Over three hundred players have plunged past the twenty-five-hour mark into the cavernous depths of Hallownest, discovering a sprawling kingdom backed by a towering 97 percent historical approval rating on Steam. With 494 sampled post-release reviews holding strong at 95 percent positive, this subterranean descent proves uniquely magnetic.
What it's about: Choisissez votre destin dans Hollow Knight ! Une aventure épique et pleine d’action, qui vous plongera dans un vaste royaume en ruine peuplé d’insectes et de héros. Dans un monde en 2D classique, dessiné à la main.
In-game
« Easily THE 10/10 metroidvania experience. One of the greatest games I've played. I'll glaze it to the end of the world. Glowing recommendation from some guy you've never met on the internet. »👍 anonymous review · 50 h played4322« Time to play this masterpiece one more time before Silksong comes out, the wait is finally over! »👍 anonymous review · 132 h played421« THE METROIDVANIA. This alone would be enough for the review. Seriously, you won't find a better metroidvania than this. Not even Silksong could top the original, which is kind of sad. An absolute must-play. 10/10 »👍 anonymous review · 297 h played2221« Game is good and all but i have to beat it before Silksong comes out and now that isn't very long, uh oh. Edit: I finished the game, an absolutely beautiful, outstanding game. Very eagerly awaiting Silksong! »👍 anonymous review · 78 h played1111« They call it the City of Tears because that's where I cried so much, I practically contributed to the water level. »👍 anonymous review · 44 h played5321« probably the best game ever made. Everything from the map, to the story, the boss fights and npc's is absolute perfection. »👍 anonymous review · 139 h played3211
« pire jeux du monde allez tous vous faire gentillement caliner, comment sa le boss de fin il as plus qu'une phase, je songe as tous vous retrouvez sérieusement. »👎 anonymous review · 146 h played« nightmare king grimm not as hard as it should be »👎 anonymous review · 90 h played« Не рекомендую только из-за супер излишнего душного платформинга. Боссы таких проблем не вызывали, как необходимость добраться куда-либо, особенно за нужным предметом. Это первая игра в жизни, которую я хотел бросить несколько раз »👎 anonymous review · 86 h played« Let's take all the bad things from dark souls games. Yea. Farmed berries for a map pointer update. Got locked in a boss room and I don't even remember how I get there. F**k you player. Nice game. »👎 anonymous review · 2 h played« i guess this was impressive in 2017? »👎 anonymous review · 21 h played« good game, but it has a ridiculous amout of bugs, one even tried to take over my dreams. Also makes me want to eat glass at some times. absolute SHAWcinema of a game 10/10 would Recommend »👍 anonymous review · 95 h played721
In players' words
« Easily THE 10/10 metroidvania experience. One of the greatest games I've played. I'll glaze it to the end of the world. Glowing recommendation from some guy you've never met on the internet. »👍 anonymous review · 50 h played4322« pire jeux du monde allez tous vous faire gentillement caliner, comment sa le boss de fin il as plus qu'une phase, je songe as tous vous retrouvez sérieusement. »👎 anonymous review · 146 h played« Time to play this masterpiece one more time before Silksong comes out, the wait is finally over! »👍 anonymous review · 132 h played421« nightmare king grimm not as hard as it should be »👎 anonymous review · 90 h played« THE METROIDVANIA. This alone would be enough for the review. Seriously, you won't find a better metroidvania than this. Not even Silksong could top the original, which is kind of sad. An absolute must-play. 10/10 »👍 anonymous review · 297 h played2221« Не рекомендую только из-за супер излишнего душного платформинга. Боссы таких проблем не вызывали, как необходимость добраться куда-либо, особенно за нужным предметом. Это первая игра в жизни, которую я хотел бросить несколько раз »👎 anonymous review · 86 h played« Game is good and all but i have to beat it before Silksong comes out and now that isn't very long, uh oh. Edit: I finished the game, an absolutely beautiful, outstanding game. Very eagerly awaiting Silksong! »👍 anonymous review · 78 h played1111« Let's take all the bad things from dark souls games. Yea. Farmed berries for a map pointer update. Got locked in a boss room and I don't even remember how I get there. F**k you player. Nice game. »👎 anonymous review · 2 h played« They call it the City of Tears because that's where I cried so much, I practically contributed to the water level. »👍 anonymous review · 44 h played5321« i guess this was impressive in 2017? »👎 anonymous review · 21 h played« probably the best game ever made. Everything from the map, to the story, the boss fights and npc's is absolute perfection. »👍 anonymous review · 139 h played3211« good game, but it has a ridiculous amout of bugs, one even tried to take over my dreams. Also makes me want to eat glass at some times. absolute SHAWcinema of a game 10/10 would Recommend »👍 anonymous review · 95 h played721
Anonymized excerpts from public Steam reviews — picked among those most voted "helpful" by the community.
