Soapbox features allow our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random things they’re mulling over. Today, Jim finally saw the Hollow light…
Last year, I decided to quit my job Tears of the Kingdom and choose a fun-looking, rarely discussed indie game that has a small discount on the eShop at the time. The game is called ‘Hollow Knight‘, or something like that, and I spent a decent amount of time on it before getting stuck, putting down my controller, and never thinking about it again.
I honestly had a lot of fun with what I played in this game that you probably haven’t heard of. I rate the movement, combat is fun, and I’m enjoying the feeling of exploration. My first 20 hours in Hallownest were a blast, but that was it only one a good time’. This is not a life-changing experience.
Turns out, this forgotten gem is becoming one next part – Every day is a school day, right? — and, as excited anticipation for it grew, conversations began to heat up about its predecessor being one of the best of the best, a top metroidvania, something that keeps you up at night. [Okay, okay, enough of this pretend forgetfulness! – Ed.]
What I saw was perfectly clear, but that was not all. Did I miss something? Did I play wrong? Clearly not content to let everyone have their own opinion, I decided that the only thing I could do was go back and see if I could find the secret sauce that everyone wanted. other people seem to be very passionate or not
I’m a big fan of map markers.
I’m a sucker for map markers, so when I was shown the location of the three Dreamers a year ago, I went on my final mission. I breezed through the environmental narrative, disdaining newly opened routes and leaving anything that didn’t feel absolutely necessary in the dust. Playing that way, I crossed Herrah the Beast off the list and burned.
This time, I went back to my original save and walked around a bit only to discover that I had no idea where I was or what to do, other than capture two other Dreamers. Frustrated that my memory couldn’t remember every nook and cranny of a massive and detailed map after a year of not looking at it, I trashed that old file and started over.
In case you haven’t guessed, it’s here that I found the secret sauce.
Now I am armed with a different attitude. Forget the completion rate, I’m having a good time here And a long time. I took things slowly, resisting the urge to run straight to Dreamers and instead focusing on exploring every avenue open to me.
My map became a pile of pins – bought from Iselda’s shop in Dirtmouth – as I patiently marked spots I couldn’t visit right now, but spots I knew I wanted to check out later. I ensure that the areas are completely cleared (to the best of my knowledge) before proceeding. The black pins mark the spots where the ground shook until I unlocked Desolate Dive, the red pins mark a double jump platform before I found the Monarch Wings, and the yellow pins marking long gaps in my pre-Crystal Heart days.
The Hollow Knight’s genius lies not in his fighting ability or movement… but in Hallownest’s design itself
I mainly used these pins to help distract me from the three Dreamer symbols, but over time they served a much more important purpose: they allowed me to properly explore. Freed from the constraints of my goal, I can look deeper into Hallownest and see the beauty there. The only thing that I completely got over initially (and the reason I kept coming back this time) was the world-building and all that lore – lots of legends.
The Hollow Knight’s genius lies not in his combat or movement (although both are possible) but in Hallownest’s design. I set out to explore every corner of the kingdom not to fulfill some self-imposed goal but to learn more about the infected wasteland that surrounded me – via tablet, Dream Nail messages or Sales of Gypsy Magazine.
In my head, I began to piece together every piece of lore I could get my hands on. Mostly nothing more than some neat color, adding to my image of the fallen kingdom and its inhabitants. The others (*cough* The Abyss *cough*) left me sitting open-mouthed as my perception of the entire game changed. “Wow, more people really need to play this game,” I thought, turning a blind eye to the 3,684 video essays titled ‘The Legend of the Hollow Knight EXPLAINED’.
With this understanding of the kingdom, a deep sadness completely swept over me during my first playthrough. The Kingdom’s Edge music only mildly a year ago; Why does it make me cry now? And don’t even get me started on those NPCs. The legendary meat they brought to the table was varied, but my god, I was emotionally invested in their arcs. It’s completely normal to mourn a fictional error, right?
It’s completely normal to mourn a fictional error, 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 Hollow Knight’ game. I think it’ll be a hot minute until I get back to doing some of the final Dream Nail action to unlock what I understand to be a more satisfying conclusion, but I’m perfectly happy with where I got it. leave everything behind (I mean I’m an emotional wreck).
It may have taken me two tries, but I finally opened my eyes to the true power of the Hollow Knight: maize its depth.
