Countless similar games are waiting to enthrall you further if Hollow Knight captivated your interest.
Throughout its atmospheric and hauntingly beautiful environments, players assume the role of the Knight, a beetle-like, sword-wielding character who explores the abandoned kingdom of Hollownest. The game is known for its challenging gameplay, detailed lore, and rewarding systems of progression. Hollow Knight combines elements from some of the most beloved genres of gaming. It masterfully integrates the exploration and world-building of Metroidvania style games with the challenging combat and intricate world design of Dark Souls. Adding to the depth, the game's narrative is told not only through occasional dialogues but also environmentally. It truly is a master-crafted venture that will challenge both your skills and your wits.
If you're a fan of Hollow Knight, you'd likely enjoy games that share its challenging combat, sense of exploration, and profound storytelling. Luckily, indie game developers have been busy creating incredible, innovative experiences that often pay homage to, or even improve upon, the genres from which Hollow Knight draws much of its brilliance. You're in luck today because I have a curated list of games like Hollow Knight that I'm certain you'd love to explore. Brace yourself, you're about to dive into a world of moody atmospheres, challenging battles, and captivating narratives.
25. Ori and the Blind Forest
Both Ori and the Blind Forest and Hollow Knight offer the same Metroidvania-style gameplay that you clearly loved in Hollow Knight. In both games, you're thrown into mesmerizing, atmospheric, and labyrinthine worlds, where exploration and platforming are key. Ori and the Blind Forest allows you to traverse an enchanting forest, offering stunning visuals and emotional storytelling that beautifully complements its clever game mechanics and impressive level design. Much like Hollow Knight, Ori too presents a series of challenging combat scenarios which will keep you on your toes at all times.
Another common trait in both games is their intricate and interconnected maps. These maze-like environments reward thorough exploration with new skills, abilities, and secrets that help you in your journey. The sublime art design and melancholic soundtrack are further congruences that evoke a similar aura to Hollow Knight. But don't be mistaken, despite these shared elements, Ori and the Blind Forest has its unique charms and plot, and it leaps and bounds to create its own identity within the genre.
Ori and the Blind Forest is available on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
24. Dead Cells
Dead Cells and Hollow Knight both fall into the genre of metroidvanias, a category distinguished by games with large interconnected maps that the player can gradually unlock through gaining new abilities and keys. These games beautifully blend action based gameplay with elements of exploration, offering a stimulating challenge to your strategic and combat skills. Just like Hollow Knight, Dead Cells empowers the player with a range of weapons and tools gained throughout an expanding map, thus diversifying combat strategies. However, where Hollow Knight offers a strictly defined linear story progression, Dead Cells encourages replayability with its roguelite elements, where death isn’t the end, but part of your progress.
Both games present extraordinary visuals and design. Dead Cells is set in an evocative pixel-art world that’s richly detailed and fluid; its grimmer aesthetic contrasts yet compliments Hollow Knight’s eerily beautiful, hand-drawn landscapes. The atmospheric music in both games further immerses the player into their shadowy, mysterious universes. Their deep, satisfying combat mechanics will surely resonate with you as a Hollow Knight fan. However, in Dead Cells, you will find the combat to be faster paced and more unforgiving, placing a premium on player reflexes and quick decision-making.
Dead Cells is available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $25 USD.
23. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Both Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Hollow Knight masterfully combine exploration and combat within a sprawling, interconnected world. Hollow Knight, like Symphony of the Night, emphasizes the joy of exploration, with players able to take their time delving into the twists and turns of each meticulously crafted environment. Their worlds are dense with secrets, side quests, and hidden areas to uncover, and the further you progress, the more abilities you acquire, thereby opening up more of the game's world. Symphony of the Night similarly uses progression to determine the parts of the castle you can access, with newer areas only reachable after gaining specific abilities or items, creating that enthralling sense of constantly unfolding discovery.
On the combat front, Symphony of the Night, much like Hollow Knight, has a deep and engaging combat system. Symphony of the Night employs a wide range of weapons, items, and magic spells to fend off an equally diverse roster of enemies and bosses. Hollow Knight offers an equally satisfying, albeit different system, which primarily focuses on precise dodging, parrying, and counter-attacking. Symphony of the Night also includes the RPG elements of leveling up and equipping different gears, much like Hollow Knight's charm system where you equip charms to gain certain advantages during gameplay. If you loved the challenging boss fights, cryptic lore, and intricate combat presented in Hollow Knight then Symphony of the Night is definitely up your alley.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and mobile platforms, typically priced around $20 USD.
