Title: “Hollow Knight: A Captivating Exploration of Mystery and Skill”
Subtitle: Experiencing Raw Gameplay and Uncovering Secrets in the Best Independent Game of the Decade
I must admit my embarrassment as a self-proclaimed gamer for never having delved into the world of Souls-based games until today. Little did I know that my first foray into this genre would come in the form of “Hollow Knight,” hailed as the best independent game of the decade. This immersive experience pushed me to the limits of frustration and exhilaration, compelling me to play even when exhaustion threatened to overtake me.
At the core of “Hollow Knight” lies its simplicity, wrapped in a raw and captivating gameplay. Reminiscent of the Metroidvania style, players assume the role of a horned beetle swordsman navigating through a desolate underground city. Utilizing parkour-like movements and engaging in intense BOSS battles, players must overcome numerous obstacles and explore intricate underground mazes. As they unlock new abilities, depths of complexity emerge, and more challenging bosses await, fostering a cycle of determination and triumph.
When I initially entered the game, its purpose eluded me. Controlling the enigmatic swordsman, I traversed a shimmering, enigmatic town cloaked in darkness. Eccentric bugs with peculiar heads, engaged in poetic soliloquies, were the sole companions on my journey. However, as I gradually expanded my exploration of the map, unearthing relics and whispers of souls, I realized that I was unraveling the history of this enigmatic underground city, gradually piecing together its mysterious past. Standing at the city’s heart, the statue of the Hollow Knight bore an uncanny resemblance to the bug I controlled. This discovery ignited an insatiable curiosity within me, compelling me to plumb the depths even further, as if the little bug sought its own identity through the exploration of forsaken dungeons.
Impressive in its simplicity, the game’s combat mechanics offer an enthralling experience without relying on flashy combos or complex weaponry. There is no traditional experience point system; instead, the bug collects mask fragments to enhance its health or equip badges to augment its abilities. Occasionally, new magic skills may be unlocked, such as shockwaves or earth-splitting prowess, though their practicality remains somewhat limited. Consequently, when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, relying on personal growth is not an option. I vividly recall spending over an hour battling the formidable “Dung Worm Defender,” sustaining repeated defeat and feeling the sting of frustration throughout the day, even invading my dreams at night, where the obnoxious BOSS taunted me in whispered scorn.
Despite the relentless intensity of the BOSS battles, victory never feels beyond reach. Each encounter offers an opportunity to decipher the unique behavior patterns displayed by each opponent, inching ever closer to success. This love-hate relationship with the game’s adversaries further fuels the addictive nature of “Hollow Knight.”
With each step, the seemingly boundless world fills my once-empty map, revealing the underground realm’s grandeur, past glories, and inevitable decline. Every dungeon boasts dynamic and alluring landscapes, teeming with peculiar creatures. Gradually mapping out newfound territory, I discovered a realm far beyond cold, desolate underground cities, venturing into lush jungles, ethereal underwater realms, and intricately designed magical palaces hidden deep within the caves.
“Since the game lacks a straightforward narrative, encounters with various characters range from bewildered to indifferent, their interactions with the diminutive swordsman mere fleeting moments. Story fragments, soulful whispers, and weathered inscriptions scattered throughout the city weave a tapestry of imagination, allowing players to speculate on the heroic triumphs, melancholic sighs, and the city’s bygone splendor.
The game’s hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, mostly dominated by soft piano melodies, accentuates the city’s eerie silence, with only a handful of grand string compositions accompanying well-preserved hero statues, evoking a sense of warmth and hope. Gazing upon these statues, frozen in time, imparts a rare atmosphere of tranquility, introspection, and melancholy. Undoubtedly, this design element expertly assuages the anger that arises from incessant level stagnation.
While the challenging BOSS battles demand unwavering focus, it is the game’s excruciating yet satisfying parkour obstacles that truly test one’s mettle. Parkour refers to navigating a treacherous path brimming with hazards and obstacles, evading danger with well-timed movements until reaching the desired destination. Though countless parkour-based games exist in the market, “Hollow Knight’s” iteration pushes the boundaries of frustration with its formidable length and complexity. Formidable creatures disrupt progress at every turn, adding to the agony. Especially disheartening is the fact that a single error, even after enduring half an hour of parkour challenges, dooms you to start from scratch, perpetuating an agonizing cycle of near misses.
Yet, just as in life, “Hollow Knight” embodies the intertwining fabric of failure, resilience, and ultimate triumph that propels us to forge ahead. The soul-infused BOSS battles interwoven with the complex parkour elements create an experience akin to self-torture, fueling 80% of my time with simmering anger. However, despite the game’s arduous nature, its reward system provides a gratifying feedback loop. Each completed level not only offers an overwhelming sense of accomplishment but also tangible rewards. The harder the challenge, the greater the spoils—unleashing powerful skills to conquer deeper mazes or acquiring badges that bestow special abilities. The allure of such a game, able to captivate and entice even in the face of extreme difficulty, lies in the satisfaction it imparts. This calculated arrangement forms the backbone of the game’s addictive appeal, provoking an insatiable desire to press on, to unravel what lies beyond. A design philosophy that eloquently echoes the sentiment, “Just play again.”
Within this cycle lies a metaphor for life’s unceasing pursuit of exploration. We, as individuals, yearn for change amidst the mundane, coveting rewards while harboring an underlying fear of loss. Much like the Hollow Knight, we roam the ethereal realms, hoping to fill the void within our souls, seeking something unique and distinct. In this ethereal journey through the underground, “Hollow Knight” becomes a beacon, guiding us through moments of anger, satisfaction, and the relentless pursuit of the unknown.
