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[Velius]

People say it's the best Metroidvania. I hate that term and I hate myself for using it, but unfortunately most people know what you mean when you use it, so it's effective.

I loved Dead Cells. Let's see... I've always loved Castlevania games, and I've played the hell out of every Metroid game (yes, Federation Force included, which was much better than everyone said). So it follows that I'd love this, right?

But I started this, got it on sale and figured it was time and... I just don't like it. I've played maybe 15-30 minutes. I know that's not a whole lot of time but I just haven't seen a whole lot of movement. I'm just going around smacking things and all the areas look the same. The music is gorgeous, the production value is insane for an indie. But it's not gripping me at all. I went back and played more Ascent.

So do I keep playing? Are there items and abilities? Is this closer to castlevania or Metroid? Or neither??? I hope nobody thinks I'm dumping on it-- I WANT to like it.

 

[Fredrik]

So do I keep playing? Are there items and abilities? Is this closer to castlevania or Metroid? Or neither??? I hope nobody thinks I'm dumping on it-- I WANT to like it.

Definitely keep playing. There are items, abilities, upgrades, exploration, boss fights. There are lots of unique areas as well, it’s definitely not samey. It’s more like Castlevania than Metroid in gameplay, melee combat instead of shooting, and they’ve nicked the souls mechanic from the Souls games. It’s a fantastic metroidvania. It’s not the best though, Metroid Dread is better, and Super Metroid of course.

 

[Osaka_Boss]

Dude, the transversality of this game is horrendous, there are 3 ways of fast traveling, and they suck when you see how ginourmous this game'd map is and how spread these are.

Let me tell you, you don't need to like what you don't. The game is not infallible, despite being a good game, the "best metroidvania" is a title forced so as to push its sales and is not really true. There is no such thing as best metroidvania, and HK has some bad flaws

Keep playing, but don't force yourself.

 

[poodaddy]

I beat the game and enjoyed my time with it but found it ultimately forgettable, frustrating at times, and downright boring at others. I think it's a well made game that's kind of boring some times. In general, I felt upon beating it, and still feel now, that a great deal of its praise was hyperbolic in nature.

 

[tommib]

I hated it, OP. I’m the biggest Castlevania and Metroid fan and this completely put me off. The Ori games are much better.

Art style is crap. Music is crap. 0 atmosphere. Or maybe I just don’t like this brand of bugs. It’s ok. You’re not alone. There’s also a generic Tim Burton vibe that just leaves me cold.

 

[Jaybe]

I ended up dropping this after a boss fight that was too hard, constantly dying, and the worst part the travel from the checkpoint to the said boss taking minutes. It just wasn’t fun then.

Until then I enjoyed it, but I liberally used a walk through to point me in the right direction to better use my time and get abilities quicker than bumbling around. You may benefit from that too.

 

[Fredrik]

Dude, the transversality of this game is horrendous, there are 3 ways of fast traveling, and they suck when you see how ginourmous this game'd map is and how spread these are.

It’s bad at the start but I had no issues later on. People complained about the map too but I had no issues there either. My main criticism comes from the Souls mechanic, reaching a new area and die far into some difficult place and then lose all collected souls if you don’t go there to reclaim the souls is a bad mechanic imo, I just don’t like it, I hate having to replay long segments. So it was a frustrating playthrough. But the great parts are absolutely phenomenal so in the end it’s still in the top 10 in the genre for me. Can’t wait to play Silksong!

 

[AV]

I've played maybe 15-30 minutes.

This is really not enough at all to get a feel for Hollow Knight, the whole game itself is a 20 hour affair minimum on the first go I'd say, it's not Super Metroid where 30 minutes is like 7.5% of the game.

It's big, it's vast, it's slow, it's atmospheric, you have to really give it some breathing space. It's a very different beast to Dread.

 

[ClanOfNone]

I'd definitely give it more than 30 measley minutes, it does have a slow start for sure.
I loved it, I consider it a top tier Metroidvania alongside SotN and Ori.

 

[Shut0wen]

People say it's the best Metroidvania. I hate that term and I hate myself for using it, but unfortunately most people know what you mean when you use it, so it's effective.

I loved Dead Cells. Let's see... I've always loved Castlevania games, and I've played the hell out of every Metroid game (yes, Federation Force included, which was much better than everyone said). So it follows that I'd love this, right?

But I started this, got it on sale and figured it was time and... I just don't like it. I've played maybe 15-30 minutes. I know that's not a whole lot of time but I just haven't seen a whole lot of movement. I'm just going around smacking things and all the areas look the same. The music is gorgeous, the production value is insane for an indie. But it's not gripping me at all. I went back and played more Ascent.

