAgentos
    Apr 1, 2022
    4
    Поиграл 20 минут. Не понимаю, что все нашли в этой игре. Механики примитивные, на уровне браузерных игр. Сложность запредельная, непонятно, зачем. В начале игры есть какое-то подземелье, в которое я захожу, затем натыкаюсь на какого-то здорового чёрта, которого убить невозможно, и пробую сначала.Поиграл 20 минут. Не понимаю, что все нашли в этой игре. Механики примитивные, на уровне браузерных игр. Сложность запредельная, непонятно, зачем. В начале игры есть какое-то подземелье, в которое я захожу, затем натыкаюсь на какого-то здорового чёрта, которого убить невозможно, и пробую сначала.
  8. agresivepizza49
    Dec 5, 2022
    4
    One of the worst designed video games.
    Terrible boss patterns and the checkpoint system is just awful.
    It's not bad because it's hard. It's bad because you have to do the same stuff all over again because the checkpoint system/bench is AWFUL. The only good thing about this game is the art style but that's it. Story is bad too, like it's so cryptic. Probably the most overhype game    One of the worst designed video games.
    Terrible boss patterns and the checkpoint system is just awful.
    It's not bad because it's hard. It's bad because you have to do the same stuff all over again because the checkpoint system/bench is AWFUL.
    The only good thing about this game is the art style but that's it.
    Story is bad too, like it's so cryptic.
    Probably the most overhype game after Sonic Frontiers.    … Expand
  9. Ananisapta
    Mar 20, 2017
    3
    There's a lot to be said for Hollow Knight in terms of design, but I found the boss fights too hard and there's no way to dumb it down so if you're not a hyperactive youngster, LOOK OUT!
  10. leparigo75
    Sep 2, 2018
    3
    Fights often too difficult which makes the game unplayable without possibility to adjust the level
  11. MaxmilianKohler
    Jan 25, 2021
    2
    Just a much worse all-around version of Ori and Sundered. Not worth playing. Just play those other two games instead. I regret my $5 purchase. This kind of extremely overrated game is why I'm going to stick to "try before you buy". Bad games like this make you thankful for good ones like Ori and Sundered.

    Map is awful, for the first 1+ hour of the game you just run around aimlessly. And    Just a much worse all-around version of Ori and Sundered. Not worth playing. Just play those other two games instead. I regret my $5 purchase. This kind of extremely overrated game is why I'm going to stick to "try before you buy". Bad games like this make you thankful for good ones like Ori and Sundered.

    Map is awful, for the first 1+ hour of the game you just run around aimlessly. And actually it doesn't get that much better. There are no real objectives or objective markers, you kind of just wander around a massive maze. The whole game is incredibly maze-like. And there's so much back tracking through areas you've already been in.

    There's a bug where it sometimes doesn't register a jump when you're near an edge.

    There are poor design things like your basic attack pushing you backwards so if you ever attack someone when you're near an edge (extremely common) you fall off and frequently die or have to trek back up a long path.

    There's much about the combat, enemies, level design, etc. that seems poorly designed and unresponsive.

    There's a core gameplay mechanic it never tells you about. You have to do a web search once you reach a point where it's mandatory to progress, and you'll find out that lots of other people played 15+ hours of the game so far without knowing about it as well.

    Another example is a spot that is nothing special but it just so happens that there's a combination/timing that is ridiculously hard to do in an area that you should just be quickly passing through. There are other areas where you can get trapped in an area you don't have the movement abilities to get out of, and you do a web search and find out it's common and the solution is to quit to the main menu to teleport back to a save point.

    If a trainer/mods for invincibility wasn't available I'd have uninstalled early on. It would be a total waste of time doing the same monotonous things over and over. I just tried to get it over with as quickly as possible.

    This is the type of game that has the mentality of "extremely hard = fun". It just goes way overboard with the difficulty that even with invincibility on some of the bosses are ridiculous. IE: you dodge for 20 seconds then hit him once. Repeat 20-30 times. Then comes the second wave. Memorize all the attack patterns, dodge for 15 seconds, hit him once, repeat 30+ times. Naturally you'll die numerous times, and thus have to repeat the entire thing over and over. FUN!

