Correction: Folks, I was wrong about the Grubfather being an evil monster! As people have let me know in the comments, the grubs are actually just moving onto the next stage in their lives as evidenced by the Grubfather's Elegy charm description, and also the nearby Gruz Mother boss fight. Thus, it's actually a much more positive outcome than it initially seemed to me!
I like to read the hollow knight attacking itself and being easier than expected to mean it still has some of its mind in there, understands why the knight in there, and is resisting the control of the radiance in a final effort to help
I always saw it more like the vessel being in so much excruciating pain and agony, both physical and mental that when its finally able to regain any form of control it tries to take its own life in a sad attempt to end its own suffering. This is further reinforced by the lore before entering the fight: "Vessel though bound, you will know the state of the world." This implies that not only while being completely destroyed and corrupted by the radiance, he got to sit back and watch his entire kingdom that he swore to protect fall apart before his eyes. He got to sit there and know his effort, and continued pain was completely for nothing.
Funnily enough Descending Dark is the most meta spell in the game, not only does it do a ton of damage but it also gives you invincibility frames during the entire animation (unlike vengeful spirit and Howling Wraiths)
@@Reinoiroit still requires a degree of timing and a charm build for spells. Also you still need to be good enough to survive and get nail hits to charge up Soul to do the dive in the first place.
@@HexagonThatReallyLikesVinegar Yeah it's not an 100% brainless instawin button, but being at the same time a great damage dealer and the strongest defensive option in the game doesn't make it balanced either. And the s and free damage are abusable without any charms, so like 2 notches for a soul catcher aren't going to handicap you everywhere else. It just makes high level play really boring to both do and watch because spamming DD is the best course of action in almost every situation because you're not losing out on damage while also becoming invulnerable on a whim
it's been theorized that the grubfather eating all the grubs is actually just part of their life cycle with him acting as a sort of living cocoon for them also, cloth can fight alongside you against traitor lord if you're at the appropriate point in her quest. unfortunately she doesn't survive it if she does ,though
I'd say that's pretty much confirmed rather than a theory, given how Grubberfly's Elegy says that it "Contains the gratitude of grubs who will move to the next stage of their lives".
great vid, and i particularly liked the use of Fear & Hunger music in the spider portion! good humor and great summary of the game, keep up the good work. i think this is your best vid yet
Green path has to be my favorite level. The art and music from this level alone has been living rent-free in my mind for years. Also, I managed to beat the Pantheon but really struggled with regular Radiance..?
Another well written, spoken, and edited video from this channel. I just want to say that for people like me who are allowed to have a headphone in while at work, your videos help get through the bad days and also give a ton of new information on every game covered so far. For such a quality video, especially for the length, you will blow up very soon. Keep up the great work, and soon it will all pay off my friend.
Aw, thank you so much man! Got to admit, was hoping this video might do really well but unfortunately doesn't look like that'll pan out. It can get a wee bit disappointing, but regardless of the view-count, it really makes all this feel worthwhile when I read comments like yours. Thanks again!
@candletype1a447 hey man slow is steady, and steady is fast. I have seen quite a few people comment on your vids about how they were randomly recommended one of your videos, me included (your bloodborne one to be exact), which means you are already in the algorithm, which is a solid sign that you are doing it right, and are reaching people from several different countries. Keep making videos on the games you enjoy, keep giving your honest thoughts and criticism on them, and people like me will listen to the entire thing. I'll be there for every new vid, even if it's a game I haven't played, because we share very similar opinions on just about every retrospective I've watched so far. Add one more frequent viewer to your list. -Your friend from Michigan
Love the video, and all your content. Hollow knight is one of my favourite games, so it was great to see such a well made retrospective on it. I just had a few corrections that I dont think other people have brought up yet. To start with, desolate dive/descending dark also gives s during the last 2/3rds or so of the animation. This can be really useful in some cases, so I would try it out. Also, the trigger for the infected crossroads is either getting monarch wings, or destroying your first dreamer, not actually getting dreamnail. You can also actually access the teacher's archives without shade dash or isma's tear, by using crystal dash to fly just above the acid where you would normally use isma's tear to get in. It takes somewhat precise timing, but it isn't too hard. Finally, the best charm builds are actually hybrid builds, as they let you fully utilise all your tools. The general "meta" is shaman stone, unbreakable strength, quick slash, and either spell twister, or grubsong+steady body.