So do I keep playing? Are there items and abilities? Is this closer to castlevania or Metroid? Or neither??? I hope nobody thinks I'm dumping on it-- I WANT to like it.

You definitely have to keep playing it, theres alot of trial and error, more so then in metroid but after 3rd or 4th boss youd get the hang of it, maps definitely change and every level you'll find a bug who sells you map for souls

 

[Osaka_Boss]

It’s bad at the start but I had no issues later on. People complained about the map too but I had no issues there either. My main criticism comes from the Souls mechanic, reaching a new area and die far into some difficult place and then lose all collected souls if you don’t go there to reclaim the souls is a bad mechanic imo, I just don’t like it, I hate having to replay long segments. So it was a frustrating playthrough. But the great parts are absolutely phenomenal so in the end it’s still in the top 10 in the genre for me. Can’t wait to play Silksong!

At the start? Even with all of them unlocked, getting to the extremes of the map or even some in the middle is a chore. The train is useless, and every journey takes a long time if you need to reach places far from the center/top.

 

[Holammer]

I just started replaying it, had 97% on my previous save (unfinished). But that was two years ago. Youtube suddenly started pushing Hollow Knight content out of the blue, lore/theory videos and whatnot. Maybe it's related to the rumor of the sequel getting an early 2022 release? Google bots noticing a trend etc.
I also have a high refresh monitor this time around and it's absolutely breathtaking at 240fps.

It's a good game and occasionally annoying as the difficulty is really hard, as if the devs wanted to make "the dark souls of metroidvania". When you die you drop money, get a HP penalty and and have to do a corpse run. Die on bosses and there's often a couple minutes worth of traversal to retry. Frustrating stuff.... But I do recommend it.

 

[FunkMiller]

Buy him some drinks.

 

[Fbh]

Give it another couple of hours, I enjoyed it from the start but it wasn't until a few hours into the game that I really started to see that it was going to be more than just another indie metroidvania. Once you start fighting more bosses, getting more upgrades, going to new locations, discovering the awesome secrets and optional content and possibly getting into the lore it really starts to shine

But maybe it's just not for you, sometimes there's no secret to getting into it. If you don't like it you don't like it, and that's ok too.

 

[Fredrik]

At the start? Even with all of them unlocked, getting to the extremes of the map or even some in the middle is a chore. The train is useless, and every journey takes a long time if you need to reach places far from the center/top.

I don’t think it’s much different from Ori or Metroid Dread or Super Metroid, looks far on the map but once you know the rooms you bounce around quite quickly, don’t have to kill everything.

 

[skit_data]

Keep playing, there are no directions accesible to you (without the right abilities) that are the ”wrong” way to go.

Always try to listen for the humming dude, he will update your map for a small fee.

 

[mindfreak191]

 

[elliot5]

You upgrade your abilities / traversal over time and additional fast tracks/pathways. Always get the map maker and the train stations/benches when possible. The first two hours or so can be difficult when you have practically nothing on you and it's all unfamiliar. Definitely not as guided as Will of the Wisps, but still a great game imo.

 

[R6Rider]

Never finished it after giving it two good attempts. The environmental traversal is horrible and sucked the fun out.

I much preferred Bloodstained: RotN which is the last Metroidvania I played.

 

[gtrwll]

Didn’t like it that much when I tried it out. Left quite a bland impression, but it probably could have been ok if I had went in without all the hype surrounding it. I’ll never know.

 

[Rex_DX]

I felt the same and it took me three tries to get into Hollow Knight. It wasn't until I'd unlocked the wall grab and the dash that I got completely hooked and now the game is one of my favorites.

Keep at it and don't be afraid to backtrack but also don't feel obligated to play it. You can always try again another time.

I think the game is amazing.

 

[SpiceRacz]

In a world where Symphony of The Night exists, Hollow Knight will never be the best metroidvania. Whoever says that is a liar.

I suggest you stick with it for a few hours though then see how you feel. I dropped it on my first playthrough, went back a year later, and loved it.

 

[Pimpollo818]

People say it's the best Metroidvania. I hate that term and I hate myself for using it, but unfortunately most people know what you mean when you use it, so it's effective.

I loved Dead Cells. Let's see... I've always loved Castlevania games, and I've played the hell out of every Metroid game (yes, Federation Force included, which was much better than everyone said). So it follows that I'd love this, right?

But I started this, got it on sale and figured it was time and... I just don't like it. I've played maybe 15-30 minutes. I know that's not a whole lot of time but I just haven't seen a whole lot of movement. I'm just going around smacking things and all the areas look the same. The music is gorgeous, the production value is insane for an indie. But it's not gripping me at all. I went back and played more Ascent.

