The Soapbox features allow our individual writers and contributors to share their opinions on current topics and random things they’ve been chewing over. Today Jim finally sees the Hollow light…
Last year I decided to take a break from Tears of the Kingdom and pick up a fun, rarely discussed indie, which had a tasty little eShop discount at the time. The game was called ‘Hollow Knight’, or something like that, and I put quite a bit of time into it before I got stuck, put down my controller and never thought about it again.
Honestly, I had a lot of fun playing in this game that you’ve probably never heard of. I appreciated the movement, the combat was fun, and I enjoyed the sense of discovery. My first 20 hours in Hallownest were a good time, but that’s about it only a good time’. This was not a life-changing experience.
It turns out that this forgotten gem has a sequel: every day is a school day, right? – and as excited anticipation for it grew, conversations began to bubble up about how its predecessor is one of the best of the best, a metroidvania of the highest order, something to lose sleep over. [Okay, okay, enough of this pretend forgetfulness! – Ed.]
What I had seen was perfectly neat, but that was not all. Had I missed something? Did I play it wrong? Clearly I wasn’t content with letting everyone have their own opinion, and I decided the only thing I could do was dive back in and see if I could find this secret sauce that everyone else seemed so addicted to. are.
I’m a sucker for a map marker.
I love a map marker, so when I was shown the locations of the three Dreamers a year ago, I made that my ultimate mission. I rushed past the environmental stories, gave newly opened routes the cold shoulder, and left anything that didn’t feel absolutely essential in the dust. Playing like that caused me to cross Herrah the Beast off the list and then get burned out.
This time I returned to my original storage location and wandered around for a while only to discover that I had no idea where I was or what to do other than pick up those two other Dreamers. Frustrated that my memory hadn’t retained every nook and cranny of a huge and detailed map after not looking at it for a year, I deleted that old file and started all over again.
In case you haven’t guessed yet, this is where I found the secret sauce.
Now I was armed with a different attitude. Forget completion rates, I was here for a good time And a long time. I took it slow, resisting the urge to run straight to the Dreamers and instead focused on exploring every passage open to me.
My map became a wash of pins – purchased from Iselda’s store in Dirtmouth – as I patiently marked spots that were inaccessible to me at the moment, but that I knew I wanted to see later. I made sure areas were thoroughly cleared (as far as I know) before continuing. Black pins marked spots where the ground shook until I unlocked Desolate Dive, red pins marked a double jumping platform before I found the Monarch Wings, and yellow pins marked long gaps in my pre-Crystal Heart days.
Hollow Knight’s genius lies not in combat or movement… but in the design of Hallownest itself
I mainly used these pins to distract me from the three Dreamer icons, but over time they served a much more important purpose: they let me explore properly. Free from the shackles of purpose, I was able to look deeper into Hallownest and see the beauty within. The one thing that had completely escaped me originally (and the reason I kept coming back this time) was the world building and all that lore – so much lore.
Hollow Knight’s genius is not in the combat or movement (although they both hit), but in the design of Hallownest itself. I began exploring every corner of the kingdom, not to check off some self-prescribed goal, but to learn more about the infected wasteland that surrounded me – be it through a tablet, Dream Nail text, or the sale of Wanderer’s Journal.
Mentally, I started piecing together every piece of knowledge I could get my hands on. Most of them were nothing more than some pretty colors, which added to my image of the fallen kingdom and its inhabitants. Others (*cough* The Abyss *cough*) had me sitting with my jaw hanging open as my perception of the entire game changed. “Wow, more people really need to play this,” I thought, turning a blind eye to 3,684 video essays titled “Hollow Knight Lore EXPLAINED.”
With this understanding of the kingdom came a deep sadness that had passed me by on a first playthrough. The Kingdom’s Edge music was just soothing a year ago; why does it make me cry now? And don’t even get me started on those NPCs. The lore meat they bring to the table varies, but good lord, I’m emotionally invested in their arcs. It’s completely normal to mourn a fictional bug, right?
It’s completely normal to mourn a fictional bug, right?
And so, after 22 hours of learning about infections, fallen kings, and sacrifices, I finished the game. At least I completed the ending of the game ‘The Hollow Knight’. I think it’s going to be a hot minute before I head back in for one last Dream Nail action to unlock what I think is a more satisfying conclusion, but I’m perfectly happy with where I left things (by which I mean that I am an emotional wreck).
It may have taken me two tries, but my eyes have finally been opened to the true power of Hollow Knight: Dogwood its depth.