Hollow Knight
Table of Contents
Hollow Knight: The Indie Metroidvania That Took Over the World (And Our Hearts)
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Team Cherry |
| Developer | Team Cherry |
| Release Date | February 24, 2017 (Windows) |
| Genre | Metroidvania, Action-Adventure |
| Platforms | PC (Windows, macOS, Linux), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S |
So, What Exactly Is Hollow Knight?
Imagine a kingdom of bugs. But not the kind you squash in your kitchen. We’re talking about a vast, beautiful, and completely ruined underground civilization called Hallownest . That’s where Hollow Knight throws you in.
You play as the Knight, a silent little warrior with a nail (basically a sword) and no memory of who they are or where they came from . You wake up in this desolate world, and nobody gives you a quest marker. No one holds your hand. You just… explore. And that’s the magic of this game.
The kingdom is suffering from something called the Infection. It’s a plague that drives all the bugs insane, turning them into mindless zombies . As you wander deeper into Hallownest, you start uncovering what happened here. Who was the Pale King? What are the Dreamers? Why is everything so sad and creepy at the same time? You piece the story together from tiny hints—environmental details, item descriptions, and conversations with weird little bugs you meet along the way.
And the best part? The game doesn’t force any of this on you. You can just run around slashing things if you want. Or you can dig into the lore and realize you’re actually part of a tragic, centuries-old plan to contain a god-like plague. Your choice.
How Does It Actually Play? (Spoiler: It’s Tough)
Okay, let’s talk gameplay. Hollow Knight is a 2D side-scroller, but calling it just a “platformer” feels wrong. It’s a Metroidvania, which means the world is one giant, interconnected map . You start with almost no abilities. Can’t jump high, can’t dash, can’t do much.
But as you explore, you find upgrades. The Mothwing Cloak gives you a dash. The Mantis Claw lets you climb walls. The Monarch Wings give you a double jump . Suddenly, areas that were blocked off before are now open. That ledge you couldn’t reach 10 hours ago? Now it leads to a secret boss or a powerful charm.
Combat is tight and satisfying.
You hit enemies with your Nail to build up “Soul.” Soul is your mana bar. You can use it to heal yourself (called “Focus”) or cast spells that do big damage . The combat is all about patience. You can’t just button mash. Every enemy has a pattern. You have to watch, dodge, and strike when there’s an opening. The boss fights are incredible—hard, but fair. When you finally beat that one boss that killed you twenty times, the feeling is pure dopamine.
The Death Mechanic (It hurts, but in a good way).
This game takes inspiration from Dark Souls. When you die, you leave behind a ghostly shade. You respawn at the last bench you sat on (those are your checkpoints). But here’s the catch—you lose all your money (called Geo) and your Soul meter gets capped until you go back to where you died and kill your shade . If you die again on the way there? That money is gone forever. It’s stressful. It’s punishing. But it makes every fight feel meaningful.
Charms let you build your character.
You find charms hidden all over the map. Equip them to get buffs. Maybe you want longer nail range? There’s a charm for that. Maybe you want a tiny ghost to fight beside you? Yep. You have limited “notches” to equip them, so you have to choose a build . Going for a spellcaster build? Equip the Soul-gathering charms. Going for pure melee damage? Stack the nail charms. It adds so much depth.
What Is the System Requirement for Hollow Knight?
This is the best news for anyone with an old PC. Hollow Knight is incredibly well-optimized. You don’t need a gaming rig. You barely need a computer at all.
I pulled these straight from Steam, so you know they’re legit .
Hollow Knight Minimum System Requirements
If your PC can run Windows, it can probably run this game.
- OS: Windows 10 version 21H1 (build 19043) or newer
- Processor: Intel Core i3-3240 or AMD FX-4300
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 560 Ti (1GB) or Radeon HD 7750 (1GB)
- Storage: 9 GB available space
For Mac Users: You need Big Sur 11 or newer, an Intel Core i3, 4GB RAM, and a Metal-capable GPU .