So do I keep playing? Are there items and abilities? Is this closer to castlevania or Metroid? Or neither??? I hope nobody thinks I'm dumping on it-- I WANT to like it.

my 2 cents: as I've gotten older (31 now) I've learned to be ok with dropping a game if it doesn't resonate. I used to stubbornly finish games (grew up in "finish your plate or reprimanded" household) but I now give a game 2 to 3 hours to fully show its hand before I make that call. See how far you get in 2 hours and observe how you take to the game's progression/level design.

 

[Berserking Guts]

One of my favorite games of all time. Which at my age I never thought I'd be saying again. Especially for a metroidvania which isn't exactly my favourite genre.

I've beaten the first two pantheons. Currently working on the third. I love everything about this game: the combat, the exploration, the secrets, platforming. It'll kick your arse, though.

 

[Dr Bass]

Can’t help you there. It’s a slog of a game and not that good imo. I put many many hours into it and finally decided I just couldn’t do it anymore. I also recently tried it again after playing Metroid Dread and quickly felt like “nope, just can’t do this.”

Your instincts are correct. Don’t force yourself to play something that isn’t fun.

 

[Vae_Victis]

Are there items and abilities?

You find a lot of upgrades of different types if that's what you mean. You learn new moves and powers that let you traverse the world more easily and also help in combat, and you also unlock swappable power-ups that let you customize the gameplay according to your playstyle a lot more than it seems at the start (e.g. you can become more of a glass cannon, a tank etc. There are really a lot of those, but they will unlock over the course of the whole game so at the start you will be more limited). The basic swordplay doesn't really change all that much, you deal more damage if you upgrade your sword but the basics of combat are not massively expanded over time, and you don't use different melee weapons. You also get a few basic "combat spells" that consume mana, the first of which is a regeneration spell (so basically during tough fights you need to decide if you want to save more mana for healing or for damage-dealing).

Is this closer to castlevania or Metroid? Or neither???

This is a very difficult question (also depending on which Metroid or Castlevania you are thinking about), but I wouldn't say it's really very similar to either. It's its own thing, it has a Souls-like style of narrative, you have some agency on where to go and do first, and generally the more you progress the more the game becomes open. There are whole optional areas, you will unlock ways to fast travel, and combat has a relatively high skill-ceiling.

At its core, at the cost of sounding like a meme, I think it feels a lot like 2D Dark Souls with Metroidvania-like progression elements. As in, the game seems linear and a bit mechanic at first, but it has a lot of depth and variety as you progress, there is a lot more to do, see and find than you might initially think, and combat on the one hand lets you customize your playstyle and strategy to a good extent, but precision and good reflexes are at the base of it no matter what else you add on top.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

I am conflicted about HK. I feel it’s a 10/10 game for what it is and considering how few people developed it. I finished it twice. But I can’t love it, and I’d rather replay so many Metroidvanias instead.

The game is brilliant, but the traversal is a slog and the game doesn’t guide your progression at all, so an upgrade someone found after a couple of hours, you may find after 15 hours, and you’ll be very frustrated by some roadblocks. The thing I disliked the most, though, were the Souls elements. Some truly unfair traps, the sparse and obscure storytelling, the unexplained mechanics feel totally unnecessary to me.

 

[The Eradicator]

People say it's the best Metroidvania. I hate that term and I hate myself for using it, but unfortunately most people know what you mean when you use it, so it's effective.

I loved Dead Cells. Let's see... I've always loved Castlevania games, and I've played the hell out of every Metroid game (yes, Federation Force included, which was much better than everyone said). So it follows that I'd love this, right?

But I started this, got it on sale and figured it was time and... I just don't like it. I've played maybe 15-30 minutes. I know that's not a whole lot of time but I just haven't seen a whole lot of movement. I'm just going around smacking things and all the areas look the same. The music is gorgeous, the production value is insane for an indie. But it's not gripping me at all. I went back and played more Ascent.

So do I keep playing? Are there items and abilities? Is this closer to castlevania or Metroid? Or neither??? I hope nobody thinks I'm dumping on it-- I WANT to like it.

You are not crazy here. I also love games like Dead Cells, Salt & Sanctuary, Ori, Metroid, etc. I tried multiple times to get into Hollow Knight, and I just don't like it at all. I really don't understand the fascination with it.

 

[DelireMan7]

I have played and beat it this year and it went straight up in my Top 3 of all time.