I really love your style of going with long form. Games and experiences that can have a playtime of up to 100 hours, you can't really condense into 15 minute essay. I really like that you take your time to explore and go through a lot of the things. Good stuff! PS. I, and I'm sure many others, wouldn't mind another, longer review of Sunless Sea, it being your favourite game and all. ;) Seriously though, I think the game has a lot of stuff to cover, and I think your style of going through a lot of the game (like you do here) would really do it justice! Thank you, these really are a treat!
Thanks so much for saying that, glad ya like my style! As for Sunless Sea, funnily enough, a buddy of mine also asked for a longer video on it just the other day, and honestly, I agree: it's about time. My previous vid on it was my first ever experience of writing, editing, etc, and so I hadn't really developed a style, and some of the writing and editing could have been better. It is my all-time fav game though and I'm really keen on doing another project on it, so expect another Sunless Sea retrospective within the next month or so!
A few years ago now I did a steel soul run of this game for True Ending and it was one of the hardest gaming challenges I ever did and hope Silksong has a similar mode.
Radiance is brutal to have at the end of a 20 hour deathless playthrough. When I did mine, I finished at 1HP, hands shaking lol. But extremely rewarding.
I also wasn't sure whether I liked Hollow Knight at first. Unlike my other favorite games, I struggled through the 'Honeymoon' phase, but was fully committed the more the game revealed about itself and it's story. It is one of the top five most satisfying games I've ever played and one of only three games that I found satisfying to 100% (or in this case, 112%) complete.
Fantastic video, thank you for putting it together. I wanted to mention the Grub quest tho, because I think it’s slightly less grim at the end than you think. Between the achievement for it being called Metamorphosis and the dream nail dialogue indicating the grubs in their dad are happy, I don’t think he ate them, I think he’s become their cocoon as they evolve. Now it’s still a bit grim, as they will undoubtedly kill him when they’ve finished their change and burst out, but at least you didn’t get them all just to provide a lunch.
I commented a couple times already but heres one more. It helps the algorithm right? This was an awesome retrospective. Very thorough and fun to watch as a big HK fan. Good job
Fantastic video tribute to a real work of art. I distinctly recall getting a lump in my throat on first entering the City of Tears...the soft, muted luminosity of the lamplights, the shimmering of the rain, and the finely-wrought elegance embodied perfectly within the strains of that heavenly music. You don't forget moments like that ❤ Extra points for the definition of "cranny". Double extra points with triple spinkles for "over-enthusiastic, evangelical fervour": well-deserved in the case of Hollow Knight 🤩
Ps smacking the big jellyfish is, like a 4-pack of Wispas, utterly irresistible (and possibly less damaging). And do keep the effing f-bombs, both muted and unmuted. Fuckin' love them 😇
@@candletype1a447 Wispa Golds are Da Bomb. They also come in 4 packs, btw ;) I hadn't had one in ages either until a pal mentioned them and then the subconscious would not rest until I stuffed one in my face. Curse you, power of suggestion
Spectacular video! I recently began replaying HollowKnight after remembering I had never beaten it, never even getting the other half of the charm, so I deleted my first save file with like over 30 hours worth of gaming (which I kinda regret) and started anew. I've never experienced a game like Hollow Knight before, everything about it captivates me, especially the story. Specifiaclly the tragedy of the vessels and the Pale King, its just so interesting and compelling and sad. You briefly mentioned the larger form of the Hollow Knight in contrast to the knight's small stature, and that just adds to the tragedy. The Hollow Knight is the final, adult form of the vessels. The only one of the Pale King's children (besides Hornet) allowed to grow up is the Hollow Knight, and he was sacrificed and overrun with the infection for eons, only to eventually fail because of his love for his father. That's miserable but I love it, and all of that story you have to seek out yourself! Not a single bit is unnessacarily force-fed to you. I can't stop thinking about this game, even when I put it down and haven't played it in months, even years, it still sticks in my mind, itching to understand and discover every little detail about this beautiful, compelling bug world.
i think its time i finally give this game another try after watching this.. sometimes all i need is a good spoiler or two and some nice analysis commentary ps that dung defender song was gorgeous you can hear the passion in your voice and choice of lyrics
I've thought about doin a Darkest Dungeon video for a long time cos I worship that game (still haven't played DD2 yet though). Good chance I do a retrospective/analysis on it some time this year.