22. The Messenger
In many respects, The Messenger can easily be compared to Hollow Knight, particularly in terms of the meticulous platforming mechanics and intriguing exploration. Like Hollow Knight, The Messenger offers a beautifully designed world rich in secrets and challenging boss battles. You play as a ninja in an 8-bit world that later transforms into a 16-bit environment similar to the layout shifts in Hollow Knight. The platforming is tight, responsive, and has a unique twist; you earn a double jump for every hit you land on enemies or projectiles, encouraging creative combat and traversal strategies.
Notably, The Messenger delivers a strong narrative with humorous dialogue, something that differentiates it from the cryptic storytelling in Hollow Knight. But at the same time, the game has its share of enigmatic lore and subtle hints that fans of Hollow Knight's intricate plot construction will appreciate. The transformation from 8-bit to 16-bit also adds a level of complexity to the exploration much like the intertwined paths and areas in Hollow Knight. Additionally, the graphics style and catchy chiptune music will appeal to fans of Hollow Knight's atmospheric and haunting aesthetic.
The Messenger is available on platforms such as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
21. Metroid: Samus Returns
Metroid: Samus Returns and Hollow Knight both embrace the metroidvania style with passion. This means an interconnected world where progress is half exploration, half gaining new abilities that let you reach previously inaccessible areas. Hollow Knight's Hollownest and Metroid: Samus Returns' Zebes are both labyrinthian and full of secrets, making every venture into their darkened corners an exciting adventure. Another shared feature between the two games is the intense boss fights. Every monopoly-worthy space of these game maps is marked by memorable bosses that will challenge your skills and patience, much like Hollow Knight.
A major similarity between the two games is the overall atmosphere. The sombre, decaying world of Hollow Knight's Hollownest is characterized by a sense of desolation and decay, much like what you'll experience in Metroid: Samus Returns' Zebes. Both games also place a heavy emphasis on atmosphere, combining visuals with evocative audio cues to make you feel as if you're really in a haunting, alien world. Solitude is a key theme in both titles, creating an environment that feels eerily quiet and unnerving, further enhancing the sense of exploration. The solitary figure of Samus in Metroid parallels Hollow Knight, making the similarities between the two games not just skin deep.
Metroid: Samus Returns is available on the Nintendo 3DS, typically priced around $40 USD.
20. Shovel Knight
While Shovel Knight and Hollow Knight have vastly different themes, they share a metroidvania experience that's sure to excite any fan of the genre. Both are action-adventure platformers with complex, multi-leveled worlds. In Shovel Knight, you navigate an 8-bit world using only your trusted Shovel Blade, battling the Knights of the Order of No Quarter and seeking to defeat the evil Enchantress. Hollow Knight and Shovel Knight may not share the same graphic aesthetic, with Hollow Knight having a dark, hand-drawn style compared to Shovel Knight's retro charm, but they both infuse their worlds with brilliant and captivating details— creating immersive landscapes that feel unique and vivid.
Shovel Knight, like Hollow Knight, provides challenging combat and exploration-focused gameplay. You engage in detailed boss battles, each with their own unique strategies to learn, much like those in Hollow Knight. Both games also offer a variety of NPCs that provide quests, upgrades, and story development. Shovel Knight also has its own version of Hollow Knight’s charm system, relics, which are special items that grant new abilities, like propelling yourself forward or becoming temporarily invincible. Both games incorporate meaningful backstories, enriching the gameplay while maintaining a challenging platforming experience. They development allows for intricate level designs, that keep players engaged while unraveling mysteries and deep lore.
Shovel Knight is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $25 USD.
19. Celeste
Both Celeste and Hollow Knight are renowned indie titles that deliver rewarding platforming challenges and masterful storytelling. Like Hollow Knight, Celeste thrives on its meticulously crafted, pixel-art environment and balances its difficulty with an engaging narrative. They both offer intricate, beautifully designed worlds, where every screen acts as a challenging, yet rewarding puzzle. Aside from going head-to-head with the elements, Celeste also presents the player with internal struggles of the protagonist, adding another layer of intrigue to your journey. The adorable, pixelated art style utilized in Hollow Knight is echoed in Celeste, resulting in a game that is not only a joy to play, but also a beauty to behold.
