0:00:04.150,0:00:13.049 If you were a fan of Metroidvania games, then[br]2010 was a very difficult year. 0:00:13.049,0:00:19.030 On the one side, we got Metroid: Other M - a[br]game that paid lip service to exploration 0:00:19.030,0:00:25.060 and isolation, but was way more interested[br]in action-packed fights, cringe-worthy cutscenes, 0:00:25.060,0:00:27.000 and excessive handholding. 0:00:27.000,0:00:31.990 And on the other side, after six cracking[br]Castlevania adventures on handhelds, we got 0:00:31.990,0:00:37.020 Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - a knockabout[br]brawler that took most of its inspiration 0:00:37.020,0:00:41.440 from God of War, and had only the lightest[br]hint of exploration. 0:00:41.440,0:00:47.120 It looked like the Metroidvania was dead. 0:00:47.120,0:00:50.600 Except, it really wasn’t. 0:00:50.600,0:00:55.520 Because while Nintendo and Konami were about[br]to drop off for a decade-long slumber with 0:00:55.520,0:01:00.640 their respective franchises, other developers[br]- especially smaller indie studios - were 0:01:00.640,0:01:04.710 starting to try their hand at the Metroidvania[br]formula. 0:01:04.710,0:01:10.970 Cave Story, Aquaria, and Shadow Complex were[br]early attempts to follow that recipe of locked 0:01:10.970,0:01:15.930 doors, new abilities, grid-like map systems,[br]and secret items. 0:01:15.930,0:01:21.560 And since then we’ve seen games as varied[br]as Strider, Axiom Verge, the Shantae 0:01:21.560,0:01:27.730 games, Toki Tori 2, Guacamelee, Headlander,[br]and Ori and the Blind Forest. 0:01:27.730,0:01:33.640 But none of these games would quite prepare[br]us for one that was released in 2017. 0:01:33.640,0:01:39.620 This is a masterpiece, with crunchy combat[br]against imaginative boss monsters, crushing 0:01:39.620,0:01:45.460 Dark Souls-esque difficulty spikes, a deep[br]well of lore that would launch several YouTube 0:01:45.460,0:01:50.580 careers, and - most important of all - an[br]elegantly designed, interconnected world that 0:01:50.580,0:01:53.870 is just a joy to get lost in. 0:01:53.870,0:02:00.000 So this is Boss Keys, and today - join me on[br]a deep dive into the world design of 0:02:00.000,0:02:02.180 Hollow Knight. 0:02:06.320,0:02:11.120 Hollow Knight takes place in the sprawling[br]kingdom of Hallownest. 0:02:11.130,0:02:17.529 The game begins in Dirtmouth: a fading town[br]with a few shops and visiting adventurers. 0:02:17.529,0:02:22.249 Beneath that lies the Forgotten Crossroads,[br]which - as the name might suggest - connects 0:02:22.249,0:02:28.219 up to many areas in the game, including the[br]leafy suburbs of Greenpath, the deadly mines 0:02:28.219,0:02:34.819 of Crystal Peak, the acidic Fog Canyon, and[br]the noxious caverns of the Fungal Wastes. 0:02:34.819,0:02:39.510 In the very depths of Hallownest you’ll[br]find the pitch-black labyrinth of Deepnest, 0:02:39.510,0:02:41.659 and the mysterious Ancient Basin. 0:02:41.659,0:02:46.620 While in the furthest corners you’ll discover[br]the graveyard, called the Resting Grounds, 0:02:46.620,0:02:50.909 the Howling Cliffs, and the lush greenhouse[br]of the Queen’s Gardens. 0:02:50.909,0:02:55.060 And at the kingdom’s edge you’ll find[br]the, uh, Kingdom’s Edge - which also connects 0:02:55.060,0:02:56.849 to The Hive. 0:02:56.849,0:03:01.529 All of these areas surround the enormous capital[br]of Hallownest: the endlessly-drenched City 0:03:01.529,0:03:04.970 of Tears, and its Royal Waterways sewer system. 0:03:04.970,0:03:10.409 Together, these 15 different zones create[br]a jigsaw of neatly fitting puzzles pieces. 0:03:10.409,0:03:13.640 Now, each area is visibly distinct. 0:03:13.640,0:03:19.489 There’s no confusing the pink gems of Crystal[br]Peak with the leafy green walls of Greenpath, 0:03:19.489,0:03:23.900 or the candlelit blue walls of the Forgotten[br]Crossroads, or the muted greys of the Ancient 0:03:23.900,0:03:24.900 Basin. 0:03:24.900,0:03:29.650 It’s especially helpful that the colour[br]of each area matches the colours on the map. 0:03:29.650,0:03:34.439 This all makes it easy to keep these areas[br]separately catalogued in your brain box, enormously 0:03:34.439,0:03:36.980 helping with navigation and spatial reasoning. 0:03:36.980,0:03:42.549 But you’ll also find gameplay differences[br]in each zone, which keeps them fresh and varied. 0:03:42.549,0:03:47.529 That includes bouncing on trampoline shrooms[br]in the Fungal Wastes, dodging laser beams 0:03:47.529,0:03:52.030 in the Crystal Peak, and peering through the[br]darkness in Deepnest. 0:03:52.030,0:03:56.549 Some areas, like the Kingdom’s Edge, are[br]vertical in nature - while others, like the 0:03:56.549,0:04:00.049 Royal Waterways, are stretched out highways. 0:04:00.049,0:04:05.790 And there are also unique enemies in each[br]zone - like exploding bugs in Greenpath, kamikaze 0:04:05.790,0:04:12.299 jellyfish in Fog Canyon, icky spiders in Deepnest,[br]and cute bee-lets in The Hive - which makes 0:04:12.300,0:04:14.740 every zone feel brand new. 0:04:17.320,0:04:23.419 When we first drop into Hallownest, we’re[br]not exactly given any real goal or direction. 0:04:23.419,0:04:28.430 This first cutscene shows a lone wanderer[br]- the mysterious Knight - just kinda rocking 0:04:28.430,0:04:31.120 up to the kingdom and jumping on in. 0:04:31.120,0:04:34.389 But we are given some vague hints about where[br]to go. 0:04:34.389,0:04:38.290 The Elderbug in Dirtmouth tells us to head[br]on down. 0:04:38.290,0:04:43.680 And this sign in the west end of the Forgotten[br]Crossroads points towards “the city at this 0:04:43.680,0:04:48.780 kingdom’s heart” - a place where “all[br]wishes shall be granted, all truths revealed”, 0:04:48.780,0:04:49.780 apparently. 0:04:49.780,0:04:53.370 Sounds like a good place to check out, if[br]only it wasn’t guarded by an invincible 0:04:53.370,0:04:56.020 armour-plated beetle. 0:04:56.020,0:05:00.759 Something Hollow Knight does well is to hint[br]at upcoming areas with one room that shares 0:05:00.759,0:05:06.080 that zone’s visual identity - like the rooms[br]in the Forgotten Crossroads that have leaves 0:05:06.080,0:05:09.330 from Greenpath, or gems from Crystal Peak. 0:05:09.330,0:05:14.150 This is a great way of teasing future content[br]- and lodging that place in the player’s 0:05:14.150,0:05:17.110 brain as somewhere worth returning to. 0:05:17.110,0:05:21.800 In the centre of the Forgotten Crossroads[br]is a big ol’ boss called the False Knight 0:05:21.800,0:05:28.310 - and behind him is our first power-up: the[br]Vengeful Spirit, which is a sort of Hadouken-style 0:05:28.310,0:05:29.310 blast. 