Plenty of abilities to unlock and "build" diversity. The world map is huge, boss incredible and soundtrack is absolutely gorgeous.

I would keep playing for a bit longer to see what it can offer (Pro tips, use the markers on map if you have unlock them)

 

[Psychostar]

OP, I walked into hollow knight feeling the same as you. It has charm and you know greatness awaits but you can't quite feel it in your first steps. It's something that grows. I'm 30 years old and I've been playing games since 5. I play on switch , PS4/5 and Pc (rtx2080).

If you asked me to make a top 5 list, this is in my top 5. I can't sell this game further than that to you mate. You won't fall in love with the game until you hit around 3 and a half hours of journey time, but at some point within that phase your character really starts to grow, and so do the challenges.

The game is special, because once you hit that point you're hooked. I've played this game to 112% completion, dumped hundreds of hours and it's my default go to nowadays when catching a flight. It used to take 4 hours to get to the good part of the game but now it takes 30 minutes. Everything after that point is just a joy. An absolute reward. I hope you stick it through long enough to make a fair assessment on whether it's for you or not, but based on your play history I'm swinging towards 'yes' being your answer. I've bought this game for several friends of mine now as it's cheap and a great gift to pass. 2 out of 4 enjoyed it, so I can't say it's for everyone.

Regardless, I hope you enjoy your game time!

 

[Marvel14]

People say it's the best Metroidvania. I hate that term and I hate myself for using it, but unfortunately most people know what you mean when you use it, so it's effective.

I loved Dead Cells. Let's see... I've always loved Castlevania games, and I've played the hell out of every Metroid game (yes, Federation Force included, which was much better than everyone said). So it follows that I'd love this, right?

But I started this, got it on sale and figured it was time and... I just don't like it. I've played maybe 15-30 minutes. I know that's not a whole lot of time but I just haven't seen a whole lot of movement. I'm just going around smacking things and all the areas look the same. The music is gorgeous, the production value is insane for an indie. But it's not gripping me at all. I went back and played more Ascent.

So do I keep playing? Are there items and abilities? Is this closer to castlevania or Metroid? Or neither??? I hope nobody thinks I'm dumping on it-- I WANT to like it.

I'd say keep.playing until you discover the garden area (name escapes me) ....it's early on and starts to show how diverse the world and its enemies really is. And dont get frustrated if you can't go a certain direction. Just keep exploring and you'll find ways to open up the map.

 

[Xeaker]

wtf why do you need people to help you get into a game? I played the game 2 hours and then decided to quit it because it was annoying and boring

 

[Urban]

People say it's the best Metroidvania. I hate that term and I hate myself for using it, but unfortunately most people know what you mean when you use it, so it's effective.

I loved Dead Cells. Let's see... I've always loved Castlevania games, and I've played the hell out of every Metroid game (yes, Federation Force included, which was much better than everyone said). So it follows that I'd love this, right?

But I started this, got it on sale and figured it was time and... I just don't like it. I've played maybe 15-30 minutes. I know that's not a whole lot of time but I just haven't seen a whole lot of movement. I'm just going around smacking things and all the areas look the same. The music is gorgeous, the production value is insane for an indie. But it's not gripping me at all. I went back and played more Ascent.

So do I keep playing? Are there items and abilities? Is this closer to castlevania or Metroid? Or neither??? I hope nobody thinks I'm dumping on it-- I WANT to like it.

Play Ori 1 & 2. One of the best.

Ive got the same issue with Hollow Knight. I just cant stand the Artdesign. It looks like a XBLA game for me.

 

[VN1X]

I gave up after 12 hours.

It looks and sounds fantastic but once you put it down for more than a few days you just get lost. The world was already confusing as it is and if you're not constantly on top of things, putting down markers, making mental notes, etc you'll quickly lose any sense of direction I found.

I'm currently going through Grime and I'm enjoying that much more! It even just straight up tells you where to go so I much prefer that these days rather than having to poke and prod every wall I come across to hopefully find the right way.

 

[kraspkibble]

"I just don't like it"

"it's not gripping me at all."

yeah sure keep playing...

 

[Portugeezer]

When I first played I stopped playing early on too. The map system was the biggest hurdle.

Year later or so I tried again and it was brilliant. Try to aquire the map for areas, and I think there's a perk which you can equip to help see where you are or something.

 

[DarthPutin]

The beginning isn't very representative (unless you hate art style and music, then it's not worth it). There will be different methods of movement, lots of huge varied areas to discover and explore, dash and "double jump" of sorts that will change traversal. The world will be changing around you as well.