Moreover, while Hollow Knight is renowned for conveying its narrative subtly and through environmental storytelling, Celeste follows a more direct storytelling approach but is no less poignant or profound. Players can expect to encounter a similar level of emotional depth and character development that made Hollow Knight so memorable, narrated with a masterful blend of introspective dialogue and symbolic level design. Celeste, similar to Hollow Knight, encourages exploration and replayability by hiding numerous secrets and collectibles within its levels, giving hardcore gamers plenty of opportunities to challenge themselves. Both games are also highly critically acclaimed, boasting multiple awards and high ratings on various platforms.
Celeste is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
18. Guacamelee!
Guacamelee! carries many resemblances to Hollow Knight that make it an equally exciting and engrossing experience. Just like Hollow Knight, it's a Metroidvania-style platformer that relies heavily on exploration and discovery but with a unique twist. The game draws heavily from Mexican culture and folklore, its art style and narrative add an element of diversity that makes it stand out. However, what truly makes it a parallel to Hollow Knight is the fluid and engaging combat system, robust world-building, and the non-linear approach to exploration. You will plunge and explore through various environments, taking on challenging enemies, epic bosses, mastering moves and overcoming intricate platforming puzzles, all while unfolding a captivating story of rescue and redemption.
Another striking similarity with Hollow Knight is the attention to detail in level design. Guacamelee's levels are meticulously crafted, filled with secret areas that reward thorough exploration, just like in Hollow Knight. There is a dazzling array of memorable locations to explore, each teeming with its own unique enemies, landmarks, and gameplay mechanics. The game shines with its variety of power-ups to discover, character upgrades to unlock, and it's unique feature which allows you to switch between the living and undead realms, further escalating the level of depth and replayability. Guacamelee! incorporates genre staples like backtracking and ability gating, always leaning into the game’s strengths of combat and intricate platforming.
Guacamelee! is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, PC, and Nintendo Switch, typically priced around $14.99 USD.
17. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
If Hollow Knight struck a chord with you due to its impressive Metroidvania setup, then Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is something you should definitely check out. This game echoes elements of the Metroidvania genre in a captivating way, just like Hollow Knight, where exploration of a sprawling, interconnected map is an essential part of the experience. In Bloodstained, you'll find yourself wandering through a hauntingly beautiful gothic castle, with each new room presenting unique challenges and opportunities. The environment radiates a similar atmospheric experience reminiscent of Hollow Knight's exploration of Hollownest, and you'll piece together the story in a similarly indirect method.
Just as Hollow Knight offers its allure through tight controls and satisfying combat, Bloodstained steps up with fluid, strategic battles and a diverse array of weapons at your disposal. Much like the charm system in Hollow Knight allowed you to equip different charms to impact your approach to combat, Bloodstained introduces the 'Shard' system, which lets you utilize sections of enemy abilities to bolster and individualize Miriam's (the protagonist) combat approach. This provides a high degree of freedom in customizing your character and playstyle.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows, typically priced around $40 USD.
16. Shadow Complex
If you're a fan of Hollow Knight, then you should definitely try out Shadow Complex. Just like Hollow Knight, Shadow Complex has an explorative gameplay theme where the player gets to navigate through a labyrinthine map. As the player, your ultimate goal is to unearth hidden elements and paths that add depth and substance to the game. Both games bring a thrilling sense of discovery that will keep you engaged, but while Hollow Knight leans more into the world of fantasy, Shadow Complex plays out in a military environment, providing a complimentary, yet different gaming experience.
Another similarity you'll find in Shadow Complex is the progression style. In Hollow Knight, you would remember how you progress by acquiring abilities that further open up new areas of the game world. Shadow Complex shares this same approach. Your character acquires new equipment and abilities as you progress, allowing you to access previously unreachable areas. However, Shadow Complex parades a range of unique high-tech military weapons and equipment that brings an action-packed edge to the game. The mix of exploration and action in Shadow Complex will definitely remind you of your enjoyment of Hollow Knight, albeit with a unique spin.
Shadow Complex is available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows platforms, typically priced around $15 USD.
15. Axiom Verge
If you enjoyed the masterful artistry, intriguing narrative, and challenging gameplay of Hollow Knight, then Axiom Verge should definitely be the next game on your list. Axiom Verge, like Hollow Knight, is a metroidvania-style game that heavily emphasizes exploration and combat. As you delve deeper into the alien world, you unravel the secrets of the plot, akin to the storytelling manner in Hollow Knight. And like in Hollow Knight, you enhance your character's abilities and defeat monstrous bosses in order to progress in your quest, making the gameplay dramatically immersive.