0:05:29.310,0:05:34.610 In the tutorial for this new ability we use[br]it to defeat another armour-plated beetle, 0:05:34.610,0:05:39.389 reminding us to return to that corridor, and[br]make progress to Greenpath. 0:05:39.389,0:05:45.020 This is a Metroidvania after all - so expect[br]to find locks and keys. 0:05:45.020,0:05:51.500 Here, in Greenpath, we meet Hornet: who keeps dashing [br]just out of view - and acts like a carrot-on-a-stick 0:05:51.500,0:05:54.360 to lure us over to the west side of the area. 0:05:54.360,0:06:00.150 There, we’ll summarily dispatch Hornet - hopefully,[br]she’s pretty tough - and get the second 0:06:00.150,0:06:02.880 upgrade: the Mothwing Cloak. 0:06:02.880,0:06:07.350 This lets us dash in mid-air, granting access[br]to the Fungal Wastes. 0:06:07.350,0:06:13.600 We’re still being teased by that city - thanks[br]to literal signposts that point the way down. 0:06:13.600,0:06:18.099 And Hornet does her little carrot-on-a-stick[br]routine once again, as she darts towards the 0:06:18.099,0:06:19.410 city’s entrance. 0:06:19.410,0:06:22.879 Not that you can follow her, mind you, due[br]to the bridge being down. 0:06:22.879,0:06:28.590 So instead, we enter the Mantis Village, and[br]find the next power-up: the Mantis Claw. 0:06:28.590,0:06:33.710 This allows us to scale up walls and is the[br]perfect ability to get us past that bridge 0:06:33.710,0:06:38.180 and - finally - into the City of Tears. 0:06:40.140,0:06:43.900 So, at this point, Hollow Knight seems quite[br]linear. 0:06:43.910,0:06:48.539 We’re following a standard sequence of upgrades[br]and boss fights, and following a critical 0:06:48.539,0:06:50.469 path through Hallownest. 0:06:50.469,0:06:55.050 But if the game’s developers were leading[br]us to the city by the hand - if only quite 0:06:55.050,0:07:00.820 subtly, with vague clues and in-world signposts[br]- then this is the point where they let go. 0:07:00.820,0:07:05.850 At the centre of the city, we’ll meet Hornet[br]once again - and she’ll tell us to visit 0:07:05.850,0:07:09.979 "the grave in ash", but there’s no indication[br]of where that is. 0:07:09.979,0:07:14.320 And while the fountain actually puts a marker[br]on our map for the first time in the game 0:07:14.320,0:07:18.689 - it’s for the Black Egg Temple back in[br]the Forgotten Crossroads, which is somewhere 0:07:18.689,0:07:21.480 we’ve already been, and that thing’s locked[br]up tight. 0:07:21.480,0:07:25.099 So the question is - where to next? 0:07:25.099,0:07:26.310 Let me back up a bit. 0:07:26.310,0:07:31.650 If we look at the map of Hallownest, and reveal[br]how much of the world we can explore at each 0:07:31.650,0:07:36.979 point in the game, we can see that our initial[br]reach is limited to just Dirtmouth and the 0:07:36.979,0:07:38.930 Forgotten Crossroads. 0:07:38.930,0:07:44.680 After we get the Vengeful Spirit, we can go[br]a smidge further, into Greenpath and the Fog Canyon. 0:07:44.680,0:07:48.839 And the Mothwing Cloak reveals a tiny bit[br]more for us to see still, 0:07:48.839,0:07:50.950 letting us into the Fungal Wastes. 0:07:50.950,0:07:57.069 But as soon as we have the Mantis Claw, the[br]map is massively unveiled to us - we can go 0:07:57.069,0:08:02.449 to the City of Tears, of course, and - provided[br]we’ve found a Simple Key - the Royal Waterways. 0:08:02.449,0:08:08.050 We can pop up to the Howling Cliffs, descend[br]into Deepnest, or check out the Ancient Basin. 0:08:08.050,0:08:09.840 We can even reach the Resting Grounds. 0:08:09.840,0:08:15.590 And if we discover the Tram Pass in Deepnest,[br]we can also visit the Kingdom’s Edge. 0:08:15.590,0:08:19.630 And this was definitely a deliberate choice[br]by the game’s developers. 0:08:19.630,0:08:25.520 I spoke to Ari Gibson and William Pellen from[br]Team Cherry over email, who told me this: 0:08:25.520,0:08:30.789 “we started with a basic, linear progression[br]of item acquirement, with the idea that we 0:08:30.789,0:08:36.320 would allow that progression to break apart,[br]branch out and wind around itself as the world 0:08:36.320,0:08:37.600 grew.” 0:08:37.600,0:08:42.490 So while our journey has been quite constrained[br]up until now, there’s suddenly a bunch of 0:08:42.490,0:08:45.180 different things we can do all at once. 0:08:45.180,0:08:51.260 We can go fight the Dung Defender in the Royal[br]Waterways, which lets us flip a mysterious switch. 0:08:51.260,0:08:55.620 Or we could challenge the Mantis Lords, to[br]open up access to Deepnest. 0:08:55.620,0:09:00.010 Or we could go fight the Soul Master in the[br]City of Tears, and get his handy Desolate 0:09:00.010,0:09:01.490 Dive ability. 0:09:01.490,0:09:06.650 That lets us into the Crystal Peak, and allows[br]us to pick up the Crystal Heart: a sort of 0:09:06.650,0:09:11.030 bonkers jet-powered super dash, which opens[br]up a lot more areas. 0:09:11.030,0:09:15.240 That includes a place in the Ancient Basin[br]where we fight the Broken Vessel and get the 0:09:15.240,0:09:17.270 double jumpin’ Monarch Wings. 0:09:17.270,0:09:22.670 And also an area in the Royal Waterways, where[br]- provided we hit that switch earlier - we 0:09:22.670,0:09:26.800 can pick up Isma’s Tear, which lets us splash[br]about in acid water. 0:09:26.800,0:09:32.680 So, by opening up the world in such a dramatic[br]fashion, Team Cherry doesn’t actually need 0:09:32.680,0:09:34.680 to lead you by the hand anymore. 0:09:34.680,0:09:39.250 Because if there are loads of different things[br]to find all over the map - the player will 0:09:39.250,0:09:43.760 likely stumble upon something important, no[br]matter which direction they take. 0:09:44.560,0:09:49.860 Now, I should say that after entering the[br]City of Tears, the developers ideally want 0:09:49.870,0:09:53.150 you to go fight the Soul Master and get the[br]Desolate Dive ability. 0:09:53.150,0:09:58.960 They even slam the city’s gates shut behind[br]you - and the only way back through is to 0:09:58.960,0:10:03.750 smash through this floor with - you guessed[br]it - the Desolate Dive. 0:10:03.750,0:10:09.120 This is a classic Metroidvania trick of locking[br]the door behind the player, so they don’t 0:10:09.120,0:10:11.960 back out without finding the necessary goodies. 0:10:11.960,0:10:15.960 But something you should know about the world[br]design of Hallownest is that there’s always 0:10:15.960,0:10:18.880 more than one way to go. 0:10:18.880,0:10:23.380 For example - remember when I said you need[br]to fight the Mantis Lords to gain access to 0:10:23.390,0:10:24.390 Deepnest? 