The myriad strengths of Hollow Knight have been expounded upon at length—doubly so during the interminable wait for Silksong. But while one could pen a treatise about Hollow Knight‘s extensive lore, simple but effective combat, and one-of-a-kind visual style, its level and environment design arguably remain its crown jewels. As a metroidvania, these pillars need to be strong, and they are certified lode-bearing in Hollow Knight.
It should go without saying that no area of Hallownest is, strictly speaking, “bad.” Rather, some are simply more memorable and impactful than others. That’s why, when organizing a tier-based list of these areas, criteria like visual design, music, and gameplay depth must all be taken into account, as these elements merge to make level design effective. The regions that make the best use of Hollow Knight‘s core strengths, those being combat, traversal, and exploration, will naturally rank higher, even if some lower-ranked areas offer objective benefits, like unique upgrades or resources.
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S-Tier Hollow Knight Regions
Visual Splendor and Challenging Gameplay
- City of Tears
- Godhome
- Greenpath
- White Palace
These Hollow Knight areas are characterized by a few common qualities. Of course, all of them are aesthetically spectacular—a broad-strokes praise that can be leveled at just about any of the game’s zones—but they go the extra mile, making them truly special. Take City of Tears, for instance: its haunting but triumphant score and opulent, quasi-Gothic architecture help it embed itself in the mind, but its sheer breadth and density are what make it unique. It’s replete with secrets and valuables to uncover, proving to be as mechanically engaging as it is visually striking. Greenpath shares these traits, albeit from a very different aesthetic angle.
Then there’s White Palace and Godhome, two stylish regions, no doubt, but aesthetic beauty isn’t what puts them in this tier. No, these end-game areas stand out because of their deep, white-knuckle gameplay opportunities, thrusting players into platforming and combat gauntlets that test their mettle. They are celebrations of Hollow Knight‘s incredible gameplay, and raging ones, at that.
A-Tier Hollow Knight Regions
Aesthetic, Mechanical, and Other Forms of Excellence
- Colosseum of Fools
- Dirtmouth
- Forgotten Crossroads
- Fungal Wastes
- Kingdom’s Edge
- Queen’s Gardens
Areas in this tier have their own unique strengths, to be sure, but they don’t have that extra spice that S-Tier regions do. Some of them, like Colosseum of Fools, offer great gameplay without stunning visuals, while the exact opposite can be said of areas like Fungal Wastes. Dirtmouth is the crown jewel of this tier, serving as a bastion from the despair and danger of the rest of Hallownest, while Forgotten Crossroads is an impressively designed, but ultimately (intentionally) vanilla hub area. Kingdom’s Edge is unforgettable, hosting a top-notch Hornet boss battle and key lore information, but it’s a bit short-lived and sparse, which keeps it out of the S-Tier.
B-Tier Hollow Knight Regions
Strong Areas That Get Overshadowed
- The Abyss
- Ancient Basin
- Crystal Peak
- Deepnest
- Fog Canyon
- Hive
- Howling Cliffs
- Resting Grounds
- Royal Waterways
These are some of the most divisive or underwhelming Hollow Knight regions. Some of them, like The Abyss, Ancient Basin, Howling Cliffs, and Resting Grounds, are exceptional in terms of atmosphere, but ultimately lacking in things to do. In other words, they are likely to evoke strong immediate emotions from the player, but can wind up being disappointing due to their narrow scope. Hive and Deepnest are perhaps Hollow Knight’s most controversial areas, with the former feeling out-of-place and the latter being frustrating due to its difficult enemies and poor visibility, but they both leverage the element of surprise to great effect.
Essentially, while all the regions in this tier have different strengths and weaknesses, they can be considered the least effective and interesting spots in Hollow Knight. Of course, they would be S-Tier areas in just about any other game, but alas, they have some stiff competition here.
Forge your own path in Hollow Knight! An epic action adventure through a vast, ruined kingdom of insects and heroes. Hollow Knight is a classically styled 2D action adventure across a vast interconnected world. Explore twisting caverns, ancient cities and deadly wastes; battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs; and solve ancient mysteries at the kingdom’s heart.
Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward. Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!
Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favourites and make your journey unique! An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
Over 140 enemies! 30 epic bosses! Face ferocious beasts and vanquish ancient knights on your quest through the kingdom.Chart your journey with extensive mapping tools. Buy compasses, quills, maps and pins to enhance your understanding of Hollow Knight’s many twisting landscapes.
A haunting, intimate score accompanies the player on their journey, composed by Christopher Larkin.
- Franchise
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Hollow Knight
- Released
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February 24, 2017
- Developer(s)
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Team Cherry
- Publisher(s)
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Team Cherry
- Engine
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Unity
- ESRB
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E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- How Long To Beat
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27 Hours
- X|S Optimized
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No
- PS Plus Availability
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Extra & Premium
- File Size Xbox Series
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7 GB (November 2023)
- OpenCritic Rating
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Mighty