Massively appreciate the support again brother! Btw, please don't feel pressured to donate your money every time! I do really appreciate it, but please know that even you just enjoying my stuff is awesome and that I'm not here expecting a payout for each video haha
its nice to see one of these critiques coming from the perspective of a normal person and not the usual god gamer types that think the base game is too easy good luck with the hardest content if you ever decide to get to it. it took me many, many hours of practice, but eventually in one of the replays i pulled it off
Yeah it's a pretty big issue. Hk is a kind of game thats hard to learn and easy to master, so most people who are knowledgeable enough to form opinions lose a lot of credibility on difficulty
HK is one of those games where I ruined it for myself by playing full blind along with only hearing how it was gods gift to gaming. I ended up getting to Hornet, then Mantis Lords then assumed whatever was after Mantis Lords had to be next... so I found the deepnest. I was there for about 10 hours before escaping. Entire time I just thought to myself "This is your king huh? This the god game? This?" I finished it eventually, but I can say I did not enjoy it much as I finished it out of spite more than anything
This video is incredible so far! I adore this game. I was soooo shocked to hear that you fought Gruz Mother after City of Tears!! I've done 3 playthroughs, and in each one that's always the first boss I fight. It says a lot of great stuff about the level design that people can have such different journeys through the game. Impressive imo to do Lurien first, too. I always do him last because I hate The Watcher Knights. edit: The first time I played I also lost all my geo running back to Flukemarm loll. I've done hitless NKG and yet I still hate Flukemarm. Oh and I ALSO struggled with Nosk!! The cheesing strat ppl kept talking about was just not working out for me lol. I also wanted to write how nice it is that you can feel yourself get better at the game. My first playthrough, Soul Master was so hard for me I gave up for most of the game. Same with some other bosses. In all subsequent playthroughs, I didn't die to a single boss.
I absolutely love HK and your video is great! I too had to give it a 2nd chance and I am so glad I did, because once the world opens on the lush Greenpath area, it's so charming that it's hard not to want to explore more of Hallownest. It's the only metroidvania that I play, and I think its design and lore are what kept me so involved and now I am eargerly awaiting for Silksong.
Been watching your slulsbourne retrospectives and now you've done my favorite metroidvania, love the video! Also I hear that FFXII music, I'd love to see a retrospective on that one someday
Funnily enough, I was super close to doing a retrospective on FFXII but chose Hollow Knight instead! I will do a vid on it at some point though cos I absolutely love that game.
2:11:50 Bugs that have already succumed to the infection, such as the husks in the crossroads, the sentries and guards in the city of tears, and the aristocrat bugs near the watchers spire, are likely to simply... stop moving when the infection is cleared. The sentries at least are described as already being dead and only animated through the infection. So it seems likely that any bug that shows lowered intelligence, aggressive behavior, and or infected eyes/body parts, are already dead. There is, however, a distinction to be drawn between succumbing to the infection and allowing it into one's self. As we can see by the fools in the coliseum and the traitor mantises, bugs who willingly allow the infection into themselves seem to retain some about of conscious thought or willpower, and show no outward signs of infection, except some infected orange eyes. These bugs have a higher likelihood (in my opinion) of returning to their senses after the Radiance is destroyed. I find it likely that they have not been killed outright, given the lack of growth/pustules on their bodies, and are instead simply sustained and animated/controlled by the Radiance. I can't think of where I heard this off the top of my head (perhaps the Seer tells you) but I believe the Radiance is ultimately more of a petulant child then a malevolent god. She is still a god, mind you, but a lot of signs in the game point to the Radiance caring at least minutely about those I her thrall, and the Infection, then, is simply an angry lonely response to having her worship taken from her, her moths spurn her, her grounds taken, and her name forgotten. After all, the Infection only seems to kill and mind wipe those who resist it.