An aspect that sets Axiom Verge apart yet makes it similar to Hollow Knight is the unique retro aesthetic. This is a love letter to the 8-bit era evoking a sense of nostalgia, contrasted heavily with Hollow Knight's hand-drawn charm, yet remarkably complementary in artistic vision. The atmospheric music and sound design of Axiom Verge also align with the evocative aural beauty in Hollow Knight, both skillfully adding nuances to the gaming experience. These features contribute to creating an immersive world that sucks you in, just like Hollow Knight's Hollownest.
Axiom Verge is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
14. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori and the Will of the Wisps, much like Hollow Knight, is a visually arresting and emotion-driven metroidvania game that excels in both its gameplay mechanics and atmospheric storytelling. Both titles have a beautifully haunting aesthetic, with captivating worlds teeming with odd creatures, hidden mysteries, and deep lore. They share a focus on exploration and discovery, encouraging players to lose themselves in lush, intricate environments that incrementally reveal their secrets. They also both feature challenging, strategic combat with a variety of skills and abilities to unlock and customize.
Like Hollow Knight, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is renowned for its exquisite, hand-drawn art style, atmospheric soundtrack, and profoundly touching narrative. The gameplay might remind you of Hollow Knight’s punishing yet rewarding difficulty curve. The games share a dark ambience, but where Hollow Knight leans more into a Gothic horror aesthetic, Ori balances its darkness with a sense of hope and optimism, making it equally compelling but with a different flavor. What sets Ori and the Will of the Wisps apart is its innovative addition of side quests and the ability to upgrade both abilities and weapons, which add unique layers of richness to the metroidvania formula.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows, and Nintendo Switch, typically priced around $30 USD.
13. Cave Story+
When you talk about similarities, Cave Story+ certainly shares several common elements with Hollow Knight. Similarly set in a breathtakingly detailed, subterranean realm, Cave Story+ presents a world richly woven together by a fascinating narrative and exquisite artwork. This action-adventure game also features methodically designed levels with various challenges and escalating difficulty, just like Hollow Knight. Moreover, the combat mechanics echo Hollow Knight's style, as Cave Story+ offers an array of weapons that the players can level up, giving an intriguing depth to the combat mechanics.
Another aspect where Cave Story+ mirrors Hollow Knight is in its atmospheric storytelling. Both games have a similar melancholic tone and an engrossing tale that ominously unfolds as you delve deeper into the game. The narrative in Cave Story+ is also laced with intriguing characters and unexpected twists which keep the players engaged. However, it's the advanced character progression and detailed world-building that truly make Cave Story+ a compelling play, as they not only encourage exploration but also offer a sense of accomplishment, similar to what you experienced in Hollow Knight.
Cave Story+ is available on multiple platforms, like Windows PC and Nintendo Switch, usually priced around $14.99 USD.
12. Super Metroid
Super Metroid, much like Hollow Knight, is a maze-like, action-adventure game that sets you on a thrilling journey of exploration and discovery. Both games belong to the esteemed "Metroidvania" genre, a platforming subgenre where players are encouraged to explore intricate, interconnected maps and gain new abilities that progressively unlock more of the game world. Just as in Hollow Knight, Super Metroid offers an open-ended world design where freedom to explore is a key component. Fight ferocious enemies, solve puzzles, and unearth secrets as you navigate the vast depths of Planet Zebes.
Boss fights, as one of the most exciting elements in this genre, are also abundant in Super Metroid, very similar to Hollow Knight. In both games, you'll encounter a myriad of fearsome bosses and mini-bosses that will truly test your mettle and strategy. Not to mention, the tension and satisfaction derived from these encounters are heightened by the atmospheric art style and immersive soundtrack that both games impart. Super Metroid's thrilling 16-bit visual and audio aesthetics complement Hollow Knight's dark and gothic appeal, drawing you into their stunningly intricate worlds.
Super Metroid is available on the Nintendo Switch Online service, which faithful to the original Super Nintendo Classic, is typically priced around $19.99 per year USD. This will also give you access to plenty other classic titles within the same subscription.
