And so it is that the fire has now finally faded; the souls series has been laid to rest and the body of From Software’s grim legacy now lies six feet under. But in the ground below the allure of its necrotised flesh has attracted a large number of hungry creatures, eager to taste this most delectable of corpses. One such diner at this great buffet in the dark is Team Cherry, and whilst others sloppily pig out on the skin this small team of Australian developers have somehow managed to digest the heart, lungs, and much of the brain that used to animate this once mighty of specimens. Perhaps not the tastiest of organs to consume, but the end result of this process is Hollow Knight, a delightfully dark manifestation of the finest metroidvanian traditions inside a miasma of cutesy horror and existential despair.
Do not misunderstand me when I say that the game is full of bugs, if there's one thing that the developers seem to adore more than Dark Souls then it is the furtive mass of insects that dwell all around us. Anyone with an aversion to that which creeps and crawls had best be wary for the kingdom of Hallownest is home to all manner of beetles, worms, flies, and spiders. The art style does a little to try and take the edge off any entomophobia but there is a pleasingly gross nature to this decaying world and its beleaguered denizens.
Into this festering cauldron comes a nameless wanderer, armed with nothing but cape and nail. Nothing is known of who or what you are, only that deep below you a once glorious kingdom lay. But now, caught between stasis and terminal decline, many an adventurer has since sought their fame and fortune amidst its ruin, never to return. Sure enough into these depths you too must travel, and discover what ill fate has befallen this once great civilisation.
It is in that discovery, in the exploration of what lies beneath that allows Hollow Knight to rise above its many formidable contemporaries. The development of its cryptic narrative, the obtaining of its most powerful items and artefacts, the sheer sense of wonder from exploration all ties together so elegantly. Secrets begetting secrets, each one getting you closer to the truth and bestowing a satisfying reward for ones own curiosity. Following the critical path is the surest way to miss out on all that is on offer here.
That gratifying sense of independence one feels in making a new discovery lies at the core of the game's appeal. The map makes clear the task ahead, but there is concerted effort to try and sidetrack you throughout, where a meaningful pay-off almost always awaits. There is some potential to get lost, to become a little bewildered by all the interconnecting pathways and passages, so a degree of patience can be required at times to find your way, but for lovers of adventure and mystery few experiences are as impressive.
Gameplay largely consists of melee combat and precision platforming. Both are handled well with an agreeable level of responsiveness. As one might imagine new powers such as dashes and jumps are obtained allowing access to new areas as well as assisting with the more sophisticated enemies and bosses. Health is somewhat limited but can be refilled with souls that are gathered from striking enemies, however to do so you must remain stationary whilst the healing takes place ensuring you think carefully about when and where you take the time to recover.
Your passive abilities can be further augmented by charms; items that grant specific boons but have an associated amount of free charm slots needed to be activated. These offer the game a degree of variation and flexibility in play style and allow you to adjust to whatever challenge currently stands before you.
Hollow Knight is certainly not what one would call an easy game, whilst most enemies have attack patterns that can be readily learnt there remains a high demand for concentration where ones sense of timing and reflexes will be thoroughly tested. The later stages and many of the hidden areas present especially stern examinations. So to be sure, you will be made to work for your progress, the compensation of which is the cathartic joy of overcoming each new set of obstacles.
If all of this sounds very akin to the essence of Dark Souls then that is because it is. So much of that game's DNA is within Hollow Knight, from the way NPC quests are structured to the environmental storytelling and piecemeal dialogues, it's hard to shake the sense of connection. However Hollow Knight does posses some features of its own that add an extra unique layer to the experience. One such mechanic is the dream nail, a special attack that grants a glimpse into the minds of enemies and NPCs. Whilst not an attack per se, it doesn't deal damage as such, it nevertheless has story significance and there is much to be gained from the insights one gathers with it. Story elements are enhanced and the world is given a greater sense of life and history, granting personality to what would otherwise be a silent enemy, just another monster to slay and move past.
It's a relatively small thing, but it goes towards making the world more intriguing, more worthy of being explored and examined. The atmosphere that pervades is utterly engrossing, buttressed by some of the most beautiful landscapes in gaming to date. The hand drawn art is really quite extraordinary, as is Christopher Larkin's sombre score, full of suitably mournful strings and delicate piano motifs. The aesthetics of Hollow Knight are, in a word, exceptional, and another reminder of the power of art design over brute technology.
Divorced of its looks and sounds Hollow Knight would still be a solid metroidvania, adding a number of small and subtle tweaks to the well worn formula. With its world and atmosphere added in it becomes an altogether different beast as what you see and hear is so integral to the quality of the experience. The story the world tells, the adventure it creates, the sense of discovery it allows for, these aspects make the game what it is; a disgusting yet beautiful example as to the power of world building and putting the responsibility of exploring it squarely in the hands of the player.
Death and decay are inevitable, inescapable facets of existence that everyone must come to face in the end; Hollow Knight revels in the anxiety that comes with this inexorable journey towards oblivion and makes the case against Dylan Thomas' rage against the dying of the light. Darkness and stillness will come, it cannot be avoided, Hollow Knight reminds us that this is no tragedy, that only madness can come from desiring eternity, that hellish rendezvous from which no soul can ever leave.