Hollow Knight is 1 of the champion metroidvanias successful history, which is wherefore it's besides among the astir suitable for newcomers to the genre.
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However, I urge Team Cherry's enactment for being incredible, not accessible, arsenic it's an highly demanding rubric from the archetypal contact.
Despite what you mightiness deliberation astatine first, not lone the bosses airs a important challenge, but besides the communal areas and enemies themselves, which tin beryllium rather difficult.
From crystal caves to imagination palaces, the crippled presents monumental hardships passim the journey, arsenic you tin corroborate with this ranked database of the 10 hardest areas of Hollow Knight.
10 Fog Canyon
Many Explosions and Confusions
Characters |
Cornifer; Millibelle; Mister Mushroom; Quirrel; Monomon the Teacher |
Enemies |
Charged Lumafly; Mossfly; Ooma; Uoma |
Bosses |
Uumuu |
My archetypal acquisition successful Fog Canyon was 1 of the astir convoluted because I hardly knew wherever I was expected to go.
Given the level plan some aesthetically and functionally, traversal isn't precise intuitive, adjacent much truthful erstwhile you see the fearfulness of the explosive jellyfish that tin destruct you successful seconds.
Considering you cannot find Cornifer until precocious successful the campaign, not having entree to the representation further limits exploration and the feeling of security.
From determination on, the area's brag isn't peculiarly difficult, and the enemies are passive, but moving is truthful analyzable that it makes the list.
9 City of Tears
Complex Interconnectivity
Characters |
Cornifer; Eternal Emilitia; Nailsmith; Relic Seeker Lemm; Quirrel; Hornet; Zote the Mighty |
Enemies |
Belfly; Cowardly Husk; Gluttonous Husk; Gorgeous Husk; Great Husk Sentry; Heavy Sentry; Husk Bully; Husk Dandy; Husk Hornhead; Husk Sentry; Lance Sentry; Leaping Husk; Vengefly; Wandering Husk; Winged Sentry |
Bosses |
None |
Speaking of complexity, City of Tears is 1 of Hollow Knight's main locations, connecting to countless areas passim the game.
The fig of introduction points you brushwood erstwhile you archetypal walk done is overwhelming, arsenic many paths unfastened up to antithetic destinations.
It besides has 1 of the highest force densities successful each of Hallownest, with each sorts of adversities astatine each turn. They're not demanding, but it's successful the numbers the trouble lies.
Fortunately, the City of Tears opus is simply a blast to perceive to, which is pertinent considering however overmuch clip you'll beryllium wandering connected it, particularly for those who similar randomizers.
8 The Hive
Annoying Bee Chases
Characters |
Hive Queen Vespa |
Enemies |
Hiveling; Hive Guardian; Hive Soldier; Husk Hive |
Bosses |
Hive Knight |
Despite The Hive being a hidden, secondary country with nary existent rewards, it tin beryllium 1 of the astir frustrating spaces successful Hollow Knight.
The aggregate variations of bees you brushwood are highly annoying, susceptible of chasing you to the extremity of clip with an accuracy worthy of the champion aimbots.
If you're not bully astatine platforming, The Hive becomes an adjacent hotter hell, arsenic you'll walk a batch of clip jumping and dodging attacks astatine the aforesaid time.
Fortunately, it's abbreviated and the brag awaiting you astatine the extremity is modular successful presumption of difficulty, but it's the benignant of country that's lone worthy going to erstwhile successful a lifetime.
7 Soul Sanctum
The Trauma of Teleportation
Characters |
None |
Enemies |
Folly; Mistake; Soul Twister |
Bosses |
Soul Warrior; Soul Master; Soul Tyrant |
In Soul Sanctum, the main diagnostic is teleportation, making this country as unpredictable arsenic terrifying to traverse.
No substance however galore times I've beaten the game, erstwhile it comes to going aft Soul Master, each I privation to bash is adjacent my eyes and property the dash fastener endlessly until I scope him.
Team Cherry was forgiving and made the travel short, knowing that exposing players to orbs traveling astatine the velocity of airy from a 1000 directions portion pesky minions look retired of obscurity is excessively overmuch to carnivore for agelong periods.
The cherry connected apical is that the area's brag is conscionable the aforesaid arsenic the regular enemies, lone worse. Still, it's an entertaining and just battle, but demanding similar fewer others successful the title.
6 Kingdom’s Edge
Hard Enemies, Hard Bosses
Characters |
Bardoon; Cornifer; Hornet; Mister Mushroom; Nailmaster Oro; Tiso |
Enemies |
Belfly; Bluggsac; Boofly; Great Hopper; Hiveling; Hopper; Primal Aspid |
Bosses |
Hornet Sentinel; Markoth |
Every self-respecting Hollow Knight subordinate fears 1 surviving being successful Hallownest supra each else: the Primal Aspid.
That spawn of the demon is susceptible of frustrating astir seasoned players by itself, not to notation however agonizing it is to brushwood them successful a radical during your archetypal sojourn to Kingdom's Edge.
Considering the Hoppers' existence, it's 1 of the areas that demands the astir attraction to beryllium capable to advance. Otherwise, you volition dice galore much times than necessary.
Its complexity successful presumption of plan and interconnection is not arsenic large arsenic others connected the list, but the trouble of its minions makes it an unavoidable headache.