This vid inspired me to get around to actually playing this awesome game. I'm shite at metroidvanias so it was a struggle (Traitor Lord whupped me for 2 solid days before I got it, that double damage is a bitch and a half), but it's such a lovingly crafted experience. They take tons of notes out of the Fromsoft playbook while still maintaining their own style and a decent sense of levity across the whole thing. I gotta go get the awoken dream nail bc I want the good ending, just wanted to let you know your video is great and I'm now rewatching it!
there is so much gameplay built in just from the healing mechanic like you said. In a boss battle, in order to heal, you HAVE to get in there and attack to build up soul. After that, you can then decide if you want to be even more aggressive and use that soul to fire off your offensive magic abilities or maybe be very safe and conservative and save that soul for healing because you expect to take more damage soon. All the while a frantic boss battle is taking up your concentration while you maneuver around the arena attacking and dodging. It's so simple but creates such deep combat. This isnt even mentioning all of the charms that alter your abilities and the way your soul use and healing works.
Hk combat system is a masterpiece, even despite it's simplicity. Really an example on how simple combat isn't ingerently worse. For example some of my probably favourite combat systems, dmc5 and hk, are on different ends of the spectrum taken to extreme, but in quality and enjoyment they're close
I love how when you begin the battle with Troupe Master Grimm, he bows to you respectfully. If you attack him during this bow, he'll shriek at you and the fight begins with him in his more aggressive phase 2 moveset.
I happened to watch this video after watching your Sunless Sea video the other day and immediately was like “Wow, this mf-er is really starting out the video the same exact way” lmaooo then you also pointed it out I really enjoyed this one. Hollow Knight has such a special place in my heart and it was nice to listen to someone talk about it the same way I feel about it. Also points for being a fellow wayward compass enjoyer. I had a friend ask why I didn't switch it out later in the game and the answer will always be “because I would rather die” 💚
Rolled my eyes whenever a Dark Souls comparison was made but this is an enjoyable video. Hope you cover Silksong whenever it decides to come out. Nice Dung Defender song btw.
So I had an interesting story concerning how i related to the god master dlc. After reaching the first ending to the game I had to look up information on other endings to find them. I learned about god master and decided I didn't care about spoilers for a mere boss rush and watched Joseph Anderson's critique on it. From said critique I also originally decided completing godhome wasn't for me. But I wanted to see some of the new bosses. I figured I could pass the trial of the master and the trial of the artist at least. nail masters oro and mato were a delight, and i just wanted to reach sly. so despight knowing it was hard grueling content for my skill level i pushed through and beat him. i was happy. i didnt think id ever reach the pure vessel. but i took a quick poke into the 4th pantheon. then put the game down. but the pure vessel boss fight was so close, and i didnt think i had the skills to beat nail master sly but here i was. there was a lot of frustration in the design of the pantheons but the reward of one new boss just on the horizon kept me coming back. after pure vessel it was sisters of battle and after that i finally thought i could do it. Joseph Anderson's well explained criticisms had me convinced the game mode wasnt for me. and had i gone in blind i might have left in frustration. but knowing those critiques ahead of time meant i never went in unprepared for the mental fruatration, so every attempt wasnt nearly as frustrating as it could have been. i acheived every ending in hollow knight and had a great time because i researched the potential problems and paced myself to avoid feeling overwhelmed
saying this feels weird to me for some reason but you're probably the first scottish youtuber I've seen and I really enjoy what you've made! Definitely subbing and checking your backlog because this is real good!
I did NOT expect the Hunter to just... hand you something xD It goes to show how amazing HK is with messing with your "Fight or Flight" reflexes in-game. When Cloth appeared I dipped out thinking she was a Boss or an enemy. Later on, as I came back, she appeared in the same area and I cautiously approached her, then realized she was friendly when the "Listen" text appeared. I gasped, not realizing I held my breath because the game has made me think everything is going to "Attack first and ask questions never" so I expected nothing less in this situation with Cloth, but the relief of a friendly bug was immense because I was worried there was no one down here that could fight the infection after seeing it claim... Myla ; A ;
The moment he said that Quirrel was the only npc to help with a boss other than Hornet, i immediately realized he never met or continued the quest of Cloth. Was then later confirmed wheb he fought the traitor lord and never mentioned her
I'm so glad youtube suggested me this channel, loved your dark souls retrospective, I'm sure I'll love this, my 2nd favorite indie metroidvania after Blasphemous
The fuck canyon, i love it. Thats what im gonna start calling it when i explode myselfe for the millionth time. Anyway, great video. I just found your chanel recently, watched your souls videos so far and they where great too, excited to watch the rest of it.