0:10:24.390,0:10:30.400 Well, not necessarily - because if you find[br]this semi-secret path in the Fungal Wastes, 0:10:30.400,0:10:35.190 you can get to Deepnest from there and bypass[br]that boss fight altogether - providing two 0:10:35.190,0:10:37.950 routes to the same place. 0:10:37.950,0:10:44.190 Also, you can get to east side of the City[br]of Tears through the Royal Waterways. 0:10:44.190,0:10:47.510 Or by taking a lift down from the Resting[br]Grounds. 0:10:47.510,0:10:52.440 Or by taking the tram from Deepnest to the[br]Ancient Basin, and climbing back up to the 0:10:52.440,0:10:53.580 city from there. 0:10:53.580,0:10:56.370 Or you could even come in via the Kingdom’s[br]Edge. 0:10:56.370,0:11:01.430 That’s four routes to the same place. 0:11:01.430,0:11:04.170 The Crystal Peak is another key area for this. 0:11:04.170,0:11:09.130 For starters, there are multiple routes through[br]this zone when getting to the Crystal Heart, 0:11:09.130,0:11:13.930 allowing us to skip this Crystal Guardian[br]boss fight altogether if we so wish. 0:11:13.930,0:11:16.470 And there’s two routes into the mine itself. 0:11:16.470,0:11:21.150 Before, I mentioned using the Desolate Dive[br]to smash through this floor - but there’s 0:11:21.150,0:11:26.820 also this pitch-black and seemingly inaccessible[br]room in the Forgotten Crossroads. 0:11:26.820,0:11:31.270 Come back with the Lumafly Lantern from the[br]shop in Dirtmouth, though, and you’ll be 0:11:31.270,0:11:34.510 able to see that there’s actually a gate[br]in that room. 0:11:34.510,0:11:37.670 Once unlocked, you’ll get access to the[br]Crystal Peak. 0:11:37.670,0:11:42.690 And if you’ve got the Mantis Claw, you can[br]even hop up and get the Crystal Heart, meaning 0:11:42.690,0:11:48.990 you can bypass the Soul Master and his Desolate[br]Dive pick-up altogether, if you so wish. 0:11:48.990,0:11:54.930 The explorable area following the Mantis Claw[br]actually looks like this, then. 0:11:54.930,0:12:01.150 In fact, because you can reach this dark room[br]at the very start of the game, you can theoretically 0:12:01.150,0:12:06.640 enter the Crystal Peak before getting the[br]game’s very first power-up: the Vengeful Spirit. 0:12:06.640,0:12:12.720 Though, at 1,800 Geo, the lamp is rather expensive[br]and will be hard to save up for at this very early 0:12:12.720,0:12:14.400 stage in the adventure. 0:12:14.400,0:12:19.620 It’s an interesting example of a what we[br]might call a “soft lock”, though: a route 0:12:19.620,0:12:25.140 through a game that isn’t physically inaccessible[br]to the player, but will turn most adventurers 0:12:25.140,0:12:29.550 away at this early stage because they’re[br]not yet strong enough, don’t have enough 0:12:29.550,0:12:33.540 knowledge, or - in this case - don’t have[br]enough cash. 0:12:33.540,0:12:39.360 So while the door to the City of Tears does[br]shut tight behind you, there’s plenty of creative 0:12:39.360,0:12:44.600 ways out of the city that don’t require[br]the Desolate Dive ability. 0:12:44.600,0:12:48.940 Providing multiple routes through the game[br]certainly allows you to pick your own path 0:12:48.940,0:12:54.440 during the adventure - which is perfect for[br]second playthroughs, speed-runs, low percentage 0:12:54.440,0:13:00.030 challenges - and most importantly of all - a[br]feeling of legitimate agency. 0:13:00.030,0:13:05.260 Because - similar to games like Dark Souls[br]and the very first Metroid and Zelda games 0:13:05.260,0:13:10.800 - the route through the game is dictated by[br]your own curiosity and sense of adventure. 0:13:10.800,0:13:16.280 But this is also a wonderful way to stop the[br]player from getting stuck. 0:13:16.280,0:13:20.010 Like: think about the Grapple Hook in Super[br]Metroid. 0:13:20.010,0:13:25.700 It can be used to access loads of places around[br]Zebes but most of them just lead to inessential 0:13:25.700,0:13:31.830 upgrades like the Wave Beam and Energy Tanks[br]- so let’s call these optional locks. 0:13:31.830,0:13:36.580 Only one Grapple Hook point actually allows[br]further progress through the game, towards 0:13:36.580,0:13:40.380 the Wrecked Ship - so we might call that a[br]critical lock. 0:13:40.380,0:13:45.161 And so while you’re certainly going to get[br]loads of cool goodies to upgrade Samus, it 0:13:45.161,0:13:49.990 does mean that if you can’t find that one[br]single critical lock, you’re going to be 0:13:49.990,0:13:51.420 stuck. 0:13:51.420,0:13:54.830 In Hollow Knight, though, things are a bit[br]different. 0:13:54.830,0:13:59.810 Like, after getting the Mothwing Cloak from[br]Hornet in Greenpath, there are loads of places 0:13:59.810,0:14:01.230 to use it. 0:14:01.230,0:14:03.430 Some lead to handy pick ups. 0:14:03.430,0:14:08.690 But also, you can dash up here in the Fog[br]Canyon’s Queen Station, and dash up here 0:14:08.690,0:14:13.230 in the bottom of the Forgotten Crossroads[br]- and both lead you to the Fungal Wastes, 0:14:13.230,0:14:16.540 and continue your adventure towards the Mantis[br]Village. 0:14:16.540,0:14:21.900 Having two critical locks instead of one dramatically[br]increases your chances of making progress 0:14:21.900,0:14:22.900 through the game. 0:14:22.900,0:14:28.100 Because whether you remember some past blocked-off[br]area and decide to backtrack to it with your 0:14:28.100,0:14:32.660 new power-up, or you just continue adventuring[br]onwards and hope to stumble upon the next 0:14:32.660,0:14:37.100 part of the game - you’re much more likely[br]to make progress if there’s more than one 0:14:37.100,0:14:39.600 critical lock to find. 0:14:39.600,0:14:44.900 This is a technique that’s used to great[br]effect in the Resting Grounds. 0:14:44.910,0:14:49.100 Some players will drop down into the area[br]from this chasm in the Crystal Peak. 0:14:49.100,0:14:54.750 But others might, instead, find the Tram Pass[br]in Deepnest and ride a train car from the 0:14:54.750,0:14:57.700 Forgotten Crossroads over to the Resting Grounds. 0:14:57.700,0:15:01.940 They might take a lift up from the east end[br]of the City of Tears, and reach the Resting 0:15:01.940,0:15:03.740 Grounds from underneath. 0:15:03.740,0:15:08.220 Or they might get to that same entranceway,[br]but by using the Crystal Dash to get to the 0:15:08.220,0:15:09.520 Blue Lake. 0:15:09.520,0:15:14.760 That’s four completely different paths to[br]the same area - using all sorts of different 0:15:14.760,0:15:16.750 abilities and routes. 