Hollow Knight

 Xbox One
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 81 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 81
  3. Negative: 14 out of 81
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  1. fastoch82
    Oct 15, 2022
    6
    I played it on Xbox Series X and encountered no technical issues.
    But I don't think it deserves such a high score.
    The art direction has absolutely no effect on me, the difficulty is poorly managed compared to a game like Dead Cells, nothing kept me engaged and I couldn't finish it. Overall, an impressive work for such a small team, but in the end a boring game which adds nothing new to    I played it on Xbox Series X and encountered no technical issues.
    But I don't think it deserves such a high score.
    The art direction has absolutely no effect on me, the difficulty is poorly managed compared to a game like Dead Cells, nothing kept me engaged and I couldn't finish it.
    Overall, an impressive work for such a small team, but in the end a boring game which adds nothing new to the genre.    … Expand
  2. leeuk321
    Nov 27, 2022
    5
    Grind, grind, grind. The game has a really beautiful design, and decent gameplay with a good levelling-up system - but that's as far as it goes. The story is almost non-existent, there aren't really any puzzles and there's no interesting characters, dialogue etc. That could be forgiven, but the grinding aspect of the game can't be. You've got to constantly travel all around the world ofGrind, grind, grind. The game has a really beautiful design, and decent gameplay with a good levelling-up system - but that's as far as it goes. The story is almost non-existent, there aren't really any puzzles and there's no interesting characters, dialogue etc. That could be forgiven, but the grinding aspect of the game can't be. You've got to constantly travel all around the world of the game, with extremely limited ways of shortcutting journeys, except for very few locations.

    Some of the bosses are extremely challenging, which I could live if it wasn't for the fact that you've got to grind your way back to them when defeated (the game doesn't start you at the boss again when you die, or anywhere near). I could understand the developers doing this if there was a challenge in reaching the boss, because that could be thought of as part of the boss stage, if you will. But it's never challenging, in most cases I can get back to the bosses fine 100% of the time, so what's the point? I can't get my head around the developers' reasoning. And the best part is when you get back to the boss you've got to retrieve your "soul", and when you do that you're inherently not at 100% health. So, you've got the choice: face the boss with reduced health, or go back and grind your health up.

    Grind, grind, grind. It's a cheap way of artificially making the game "bigger", and a cynical move by the developers. Fine for teenagers who have adults paying their bills and have mountains of time and patience to do this, but for working adults this game takes liberties. I've had to abandon playing it, which is a shame, because if it wasn't for the grind I'd have loved to have completed it.    … Expand
  3. forgedsledge
    Feb 26, 2023
    7
    One of my favorite subgenres of video game is one dubbed a, "metroidvania." There's something about traversing a provided environment that doesn't let you access certain areas unless you accomplish certain tasks, only to later revisit those same areas with the tools you need. It gives you a sense of empowerment, like you earned something. Many other games have done their own version ofOne of my favorite subgenres of video game is one dubbed a, "metroidvania." There's something about traversing a provided environment that doesn't let you access certain areas unless you accomplish certain tasks, only to later revisit those same areas with the tools you need. It gives you a sense of empowerment, like you earned something. Many other games have done their own version of this subgenre to great success. So what do I think about Hollow Knight? Well... it's good, I guess? Hollow Knight does allow you to explore and there's lots of backtracking, but rather than solely earning a new ability that allows you to access new areas or discovering hidden items that open previously locked doors, it also asks you to buy items from the store to help progression. This can be especially frustrating as you battle overpowered enemies, trying to collect enough money for a specific item, only to die and lose everything you worked so hard for. In other words, the opposite of empowering. Dying it's normal in games but not this much. Do I recommend this game? Sure, but only if you like a challenge and repeating mundane tasks to make financial progress...… Expand

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  1. XBLA Fans
    Oct 15, 2018
    100
    Hollow Knight is an immediate classic. You’ll be rewarded with every second that you spend playing this game, nothing feels wasted or left as an afterthought save for some minor pacing issues. Team Cherry has crafted a tight, responsive 2D side-scroller that deserves your attention & support as it’s truly a modern masterpiece.
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