A cute insect warrior venturing into a cute insect kingdom to help people sounds like a Ghibli film premise. That's why a lot of people mistake Hollow Knight for a forgiving game. But underneath that first impression, it's actually one of the most notorious 2D Metroidvania games in existence.
Because at its core, Hollow Knight can also be considered a Souls-like game, it's a sub-genre of gaming where the main draw is the difficulty. And sure enough, there are plenty of mistakes to be made in Hollow Knight, both for new players and veterans alike. So for those who want to save themselves from some heartbreaks and tribulations, it's best to look out for these mistakes.
10 Giving Up After Some Frustrating Deaths
As mentioned earlier, it's easy to fall for the bait and switch due to Hollow Knight's aesthetics. A lot of players who thought that it would be something like Ori and the Blind Forest will be sorely frustrated. This is a game that one can only play casually after experiencing its most soul-crushing parts (typically most of the first playthrough).
It's easy to just quit and set the game down— maybe even uninstall, then burn the physical copy and flush the ashes down the toilet. But given Hollow Knight's artistic and insightful art design, that would be a waste. If this does end up happening to some players, then picking the game back up after the nerves have cooled down is always a good idea.
9 Approaching Boss Fights Conventionally
One of the primary sources of frustration in Hollow Knight would be the bosses. The game tells players no prompts and nor does it give blatant directions or markers on where to go. Players can end up stumbling into a boss arena; and a lot of stubborn players will surely try to lock horns with the unexpected boss, thinking the fight is straightforward.
However, a lot of boss fights in Hollow Knight reward lateral thinking. Checking out hidden paths, shortcuts, and even unlocking new abilities later on to help with the boss are as much a part of the boss fight as the actual boss themselves. So if something's not working, then it's best to find an alternative way or observe first before charging headfirst.
8 Ignoring The Map & Lantern
Even the merchants in Hollow Knight don't explain well what they sell or what their items do. That's why it's easy to think that a simple map and a lantern won't help much compared to Charms and other tactical items. But that's a big mistake since Hollow Knight's 2D game world can easily turn into a confusing vertical maze.
Having maps on hand will help with backtracking or even finding some hidden pathways. Then there's the Lumafly Lantern, which looks less important than the map; but players will soon regret not having this lantern in dark areas. In one boss fight, the lantern is even necessary. So after the map, purchasing the lantern is a solid recommendation.
7 Lack Of Curiosity
When backtracking or rushing back to a boss arena hurriedly, it can be too easy to ignore some odd walls or out-of-place rocks. However, players might be doing themselves a disservice by suppressing their curiosity. Because Hollow Knight's game world is full of cunningly hidden areas.
Some walls and some floors can be broken to reveal hidden paths. Some of these walls even open up to massive areas and new locales. Others contain useful items that might just give players the boost they need against certain bosses.
6 Worrying About Geo
Geo is the main currency in Hollow Knight. Since players lose it during an unfortunate death, being anxious about Geo is one of the common stressors in the game. But players will be pleased to know that it's easy to farm Geo in this game on later levels.
That's why learning to let go of Geo is one of the best ways to remain calm and collected during a playthrough. Besides, there are a couple of ways to preserve Geo; sometimes it's through a pseudo-bank where players can stockpile items and then liquidate them for Geo afterward.
5 Ignoring Benches
Benches are the "bonfires" in Hollow Knight and they act as manual checkpoints. the keyword there is manual since players will need to use them and sit on them in order to activate them. Some of them, however, blend too perfectly in the background.
A lot of players can also forget that they respawn on benches and might ignore them while rushing to boss areas. Ignoring benches thus can result in unnecessary frustration. In some boss areas or difficult spots on the map, it might even be better to look for some hidden benches.
4 Ignoring Map Markers & Mapping Tools
Even with map pieces, the whole map in Hollow Knight can still be confusing since there's no fast travel and some tilesets look homogenous. Luckily, the game readily gives players the tools they need in order to remove confusion. Those would be the map pins. Bench Pins are especially useful.
Meanwhile, the Quill is also rather important during a first playthrough since players need to be aware of their surroundings and the places they've visited already. The Quill helps in orienting oneself during exploration. Playing the game without them is akin to running blind.
3 Conserving Souls For Healing Only
Players who make a bit of progress in Hollow Knight's opening chapters will be given another use for their Souls, like spells or abilities. But some spells can make players vulnerable or some of them feel clunky, and Souls are also a precious resource.
Thus, a lot of players end up just using the Souls for healing. This can easily become a crutch for newbies that can halt their progress. It's best to treat the Souls as mana for spells instead of a healing potion so that players don't rely on them too much if things go wrong during combat.
2 Killing Certain Characters & Being Trigger Happy
Without spoiling anything, newbie players and just about anyone who has played Hollow Knight for the first time will do well to be aware of the importance of certain NPCs in the lore and story. Some of them might ask the players for a quick death.
The players will need to weigh their options and be more considerate. Because there are instances where such suicidal NPCs might end up being an integral part of specific storylines later on. Their absence isn't exactly game-breaking, but killing some of them might become a missed opportunity to see a story bit unfold.
1 Helping Certain NPCs
On the other hand, there are also certain NPCs in Hollow Knight that don't deserve to live. Some of them are wolves in sheep's clothing while others are just plain creepy in their requests for help. So again, without spoiling anything, it's best for players to be careful with whom they trust in the game.
Some NPCs are also set to ruin certain storylines or develop them negatively— enough to give players an overwhelming sense of regret, maybe even a few hours of lost sleep. But of course, telling which is which defeats the purpose of spoiler-free gameplay now, doesn't it? So it's up to players to find out.
Hollow Knight is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.