0:15:16.750,0:15:21.300 And it can be accessed from the very start[br]of the game, if you take that route through 0:15:21.300,0:15:23.870 the pitch-black room I discussed earlier. 0:15:23.870,0:15:25.400 But this is all for a reason. 0:15:25.400,0:15:30.290 The Resting Grounds is actually the “grave[br]in ash” that Hornet spoke of back in the 0:15:30.290,0:15:34.980 City of Tears, and it’s one of the most[br]important areas in the game because it finally 0:15:34.980,0:15:40.670 gives us an actual goal - we need to take[br]this Dream Nail and use it to wake up three 0:15:40.670,0:15:46.520 sleeping sentries: Herrah the Beast, Lurien[br]the Watcher, and Monomon the Teacher. 0:15:46.520,0:15:51.620 So by having all sorts of different ways into[br]the Resting Grounds, Team Cherry can be sure 0:15:51.620,0:15:55.200 that players will almost certainly get there[br]eventually - but they don’t have to be led 0:15:55.200,0:15:59.460 by the hand using signposts, directions, or[br]map markers. 0:15:59.460,0:16:03.840 Instead, you just get that wonderful feeling[br]of “accidentally” stumbling upon something 0:16:03.840,0:16:05.520 really important. 0:16:05.520,0:16:09.780 Team Cherry says it tried to avoid using too[br]much signposting because it would be “to 0:16:09.780,0:16:14.500 the detriment of many players who, through[br]initially being lost, find their own ways 0:16:14.500,0:16:19.070 and begin to learn the layout of the kingdom[br]on a much more personal level”. 0:16:19.070,0:16:23.810 There is one exception to that, though: when[br]you look at this statue in the Resting Ground, 0:16:23.810,0:16:29.390 the dreamer’s masks are drawn onto your[br]map, marking the location of these characters. 0:16:29.390,0:16:33.880 And normally, I’d be kind of against this[br]sort of overt and gamey direction. 0:16:33.880,0:16:38.780 However, this turns out to be less of a bunch[br]of nagging waypoint markers and more of a 0:16:38.780,0:16:42.900 gentle reminder of what your overall goal[br]actually is. 0:16:42.900,0:16:47.770 Because, your map is likely so uncharted that these[br]masks are just floating in an unhelpful sea 0:16:47.770,0:16:53.110 of black, and you almost certainly don’t[br]have all the abilities to actually reach these 0:16:53.110,0:16:54.800 dreamers yet. 0:16:54.800,0:17:00.120 Herrah, for example, is hidden away in her[br]den in the furthest corner of Deepnest. 0:17:00.130,0:17:05.520 You’ll need the Mantis Claw to get in there,[br]and the Lumafly Lantern to actually see what 0:17:05.520,0:17:06.730 you’re doing. 0:17:06.730,0:17:11.890 Lurien is high atop his spire, overlooking[br]the City of Tears, and can’t be reached 0:17:11.890,0:17:13.700 without the Monarch Wings. 0:17:13.700,0:17:17.079 And you’ll need to defeat the Watcher Knights[br]at his door. 0:17:17.079,0:17:21.650 And Monomon’s kipping in her archive in[br]the Fog Canyon, which is blocked off unless 0:17:21.650,0:17:23.110 you have Isma’s Tear. 0:17:23.110,0:17:28.850 You’re also going to have to dispatch the[br]rather familiar looking boss, Uumuu. 0:17:28.850,0:17:33.810 So while the masks on your map might point[br]out the final destinations, they don’t tell 0:17:33.810,0:17:38.020 you anything about the many stops you’ll[br]need to make along the way. 0:17:38.040,0:17:43.720 There’s one final way that Team Cherry allows[br]you to dictate your own path through the game, 0:17:43.730,0:17:49.160 and that’s by allowing, encouraging, and[br]even designing in tricks that allow you to 0:17:49.160,0:17:53.130 get past obstacles without the necessary upgrades. 0:17:53.130,0:17:56.780 Similar to tricks like the wall jump in Super Metroid. 0:17:56.780,0:18:01.900 So you can use the kickback blast of the Vengeful[br]Spirit to propel yourself to areas that would 0:18:01.900,0:18:04.450 normally require the Mothwing Cloak. 0:18:04.450,0:18:08.850 You can use the Crystal Heart to bypass bits[br]that need Isma’s Tear. 0:18:08.850,0:18:13.680 And most disruptive of all, you can bounce[br]off background decorations and flying enemies 0:18:13.680,0:18:19.240 with the nail to give you an extra lift - and[br]render the Monarch Wings technically optional. 0:18:19.240,0:18:24.100 Now that’s what I call exploiting a bug! 0:18:24.100,0:18:28.490 Team Cherry told me that “we knew players[br]would be able to sequence break using the 0:18:28.490,0:18:33.270 nail bounce technique, and we absolutely wanted[br]them to be able to do so. 0:18:33.270,0:18:38.320 Watching players discover new routes is a[br]huge joy for us and is a really empowering 0:18:38.320,0:18:39.720 moment for a player.” 0:18:39.720,0:18:44.641 “We even placed certain enemies and objects[br]to allow some shortcuts” - though, they 0:18:44.641,0:18:48.780 admit that “the Hollow Knight community[br]has uncovered many more skips that we’d 0:18:48.780,0:18:50.630 never considered ourselves”. 0:18:50.630,0:18:54.780 One spot in the Kingdom’s Edge had to be[br]fixed in a patch, as it was possible to get 0:18:54.780,0:19:01.080 yourself stuck if you managed to access it[br]before acquiring the Monarch Wings. 0:19:01.080,0:19:06.440 With all three dreamers awake, we can now[br]finally enter the Black Egg Temple in the 0:19:06.440,0:19:12.900 Forgotten Crossroads, fight the, ahem, final[br]boss: Hollow Knight, and ahem, finish the game. 0:19:21.920,0:19:28.660 Now while I normally like to use graphs to[br]explain the structure of Metroidvania games 0:19:28.660,0:19:33.010 on Boss Keys, it’s not really possible with[br]Hollow Knight. 0:19:33.010,0:19:37.760 So much stuff can be be skipped, or done in[br]different ways, or reached from different 0:19:37.760,0:19:43.270 directions, that creating a single, monolithic[br]chart for the game’s structure is just not 0:19:43.270,0:19:44.270 possible. 0:19:44.270,0:19:48.250 I can show you one route through the game,[br]though, which at least reveals the general 0:19:48.250,0:19:49.570 shape of things. 0:19:49.570,0:19:54.380 Essentially, a linear corridor of upgrades[br]and boss fights, which dramatically fans out 0:19:54.380,0:19:58.460 to a wide open matrix of non-linear possibilities. 0:19:58.460,0:20:02.790 Including the ability to pick up game-changing[br]abilities simultaneously - which is something 0:20:02.790,0:20:07.730 you don’t usually see in Metroidvanias,[br]because they often dictate a more set-in-stone 0:20:07.730,0:20:11.000 sequence of getting one item after another. 0:20:11.000,0:20:14.750 But Team Cherry says “we wanted players[br]to feel like their journey through the kingdom 0:20:14.750,0:20:20.300 was their own, and part of that was removing[br]barriers or opening paths to allow acquiring 0:20:20.300,0:20:23.059 items or powers ‘out of order’.” 