I've been playing it for few days and enjoy myself a lot... with cheats. Not a popular opinion on hardcore board, but I think if someone loves the world but can't deal with difficulty, it's a good option to have. I'd probably find a game much more annoying otherwise. I agree with other posters that having to run to a boss unmotivates me to try to "git gud", and constantly losing geo makes me not give a damn about it. For good players though some of those bosses HAVE to be both fun and challenging)) Or do people just run through Mantis Lords without breaking a sweat?

Personally I just like going around looking for ways to new areas, secrets and such while listening to chill music. It's admirable how varied is level design with such simple template.

When I first played I stopped playing early on too. The map system was the biggest hurdle.

Year later or so I tried again and it was brilliant. Try to aquire the map for areas, and I think there's a perk which you can equip to help see where you are or something.

This is a must have, first thing I got!

 

[DGrayson]

It took me longer than an hour to get into it. The world travel/map never really gets better, that was the worst part of the game for me, but it was manageable and the rest of the game is just perfection.

 

[GHG]

You've played the game for 5 minutes and you need people to "help" you get into it?

Is this a serious thread? If you want to like it then just fucking play the game.

 

[Punished Miku]

I didnt like it either. Couldn't put down Bloodstained and Dread but HK was just boring for me. I felt like the controls were snappy and responsive but thats about it. The art style is not for me. Seems like its a good game but exaggerated a bit due to its indie status.

Ori 1 is next on my list. Never tried those.

 

[The Cockatrice]

If you need others to make you like a game you have issues. It's an incredible game but if you do not like it then just find something else. There are other games out there. Stop fucking relying on other ppl, critics or whatever else on what you should play or purchase. Be your own man. That being said 10 minutes is not quite enough to judge HK.

 

[Fuz]

I loved it.

It's a little too difficult and frustrating at times, the quick travel is quite bad, and maybe a little too big for its own good. Also that "last level" is pure bullshit. But it's a fantastic game.

I can see people not liking it though, definitely not everyone's cup of tea.

unless you hate art style and music

I hate the "flash/mobile game" art style and despite of that love the game to death.

 

[mcjmetroid]

It's the biggest but I don't think it's the best.
That goes to ori and the will of the wisps

 

[DavidGzz]

I couldn't get into playing as a bug. I could tell why people love it. I need a protagonist I can relate to more. It's probably more to do with the art style now that I read more posts here.

 

[saintjules]

People say it's the best Metroidvania. I hate that term and I hate myself for using it, but unfortunately most people know what you mean when you use it, so it's effective.

I loved Dead Cells. Let's see... I've always loved Castlevania games, and I've played the hell out of every Metroid game (yes, Federation Force included, which was much better than everyone said). So it follows that I'd love this, right?

But I started this, got it on sale and figured it was time and... I just don't like it. I've played maybe 15-30 minutes. I know that's not a whole lot of time but I just haven't seen a whole lot of movement. I'm just going around smacking things and all the areas look the same. The music is gorgeous, the production value is insane for an indie. But it's not gripping me at all. I went back and played more Ascent.

So do I keep playing? Are there items and abilities? Is this closer to castlevania or Metroid? Or neither??? I hope nobody thinks I'm dumping on it-- I WANT to like it.

Yeah I played for half an hour and stopped. Same for Ori. I want to like them, but I know it's either not the right time to sit down with these games or they're just not for me. It's ok not to like what others like.

 

[Yumi]

I’d say that’s not enough time to decide to drop it. It felt slow to me in the beginning. I remember it taking a while to get my first ability, and the first boss fight.

Its the kinda game where I plodded along a while in the beginning feeling indifferent, then found a groove and hours would fly by.

I’d recommend trying to down 2 bosses, and if it’s still not clicking for you, drop it.

 

[Flutta]

I hated it at the beginning. Just like you 20-30 playtime dropped it after that.

Came back after a month and gave it a real shot. glad i did because it became the best metrovania game i’ve ever played hands down no joke.

One thing to take into account is that you cant rush this game. Not even a little. Give it a real shot. Its a not a short game that’s for sure

Enjoy!

 

[Holammer]

I loved it.

It's a little too difficult and frustrating at times, the quick travel is quite bad, and maybe a little too big for its own good. Also that "last level" is pure bullshit. But it's a fantastic game.

I can see people not liking it though, definitely not everyone's cup of tea.


I hate the "flash/mobile game" art style and despite of that love the game to death.

I too hate that stuff, but several of layers of parallax, transparencies and particle effects make it work
That said, your post inspired me to try inject some ReShade and I fucking nailed it. The CRT texture and phosphor glow fits Hollow Knight's high contrast art like a glove.