Great video and you have some great taste in games, sir. Will say that NKG, Pure Vessel, and Absolute Radiance are 3 of the best bosses I have ever fought. Very unfortunate you were not able to play any of them. Hope you give godlike mother shot sometime. As a big souls veteran you can do eeet.
Probably a good thing that you slept on ground slam/Descending Dark. It is objectively the best spell in the game in terms of utility-so much so that a lot of people think it trivializes the combat
I love hearing positive successful 2nd chance stories for games that were initially dismissed. It was kind of like that for me with the Monster Hunter Series.
Powerups: - A cloak from a mysterious dead bug that has wind powers - A core of a dead automaton - Magical wings - The endless power of the void - A claw from some mantis's pirate cosplay box
2:18:20 I'm glad I got unbreakable strength before accidentally banishing the troupe. Never got the other two. Iam annoyed I didn't get to fight NKG until my second playthrough, though.
An interesting thing about the development of this game is that the creators have gone on record saying that their influences were early NES games rather than Dark Souls or even Metriod games.
@@Reinoiro I don't know if you know this, but the devs have said that their influences for hollow knight were Faxanadu, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, the original Metroid, Mega Man X for player movement, and a Japanese animated movie called Angel's Egg for the aesthetic and art style. Although they share similarities, the point is that those similarities come from the old-school style of exploration and difficulty. Also, they developed the shade sort of as a joke in response to someone playing the demo and wondering what happens when you die. I can definitely see why this connection gets brought up a lot though, and I find it interesting that some of the most popular and critically acclaimed games have this same kind of difficulty and exploration inspired by retro games.
@@Ax0_1t01 I don't remember which dev specifically but one of them played some bloodborne before making hollow knight, citing it specifically over dark souls. I can't find the interview because now it's all flooded by Crowsworn being more directly inspired by it
A game that always gives me some of the same vibes as Hollow Knight is Valdis Story: Abyssal City. Worth playing if the magic isn’t there for a new Hollow Knight playthrough, IMO.
This one's on my bucket list... as is Dark Souls III, but I'm currently pulled into the world of Baldur's Gate III, so these adventures will have to wait.
The combat system itself isn't even that complex. Just slashes and basic spells. But with bosses and level design it gets complimented so well, it gets actually deep despite being simple
Its a shame you didnt fight NKG. Its tough but it is so much fun. You actually have a blast even when you are losing over and over. Also, the music is insanely good and the whole presentation of the fight is spectacular.
1:51:50 no in truth the Gubfather is the Cocoon for the Grubs. Because when you read the grublfy eldgy Chram it the grubs will go in the next Stage of there Life.
(Spoliers) There's another True(?) Ending from beating the Godhome DLC where you basically beat the Radiance at the peak of it's power and also become a "God of Void" or something along those lines, in this ending, the Hollow Knight is implied to have been freed from it's chains and the binding of the Infection, without... you know... being dead.
I haven't beaten the Path of Pain either. I thought the White Palace was hard enough that I didn't even want to attempt the Path of Pain. But I have watched completed playthroughs of it, and I will say that the first section of it looks to be arguably the 2nd hardest section of The Path of Pain. I think having to traverse downward is harder than upward or horizontally.
Honestly, I'd love to do a video on Celeste and have been thinking about it, but just quite sure how I'd approach it. Defo possible that I cover it this year though.
Hollow Knight got me into the Souls Series. I played it on Switch and then I was oh I get it. Then I gave Bloodborne another chance. And well. The rest is history.
There is another ability in the game that gives s, one you early on dismiss… but which is incredibly useful in combat because of this: the ground pound spell (Desolate Dive/Descending Dark), besides being able to hit enemies multiple times and doing great damage.