0:20:23.059,0:20:26.420 Of course, this graph has a million different[br]permutations. 0:20:26.420,0:20:31.650 You can skip the Mantis Lords and the Crystal[br]Guardian with careful navigation of the map, 0:20:31.650,0:20:36.730 get the Dream Nail much earlier in the game,[br]reach the Crystal Heart without the Desolate 0:20:36.730,0:20:39.400 Dive, and so on. 0:20:39.400,0:20:45.420 But beyond that, there’s so much more that[br]this graph doesn’t even begin to cover. 0:20:45.420,0:20:50.180 For starters, while I’ve already talked[br]about the bosses that are standing between 0:20:50.190,0:20:54.720 you and the game’s credits - there’s also[br]bunch of completely hidden bosses that have 0:20:54.720,0:20:57.500 no impact on the structure of the game whatsoever. 0:20:57.500,0:21:03.240 There’s the Brooding Mawlek, who’s in[br]a hard-to-reach room in the Forgotten Crossroads. 0:21:03.240,0:21:08.090 The Collector, who can’t be found unless[br]you get the Love Key from the Queen’s Gardens. 0:21:08.090,0:21:13.720 The Enraged Guardian, who’s hiding in a[br]secret room above the other Guardian’s boss area. 0:21:13.720,0:21:19.080 The Flukemarm, who can only be found if you[br]use the Desolate Dive in the Royal Waterways. 0:21:19.090,0:21:24.290 And Nosk, in Deepnest, who can only be reached[br]with either the Crystal Heart or the Monarch 0:21:24.290,0:21:25.290 Wings. 0:21:25.290,0:21:31.500 There’s also the Hive Knight in, I'll let you guess, [br]but he’s exclusive to the Lifeblood DLC. 0:21:31.500,0:21:33.230 And there are more bosses beyond these. 0:21:33.230,0:21:38.610 At the Kingdom’s Edge, you’ll find the[br]Colosseum of Fools - which is a non-stop combat 0:21:38.610,0:21:41.670 gauntlet, with a handful of unique bosses. 0:21:41.670,0:21:46.410 And the seven Warrior Dreams, who are ghostly[br]spirits that are are guarding their gravesites, 0:21:46.410,0:21:50.490 and can be challenged to a dual after you[br]acquire the Dream Nail. 0:21:50.490,0:21:55.700 And dream variants of the Broken Vessel, False[br]Knight, and Soul Master bosses - which are 0:21:55.700,0:21:58.800 like super hard remixes of those fights. 0:21:58.800,0:22:02.140 Two more come in the Hidden Dreams DLC, as[br]well. 0:22:02.140,0:22:07.320 Ultimately, it is quite incredible to stumble[br]down some random hallway, and not just uncover 0:22:07.320,0:22:12.340 a handy item or whatever: but an entirely[br]unique boss fight that some players might 0:22:12.340,0:22:13.660 never see. 0:22:13.660,0:22:17.830 Team Cherry says it doesn’t worry too much[br]about whether everyone will find the content 0:22:17.830,0:22:18.830 it makes. 0:22:18.830,0:22:24.140 “Just having it there, out of sight from[br]most players makes the world more truly alive,” 0:22:24.140,0:22:29.000 the developer explains - “much of it exists[br]to convey a sense that there’s always something 0:22:29.000,0:22:34.960 else waiting in the unexplored recesses of[br]the world - fearsome enemies, strange characters, 0:22:34.960,0:22:36.860 new areas, powerful items etc.” 0:22:36.860,0:22:43.120 “And [it] creates a very special experience[br]for those few that do make the discovery.” 0:22:43.120,0:22:48.440 So depending on how you categorise things,[br]and whether or not you include the Lifeblood 0:22:48.440,0:22:53.590 and Hidden Dreams DLC, there are more than[br]30 bosses in the world of Hollow Knight, but 0:22:53.590,0:22:57.370 you might only fight about 10 to 15 of them[br]during your adventure. 0:22:57.370,0:22:58.650 It’s crazy. 0:22:58.650,0:23:04.870 An absolute butt load of extra bosses and[br]remixes are added in the other two DLC packs: 0:23:04.870,0:23:09.850 The Grimm Troupe and Godmaster, but they’re[br]not relevant to the normal exploration of 0:23:09.850,0:23:15.320 Hallownest, and so I won’t be discussing[br]them in this video. 0:23:15.320,0:23:19.400 What’s the point of going after these non-essential[br]bosses, then? 0:23:19.400,0:23:23.430 Other than the fact that you don’t actually[br]know which bosses are necessary to beat the 0:23:23.430,0:23:24.430 game, of course. 0:23:24.430,0:23:27.270 Well, it’s all about 'dem goodies. 0:23:27.270,0:23:33.400 The world of Hollow Knight is jam packed with[br]stuff to find - sometimes hidden behind bosses, 0:23:33.400,0:23:39.460 sometimes behind secret walls, sometimes behind[br]those optional locks, sometimes as expensive 0:23:39.460,0:23:43.120 items in shops, sometimes just found off the[br]beaten track. 0:23:43.120,0:23:49.340 You’ve got your usual upgrades: 16 Mask[br]Shards act like the heart pieces in Zelda: 0:23:49.340,0:23:53.800 so find four of them and you’ll be able to[br]take an extra hit in combat. 0:23:53.810,0:23:58.809 The 9 Vessel Fragments are kinda similar:[br]find three of these and you’ll boost your 0:23:58.809,0:24:02.570 available mana for powerful spells and recharging[br]your health. 0:24:02.570,0:24:08.760 There are also special moves, like the Great[br]Slash, Dash Slash, and Cyclone Slash. 0:24:08.760,0:24:12.270 Soul upgrades like the Abyss Shriek and Descending[br]Dark. 0:24:12.270,0:24:16.710 And you can boost the power of your Nail if[br]you find Pale Ore. 0:24:16.710,0:24:19.220 And then there are the charms. 0:24:19.220,0:24:23.450 These collectable badges give you all sorts[br]of handy abilities like quicker recovery on 0:24:23.450,0:24:27.540 your spells, no knock-back when fighting enemies,[br]and so on. 0:24:27.540,0:24:32.410 Every one is uniquely interesting to equip[br]and they even synergise for more abilities 0:24:32.410,0:24:36.059 - but are limited to the number of charm notches[br]you have. 0:24:36.059,0:24:38.929 And yes, you can find charm notches as well. 0:24:38.929,0:24:43.410 All of these items are well worth finding[br]because Hollow Knight is definitely not an 0:24:43.410,0:24:44.420 easy game. 0:24:44.420,0:24:48.660 In fact, it’s brutally difficult at times,[br]has the same find-your-corpse-when-you-die 0:24:48.660,0:24:53.260 mechanic as Dark Souls, and some of the bosses[br]just do not mess around. 0:24:53.260,0:24:58.220 That makes getting more health, or a charm[br]that can help you in combat, or a boost to 0:24:58.220,0:25:04.140 your nail’s strength, or a more powerful[br]spell a genuinely worthwhile thing to find. 0:25:04.140,0:25:07.810 Defeating some hidden boss doesn’t feel[br]like a waste of time because it didn’t let 0:25:07.810,0:25:12.880 you make any progress - the reward is usually[br]useful (or, at least, interesting) enough 0:25:12.880,0:25:15.960 to make your efforts feel worthwhile. 