Hollow Knight

⭐ 9.5/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

2021 has been a year of best hits for me, and Hollow Knight follows that trend. This game, essentially made by just two guys, is basically perfect in every regard. From an artistic perspective to gameplay mechanics, there is so much to love here.

It's a 2D action platformer, and it's among all top games in both aspects. There are several great platforming challenges, and what it lacks in creativity it makes up for by getting you out of your comfort zone, pushing you to do things you try to avoid. As for combat, the number of enemies and challenges is where the real creativity shines. So many unique bosses each testing a different part of your arsenal. You really can't beat this game without a true sense of mastery by the end.

The art direction is phenomenal. A truly unique style, making a game with a toned down color palette feel alive and atmospheric. It's sad, forlorn yet mysterious and haunting. The music ties it all together, perhaps being it's crowning achievement. I have the record on vinyl and listen to the soundtrack any time I need to get into my feelings.

It also just gets all the little things right. The quirky characters with strange but superbly written dialogue. The story that is told with very few words, but more through what you see around yourself. The charm system, being restrictive enough to make choices feel meaningful and your playstyle unique. A wealth of postgame content to fill in some blanks in the story and provide a challenge for masochistic sickos.

The challenge in this game is my only minor nit to pick. I appreciate the challenge on many levels, and the feeling of accomplishment is really unmatched for me in video games. The elation after beating Nightmare King Grimm had me on a week-long high. But I also think this game goes out of its way to annoy you. I hated having to travel through half a map just to get back to a boss that would kick my ass in 13 seconds. I enjoyed this game way more this time around, beating it in around 18 hours whereas my first playthrough took me... 40? I think that speaks again to the mastery you feel, but I just don't feel right giving a pass to a game that a majority of people can't fully enjoy until they've sunk 40 hours into it. This game is hard as hell, which is a blessing and a curse.

If you're up to the challenge, then yes, this is not only ones of gaming's greatest offerings, but also greatest values. Just know you will come out of the experience a different person, for better or worse. I'm really excited for Silksong to know how I'll feel playing another game like this from scratch.