5 Greenpath
The First True Challenge
Characters |
Cornifer; Dreamers; Hornet; The Hunter; Nailmaster Sheo; Nailsmith; Zote the Mighty |
Enemies |
Charged Lumafly; Crawlid; Duranda; Durandoo; Fool Eater; Gulka; Husk Bully; Husk Hornhead; Leaping Husk; Maskfly; Moss Charger; Mosscreep; Mosskin; Moss Knight; Obble; Squit; Tiktik; Vengefly; Volatile Mosskin; Wandering Husk |
Bosses |
Hornet Protector; Massive Moss Charger; Vengefly King |
Analyzing the trouble of Hollow Knight's areas means doing truthful successful context, which justifies Greenpath's beingness truthful precocious connected the list.
With little cognition of the map, mechanics, and patterns, this is the archetypal large situation players look aft the Forgotten Crossroads tutorial.
Between the fig of inaccessible points you indispensable retrieve to instrumentality to later, the enemies' fig and variety, and the demanding platforming challenges erstwhile you person astir nary skills, it makes for a unsafe area.
For seasoned players, this is simply a determination that doesn't warrant overmuch concern, but for caller players, it's the constituent wherever those who volition discontinue the crippled are separated from those who volition decorativeness it.
4 White Palace
Platforming Can Be Difficult Too
Characters |
The Pale King |
Enemies |
Kingsmould; Royal Retainer; Wingmould |
Bosses |
None |
White Palace is an country of Hollow Knight that proves challenges don't needfully travel successful the signifier of hard bosses oregon analyzable level designs.
Instead, this dreamlike determination demands a mastery of the game's platforming mechanics precise fewer players person managed to achieve, but galore person attempted due to the fact that of its narration to the game's concealed ending.
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Even without counting Path of Pain, the title's hardest section, White Palace offers a sizeable situation that is lone imaginable acknowledgment to the game's cleanable controls.
I would accidental overcoming this obstacle is among the astir hard achievements successful the interactive medium, but besides among the astir satisfying to surpass.
3 Crystal Peak
Too Many Spikes
Characters |
Cornifer; Quirrel |
Enemies |
Bluggsac; Crystal Crawler; Crystal Hunter; Crystallised Husk; Glimback; Grub Mimic; Husk Miner; Shardmite |
Bosses |
Crystal Guardian; Enraged Guardian |
If you instrumentality Kingdom's Edge's annoying enemies, White Palace's platforming demands, and City of Tears' complexity, you get Crystal Peak.
While I similar the area, it's notoriously hard successful each department, making it among the astir hard for aggregate reasons alternatively than conscionable one.
Enemies are slippery and onslaught from a distance, platforming sections are often moving and threat-heavy and the portion layout is truthful confusing that you ne'er cognize which mode to go.
Even aft playing done the crippled aggregate times, returning to Crystal Peak forces maine to perpetually beryllium connected my toes, remembering wherever is the main way and however to woody with enemies alternatively than breeze done them similar successful different zones.
2 Queen’s Garden
The Most Hostile Environment
Characters |
Cornifer; Caelif & Fera Orthop; Cloth; Moss Prophet; Traitors' Child; White Lady |
Enemies |
Aluba; Bluggsac; Durandoo; Fool Eater; Loodle; Mantis Petra; Mantis Traitor; Maskfly; Mosscreep; Mossfly; Mossy Vagabond; Spiny Husk |
Bosses |
Marmu; Traitor Lord |
As 1 of the past zones successful the game, it's understandable that Queen's Garden is among the astir hard areas successful Hollow Knight.
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With enemies having a batch of wellness and much analyzable onslaught patterns than usual, each brushwood is simply a situation to survive.
Since astir fights instrumentality spot connected uneven terrain filled with spikes and falling platforms, all your senses indispensable beryllium connected alert to debar returning to the bench.
Even without considering it has 2 of the most hard bosses, Queen's Garden doesn't clasp back. Each caller surface forces you to execute astatine the highest level you can, making it overmuch much aggravated than the remainder of the game.
1 Deepnest
Spiders, Darkness, and Hell
Characters |
Mask Maker; Midwife; Mister Mushroom; Quirrel; Zote the Mighty |
Enemies |
Bluggsac; Carver Hatcher; Corpse Creeper; Deephunter; Deepling; Dirtcarver; Garpede; Goam; Grub Mimic; Husk Hornhead; Little Weaver; Stalking Devout; Wandering Husk |
Bosses |
Nosk, Galien |
I've been playing Hollow Knight for years. I've watched dozens of speedruns, situation runs, randomizers, platinum routes, and yet I can't assistance but consciousness frightened erstwhile I person to spell done Deepnest.
Whether it's due to the fact that of the atmosphere, my hatred of spiders, the reduced visibility, oregon the endless traps, it's by acold the country I find astir hard to traverse.
It doesn't substance if it's connected the archetypal playthrough oregon the last. Getting to Herrah is ever a cumbersome task for gameplay, narrative, sentimental, and audiovisual reasons.
Just due to the fact that of how indistinguishable its screens are and however hard it is to find the exits, it tin easy beryllium the country that takes up the astir clip during your playthrough.
I deliberation it achieves its objectives outstandingly, but Deepnest is simply a fearfulness I privation I could debar each clip I play Hollow Knight again.
Hollow Knight
The 2017 2D side-scrolling Metroidvania from Team Cherry invites you to power an insectoid warrior, The Knight, and traverse the fallen kingdom of Hallownest that's consumed by a supernatural disease.
Franchise Hollow Knight
Released February 24, 2017
Developer(s) Team Cherry
Publisher(s) Team Cherry
Engine Unity
ESRB E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
How Long To Beat 27 Hours
X|S Optimized No
File Size Xbox Series 7 GB (November 2023)
PS Plus Availability Extra & Premium
OpenCritic Rating Mighty
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10 Games To Play If You Love Hollow Knight
Finished Hollow Knight and looking for your adjacent adventure? Then cheque retired immoderate of the games connected this list.