2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

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Paul Campbell
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Re: 2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

Postby Paul Campbell » April 21st, 2019, 11:12 pm

I'm going to add some thoughts on this game after my last comment: Another thing that was slow-burning in the game, for me, was the music. The amazing music. Still reeling from the sometimes chest thumping, sometimes mysterious, but always memorable music of Axiom Verge, I was initially disappointed with the music in Hollow Knight. If felt decidedly tired and almost Enya/Enigma-like. It didn't push me though the game whatsoever. But after a while I began to crave it the same way I craved the Axiom Verge music. Part of the reason was that my wife would comment on how she liked the music from the kitchen (take that as a compliment from her. She's cool and a Tetris ace, not a June Cleaver), and this made the game easier to play in the evening when things were winding down, making it a little easier to find playing time in a house with a wife and five kids eating up most of my time.

Another minor piece of brilliance in the game that I initially hated was what happens when you get hit: your character repels and the game sound goes muffled and sparse for a few moments. For some reason this REALLY irritated me, which was probably a good thing because it made me work that much harder to avoid getting hit. I now see this as a smart addition to the game, to make getting injured have a physical effect on you, the player, and not just your character. It's one step away from having a shock collar around your neck to punish you every time you fail, and I still find it to be highly effective. I HATE getting hit because I hate what it does to my ears.

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Matchstick
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Re: 2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

Postby Matchstick » April 22nd, 2019, 12:08 am

I do think it's funny that reviews here on the VGC seem to have been rather "feast or famine" lately, with a noticeable amount of "F" and "A+" scores. Maybe it's just me, but I can't remember the last time I saw The Critic hand out an "A+" in back-to-back reviews. Can't argue with either, as though I've never played Hollow Knight, I have definitely played my fair share of River Raid, and yeah, it's an "A+" title all the way!

In light of these reviews, I'm wondering if a sort of "VGC Hall of Fame" would make for a good feature article. A collection of all the "A+" rated titles on the site, along with a fancy background graphic and a little bit of insight, beyond the initial reviews, on what makes the game truly great. Each time a new game comes along and gets an "A+" rating, it could get "enshrined" along with its brethren. I think it would make for a fun read, myself, and make those perfect scores seem all the more special. I know there's already a "Top 50" list, but I think a HOF page would take it one step further. That way, the games could be listed in no particular order.

How many other games on this site are there with perfect scores? All that comes to mind, at the moment, are River Raid, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, Super Mario Bros. 3, and of course Hollow Knight. **EDIT** A quick look at the most recent "Top 50" list shows a heck of a lot more "A+" titles than I realized at first. Still, it would be nice to have all of those high-score "A+" games listed in one place, especially if ranking were not an issue. Hell, maybe that could be the name for the HOF page: "The Critic's High-Score List." Has a nice ring to it, eh?

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Retro STrife
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Re: 2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

Postby Retro STrife » April 22nd, 2019, 10:49 am

Of the people who have played Axiom Verge and Hollow Knight, is it now safe to say that most prefer Hollow Knight? I have both downloaded to my PS4, but I haven't started either.

Paul Campbell
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Re: 2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

Postby Paul Campbell » April 22nd, 2019, 3:08 pm

Retro STrife wrote:Of the people who have played Axiom Verge and Hollow Knight, is it now safe to say that most prefer Hollow Knight? I have both downloaded to my PS4, but I haven't started either.


I consider them very close. I powered through Axiom Verge wide eyed and on the edge of my seat. There have been a few times during Hollow Knight where the travel has felt so cumbersome that I elected not to even pick the game up, but I have also been on the edge of my seat many times. I never once picked up the controller to play Axiom Verge, thought about it, and decided I wasn't in the mood. I'm not sure what that means, but there's a definite difference between the two. I guess you could say that Axiom Verge was more consistently enthralling from beginning to end, for me.

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VideoGameCritic
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Re: 2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

Postby VideoGameCritic » April 22nd, 2019, 4:13 pm

Retro STrife wrote:Of the people who have played Axiom Verge and Hollow Knight, is it now safe to say that most prefer Hollow Knight? I have both downloaded to my PS4, but I haven't started either.


For most casual and retro gamers I think I'd recommend Axiom Verge, because it's reasonably short so you can actually finish it. In general this is the type of game I prefer.

But for those who like to invest a lot of time with a game and reach 112% completion or whatever, Hollow Knight will keep you enthralled for weeks if not months.

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Retro STrife
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Re: 2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

Postby Retro STrife » April 22nd, 2019, 4:33 pm

My one concern about Axiom Verge is the comparisons to Metroid. I love Metroidvania games, but I prefer games that veer toward the Castlevania side of the equation. For example- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is in my personal top 10 all-time, whereas Super Metroid wouldn't even crack my top 10 SNES games. So that fact had me leaning more toward Hollow Knight. It sounds less "Metroid" than Axiom Verge does. But then again, the much shorter length of Axiom Verge is more appealing to me.

Tough choice.. it's easy to say "just play both" since I already bought both, but one glance at my backlog tells me that idea might not work.

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DrLitch
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Re: 2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

Postby DrLitch » April 24th, 2019, 7:49 pm

Axiom Verge Vs Hollow Knight

Axiom for me. Music, levels, game play, tighter and more compact. Hollow Knight is more stylistic and cerebral. I have to be in the mood for Hollow Knight. Axiom, pick up anytime like a good Sonic game. That for me is the difference. Access to the content. If mood depicts greatness, then a game cannot be great if you have to be in the mood to play it.

newmodelarmy
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Re: 2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

Postby newmodelarmy » April 25th, 2019, 5:01 am

I would also pick Axiom. I like Hollow Knight (currently playing it) but I HATE the go get your soul thing when you die! Also, in HK you are woefully outgunned all the time. Meaning that your little sword isn't much help on some of the more difficult enemies. Don't get me wrong, I like HK, not sure if I will finish it but I am getting my $15 bucks worth out of it.

newmodelarmy
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Re: 2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

Postby newmodelarmy » May 2nd, 2019, 5:22 am

I was loving me some Hollow Knight until I got to the point where you are fighting two bosses at the same time! Impossible! I like this game but after about 13 hours in I don't think it worth of the A+ title. Too much backtracking and the 'fast" travel system is not helpful at all! A-/B+

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velcrozombie
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Re: 2019/4/20: Nintendo Switch: Hollow Knight

Postby velcrozombie » May 2nd, 2019, 11:34 am

It's one the top 20 games I've ever played, maybe even top 10. I have plenty of games that I've played a couple of times and put down for good - this game devoured WEEKS of my free time, 3-4 hours every evening after work. It's rare that I'm so completely captivated by every single aspect of a game - the story and lore, the visual aesthetics, the music and sound design, the level design, the movement and combat options, the upgrade system, all of it. I got lost in the best possible way every time I turned the game on - within 5 minutes I was in another world. The last game to have this effect was probably Hotline Miami, a very different type of game that would nevertheless just entrance me for hours on end. I can't wait for the sequel!

If anything, this thread has made me even more excited for Axiom Verge. How good must it be that the majority of you would pick it over Hollow Knight?!


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