Where to Start · Hollow Knight
Where to Start with Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is Team Cherry's Metroidvania set in Hallownest — a vast underground kingdom of insects that has fallen to a mysterious infection. You play as the Knight, a small nameless bug with a nail for a weapon, exploring interconnected caverns, ruins, and cities in near-total silence as the world's history reveals itself through environmental detail, brief NPC encounters, and found lore rather than exposition.
Hollow Knight is one of the finest Metroidvania games ever made and one of the best independent games of its generation. There are currently two entries: Hollow Knight and the upcoming Silksong.
Start with Hollow Knight
There is only one starting point — Hollow Knight (2017). It is the game that put Team Cherry on the map and one of the most complete and polished independent games ever released. The Knight exploring Hallownest, the Nail and Soul systems, the charm equipping for build customisation, and a world that reveals its tragic history slowly and deliberately across 40-60 hours of exploration. Hollow Knight is available on PS4/Xbox/Switch/PC and is frequently on sale for under $10 — one of gaming's greatest value propositions.
What kind of game it is
Hollow Knight is a Metroidvania — you explore a large interconnected map, acquire abilities that open previously inaccessible areas, and backtrack through earlier zones with new tools. It is not a Souls game despite frequent comparison — the difficulty is real but the death penalty is recoverable (you leave your geo and shade at the death location and can retrieve them). The game is more forgiving than its reputation suggests and more rewarding than almost anything in the genre.
The content breadth
Hollow Knight's base game is approximately 40 hours for a first completion. Four free DLC expansions (The Grimm Troupe, Godmaster, Lifeblood, Hidden Dreams) add bosses, areas, and the Pantheons — a series of sequential boss rushes that are the hardest content in the game. The Pantheon of Hallownest (all 42 bosses in a single run without dying) is one of gaming's most demanding optional challenges. All DLC is free and included in the base game purchase.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Silksong is the announced sequel following Hornet — the red hunter from Hollow Knight — in a new kingdom called Pharloom. As of 2026 no release date has been confirmed despite being announced in 2019. The anticipation for Silksong has become one of gaming's longest-running release date jokes. When it releases, play Hollow Knight first — Hornet's role in Silksong will carry more weight for players who know her from the original.
Difficulty and accessibility
Hollow Knight has no difficulty settings. The base game is challenging but fair — most deaths teach something. The optional Pantheon content is extreme and not required to experience the story or the world. New players should focus on exploration and not feel pressured to complete the Pantheons on a first playthrough. The Steel Soul mode (permanent death) is a second playthrough challenge for veterans.
What platforms you need
Hollow Knight — PS4/Xbox/Switch/PC. The Switch version is particularly strong for handheld play. All DLC is free and included in every platform version.
Recommended approach
Play Hollow Knight blind — avoid guides for the first playthrough. The world reveals itself most powerfully without foreknowledge of where to go. Use a guide only if you are genuinely stuck after extended exploration. The discovery is the experience.