If you think the Hollow Knight boss is too easy, try beating the game in under 5 hours for the speedrunning achievement and fighting him with only 5 health masks. I promise you’ll be sweating once you realize how hard of a fight it is.
Correction: Folks, I was wrong about the Grubfather being an evil monster! As people have let me know in the comments, the grubs are actually just moving onto the next stage in their lives as evidenced by the Grubfather's Elegy charm description, and also the nearby Gruz Mother boss fight. Thus, it's actually a much more positive outcome than it initially seemed to me!
OH, I didn't know that! 😮
I like to read the hollow knight attacking itself and being easier than expected to mean it still has some of its mind in there, understands why the knight in there, and is resisting the control of the radiance in a final effort to help
That's the logical interpretation if you ask me.
I always saw it more like the vessel being in so much excruciating pain and agony, both physical and mental that when its finally able to regain any form of control it tries to take its own life in a sad attempt to end its own suffering.
This is further reinforced by the lore before entering the fight: "Vessel though bound, you will know the state of the world." This implies that not only while being completely destroyed and corrupted by the radiance, he got to sit back and watch his entire kingdom that he swore to protect fall apart before his eyes.
He got to sit there and know his effort, and continued pain was completely for nothing.
Funnily enough Descending Dark is the most meta spell in the game, not only does it do a ton of damage but it also gives you invincibility frames during the entire animation (unlike vengeful spirit and Howling Wraiths)
Probably the only slight flaw of the combat system. It's just broken when you can damage tank
The invincibility only starts about a 3rd of the way through the animation but still so great!
@@Reinoiroit still requires a degree of timing and a charm build for spells. Also you still need to be good enough to survive and get nail hits to charge up Soul to do the dive in the first place.
@@HexagonThatReallyLikesVinegar Yeah it's not an 100% brainless instawin button, but being at the same time a great damage dealer and the strongest defensive option in the game doesn't make it balanced either. And the s and free damage are abusable without any charms, so like 2 notches for a soul catcher aren't going to handicap you everywhere else. It just makes high level play really boring to both do and watch because spamming DD is the best course of action in almost every situation because you're not losing out on damage while also becoming invulnerable on a whim
I just want to say you've become my favorite YT channel, please keep making these amazingly detailed essays!
it's been theorized that the grubfather eating all the grubs is actually just part of their life cycle with him acting as a sort of living cocoon for them
also, cloth can fight alongside you against traitor lord if you're at the appropriate point in her quest. unfortunately she doesn't survive it if she does ,though
Yeah literally 5 rooms away there's Gruzz Mother with the exact same life cycle, not just said in the journal but shown first hand
I'd say that's pretty much confirmed rather than a theory, given how Grubberfly's Elegy says that it "Contains the gratitude of grubs who will move to the next stage of their lives".
Cheers lads, guess I was wrong about that one!
great vid, and i particularly liked the use of Fear & Hunger music in the spider portion! good humor and great summary of the game, keep up the good work. i think this is your best vid yet
Green path has to be my favorite level. The art and music from this level alone has been living rent-free in my mind for years.
Also, I managed to beat the Pantheon but really struggled with regular Radiance..?
Another well written, spoken, and edited video from this channel. I just want to say that for people like me who are allowed to have a headphone in while at work, your videos help get through the bad days and also give a ton of new information on every game covered so far. For such a quality video, especially for the length, you will blow up very soon. Keep up the great work, and soon it will all pay off my friend.
Aw, thank you so much man! Got to admit, was hoping this video might do really well but unfortunately doesn't look like that'll pan out. It can get a wee bit disappointing, but regardless of the view-count, it really makes all this feel worthwhile when I read comments like yours. Thanks again!
@candletype1a447 hey man slow is steady, and steady is fast. I have seen quite a few people comment on your vids about how they were randomly recommended one of your videos, me included (your bloodborne one to be exact), which means you are already in the algorithm, which is a solid sign that you are doing it right, and are reaching people from several different countries. Keep making videos on the games you enjoy, keep giving your honest thoughts and criticism on them, and people like me will listen to the entire thing. I'll be there for every new vid, even if it's a game I haven't played, because we share very similar opinions on just about every retrospective I've watched so far. Add one more frequent viewer to your list.
