i didn’t beat hollow knight On his first playthrough in 2018. I didn’t even come close. I never attempted to fight Dreamers and barely scraped through a few Warrior Dream Fights, much less than Dream Nail variants of killed bosses. I passed out of Deepnest, thanks to an enduring fear of spiders that kept screaming at me and dropping my Switch like a hot potato. I got completely lost (and utterly disgusted) fighting Flukearm, the giant, grumpy Royal Waterways boss, eventually completely jumped off the game.
But I couldn’t stop thinking about my time at Hollownest—the sad little worms and their old kingdom, Myla’s haunting mining song, or Britta’s sweet blush. With 30 Hours Under My Belt, I Declare hollow knight One of my favorite games, and turned out to be the person who wouldn’t keep quiet about it. (Writing it is my penance.) I could return to it anytime, I told myself. but I did not. Instead, I put the game aside for four years—until elden ringAnd its extensive online community is what finally inspired me to pick it up again.
Image: Team Cherry via Polygon
I generally enjoy an exploration, perplexing, and platforming video game. While other Metroidvanias can often make a player double back, hollow knightThe interwoven areas create the impression of a continuous forward, if curved, movement. I became obsessed with the various hidden entryways. Bosses were a thrill; Defeating them came with great rewards, like reaching new territories or adding a new charm to my collection. But they also threatened me, so I tried to leave the alternate owners behind. I didn’t feel like I could actually beat them, given the game’s intimidating reputation – I was content to enjoy the elegant dance of Mantis Lords’ attacks, all the while admitting that I was outcast.
I dashed and glide through most areas, listened to the grub’s call, and randomly updated my moving map. I would dodge through squares whenever possible, avoiding the need to heal instead of collecting soul (the game’s version of mana, used for healing or spelling). A typical battle effort looked like this: returning to Soul Sanctum to awaken the Soul Master with my trusty Dream Nail. The fight got really sloppy. Another attraction was making the trek to the nearest bench to try the loadout, held back by my relatively limited collection. moving on. I also played like this in the beginning elden ring, Search first, fight later. I missed Stormville Castle as I ran around the perimeter, straight to the Lakes of Liurnia, through a rain of projectiles from a giant lobster, and into the loving hands of death.
All the while, the game’s enemies cast a curious vibe on me. Of course, I needed to run and fight them to level up – but I also noticed how these creatures fit into the game’s story. Connecting with the masters reveals an even greater concentration of the world, otherwise absurd lore. And the Reddit community made me feel like I could beat them (though maybe not Melania) if only I got the right weapons and messed with the right builds. In the subreddit, players discussed bleed builds and rune farming. I expanded my horizons beyond Glintstone Pebble and advanced my Spirit Ashes.
Ultimately defeating Margit was the biggest incentive: me could do, and I would like Do it again with the next boss. Every persistent enemy rewarded me with delicious anecdotes of lore and storytelling, and I grew in love elden ringBig cast of awesome oddballs. It took research and elbow grease, but it was possible. So I considered other games with bosses I had briefly avoided – and one quickly rose to the top of the stack. I decided it was time to consider returning for a second shot at my favorite Metroidvania. describe watching fans on reddit hollow knight As a “soul like” only strengthened my resolve.
Image: Team Cherry via Polygon
I took the nail-first back to Hollonest. Iselda’s first hearing hmm, father Felt like a warm blanket. I decided, then and there, that I wasn’t going to go around every corner of the game’s map—I was going to murder every single boss (respectfully, of course). To overcome this, I have to change my approach with different highlights and nail upgrades. I decided optimistically that I would strive for a 100% run (though probably not 106% or 112%, as is possible by playing to a certain ending, plus the DLC) to have a solid goal.
i don’t know that elden ring Improved my skills. If anything, years of platforming had helped me hone the sharp knife of observation and pattern recognition. Mostly, the game gave me stubborn stubbornness and intense anger to keep trying death after death. How many times do I have to see this man rip off the head of a dragon to put it on my arm? I’ve heard people say that the FromSoftware game helped them build patience, but that wasn’t the case for me. mostly, elden ring Transformed me into someone who can find humor in horror, no matter how gruesome – lest I become frustrated with being repeatedly stabbed by birds.
elden ring taught me to play hollow knight more strategically. It started with small things like sticking to my color-coded system of scarab markers, poking around every inch of the map for charms and upgrades, and actually embarking on various boss fights. This time, I knew how to guess Deepnest’s creepy crawlies. and after 80 hours elden ringI was able to find campy humor in this area’s hidden boss, with its unarmed skitters and jumps.
Image: Team Cherry via Polygon
I refused to even be afraid – I had lost a thousand runs elden ringAnd hollow knightJio’s “currency” felt like a very low stake. I went after every Dream Nail Boss edition and made my way to the White Palace. I gave Jio to Milibel the banker (if you know, you know), learned Sly’s backstory, battled the Collector, and found the Stag’s Nest. I stumbled upon Watcher Knights accidentally – I wouldn’t recommend it – and spent half a day just trying to figure them out. Each of these characters opened up more to the lore of the world. And scouring the game’s map helped me uncover even more of its secrets. I had barely explored the Abyss or the Queen’s Garden in my first play—this time, I looked closer to Cloth’s story as well as its origin story.
Playing these games side by side has given me a new appreciation for the richness of their worlds, and the twisted elegance of their boss designs. I may have always driven primarily by exploration, but now I look forward to boss fights rather than fear them – winning pays off in satisfaction and storytelling. I scour the hierarchical ranking of boss difficulties on the subreddit, and I laugh when I see Primal Aspids in the “Primal Aspids” column and Zote in my own “Zote” tier. I’m trying to keep this enthusiasm excited through the rest of my works: Trial of the Colosseum, The Path of Pain – and maybe, one day, Godhome and The Grim Troop. I don’t know if I will beat them or not, but that won’t stop me from trying.