0:25:15.960,0:25:21.460 I do want to say one thing about the corpse[br]run mechanic, though: this is one way that 0:25:21.460,0:25:26.170 Hollow Knight sadly discourages exploration[br]through its design. 0:25:26.170,0:25:30.940 When you die in, say, Zelda 1 - it’s easy[br]to say “you know what? 0:25:30.940,0:25:33.970 Screw that area, I’m going to look somewhere[br]else”. 0:25:33.970,0:25:38.340 When you die in Hollow Knight, though, you[br]drop a shadowy clone of yourself - who hangs 0:25:38.340,0:25:42.910 on to all your money and limits your mana[br]amount to half. 0:25:42.910,0:25:48.610 This tempts you to return to the place you[br]just died - sometimes over and over and over again 0:25:48.610,0:25:52.780 - regardless of the many other interesting[br]places you could explore, 0:25:52.780,0:25:55.960 or different routes you could take. 0:25:55.960,0:26:00.551 These extra bosses and endless special items[br]also make you feel like there’s something 0:26:00.551,0:26:02.500 to find around every corner. 0:26:02.500,0:26:06.040 No matter where you explore, there will be[br]something to find. 0:26:06.100,0:26:10.220 Sometimes it’s not even relevant to the[br]gameplay at all - it’s just story stuff 0:26:10.220,0:26:14.100 that adds to the rich and immersive atmosphere[br]of the game. 0:26:14.100,0:26:19.730 My personal favourite take on this is the way certain[br]characters seem to be off on their own little 0:26:19.730,0:26:20.730 adventures. 0:26:20.730,0:26:26.500 Bugs like Cloth, Quirrel, and Tiso, keep popping[br]up all over the place - each commenting on 0:26:26.500,0:26:28.650 their status and location. 0:26:28.650,0:26:34.429 It makes the world feel alive, and less like[br]the game revolves entirely around the player. 0:26:34.429,0:26:38.550 These bugs are off doing their own thing,[br]with our without you. 0:26:38.550,0:26:42.190 One bug who definitely does need you, though,[br]is Zote. 0:26:42.190,0:26:48.110 This arrogant dude can be found in the mandibles[br]of a Vengefly King in Greenpath - and it’s 0:26:48.110,0:26:50.470 up to you if you save him. 0:26:50.470,0:26:54.520 Same goes for when he’s later found stuck[br]in spider webs in Deepnest. 0:26:54.520,0:26:59.410 If you save him both times, he’ll appear[br]as a boss - of sorts - in the Colosseum of 0:26:59.410,0:27:02.340 Fools, and then in Bretta’s house in Dirtmouth. 0:27:02.340,0:27:08.400 But if you miss him in Greenpath or Deepnest, or simply[br]choose not to save him - well, that’s it. 0:27:08.400,0:27:14.100 That whole quest will just not happen - and once[br]again, proves that Team Cherry doesn’t care 0:27:14.100,0:27:18.309 if you see their work, because it makes it[br]all the sweeter for those who do witness the 0:27:18.309,0:27:19.559 full story. 0:27:19.559,0:27:24.450 The game is actually packed with little quests[br]like this, such as a mission to save the Grubfather’s 0:27:24.450,0:27:29.470 children, a promise to fill out of a journal[br]of every enemy in Hallownest, a tricky quest 0:27:29.470,0:27:34.550 to carry a delicate flower across the map,[br]and a personal favourite: the way a secret 0:27:34.550,0:27:38.840 stag station opens up when you unlock all[br]the other stations. 0:27:38.840,0:27:43.520 All of these help flesh out Hollow Knight’s[br]rich narrative, and add memorable character 0:27:43.520,0:27:44.880 moments. 0:27:44.880,0:27:47.780 The world itself tells stories, too. 0:27:47.799,0:27:53.031 My favourite example of this is the Blue Lake,[br]which is positioned above the City 0:27:53.031,0:27:57.370 of Tears, and explains why the city is constantly[br]raining. 0:27:57.370,0:27:58.420 Amazing. 0:27:59.720,0:28:04.140 Let’s talk about actually getting around[br]Hallownest. 0:28:04.140,0:28:09.470 So we’ve already discussed the multiple[br]entry points between areas in the game. 0:28:09.470,0:28:15.470 In fact, every single zone, except for The[br]Hive, is connected to at least two other places 0:28:15.470,0:28:20.910 in Hallownest, through lifts, passageways,[br]tram stations, and secret routes. 0:28:20.910,0:28:25.860 Team Cherry says “It was always intentional[br]to give players different ways to travel to 0:28:25.860,0:28:29.100 and through (and sometimes around) areas.” 0:28:29.100,0:28:32.960 Some of these were planned ahead of time,[br]but others were added when the opportunity 0:28:32.960,0:28:37.990 presented itself - “For instance, when Deepnest[br]grew tall enough that the top of it was brushing 0:28:37.990,0:28:41.910 against the bottom of the Queen’s Gardens,[br]we added a connection between them.” 0:28:41.910,0:28:46.600 “If we can add a connection between adjacent[br]areas, and it makes sense in the world, and 0:28:46.600,0:28:50.520 it doesn’t cause players to get stuck somewhere,[br]then we do it”. 0:28:50.520,0:28:56.549 But when playing the game, many of these routes[br]start out as only going one way. 0:28:56.549,0:29:00.620 So it’s initially impossible to get from[br]Dirtmouth to Crystal Peak. 0:29:00.620,0:29:05.610 But after getting the Crystal Heart, you can[br]zoom along here and open up a lift between 0:29:05.610,0:29:07.520 the town and the peak. 0:29:07.520,0:29:12.640 It’s one of those wonderful “aha” moments[br]you get in such elegantly designed wrap-around 0:29:12.640,0:29:17.540 worlds, like taking that first elevator back[br]to Firelink Shrine in Dark Souls. 0:29:17.540,0:29:21.380 What this means is that Hollow Knight’s[br]developers can initially restrict your access 0:29:21.380,0:29:26.660 to certain places - to create a semblance[br]of order and sequence to the game’s items. 0:29:26.660,0:29:30.080 Like how you need the tram pass to get to[br]Kingdom’s Edge. 0:29:30.080,0:29:35.550 But then by opening up new routes from the[br]other side, like this path through to a lift 0:29:35.550,0:29:40.679 shaft in the City of Tears, the game’s world[br]becomes far easier to navigate. 0:29:40.679,0:29:43.360 Team Cherry does this in micro-form, too. 0:29:43.360,0:29:48.350 Take the Forgotten Crossroads, where this[br]locked gate blocks off easy access to the 0:29:48.350,0:29:49.350 boss. 0:29:49.350,0:29:53.800 Instead, you’re forced to go all the way[br]around the zone, taking in every room and 0:29:53.800,0:29:55.730 challenge along the way. 0:29:55.730,0:30:01.470 However, once you unlock that gate it becomes[br]permanently open - giving you easy passageway 0:30:01.470,0:30:03.120 through the crossroads. 