Game of the Year 2018: #6 – Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition

Considering the plentiful buffet of new games catered throughout this year, it is easy for one to miss the indie repertoire of 2018. From witnessing an arduous father and son journey in the realm of Midgard to trotting the lands of the Wild West, avid gamers were sure to have been in a race against time to experience the entirety of these novelties. In between these mammoth releases came Hollow Knight’s PlayStation 4 debut, a game that thrives in being both an easygoing platformer and a stimulating Metroidvania adventure. Without a doubt, Team Cherry created a timeless trinket worthy of standing among the greatest titans.

Silence speaks louder than words, and such a phrase is what fills this game’s story with greater intricacy. It’s the subtlety that makes you hungry to move forward and uncover the mysteries of a kingdom left in ruins. It’s the feeling of desolation and sorrow from the elusive characters you encounter throughout the journey, making you think twice if the enemy you are slashing for its soul deserves your needle’s judgement. Needless to say, the game’s charming gloominess is even more appealing due to Christopher Larkin’s evocative soundtrack that never ceases to delight.

With its cartoonish art style, it’s easy to assume that this is a casual, walk in the park experience. Delve deeper into the game, though, and you will find yourself dying countless times. With a deceptively aesthetically pleasing art style, the game’s strength relies on the punishing gameplay that lies beyond. Jump here and there without proper timing and its game over.

Opting to emphasise the importance of perfect precision, exploration can be as hard as the next boss fight, where knowing when to jump is crucial to your survival. Mastery of its tight controls allows for a greater experience when exploring the surprisingly vast areas. Just as surprising as the vastness of the areas are the extensive number of side quests and levels for a genre that generally adopts a more condensed format.

Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition is the icing of the cake for those platformer aficionados. A real treat that offers plenty of replayability beyond 20 hours, it keeps you hooked to know more about its alluring lore. Sprinkled with captivating yet simple gameplay mechanics. We can’t wait to see what Team Cherry has in store for the future.

Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition ranks extremely highly on our Game of the Year list, but did this one pass you by? Explore every inch of the map in the comments section below.