-Your friend from Michigan
2:06:56
@candletype1a447 😢🎉
I didn't think I'd ever want to replay Hollow Knight but thanks to this, I am now yearning for it.
Love the video, and all your content. Hollow knight is one of my favourite games, so it was great to see such a well made retrospective on it. I just had a few corrections that I dont think other people have brought up yet. To start with, desolate dive/descending dark also gives s during the last 2/3rds or so of the animation. This can be really useful in some cases, so I would try it out. Also, the trigger for the infected crossroads is either getting monarch wings, or destroying your first dreamer, not actually getting dreamnail. You can also actually access the teacher's archives without shade dash or isma's tear, by using crystal dash to fly just above the acid where you would normally use isma's tear to get in. It takes somewhat precise timing, but it isn't too hard. Finally, the best charm builds are actually hybrid builds, as they let you fully utilise all your tools. The general "meta" is shaman stone, unbreakable strength, quick slash, and either spell twister, or grubsong+steady body.
Impressed as always, my friend. Every new upload is a joy to watch. Well done!
I really love your style of going with long form. Games and experiences that can have a playtime of up to 100 hours, you can't really condense into 15 minute essay. I really like that you take your time to explore and go through a lot of the things. Good stuff!
PS. I, and I'm sure many others, wouldn't mind another, longer review of Sunless Sea, it being your favourite game and all. ;) Seriously though, I think the game has a lot of stuff to cover, and I think your style of going through a lot of the game (like you do here) would really do it justice!
Thank you, these really are a treat!
Thanks so much for saying that, glad ya like my style!
As for Sunless Sea, funnily enough, a buddy of mine also asked for a longer video on it just the other day, and honestly, I agree: it's about time. My previous vid on it was my first ever experience of writing, editing, etc, and so I hadn't really developed a style, and some of the writing and editing could have been better. It is my all-time fav game though and I'm really keen on doing another project on it, so expect another Sunless Sea retrospective within the next month or so!
@@candletype1a447 Anytime, I'm glad to support a good channel and good creator! I'm extremely glad to hear it!
A few years ago now I did a steel soul run of this game for True Ending and it was one of the hardest gaming challenges I ever did and hope Silksong has a similar mode.
Radiance is brutal to have at the end of a 20 hour deathless playthrough. When I did mine, I finished at 1HP, hands shaking lol. But extremely rewarding.
I also wasn't sure whether I liked Hollow Knight at first.
Unlike my other favorite games, I struggled through the 'Honeymoon' phase, but was fully committed the more the game revealed about itself and it's story. It is one of the top five most satisfying games I've ever played and one of only three games that I found satisfying to 100% (or in this case, 112%) complete.
1:44:55
Brought a tear to my eye. Absolute masterpiece 10/10 encore encore!
Fantastic video, thank you for putting it together. I wanted to mention the Grub quest tho, because I think it’s slightly less grim at the end than you think. Between the achievement for it being called Metamorphosis and the dream nail dialogue indicating the grubs in their dad are happy, I don’t think he ate them, I think he’s become their cocoon as they evolve. Now it’s still a bit grim, as they will undoubtedly kill him when they’ve finished their change and burst out, but at least you didn’t get them all just to provide a lunch.
I commented a couple times already but heres one more. It helps the algorithm right? This was an awesome retrospective. Very thorough and fun to watch as a big HK fan. Good job
If you dreamnail Millibelle before she runs off with your money, the dialog indicates that she wants to go to the hot springs.
Fantastic video tribute to a real work of art. I distinctly recall getting a lump in my throat on first entering the City of Tears...the soft, muted luminosity of the lamplights, the shimmering of the rain, and the finely-wrought elegance embodied perfectly within the strains of that heavenly music. You don't forget moments like that ❤
Extra points for the definition of "cranny". Double extra points with triple spinkles for "over-enthusiastic, evangelical fervour": well-deserved in the case of Hollow Knight 🤩
Ps smacking the big jellyfish is, like a 4-pack of Wispas, utterly irresistible (and possibly less damaging). And do keep the effing f-bombs, both muted and unmuted. Fuckin' love them 😇
Lol, I haven't had a Wispa in so long, though Wispa Golds were always my jam.