11. Fez
In terms of similarities, both Fez and Hollow Knight offer a unique and immersive universe for the players to explore, although in the form of 2D but with an attractive visual design that draws you in. Feeling a sense of mystery and curiosity to delve deeper is a common theme in both games, thanks to their expansive maps filled with secrets, puzzles, and challenges to uncover. Just like Hollow Knight, Fez blends exploration with puzzle-solving in a way that’s challenging yet fun. Not to mention, it shares the Metroidvania genre with Hollow Knight that lets you explore freely and return to previous locations as you acquire new abilities.
While both games share a lot of similarities, Fez incorporates a unique gameplay aspect that you have yet to experience in Hollow Knight. Fez introduces a 3D perspective shift in a 2D platformer. You can rotate the environment to reveal new paths, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets that aren’t visible in a single point of view. This mechanic adds an intriguing complexity to your exploration and puzzle-solving experience, much like the challenges you enjoyed in Hollow Knight. Even though Hollow Knight leans more towards action and Fez is primarily a puzzle game, the intriguing exploration and challenges that both games offer create a familiar, engaging experience.
Fez is available on various platforms including Windows, PlayStation 3/4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, typically priced around $10 USD.
10. Iconoclasts
Iconoclasts, like Hollow Knight, is a visually striking and mechanically complex metroidvania, complete with a vast interconnected world ripe for exploration. Much like the cryptic, shadow-soaked subterranean kingdom of Hollownest, the lush and vibrant landscapes of Iconoclasts are filled with challenging platforming sequences, intricate puzzles, and ferocious bosses that require precision, strategy, and adaptability. You'll encounter a wealth of unique, memorable characters, each carrying their own stories seeped in haunting melancholy, not unlike the tragic denizens of Hollow Knight's world.
Iconoclasts shares Hollow Knight's depth of story telling and intricate world building. You'll navigate through a deeply philosophical narrative with fascinating religious and political undertones, diving into the crises and conflicts of a richly elaborate universe. Much like Hollow Knight, Iconoclasts works its lore into every nook and cranny of the environment, rewarding your determination and curiosity with profound revelations that inject even more intrigue to your adventure. Despite its generally brighter aesthetics, Iconoclasts does not shy away from exploring mature themes, and actually packs a surprising emotional punch compared to the somber undertone of Hollow Knight.
Iconoclasts is available on Playstation 4, Playstation Vita, PC, and Nintendo Switch, typically priced around $20 USD.
9. The Mummy Demastered
The Mummy Demastered shares many features and game mechanics with Hollow Knight that will make it feel familiar yet freshly exciting. Both games are under the broad umbrella of Metroidvania-style platformers, inviting you on exploratory journeys through complex and atmospheric landscapes filled with hidden secrets. In The Mummy Demastered, you traverse creepy ruins and fight off hordes of undead creatures, similar to the eerie environments and versatile combat options in Hollow Knight. Also, just like Hollow Knight, there's a captivating narrative behind all the actions that gradually unfolds as you progress in the game. You'll also appreciate the continual character upgrades, intriguing lore, and atmospheric music that both games offer.
Another interesting similarity between The Mummy Demastered and Hollow Knight is how both games make death an integral part of the gameplay. Just like how dying in Hollow Knight can result in you returning to your last save point while losing all your collected currency, The Mummy Demastered has a unique death mechanic where your deceased character rises as a powerful enemy upon your next play-through, challenging you to vanquish them to retrieve your valuable gear. This unique twist gives the game an additional level of challenge and depth. So, if you enjoyed the strategic depth and risk-reward systems weaved into Hollow Knight's combat, you'll also appreciate the similar mechanics in The Mummy Demastered.
The Mummy Demastered is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
8. Sundered
If you loved the beautifully grotesque world of Hollow Knight, Sundered will surely capture your imagination as well. Like Hollow Knight, Sundered is a gorgeous hand-drawn Metroidvania-style game that takes you on an immersive journey through a sinister world. Both games feature a character that explores an intricate, interconnected world full of secrets, foes and bosses. The progression system and gameplay mechanics are similar in both games. Additionally, they both have crisp, fluid combat mechanics and boss battles that are challenging and rewarding.
Though both games belong to the Metroidvania subgenre, they each bring a unique twist to the lore and atmosphere. Where Hollow Knight gives a strong focus on its haunting, dark world, Sundered provides a certain intensity with its unpredictable enemies spawning and deeply Lovecraftian inspired elements. Sundered's procedurally generated world ensures that no two playthroughs look exactly the same, further boosted by its multiple endings, making it replayable with unique experiences each time. What truly binds these two games together, however, is the deep, emotional narratives that will surely stir your heart.