    You spend 15 minutes climbing up an area then the floor collapses under you and you have to spend another 10 minutes climbing back up. FUN! Then once you get back up there you find out it's the wrong way! FUN!    … Expand
  12. Crimert
    Mar 30, 2020
    2
    I know no one can judge a game after a short amount of playing but I really couldn't handle this tedious "Souls-like" game! It was really frustrating for me and I'm done! 2hrs on record.
  13. Akash1Nt
    Mar 25, 2023
    2
    This game has a pretty good storyline with interesting ones, but that prevents it from being quite a difficult game because of its stupid combat system, which is why even if you play for more than a year you will still die from bosses due to the fact that they have to be memorized to every little mechanic that is thrown at the player without any explanation, which makes it seem like theThis game has a pretty good storyline with interesting ones, but that prevents it from being quite a difficult game because of its stupid combat system, which is why even if you play for more than a year you will still die from bosses due to the fact that they have to be memorized to every little mechanic that is thrown at the player without any explanation, which makes it seem like the developers have very little knowledge of combat mechanics. If you are a fan of making tens of thousands of attempts to nowhere to get past the boss with luck, then this game is for you… Expand
  14. Anon_123
    Jul 13, 2023
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is not that good, as they say, it is just another difficult game of the bunch that only stands out for its art, nothing else has a community for porn… Expand
  15. wemelchor
    Sep 24, 2019
    1
    Game too hard and atmosphere too shallow to keep my interest. Nothing about the game's theme, story, atmosphere, or setting inspires me to keep playing. Even when I constantly die, the save point is often far far away from the area I am stuck on. I end up getting stuck in one area too often, the game mechanics are too stiff to allow for any room for improving. The game will punish you forGame too hard and atmosphere too shallow to keep my interest. Nothing about the game's theme, story, atmosphere, or setting inspires me to keep playing. Even when I constantly die, the save point is often far far away from the area I am stuck on. I end up getting stuck in one area too often, the game mechanics are too stiff to allow for any room for improving. The game will punish you for even existing or being around. dull forgetable soundtrack, graphics are an eyesore.

    The most enjoyable part was unistalling the game.    … Expand
  16. 4y4
    Sep 8, 2020
    1
    I'm so tired of respawning enemies. This game is full of respawning enemies...
  17. rpgforme
    Jun 30, 2017
    1
    The game makes you trounce back through 5+ screens of enemies just to try the boss again. Which is extremely hard. It's a garbage experience, except for extreme fans of this type of game-play. Avoid it.
  18. AwfulReviewer
    Dec 18, 2020
    1
    unbelievable that in 2017, people still release games with 2D graphics... This is not the 80's anymore, 2D was used because of technical limitations. Ridiculous to still make 2D games
  19. hkistrash
    Jun 4, 2021
    1
    Requires a lot of patience which is abused by its creators multiple times throughout the game. Not recommended unless you want to waste 60+ hours on a 5 hour game
  20. 17654
    Mar 4, 2023
    1
    worst game ever made, this 'game' is so butally difficult that the whole gameplay aspect is destroyed it just looks like team cherry said 'we should make the game absolutely brutal that the game should be unfair and garbage dont buy this game unless you are god at platformers/rougelikes and silksong is going to be the absolute same thing the worst part is the lost kin or whatever itsworst game ever made, this 'game' is so butally difficult that the whole gameplay aspect is destroyed it just looks like team cherry said 'we should make the game absolutely brutal that the game should be unfair and garbage dont buy this game unless you are god at platformers/rougelikes and silksong is going to be the absolute same thing the worst part is the lost kin or whatever its called boos fight it has like 14 'phases' i tried it for over 2 hours and still couldnt beat it so logically i uninstalled it waste of gigabytes… Expand
  21. anonytatoplayz
    Apr 4, 2023
    1
    I beat the pee 5 four years ago and never came back because the game was that good. I love this game so much. It is the best game I have ever played. I love this game.

    That being said the greedy developers added way too much content into this game and for that I hate them. greedy goddam developers trying to get as much money as they can from a perfectly good game and I hate them    I beat the pee 5 four years ago and never came back because the game was that good. I love this game so much. It is the best game I have ever played. I love this game.