I’m ashamed to say that I, who call myself a gamer, have never played any Souls-based game until today, so I’ve never experienced the kind of experience where playing a game will make you throw up’ d handlens in anger, until I played “Hollow Knight” is called the best independent game of the decade, I know there is a game that will make you swing back and forth between explosion and ecstasy. Why does this game fascinate me so much that I can’t stop playing it even when I’m exhausted?
Simple yet raw core gameplay, piling up curiosity for continued play
The core gameplay of the game is similar to Metroidvania. The player controls a skeleton-like horned beetle swordsman bug to come to this seemingly ruined underground city. Through movement and jumping, it is similar to parkour gameplay , as well as BOSS fights with nightmare intensity, go through numerous obstacles, and explore elaborate underground mazes. As players unlock more abilities, they can enter deeper and more complex mazes or take on more difficult bosses, enjoying the cycle of frustration and achievement.
When I first entered the game, I had no idea what the game was about. I was controlling a swordsman with blank eyes and came to a town that shimmered in the dark for no reason. The only a person I met on the road was one There are many bugs with funny heads, talking to themselves that seem poetic but without beginning or end. But as the map exploration continued to expand, and more relics left in the city and whispers of the soul were discovered, I gradually understood that the purpose of this game was to gradually explore the past of this underground city and uncover a mystery its history. And when I saw the statue of the hero called the Hollow Knight standing in the center of the city, I found that the statue was 87% similar to the little bug I was controlling. Under the assumption that the a little bug searching for its identity by exploring dungeons, I gradually developed a curiosity to go deeper.
The heroic statue standing in the distance is a symbol of past glory and also reveals the connection with the Fly Swordsman.
There are no wonderful combos, but the fight is still exciting and interesting. It is normal to break the handle.
As mentioned before, this is a soul exploration-like game, so combat is one of the main selling points of this game. However, it is not like other games with exaggerated and flashy combos and unique gameplay produced by various weapons. end, there was only a dagger that swung monotonously in his hands.
There is no experience point system in the game, you can only collect pieces of masks to improve the health of the bug, or to improve the effect of equipment badges. From time to time, new magic skills can be unlocked, such as shockwave and earth splitting, but most of the time they are of little use. So, when most of the levels are stuck, there is no way to use the growth system to compensate for the lack of technology. I spent more than an hour just once to break through the barrier called “Dung Worm Defender”. for food or feed all day long, and I would dream about it in the middle of the night That obnoxious BOSS laughed at my incompetence in a low voice.
Although the intensity of the BOSS is so high, it does not feel that it is completely impossible to win. And with each challenge, you can slowly master the fixed behavior pattern of each BOSS, which makes people feel that they are a little closer. He makes people love him and hate him.
He throws shit at you all the time and taunts. It is very painful to be defeated by him all the time.
The seemingly endless world slowly fills the empty map in your hand, and you discover the past glory and decline of the underground world.
The extraordinary dungeon has ever-changing scenery and strange creatures. As we continue to explore new maps, we discover that there are not only cold and desolate underground cities, lush jungles, dreamlike underwater worlds, but also complex magical palaces in the caves.
Since the game doesn’t have a main storyline, the characters you encounter are either in shock or doing their own thing, and they don’t take the little swordsman seriously. You can only understand the story through the whispers of souls, bodies, and ruins and damaged inscriptions along the way Guess and imagine the heroic and sorrowful sighs of heroes and lament the glory and decline of the city in the past.
The game’s soundtrack is dominated by soft piano sounds, and the slow rhythm highlights the deathly silence of the city. Only a few seemingly well-preserved hero statues are matched with some grand string music, revealing some warmth and hope. Just looking up at those statues standing still can bring me an atmosphere of calm, peace and sadness. I think the purpose is probably to calm the anger that has gradually built up in my heart because of the stuck level.
Extremely difficult parkour keeps my blood pressure up
Not only is the boss of this game hard to beat, but the parkour obstacles are another painful and satisfying experience. What is called parkour is to move, sprint or jump on a path full of obstacles and dangers to avoid dangers and move forward until you reach your destination. Although there are many parkour games, this parkour can make me continue to accumulate anger . value. Because the parkour designed in this game is not only difficult, but also long and complicated. There are also difficult monsters to block you in the middle. The most hateful design is that you have to start over when the health bar will reach zero. Often after half an hour of parkour challenge, you are only one step away from reaching the finish line, only to make a mistake that will last forever.
Having finally gone through the previous wave of difficulties, more bumpy roads remain.
Games are like life, and between failure, setbacks and the joy of success, we can keep moving forward.
The soul-based BOSS battle, combined with the complex and changing parkour, I felt like this was a self-abusing game, and I spent about 80% of the time angry. However, although it is difficult, the reward feedback mechanism is quite good. In addition to the great sense of achievement after passing the level, it is also extremely satisfying. Usually, the more difficult the level, the better the rewards you get after completing it, like being able to get stronger skills to unlock deeper mazes or collect badges of special abilities. It is not surprising that such a popular game can still attract me to press the next button and continue playing. Through this kind of challenge, failure, gradually getting used to, and passing the level reward, the a positive cycle of continuing to the next challenge is a perfect interpretation. A “just play again” design logic is adopted.
This cycle also happens in our real lives. In fact, people are constantly exploring. In ordinary days, they are eager to challenge changes, but they pray for a safe corner in a restless society What is the power calling us to explore the unknown? Dissatisfaction with the status quo, the desire for rewards, and fear of eventual loss are the forces that drive people. I am also like the Hollow Knight, wandering the ethereal world, hoping for something to fill the hole in my heart. .
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