Hollow Knight Reviews

Hollow Knight is ranked in the 99th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Recommended
Jun 28, 2018

A stern yet scintillating 2D adventure that makes a point of not holding your hand.

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Tom Marks
Top Critic
9.4 / 10.0
Jun 22, 2018

Hollow Knight’s rich world and incredible depth of content will make you want to explore its caves for dozens of hours.

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Tom Marks
Top Critic
92 / 100
Jul 10, 2017

Hollow Knight is a new classic, with a dense and detailed world full of secrets to discover.

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Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jul 9, 2018

Gorgeously presented and cleverly designed, this impressively realised Metroidvania excels in every area except originality.

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Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Mar 21, 2017

Gorgeously presented and cleverly designed, this impressively realised Metroidvania excels in every area except originality.

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9.3 / 10.0
Aug 16, 2018

Hollow Knight has some frustrations, but the urge to see what's in the next room is a constantly compelling imperative moving you forward

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9 / 10
Aug 29, 2018

Hollow Knight's sprawling world, precise combat, and wealth of content make its trip through Hollownest engrossing and rewarding.

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Kotaku
Top Critic
Unscored
Jul 5, 2018

It does not reinvent; it refines. It does not rebuild; it polishes. It contains few ideas that I haven't seen in other games, yet it feels fresh all the same due to how much care has been put into every character, every battle, every frame of animation, and every square inch of its massively minuscule subterranean civilization.

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10 / 10.0
Mar 27, 2017

If it isn't clear, Hollow Knight is not only what I'd say is the best game so far this year, it also very well may be the best metroidvania title out there right now, and it is easily one of my favorite games of all-time.

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9 / 10
Mar 13, 2017

Hollow Knight is well-crafted and beautiful to look at, with an elegance that is found in few games. From exploring the world to interacting with characters and fighting the minions found within, it kept me on my toes throughout. It’s far from the most original though, perhaps taking too much inspiration from similar titles, but with a little tiny tweak in the controls, it could be a sleeper hit.

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95 / 100
Jun 27, 2018

Hollow Knight won't leave you hollow; quite the opposite. This incredible 'metroidvania', most likely the best example the genre has met in over 20 years, will leave you full with a feeling only a few games have achieved: the feeling of having played a masterpiece.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

9 / 10
Mar 17, 2017

Hollow Knight is a satisfactory metroidvania experience, perhaps taking too much inspiration from similar titles. Anyway, it is a must have.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Jun 27, 2018

Overall, the game itself is a must play on Switch. It includes all content released post launch for the PC version right from the get go. Team Cherry has done a superb job and once those issues are ironed out, this will be a perfect version of a fantastic game.

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9 / 10.0
Apr 10, 2017

It’s a stunning game, majestic in art design and fluid in combat. It’s difficult at times, but the rewards for getting to the next area far outweigh the frustrations.

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Adam Cook
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jun 27, 2018

Dark and beautiful, you'll come for Hollow Knight's visual appeal, but you'll stay for the challenge and responsive combat.

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Unscored
Mar 2, 2017

It delivers on what it delivers. The movement is fast but sturdy, the combat nifty, and the artwork is really lovely. Its choice of greys and muted greens and blues doesn't do it enormous favours, and each area is pretty monotone. Animations are great, and the world is pleasingly detailed, but it also feels flat and dulled.

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JVL
Rainbow-Twix
Top Critic
19 / 20
Jun 26, 2018

Hollow Knight demonstrates that indie play is able to compete with the biggest productions. Artistically superb, generous, addictive and mastered from start to finish, the title offers an unmissable experience for all fans of the Metroidvania genre who would be looking for a more pronounced challenge than in Ori and the Blind Forest.

Review in French | Read full review

Sep 23, 2018

Hollow Knight is a testament to the everlasting enjoyment of the Metroidvania genre. Its spot on controls, exciting boss fights, and sense of progression pull those willing into a surreal, dark world loaded with secrets. Addiction and obsession start to settle in until every last one is found, a sign of the best that the genre has to offer.

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GameMAG
Azzy
Top Critic
9 / 10
Jul 11, 2018

A true masterpiece, near-perfect game. Fans of the genre will surely put it on a par with Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

Review in Russian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Jun 17, 2018

Hollow Knight arrives on consoles after the successes achieved in the PC field last year. Born thanks to the Kickstarter campaign launched by the very small Australian studio Team Cherry, the metroidvania that decides to debut on Switch in its passage on consoles reconfirms itself as one of the best exponents of this genre that has returned to fashion in recent years. Enriched by an inspired artistic direction like few others, Hollow Knight guarantees its buyers at least fifteen hours of challenge and entertainment.

Review in Italian | Read full review