this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2025
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Hollow Knight. I know the new game is coming out tomorrow (?) but I just couldn't get into the way the game feels. I love Metroidvanias but something about Hollow Knight and it's gameplay just didn't make me come back for more.
That's crazy... The only complaint I ever hear about the game that I have to begrudgingly accept and move on is from people who just detest any amount of backtracking, i.e. people who hate metroidvanias.
Everything about the game's feel, from the controls and movement to the art and atmosphere, I would rate as best-in-class. Unless you get creeped out by bugs or cannot stand anything animated, I cannot fathom what your complaint is.
I'm curious how much you played -- I will say that the game does bury the lead a bit, both artistically and mechanically. The first area seems almost monochrome and until you get the dash your prime form of locomotion is walking. But once you've been to a few different areas you start to realize how much bigger the game world is than you initially thought.
I think one issue with the game is that you should probably play largely unguided. Most gamers today can't play games without a guide up though. Yeah, the game is going to suck if you aren't engaging with the main premise of exploration and discovery.
I put about 10 hours into the game. I think the way hits and getting hit feels. It's been a while but doesn't the screen pause slightly when it happens?
I know people complain about the difficulty but I was fine with what I experienced in it. I grew up in the 80s playing the original Mega Man games hahaha.
Mmm, there is a bit of knockback. There's a trinket you can equip that basically eliminates that, but learning to deal with it is just part of the combat flow.
This is what I'm talking about. There's a pause when you take hits. It reminds me of how Zelda games makes combat feel in the 3D titles.
Combat example
Oh okay yeah on big hits there is a bit of hitstop.
It seems like more reddit indie shit. It would make sense there are people who can't comprehend how others wouldn't like it.
Reddit is a bubble.
It's the walking and movement for me. Getting to places takes ages. Compared it most other metroidvanias, which have denser fast travel and/or more movement options, HK is lacking, the dash is marginally faster and the ultra dash is situational, basically only for dedicated spots. This isn't as much of an issue in most Soulsborne games, which HK was going for, but you don't go back to old areas as much there. Even Elden Ring's open world throws a shitton of fast travel spots and has everything you need in a small hub.
I will admit the combat didn't gel with me too much either, despite being a FromSoft fan. Not sure about that one, maybe it's the precision of movement required.
Maybe Silksong will do better with Hornet's faster movement, but I won't be buying it now.
For fast travel, part of the design is about shortcuts, which I prefer. It's closer to the Dark Souls 1 philosophy instead of the later games. One cohesive world that makes sense that you exist within and learn, instead of fast traveling every 10 meters.
I agree with the dash though. Spamming it to move a little faster was so annoying. I'm playing Silksong and the new dash you can hold to sprint, and it's much nicer.
The thing is that even Dark Souls 1 had the decency to put the main blacksmith near a warp bonfire (and still decently close to the hub before you get warp, Blighttown being the only stretch far from one. You can reinforce anywhere, mind you, but Andre's the main source of Titanite shards anyway), and letting you redeem your currency items at any moment.
Hollow Knight has you dragging your feet to both for what felt like 5 minutes, and then another 5 minutes to get back to the fast travel point, and then maybe some 5 more to get to wherever you might want to spend that currency on, because few of them are in what's supposed to be the hub of the game. Actually, just fuck the currency items in particular. Technically it makes currency more precious than Souls', where you can pull 30k at any moment if you want, but it's just a pain the ass in practice.
I remember the merchant in the brown toxic place taking time in particular. Maybe there was some skill issue there where I should have ignored them and went on shopping sprees only every 5 hours or so, rather than trying to make things easier regularly, but in either case I didn't like it.
Well, Hollow Knight you upgrade what, like 3 times, maybe 5. I don't remember. It's not many. Dark Souls is designed such that you do it much more frequently. If you want to do the spelty upgrades though, you're in for a trip. That and many shops are total pains in the ass to reach in DS. HK does include a shop near the main base, as well as a lot of other important characters. (Also, it definitely isn't 5m each direction. Maybe if you fight everything on the way, but not if you just run.)
It's fine to not like it though. I think you're misremembering how bad it was, but it isn't as easy as most games make things. In my opinion that's good. It makes things feel more real and earned. If everything is just conveniently at the hub or in your menu then it would just feel far too gamey and simple. There's already plenty of games like that. HK is something different.
I played it, but I just found it mind-numbing.
Metroidvania always do that to me.