    That being said

    the greedy developers added way too much content into this game and for that I hate them. greedy goddam developers trying to get as much money as they can from a perfectly good game and I hate them for that.    … Expand
  22. Algoros
    Jun 18, 2018
    0
    Wow, played a lot of games like hollow knight, but hollow knight is the biggest s.... on earth.
    Backtracking everywhere
    Boring gameplay
    horrible combat system
    do always the same

    I want my money game.
  23. matt1184
    Aug 23, 2021
    0
    This is another one of those games where the developers simply were not good enough to develop a game that solely relies on skill. This game has to rely on touch damage and attacks by the enemy in order to make it harder. This is just bad development and poor decision making.
  24. GCDeadshot
    Nov 15, 2022
    0
    This is the worst game I have ever played, and I've played over 200 2d platformers.
  25. gargom
    May 20, 2020
    0
    CANSADO
    Te pasas más tiempo perdido, sin saber donde ir y dando vueltas sin ningún sentido que jugando.
    Luego el viaje rápido está muy muy mal hecho, solo tienes 1 viaje rápido por zona y las zonas son bastante grandes. Básicamente te comes 5 minutos simplemente andando cada vez que mueres. Y lo mejor de todo es que cuando mueres pierdes la mitad del máx del contenedor de almas hasta que    CANSADO
    Te pasas más tiempo perdido, sin saber donde ir y dando vueltas sin ningún sentido que jugando.
    Luego el viaje rápido está muy muy mal hecho, solo tienes 1 viaje rápido por zona y las zonas son bastante grandes. Básicamente te comes 5 minutos simplemente andando cada vez que mueres.
    Y lo mejor de todo es que cuando mueres pierdes la mitad del máx del contenedor de almas hasta que vuelvas a matar a la sombra y básicamente son situaciones en las que si estas peleando contra un jefe y pierdes cuando lo vuelvas a intentar serás tú vs el jefe vs la sombra y encima con la mitad del contenedor como máx. ES ABSURDO
    Si es verdad que la sombra está antes que los jefes pero esque aún asi pierdes vida, y acabas perdiendo 2 corazones simplemente en el camino a llegar al jefe. ESTE JUEGO ES MÁS ESTRESANTE QUE SATISFACTORIO, AL MENOS DARK SOULS TE PREMIA JUSTAMENTE AL MATAR A UN JEFE, AQUÍ NO. JUEGO ESTRESANTE.    … Expand
  26. Teufler80
    Dec 7, 2022
    0
    Completely overrated game.
    Combat feels bad, and the enforced souls-mechanics are a pain in the ass and adds nothing but frustration.
    Dickish level-desing as well
  27. hollol
    Mar 11, 2020
    0
    platform was meh, graphic rigid and uninteresting. There are way better metroidvania out there, this is overhyped.
  28. MaoZedong
    Feb 8, 2021
    0
    This is an amazing metroidvania, and an amazing game in general. the controls are tight, the level design is strong, and the world feels lived in and as real as a bug kingdom can be. My only problem is that the map is extremely large and can be a pain to traverse at times. Even with fast travel, it can still take 10 to 15 minutes traversing the map.
  29. uselence
    Sep 9, 2021
    0
    Enjoyable gameplay, awesome ost, intertaining lore. Has some downsides, but there are so few of them, so I can't even remember. Definitely recommend it.
  30. Hannibal1
    Dec 1, 2020
    0
    Uinstalled after 30 minutes..I passed first boss and went to second area, I like to explore in games and i went to places that seemed hard to reach expecting some reward, instead of that i got broken gameplay, unable to leave that area, UINSTALLED.
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Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best PC Game of 2017
5
#5 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017
77
#77 Most Shared PC Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Hooked Gamers
    Jul 29, 2018
    100
    Hollow Knight is one of the best 2D platformers I’ve ever played - it is a beautiful, quirky and dynamic game; challenging yet rewarding; mournful yet brimming with hope. When it comes to console, it’s going to cause a real stir.
    Read full review
  2. IGN
    Jun 22, 2018
    94
    Hollow Knight is a Metroidvania with a well of content to discover that’s as deep as its labyrinthine caves. The world of Hallownest is compelling and rich, full of story that’s left for you to discover on your own, and built with branching paths that offer an absurd amount of choice in how you go about discovering it. With such a high density of secrets to find and fun, challenging enemies to face, it’s worth spending every moment you can in Hollow Knight.
    Read full review
  3. GameStar
    Jan 2, 2018
    84
    A very difficult and hand-drawn Metroidvania with an enormous size for players with a lot of patience and a high frustration tolerance.
    Read full review
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