Sundered is available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
7. Gato Roboto
Gato Roboto, like Hollow Knight, is a metroidvania-style game that utilizes detailed monochrome pixel-art, creating an absorbing game world worth exploring. While Hollow Knight takes you through a hauntingly unique kingdom inhabited by bug-like creatures, Gato Roboto sets you on an adventurous trail of a space cat, quite literally. However, it's in their intricate level design, packed with tight platforming segments and robust enemy encounters that the similarity is most evident. Both games require the player to chart a path through interconnected regions, gradually gaining abilities that unlock new areas and lead to unexpected overlaps, creating a sense of a complex, intertwined world.
Another intriguing similarity is in the use of safe rooms or benches in both games. In Hollow Knight, you save your progress and replenish your health at the benches scattered throughout Hollownest. Similarly, in Gato Roboto, your mileage is stored at Save Room consoles as you manoeuvre your way around an alien planet. Despite their stylistic differences - Hollow Knight's grim charm and Gato Roboto's whimsical take on an alien adventure, both games excel in drawing the player into their unique worlds, offering depths of exploration under a minimalist exterior, and a challenging yet engaging game-experience.
Gato Roboto is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC, typically priced around $7.99 USD.
6. Blasphemous
If you enjoyed Hollow Knight, then you'll likely appreciate Blasphemous, as both games share the same Metroidvania DNA. They both involve a mysterious protagonist on a journey through a desolate and intricate world. Both also have a detailed and intricate lore filled with obscure, cryptic meaning. After defeating bosses in both games, you acquire new abilities that allows you to open up previously inaccessible areas in the game world. Additionally, both games rely heavily on precise platforming and timing-based combat, instilling thrilling and challenging mechanics into their gameplay. The art styles are worth noting too. While Hollow Knight may operate in a charming, silhouetted aesthetic, Blasphemous takes a more darkly gorgeous, pixelated approach that is reminiscent of matured, Gothic artwork.
The stories in both Hollow Knight and Blasphemous have an enigmatic quality to them. While Hollow Knight revolves around a fallen bug kingdom, Blasphemous takes you through a dark, grim world filled with religious symbolism and twisted monsters. Both games avoid hand-holding; instead, they drop cryptic clues for you to decipher and construct the narrative. You'll have a sense of exploration and discovery that is so rare in modern gaming. If you loved the boss battles in Hollow Knight, expect equally, if not more, breathtaking encounters in Blasphemous. From grotesque giants and wicked witches, Blasphemous ensures that no two boss fights feel the same.
Blasphemous is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, typically priced around $24.99 USD.
5. Hollow Knight: Silksong
As a fellow Hollow Knight enthusiast, you'll be delighted to know that Hollow Knight: Silksong carries forward all the elements that made its predecessor great. Much like Hollow Knight, Silksong is a Metroidvania-style game that provides you with the same lush but eerie aesthetics, a sprawling map to be discovered with backtracking gameplay, and meticulously designed challenging combat mechanics. You'll be venturing through a whole new kingdom teeming with over 150 new enemy types to face off against, which takes the already satisfying and stylized combat aspect a few notches higher! Even the progression system will feel incredibly familiar as you'll still acquire abilities and charms to enhance Hornet, much like you did with the protagonist in the original game.
The major shift, however, is the feel and pace of combat and movement, as the protagonist Hornet, unlike the Knight, is nimble, agile, and utilizes her silk and needle to dish out new kinds of attacks. This plays into the world exploration as well, which involves more verticality compared to the original. But nonetheless, you'll be met with some astonishing set pieces, test your platforming skills on well-crafted environmental puzzles, interact with enigmatic NPCs, all while the game's story unfolds cryptically, making sure the sense of eerie mystery and curiosity that Hollow Knight fans have come to love remains intact.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is available on Nintendo Switch and PC platforms, typically priced around $30 USD.
4. Dust: An Elysian Tail
If you loved the exploration-driven gameplay of Hollow Knight, our recommendation is Dust: An Elysian Tail. Much like in Hollow Knight, this game combines deep exploration and exciting combat bringing you into a rich immersive world. You'll spend countless hours exploring lush environments, discovering new secrets and challenging titanic bosses. As you progress, you'll unlock a range of abilities that can be combined in engaging and strategic ways, further enhancing the combat experience. While Hollow Knight has a more gloomy aesthetic, Dust: An Elysian Tail switches it for a colorful and beautifully hand-drawn world, both games are visually stunning and will immerse you fully in their varied environments.