0:30:03.120,0:30:07.460 This is a clever way of ensuring that the[br]first time a player enters a zone, they are 0:30:07.460,0:30:10.280 forced to tackle difficult challenges and[br]set-ups. 0:30:10.280,0:30:15.260 Things like tricky platforming sections, or[br]areas with tough enemies, or brutal gauntlets 0:30:15.260,0:30:16.650 against waves of foes. 0:30:16.650,0:30:20.700 But once you’ve proven you can do it once,[br]you’ll be able to skip this stuff during 0:30:20.700,0:30:25.309 revisits to the zone - massively reducing[br]the boring bits of backtracking. 0:30:25.309,0:30:29.540 There’s only a few times where Team Cherry[br]breaks this rule. 0:30:29.540,0:30:34.920 At some point in the game, the Forgotten Crossroads[br]gets taken over by these malicious orange 0:30:34.920,0:30:40.240 bubbles and becomes The Infected Crossroads[br]- complete with new, harder enemy types. 0:30:40.240,0:30:45.320 Now, I do love this: it makes the world feel[br]changeable, like time is not standing still 0:30:45.320,0:30:46.320 during your adventure. 0:30:46.320,0:30:50.600 And it makes one of the earliest parts of[br]the game - which has started to become a cakewalk 0:30:50.600,0:30:54.360 with your newfound skills and abilities - a[br]new source of challenge. 0:30:54.360,0:30:59.600 But it also blocks off a couple routes through[br]the zone, making it just slightly more annoying 0:30:59.600,0:31:01.660 to navigate. Grr. 0:31:01.660,0:31:04.900 I should definitely also mention the Stag[br]network. 0:31:04.900,0:31:10.500 Similar to the fast travel points in Castlevania:[br]Symphony of the Night, these stag stations 0:31:10.510,0:31:15.610 are dotted around Hallownest and provide easy[br]access between some of the zones. 0:31:15.610,0:31:20.760 With a map the size of Hallownest, I think[br]these fast travel points are a fine addition 0:31:20.760,0:31:24.040 - it would be horribly tedious to get about[br]without them. 0:31:24.040,0:31:29.950 And besides, with two stag stations in the[br]City of Tears, only nine of the fifteen areas 0:31:29.950,0:31:34.150 have stations, so there’s not enough to[br]just let you teleport all over the place. 0:31:34.150,0:31:39.820 You’ll still need to know your way around,[br]and carefully plot your journey out on your map. 0:31:39.880,0:31:40.860 Oh, the map! 0:31:40.860,0:31:44.680 Gosh, how has it taken this long to talk about[br]one of Hollow Knight’s most interesting 0:31:44.690,0:31:46.549 features: its mapping system. 0:31:46.549,0:31:50.720 So, when you first start the game you[br]won’t have a map of the world at all. 0:31:50.720,0:31:54.370 But then you’ll come across this cheeky[br]chap: Cornifer. 0:31:54.370,0:32:00.530 He’s a cartographer who will sell you his[br]sketchy, incomplete maps of each zone in the 0:32:00.530,0:32:06.290 game - these kind of work like the map stations[br]in Super Metroid, which hint at places you 0:32:06.290,0:32:09.380 can explore and interesting areas you should[br]check out. 0:32:09.380,0:32:13.929 The map for the Forgotten Crossroads, for[br]example, has a drawing of a big scary monster 0:32:13.929,0:32:17.809 head, which points you in the direction of[br]the game’s first boss. 0:32:17.809,0:32:22.669 Back up in Dirtmouth, you can buy a quill[br]which then turns the map into a more traditional 0:32:22.669,0:32:24.190 auto-mapping system. 0:32:24.190,0:32:28.880 But with a couple twists: one is that the[br]map only fills in when you sit down on a bench 0:32:28.880,0:32:29.929 to rest. 0:32:29.929,0:32:34.700 And the other is that in order to see your[br]position on the map, you need to buy and equip 0:32:34.700,0:32:39.500 a compass charm - handy, but maybe it would[br]be better to use that slot for something else? 0:32:39.500,0:32:40.960 A decision you can make. 0:32:40.970,0:32:46.210 The way a game chooses to reveal its world[br]on a map can completely change your experience 0:32:46.210,0:32:48.700 with exploring that world. 0:32:48.700,0:32:53.310 Classic adventures like Zelda and Metroid[br]didn’t have maps - likely due to technical 0:32:53.310,0:32:58.890 limitations, but it created this real sense[br]of mystery and unchartedness, and forced you 0:32:58.890,0:33:02.640 to make your own map, either in your head[br]or on paper. 0:33:02.640,0:33:08.440 The Souls games would revisit this idea much[br]later, forcing you to forge a map of places like Lordran 0:33:08.440,0:33:10.140 or Yharnham in your bonce. 0:33:10.140,0:33:12.960 But a good, clear map is handy, too. 0:33:12.960,0:33:17.050 It’s nice to plot out routes you want to[br]take, it can help you figure out where you 0:33:17.050,0:33:22.340 have and have not yet explored, and it’s[br]great for scooping up items and secrets. 0:33:22.340,0:33:25.179 Hollow Knight gives you the best of both worlds. 0:33:25.179,0:33:29.720 When you first enter a zone, your map[br]is completely blank - you’re stumbling in 0:33:29.720,0:33:34.280 the dark, and you have no idea about the size[br]and scope of the place you’re in. 0:33:34.280,0:33:37.840 It makes new places feel scary and dangerous. 0:33:37.840,0:33:43.429 Then, when you get the sketchy map from Cornifer,[br]you get a slightly better idea of where to 0:33:43.429,0:33:46.970 go - and some hints at places you might want[br]to check out. 0:33:46.970,0:33:50.040 And then once you sit in a bench, you get[br]the full map. 0:33:50.040,0:33:54.130 You can see more clearly how the world is[br]laid out, plan routes through Hallownest, 0:33:54.130,0:33:59.800 and if you’re feeling a bit stuck - scan[br]the map for paths you’ve yet to venture down. 0:33:59.920,0:34:06.220 So, if you thought the final cutscene in Hollow[br]Knight was a bit anticlimactic - you’d be right. 0:34:06.220,0:34:11.520 Like many Metroidvanias before it, Hollow[br]Knight has a bad ending - and a whole lot 0:34:11.520,0:34:15.240 of gameplay to go if you want to get the true,[br]good ending. 0:34:15.240,0:34:20.220 Here’s the basic run down: you need to hop[br]up here in the Kingdom’s Edge, fight Hornet 0:34:20.220,0:34:23.739 for the second time, and enter the Cast-Off[br]Shell. 0:34:23.739,0:34:28.609 Inside is the King’s Brand, which can be[br]used in the Ancient Basin to open up a big 0:34:28.609,0:34:31.730 ol’ door and grant access to The Abyss. 0:34:31.730,0:34:37.500 Inside is the Shade Cloak, which finally lets[br]you bypass a recurring obstacle in the game: 0:34:37.500,0:34:40.399 these black geysers of toxic goop. 0:34:40.399,0:34:45.129 By the way, you can use the shade cloak to[br]get to the teacher’s archive from a different 0:34:45.129,0:34:50.260 direction and wake Monomon without fighting[br]the Dung Defender or getting Isma’s Tear. 0:34:50.260,0:34:51.040 Cheeky! 