_Updated on October 22, 2023 by Casey Foot: Though Hallownest is dangerous, it’s still a joy to explore thanks to its stunning environments, the game’s art direction, and masterful music by Christopher Larkin. Team Cherry did a excellent job creating an immersive world with extensive attention to detail. The ghosts of Hallownest’s past haunt every area you explore, whether it’s through the environmental storytelling or the literal enemies that attack you. If the lack of Silksong news has you down, perhaps a revisit of Hallownest will perk you u

I think pretty much everyone can agree that Ori and the Blind Forest is just as beautiful and challenging as Hollow Knight – and some would say that it is even more challenging, mostly because trying to survive its platforming hell sequences while tears are coming out of your eyes is a genuinely elite-level t

Bottom line: the more the player plays, the more charms they can come across. Although it should be noted that some of these charms are stored in some exceptionally well-hidden spots. Within the game lies breakable walls, floors that can only be broken with the desolate dive ability and even darkened rooms that are not visible on the map. This means the player should keep an eye out when traveling through Hallownest’s various regions so they don’t miss out on any useful cha

According to the Hunter’s Journal, the crystals sing "very softly," but the sound of the mine workers overpowers their song. The conveyor belt platforming is also fun and different, helping Crystal Peak to stand out in Hallown

As it’s very sparsely populated, there isn't much to see here. The main draw of the Howling Cliffs is that they're outside and feel like freedom compared to the confines of Hallownest's inner regions. Also, the Stag Nest can be found here, which is a touching monument to one of the nicest friends the Knight will make in their trav

Speaking of depths, this is like a new genre aka a Minecraftvania. Dig holes, uncover treasure, use treasure to upgrade equipment in order to dig deeper, and so forth. It’s one of the most addictive games to play with this simple concept and unlike the first game, there is a lot more creativeness in the level design. The Western steampunk aesthetic is a huge plus too and it works best on Swi

There you are, finally sitting in the comfort of your own home all cozy with nom-noms and sweet-stickies (or not). You settle warmly into the cushions like they’re heaven on earth and you begin a fresh game. And soon an hour has passed and you're kind of bored; is it the game? Is it you? Maybe a little too much hype and excitement, you thought you tempered your expectations, but nope, that feeling of dissatisfaction gnaws at the back of your mind and so you turn the game off and play [insert literally any game.].

Although it should be mentioned that the player can engage in "overcharming" if they really need the effect of that one additional charm. As the name implies, overcharming occurs when the player forcefully equips an additional charm that goes beyond the player’s notch limit. This triggers the overcharm effect, which doubles the amount of damage the Knight receives from all sources. It’s a risky move, but the player does have the option to resort to it. Now normally the game returns a charm to the player’s inventory if there are not enough notch slots, Souls-like combat tips but if it constantly selected it will trigger the overcharmed eff

Bloodstained is the most recent Metroidvania on this list as of 2019. It falls more in line with the "vania" part of the equation as it is truly emulating Castlevania from the look, RPG elements, castle, and so on. It’s not as ominous as Hollow Knight and it falls on the easier side if one grinds enough. That said it does have a fun gameplay loop filled with lots of secrets to uncover while exploring the castle’s dep

Equipping charms, as described by the game, is easy. Just go to the nearest bench, open the inventory, and select the charm. But players will quickly realize that they can’t wear all the charms they want. The Knight starts with 3 notch slots, and each charm takes up a certain amount of these notches. As with charms, players can collect more notches through purchase, defeating certain enemies and explorat

Cuphead may not be a Metroidvania like the three above, but fans of Hollow Knight can appreciate it for the high difficulty and similar art style. That is to say, it is like playing an old cartoon mixed with a shooter akin to Contra . The music is also superb plus there is co-op as well. For those curious, it started off as an Xbox One exclusive but it’s now on Switch as w

Dead Cells is a roguelike primarily with Metroidvania elements. Players will explore randomly generated dungeons which usually have multiple exists. These can be accessed by gaining new abilities as one goes on. All levels lead to the same finale, but this simple change in the normal die and repeat gameplay at least gives it some extra flexibility. It also teeters on the difficult, grind-heavy side of thi