What players say, by aspect
PositiveMixedNegative
Gameplay
84 % pos · n=97
Graphics / art
100 % pos · n=34
Audio / music
100 % pos · n=32
Story / writing
95 % pos · n=21
Content / longevity
92 % pos · n=12
Value for money
82 % pos · n=11
Performance
100 % pos · n=4
Stability / bugs
50 % pos · n=2
Interface / UX
0 % pos · n=2
Multiplayer
50 % pos · n=2
Detailed data (table)
Aspect
Mentions
Positive
Mixed
Negative
Gameplay
97
81
9
7
Graphics / art
34
34
0
0
Audio / music
32
32
0
0
Story / writing
21
20
1
0
Content / longevity
12
11
0
1
Value for money
11
9
0
2
Performance
4
4
0
0
Stability / bugs
2
1
0
1
Interface / UX
2
0
0
2
Multiplayer
2
1
0
1
Positive reviews by playtime
🎮 Players who like it have spent 42 h on median; those who dislike it: 20 h.
<2h
67 % (n=6)
2-10h
93 % (n=86)
10-25h
93 % (n=102)
>25h
97 % (n=300)
Fixed or still broken? Sentiment over time
➡️ Stable reception over time
% of positive reviews per month (months with ≥ 15 sample reviews).
💶 Price history
Steam price tracked automatically since Feb 25, 2017 · All-time low: €5.99 (May 02, 2022)
100% completion difficulty ("platinum")
3,8 %Demanding
of players have unlocked the rarest achievement — the upper bound of those who "100%'d" it. 63 achievements in total; the median achievement is unlocked by 24,7 % of players.
Exploration anchors the entire journey, driving 18 positive mentions.
The atmospheric soundtrack captivates wanderers, earning 32 positive mentions out of 32.
Visuals deliver a striking hand-drawn aesthetic, highlighted by 34 positive mentions out of 34.
Tight mechanics fuel the action, generating 81 positive mentions out of 97.
Weaknesses
Navigation through menus frustrates a couple of users, showing 2 negative mentions out of 2 for the UI.
Pricing stirs minor debate among a few buyers, marked by 2 negative mentions out of 11.
Gameplay purity meets occasional friction, resulting in 7 negative mentions out of 97.
Who is it for?
Hardcore action-platformer enthusiasts and patient explorers who relish challenging boss fights and dense, atmospheric metroidvanias.
Is Hollow Knight worth it in 2026?
Overall yes, the community is won over: 97% of 551,791 Steam reviews are positive (player score 95/100). Most-praised strength: Exploration anchors the entire journey, driving. Current price: 14,79€.
Verdict
Hollow Knight stands tall as a modern masterclass in atmospheric adventure, keeping players hooked for dozens of hours despite minor menu grievances. The overwhelming consensus cements it as an essential, beautifully crafted journey beneath the earth.
Is this synthesis accurate?
Display this score
This game's player score, as a badge you can embed on your site or page.
💬 Discussion
A thought, a tip, a question? Drop a note (no account needed).