0:34:51.040,0:34:56.400 Anyway, one black geyser blocks a new boss[br]fight: the Traitor Lord. 0:34:56.409,0:35:00.320 And the prize for beating him is the White[br]Fragment. Sweet. 0:35:00.320,0:35:04.920 Now, there’s a character called Seer in[br]the Resting Grounds who will give you goodies 0:35:04.920,0:35:10.440 in exchange for Essence, which is gained by[br]defeating the Warrior Dream bosses, the dream 0:35:10.440,0:35:16.109 variant bosses, using the dream nail on ghosts,[br]and collecting Essence spawned from whispering 0:35:16.109,0:35:17.109 roots. 0:35:17.109,0:35:23.549 If you gather 1800 of this stuff, Seer will[br]upgrade your Dream Nail to the Awakened Dream Nail. 0:35:23.549,0:35:29.140 Now if you use this on a corpse in the Ancient[br]Basin you get to go to the White Palace: a 0:35:29.140,0:35:34.729 nightmare hellscape void of misery that’s[br]as hard as anything in Super Meat Boy or Celeste 0:35:34.729,0:35:38.700 but, like, without the super sharp platforming[br]controls of either game. 0:35:38.700,0:35:41.109 God damn this bit is quite annoying. 0:35:41.109,0:35:43.890 At the end though is another White Fragment. 0:35:43.890,0:35:46.430 Stick them together and you’ve got the Kingsoul. 0:35:46.430,0:35:50.410 And then return to the Abyss and you’ll[br]turn that into the Void Heart. 0:35:50.410,0:35:54.910 Finally, return to Hollow Knight and use the[br]Dream Nail on that dude to enter his brain 0:35:54.910,0:35:58.710 and fight the actual proper last boss: Radiance. 0:35:58.710,0:36:01.160 Who is very hard and makes me want to cry. 0:36:01.160,0:36:03.180 But I did it. After like a million goes. 0:36:09.160,0:36:13.580 I’m quite amazed just how much content there[br]is in this secretive end game. 0:36:13.589,0:36:17.849 It took me about 20 hours to get to the credits[br]for the first time - and then another 10 to 0:36:17.849,0:36:19.039 get to the proper ending. 0:36:19.039,0:36:24.160 Testament, I guess, to how Team Cherry is[br]happy to let players just miss huge swathes 0:36:24.160,0:36:25.160 of content. 0:36:25.160,0:36:28.289 Now, personally, this bit didn’t quite work[br]for me. 0:36:28.289,0:36:33.600 I felt finished and satisfied with the game[br]after dispatching Hollow Knight for the first time. 0:36:33.600,0:36:38.019 And when I discovered that there was a lot[br]more to do, I didn’t really have the drive 0:36:38.020,0:36:41.200 to carry on and seek out yet more secrets. 0:36:41.200,0:36:43.680 Especially because I had no idea where to[br]go. 0:36:43.690,0:36:47.819 And the game doesn’t keep up that tradition[br]of offering two routes into key places so 0:36:47.819,0:36:51.460 if you miss this jump in the Kingdom’s Edge,[br]you won’t get very far. 0:36:51.460,0:36:55.049 Basically, I just followed a walkthrough to[br]get to the true final ending. 0:36:55.049,0:36:56.160 Bit of a let down. 0:36:57.360,0:36:59.520 So, that is Hollow Knight. 0:36:59.530,0:37:03.910 The game helps lure you into the world of[br]Hallownest with cryptic clues and the guiding 0:37:03.910,0:37:08.430 hand of linear level design - but then throws[br]open the gates to the kingdom and lets you 0:37:08.430,0:37:10.039 explore as you wish. 0:37:10.039,0:37:14.539 And by letting you access so much content[br]simultaneously, and by providing multiple 0:37:14.539,0:37:18.609 routes and methods to get through the game,[br]Hollow Knight almost never falls into the 0:37:18.609,0:37:23.220 trap that Metroidvanias can find themselves[br]in: of having you scour the map for that one 0:37:23.220,0:37:26.230 single place you need to go, to make any progress. 0:37:26.230,0:37:30.420 Instead, Hollow Knight just lets you get on[br]with exploring - with the promise that there 0:37:30.420,0:37:33.059 will be something worth finding around every[br]corner. 0:37:33.059,0:37:38.160 A fascinating new zone, a bizarre one-off[br]enemy, a chunk of cryptic world-building, 0:37:38.160,0:37:44.309 a genuinely helpful item, a game-changing[br]upgrade, or a terrifying boss monster. 0:37:44.309,0:37:49.640 This is quite different to other Metroidvanias,[br]mind you - it misses that puzzle-like aspect 0:37:49.640,0:37:55.119 of slowly unravelling at a knot that binds[br]the world together, one lock at a time. 0:37:55.119,0:38:01.700 But the feeling this game gives is perhaps even better[br]- just pure, unadulterated wonder and immersion 0:38:01.700,0:38:04.529 in a world that never stops surprising. 0:38:04.529,0:38:09.019 Team Cherry told me that “we try to let[br]the player loose in a wild world, not push 0:38:09.019,0:38:13.039 them explicitly one way, and reward them for[br]choosing their own path.” 0:38:13.039,0:38:17.800 “That approach is based on mutual trust[br]and respect between us and the player. 0:38:17.800,0:38:21.970 We know these are smart, dedicated people[br]and we’re confident that, through observation, 0:38:21.970,0:38:26.599 tenacity and skill, they’ll deal with the[br]challenges the world presents and ultimately 0:38:26.599,0:38:28.109 gain mastery over it. 0:38:28.109,0:38:33.319 It’s that mastery, in exploration, in combat[br]and in understanding the story of the world 0:38:33.319,0:38:36.249 that we hope creates a memorable experience.” 0:38:36.249,0:38:40.890 It certainly did for me, and to say I’m[br]excited for the game’s sequel, Hollow Knight: 0:38:40.890,0:38:45.340 Silksong, would be a massive understatement. 0:38:47.540,0:38:50.920 And that is a wrap on Boss Keys. 0:38:50.920,0:38:57.099 In the last 20 episodes I’ve looked at every[br]major Zelda game, almost every Metroid game, 0:38:57.099,0:39:02.170 Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Dark Souls,[br]and now Hollow Knight. 0:39:02.170,0:39:07.190 The series is not gone forever, of course[br]- I’ll be back when huge new games like 0:39:07.190,0:39:12.369 Metroid Prime 4, Hollow Knight Silksong, and[br]Breath of the Wild 2 are released. 0:39:12.369,0:39:17.380 And yes, I do still plan to do that wrap-up[br]episode on Zelda dungeon design. 0:39:17.380,0:39:18.640 One day, promise. 0:39:18.640,0:39:23.520 But I always planned for Hollow Knight to[br]be the final destination for this series. 0:39:23.529,0:39:29.289 It’s one of my favourite games and I think[br]it might be the best Metroidvania ever made. 0:39:29.289,0:39:31.470 So it’s good to go out on such a high. 0:39:31.470,0:39:36.980 Thank you so much for watching, and[br]cheers to my Patrons for supporting this show. 0:39:36.980,0:39:39.189 I’ll see you next mission.