Hollow Knight
A 2D metroidvania with an emphasis on close combat and exploration in which the player enters the once-prosperous now-bleak insect kingdom of Hallownest, travels through its various districts, meets friendly inhabitants, fights hostile ones and uncovers the kingdom's history while improving their combat abilities and movement arsenal by fighting bosses and accessing out-of-the-way areas.
What it feels like
The 'bleak' once-prosperous kingdom, atmospheric exploration, and somber tone of discovering a fallen civilization evoke wistful sadness and quiet beauty in loss. The emphasis on exploration, discovery, and reflection on the fallen civilization invites unhurried contemplation of the world's story. The atmosphere of exploring a once-great kingdom now corrupted and dying carries an anticipatory unease about what lies beneath the surface.
What it's about
A grim, decayed kingdom of insects in ruin; the setting is oppressive and melancholic rather than heroic, aligning with dark fantasy despite the non-traditional insect setting. Uncovering Hallownest's history and the kingdom's secrets structures exploration; the lore is pieced together gradually through discovery.
How it plays
'Close combat' is emphasized in the summary; nail-based melee is the primary offensive tool against all adversaries. Deliberate, stamina-gated melee combat with dodge rolls and punishment windows against challenging bosses is central; reinforced by 'Souls-like' user tag and the demanding combat design. Navigating the environment and twisting caverns via jumping and traversal is a major component alongside combat; confirmed by platformer user tag.
How it looks and sounds
Explicitly described as 'classic, hand-drawn 2D style' in Steam description; defines the visual identity throughout. The cavernous, decrepit insect kingdom with ornate architecture and macabre grandeur; gothic in atmosphere if not traditionally European in aesthetic. While hand-drawn, the visual design is clean and uncluttered; sparse UI and focus on essential shapes contribute to a minimalist feel.
How it's structured
The core structure: ability-gated exploration of a continuous map where new powers reopen earlier areas, explicitly mentioned in the summary as 'metroidvania' and confirmed by the progression through bosses and movement unlocks. Explicitly single-player with no multiplayer modes; the core experience is solo exploration and combat. Every area is deliberately authored by designers; the world is hand-drawn and intricately designed rather than procedurally generated.
Kindred games
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Shares Melee Combat, Metroidvania, Soulslike Combat, Dark Fantasy.
Both lean into Single-Player, Melee Combat, Soulslike Combat, Metroidvania.
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