Hollow Knight

HOLLOW KNIGHT is a MASTERPIECE INDIE METROIDVANIA developed by TEAM CHERRY — a 3-PERSON AUSTRALIAN STUDIO (Adelaide) consisting of ARI GIBSON (art/design), WILLIAM PELLEN (design/programming), and DAVID KAZI (formerly). Released FEBRUARY 24, 2017 on PC/Mac/Linux (Kickstarted 2014 for $57k modest budget); Switch/PS4/Xbox June 2018. Player controls THE KNIGHT — silent, hollow, void-born warrior with a nail (sword) + wings (double jump upgrade) — exploring the vast fallen underground kingdom of HALLOWNEST beneath the surface town of DIRTMOUTH. Setting: haunting Souls-inspired dark-fantasy underworld inhabited by BUG-PEOPLE (mantises, moths, bees, spiders, crickets, snails, aphids, weavers, wyrms, mosquitoes) slowly succumbing to the INFECTION — mysterious orange plague turning bugs into mindless husks. Player uncovers Hallownest's tragic history + confronts three DREAMERS (Herrah the Beast, Lurien the Watcher, Monomon the Teacher) who sealed The Hollow Knight (title character, ALSO the protagonist's sibling) inside The Temple of the Black Egg to contain infection. INTRICATE HAND-DRAWN 2D ART with painterly ink-wash aesthetic; each area has distinct visual identity (Forgotten Crossroads, Greenpath, Fungal Wastes, City of Tears, Deepnest, Crystal Peak, Waterways, Ancient Basin, Kingdom's Edge, White Palace). TIGHT PRECISION PLATFORMING + brutal MELEE COMBAT (nail attacks, dash, wall-jump, double jump acquired gradually — metroidvania progression). CHARM SYSTEM: equip charm notches (finite slots) for build customization (Quick Slash, Grubberfly's Elegy, Shaman Stone, Steady Body, Nailmaster's Glory, etc. — 45 total charms). BOSSES: 30+ mandatory + optional bosses widely considered among BEST-DESIGNED in gaming (Hornet, False Knight, Mantis Lords, Grimm, Nightmare King Grimm, Radiance, Absolute Radiance). HAUNTING SOUNDTRACK by CHRISTOPHER LARKIN. FREE POST-LAUNCH DLC: Hidden Dreams (2017), The Grimm Troupe (2017), Lifeblood (2018), Godmaster (2018) — each substantial content additions FOR FREE. 15M+ COPIES SOLD across all platforms — unprecedented for an indie. Widely considered ONE OF THE GREATEST METROIDVANIAS EVER + one of the greatest indie games ever. LONG-AWAITED SEQUEL HOLLOW KNIGHT: SILKSONG announced 2019 (originally DLC, expanded to full sequel), featuring HORNET (Knight's rival/sister/ally from base game) as protagonist in kingdom of PHARLOAM. After 6-year development, SILKSONG RELEASED SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 on all platforms — one of the most anticipated indie releases ever.

Completion-based; no VP. Track completion % (up to 112%), charms collected, bosses defeated, journal entries, achievements.

Win condition · Multiple endings: (1) The Hollow Knight (base), (2) Sealed Siblings, (3) Dream No More (kill Radiance), (4) Embrace the Void (Godmaster DLC true ending).

Available on PC (Steam/GOG), Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series. Best on Switch/Steam Deck for portability.

• Hollow Knight ($15 USD, all platforms)

  One of the best-value games ever; often on sale $7-10

• Hollow Knight: Silksong ($20, 2025)

  Sequel; all platforms; also on Xbox Game Pass + PS Plus Extra

• Modern controller preferred

  Precise platforming benefits from d-pad + shoulder buttons; playable on keyboard

• Steam Deck / Switch OLED

  Ideal for portable play

• Buy the Map from Cornifer in each area

  Cornifer sells maps; Iselda sells pins + quill for updating.

• Prioritize Mothwing Cloak (dash) + Mantis Claw (wall jump)

  Opens up traversal.

• Charm builds: try Quick Slash + Mark of Pride + Long Nail for melee damage

  Different builds suit different bosses.

• Learn Focus timing (heal outside combat)

  Interrupted mid-heal = wasted SOUL.

• Boss practice: use benches (checkpoints) then bench-rush

  Iterate on hard bosses.

The Knight

Silent protagonist; void-born vessel.

Hallownest

Fallen underground kingdom setting.

The Infection

Orange plague; central mystery + antagonist.

Charm

Equippable buff/passive; 45 total; use notches.

Geo

In-game currency (dropped on death as Shade).

Shade

Death-shade; must be defeated to recover Geo + SOUL cap.

SOUL

Meter for spells + Focus healing; refilled by hitting enemies.

Dreamer

Three ancient bugs (Herrah, Lurien, Monomon) sealing The Hollow Knight.

Radiance

True final boss; god of infection.

Godhome / Pantheon

Endgame boss-rush DLC (Godmaster) with Pantheon of Hallownest as ultimate challenge.

Grimm Troupe / Nightmare King Grimm

Grimm Troupe DLC content + one of hardest bosses.

• Steam Awards nominations multiple years

  annual · worldwide · since 2017

• The Game Awards 2019 Best Ongoing Game (nomination)

  annual · worldwide · since 2019

• Metacritic 90+ on all platforms

  ongoing · worldwide · since 2017

• Speedrun scene: Any%, All Bosses, All Skills, 112% categories very active

  ongoing · worldwide online · since 2017

• 🇦🇺Australia
• 🇺🇸United States
• 🇬🇧United Kingdom
• 🇩🇪Germany
• 🇫🇷France
• 🇯🇵Japan
• 🇰🇷South Korea
• 🇧🇷Brazil
• 🇲🇽Mexico
• 🇪🇸Spain
• 🇮🇹Italy
• 🇵🇱Poland
• 🇸🇪Sweden

• Team Cherry (developer + publisher)

  Founded 2014 · Adelaide, Australia

• Team Cherry — Hollow Knight— Team Cherry
• Wikipedia — Hollow Knight— Wikipedia