What are the pros of Hollow Knight?

Exceptional world design and atmospheric storytelling that rewards exploration.. Challenging but fair boss fights and tight, responsive combat mechanics.. Beautiful hand-drawn art style and a highly praised original soundtrack.. Strong value for the price with significant depth and high replayability.. Active modding community that extends the game's lifespan and customization..

What are the cons of Hollow Knight?

Frustratingly long runbacks to boss arenas after a player's death.. Exploration can feel confusing and directionless, particularly for those new to the genre.. Lack of fast travel between save points (benches) can lead to tedious backtracking..

Hollow Knight

Forge your own path in Hollow Knight! An epic action adventure through a vast ruined kingdom of insects and heroes. Explore twisting caverns, battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs, all in a classic, hand-drawn 2D style.

97%

Overwhelmingly Positive

DeveloperTeam Cherry

PublisherTeam Cherry

Release DateFeb 24, 2017

$14.99

Peak Players95.4K

Metacritic87

Controllerfull

PlatformsWindows · macOS · Linux

Action

Adventure

Indie

AI Review Summary

Hollow Knight is a critically acclaimed Metroidvania that sets a high bar for the genre with its atmospheric world-building, challenging boss encounters, and tight platforming. While its difficulty and occasionally tedious backtracking may polarize some players, it is widely considered a timeless masterpiece with exceptional art and music.

Pros

Exceptional world design and atmospheric storytelling that rewards exploration.95%
Challenging but fair boss fights and tight, responsive combat mechanics.90%
Beautiful hand-drawn art style and a highly praised original soundtrack.90%
Strong value for the price with significant depth and high replayability.85%
Active modding community that extends the game's lifespan and customization.70%

Cons

Frustratingly long runbacks to boss arenas after a player's death.80%
Exploration can feel confusing and directionless, particularly for those new to the genre.70%
Lack of fast travel between save points (benches) can lead to tedious backtracking.60%

Notable Mentions

High anticipation for the upcoming sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong.
The game features a significant endgame boss-rush mode known as Godhome.
Steam Deck compatibility is frequently noted by the community.

Confidence: 52%

Based on the 200 most relevant reviewsGenerated on Jul 6, 2026

Game Vitals

Live snapshot

Player Activity

Current peak

6.2K

Peak · last 90 days

14.4K

All-time peak

95.4K

Price

Current price

$14.99

Lowest tracked

$7.49since Dec 7, 2025

Review Sentiment

Launch week

—

Last 30 days

97%

All-time positive

97%

Review Statistics

Total Reviews559.0K

Positive: 541.8K (97%)Negative: 17.2K (3%)

Reviews from Steam Deck

Dev Response Rate

75h

Avg Playtime at Review

87%

Credible Reviews