For Linux Users: Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04, an Intel Core i3, 4GB RAM, and a similar graphics card .
Hollow Knight Recommended System Requirements
Want 60 FPS with zero lag? Here you go.
- OS: Windows 10 version 21H1 (build 19043) or newer
- Processor: Intel Core i5-3470
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 1050 (2GB) or Radeon R9 380 (2GB)
- Storage: 9 GB available space
Note for Switch 2 owners: The game is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on February 5, 2026, with higher resolution and better frame rates. The file size on Switch 2 is just 1.5GB .
What Makes Hollow Knight So Special?
Let me be honest with you. I’ve played a lot of games. But Hollow Knight? It’s different.
First of all, the value for money is insane. This game costs around ₹500-600 on Steam during sales. For that price, you get easily 40-60 hours of gameplay. If you’re a completionist trying to get 112% (yes, that’s the max, not 100%), you’re looking at 80+ hours . And the four DLC packs? Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster? They are all completely free . No microtransactions. No paid expansions. Just the developers saying “here’s more awesome stuff because we love our game.”
The art style is hand-drawn. Every frame looks like a painting. The animators did traditional frame-by-frame animation, so the bugs look alive . The music by Christopher Larkin is haunting. You’ll be humming the City of Tears theme for weeks after you stop playing.
And the community? Massive. Even though the game came out in 2017, people are still playing it. There are speedrunners, lore theorists, and modders keeping the game alive. The “Pantheon of Hallownest” in the Godmaster DLC is basically the ultimate challenge mode where you fight every single boss back-to-back. It’s brutally hard. People have spent months trying to beat it.
Plus, the Switch 2 Edition just dropped on February 5, 2026, so a whole new generation of players is discovering Hallownest right now .
People Also Ask: Hollow Knight FAQs
Is Hollow Knight free?
No, it’s a paid game. But considering the quality and the amount of content (all DLCs are free), it’s one of the best value-for-money games on the market. Wait for a Steam sale, and you can grab it for practically nothing.
Can I play Hollow Knight offline?
Yes, absolutely. It’s a single-player game. Once you download it, you don’t need the internet at all. Perfect for playing on a laptop during a long train ride or when your Wi-Fi decides to act up.
How many GB is Hollow Knight?
On PC, it requires 9 GB of storage space . On Nintendo Switch, the file size is much smaller—around 1.3 GB to 1.5 GB depending on the version .
Is Hollow Knight multiplayer?
Nope. This is a strictly solo experience. You and the bugs. No co-op, no PvP. Just you getting lost in the caves by yourself.
Is Hollow Knight really that hard?
Yes… and no. The base game is challenging but fair. The checkpoints are a bit far apart, which can be frustrating. But the game teaches you how to play. Every death is your fault (mostly), and you learn from it. The optional endgame content, like the Pantheons and Steel Soul mode (permanent death), is brutally hard . But you don’t have to do that to see the credits.
Will Hollow Knight run on my old laptop?
Almost certainly yes. The minimum requirements are ancient by gaming standards. An Intel Core i3 processor from 2012 and 4GB of RAM is enough . If your laptop is from the last 10 years, just download it and try. Worst case, Steam lets you refund if you play less than 2 hours.
What’s the difference between Hollow Knight and Silksong?
Silksong is the sequel. In Hollow Knight, you play as the silent Knight. In Silksong, you play as Hornet, the speedy princess-protector. Silksong takes place in a new kingdom called Pharloom . Both are fantastic, but you should definitely play Hollow Knight first to understand the story.
So, should you buy it? If you like exploration, tight combat, and don’t mind dying a few (hundred) times, absolutely. Hollow Knight isn’t just a game. It’s an experience. It’s frustrating. It’s beautiful. It’s sad. And by the end, you won’t just be playing as the Knight. You’ll feel like you’ve actually been to Hallownest. Now go get lost in the caves. You’ll thank me later.