This title also presents a strong narrative element which differs to Hollow Knight's mysterious narrative. In Dust: An Elysian Tail, you'll actively engage with charming characters and a compelling storyline involving loss and self-discovery, giving you more room to connect emotionally with the game. Its narrative-weaving is truly impressive that combines emotional depth and comic relief. Character interactions are enriching and contribute to world-building, with each character featuring impressive voice acting. Gameplay mechanics are fluid, having striking similarities with Hollow Knight, while providing a unique twist on the Metroidvania genre.
Dust: An Elysian Tail is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $15 USD.
3. Hyper Light Drifter
You may already appreciate Hyper Light Drifter if you enjoyed Hollow Knight. Both games deliver a sense of mystery and exploration that is deeply interwoven within their beautifully crafted worlds. Like Hollow Knight, Hyper Light Drifter offers a rich narrative, but it does so without any dialogue, similar to how Hollow Knight employs environmental storytelling and cryptic NPC interactions to develop its narrative. Both games are renowned for their selectively challenging combat mechanics that are smooth yet challenging, requiring precise timing and skill.
Digging deeper into their gameplay similarities, both are action-adventure games built around exploring large interconnected worlds. In Hollow Knight, you chiefly navigate underground chambers, while in Hyper Light Drifter, you roam an apocalyptic world. As you make progress, in both games, new abilities and power-ups grant access to previously inaccessible areas, inducing a rewarding sense of discovery and progression. The atmospheric soundtracks of both games also deserve mention, as they enhance the overall mood and immersion of the exploration experience. In short, if you loved the challenging combat, immersive exploration, and intricate storytelling of Hollow Knight, Hyper Light Drifter would likely offer a similarly enjoyable experience.
Hyper Light Drifter is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
2. Chasm
Chasm, much like Hollow Knight, presents you with a detailed, immersive world filled with a myriad of complex tunnels, pathways, and dungeons to explore. Both games share a beautiful 2D design aesthetic, blending hand-drawn artwork and intricate animation. In Chasm, you will also find a multitude of thoughtfully designed enemies to battle, each with distinct patterns and abilities, not unlike the vast variety of foes you encountered in Hollow Knight. Additionally, the exciting boss fights, engaging exploration mechanics, and progressive skill upgrades in Chasm, are eerily reminiscent of Hollow Knight's game-play experience.
Another key element that Hollow Knight fans would appreciate in Chasm is it's absorbing narrative. Similar to Hollow Knight, Chasm entices players with a captivating story that unravels as the game progresses. The game tells the story of a rookie knight sent on a mission to investigate a mine. As you descend further into the depths of the mine, you will encounter mystifying creatures, unveil dark secrets, and find yourself engrossed in a world as fascinating as Hollownest. Moreover, the procedural generation of the Chasm's setting brings a new spin to the Metroidvania genre, providing a unique adventuring experience, each time you play the game.
Chasm is available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows, Linux, macOS, and Xbox One and is typically priced around $19.99 USD.
1. Salt and Sanctuary
From a broader perspective, Salt and Sanctuary shares many attributes with Hollow Knight, especially with its core mechanics being deeply rooted in the Metroidvania genre. Just like Hollow Knight, Salt and Sanctuary offers a huge interconnected world to explore filled with a variety of monsters and bosses to face off against. The dark gothic atmosphere, artistic presentation, and a rich lore that unfolds through cryptic storytelling contribute to the distinct identity that it shares with Hollow Knight. Additionally, both games have hauntingly beautiful backdrops coupled with atmospheric sounds that enhance the overall experience.
These two games also share challenging combat systems which are initially simple to understand, yet incredibly deep and complex as you progress. In Salt and Sanctuary just like in Hollow Knight, you are encouraged to learn from your prior mistakes to get stronger and upgrade your abilities as you move forward. Each defeated boss brings satisfaction and progression in your character’s powers and abilities. The platforming challenges, intricate level designs, and hidden secrets that await to be discovered in both games make the gameplay experience more rewarding.
Salt and Sanctuary is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Windows PC, MacOS, Linux, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, typically priced around $18 USD.
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