@@candletype1a447 Wispa Golds are Da Bomb. They also come in 4 packs, btw ;) I hadn't had one in ages either until a pal mentioned them and then the subconscious would not rest until I stuffed one in my face. Curse you, power of suggestion
Great video, but can we all appreciate just how badass the term "God Master" is? That's literally the coolest word I've ever heard
There's only so many 2-hour long hollow knight analysis a man like me can handle
just reinstalled hollow knight to get the steel soul achievements
this video has motivated me to do it even more. love to see it man, amazing video!!
It was so sweet how much you liked Zote! I know how many people find him annoying, so I really liked that part of the video :)
Spectacular video! I recently began replaying HollowKnight after remembering I had never beaten it, never even getting the other half of the charm, so I deleted my first save file with like over 30 hours worth of gaming (which I kinda regret) and started anew. I've never experienced a game like Hollow Knight before, everything about it captivates me, especially the story. Specifiaclly the tragedy of the vessels and the Pale King, its just so interesting and compelling and sad. You briefly mentioned the larger form of the Hollow Knight in contrast to the knight's small stature, and that just adds to the tragedy. The Hollow Knight is the final, adult form of the vessels. The only one of the Pale King's children (besides Hornet) allowed to grow up is the Hollow Knight, and he was sacrificed and overrun with the infection for eons, only to eventually fail because of his love for his father. That's miserable but I love it, and all of that story you have to seek out yourself! Not a single bit is unnessacarily force-fed to you. I can't stop thinking about this game, even when I put it down and haven't played it in months, even years, it still sticks in my mind, itching to understand and discover every little detail about this beautiful, compelling bug world.
This video was extremely well made. I expected a over an 100k sub channel!
i think its time i finally give this game another try after watching this.. sometimes all i need is a good spoiler or two and some nice analysis commentary
ps that dung defender song was gorgeous you can hear the passion in your voice and choice of lyrics
man, that intro about waiting for PC games makes me want to see a darkest dungeon analysis from you.
that'd be fun.
I've thought about doin a Darkest Dungeon video for a long time cos I worship that game (still haven't played DD2 yet though). Good chance I do a retrospective/analysis on it some time this year.
Just under a month later! haha!
@@thedarkgenious7967Haha, your comment gave me the push I needed to get it done!
Thanks!
Massively appreciate the support again brother! Btw, please don't feel pressured to donate your money every time! I do really appreciate it, but please know that even you just enjoying my stuff is awesome and that I'm not here expecting a payout for each video haha
its nice to see one of these critiques coming from the perspective of a normal person and not the usual god gamer types that think the base game is too easy
good luck with the hardest content if you ever decide to get to it. it took me many, many hours of practice, but eventually in one of the replays i pulled it off
Yeah it's a pretty big issue. Hk is a kind of game thats hard to learn and easy to master, so most people who are knowledgeable enough to form opinions lose a lot of credibility on difficulty
Lovely stuff
Not my words, the words of Shakin Stevens
HK is one of those games where I ruined it for myself by playing full blind along with only hearing how it was gods gift to gaming. I ended up getting to Hornet, then Mantis Lords then assumed whatever was after Mantis Lords had to be next... so I found the deepnest. I was there for about 10 hours before escaping. Entire time I just thought to myself "This is your king huh? This the god game? This?" I finished it eventually, but I can say I did not enjoy it much as I finished it out of spite more than anything
This video is incredible so far! I adore this game. I was soooo shocked to hear that you fought Gruz Mother after City of Tears!! I've done 3 playthroughs, and in each one that's always the first boss I fight. It says a lot of great stuff about the level design that people can have such different journeys through the game. Impressive imo to do Lurien first, too. I always do him last because I hate The Watcher Knights.
edit: The first time I played I also lost all my geo running back to Flukemarm loll. I've done hitless NKG and yet I still hate Flukemarm. Oh and I ALSO struggled with Nosk!! The cheesing strat ppl kept talking about was just not working out for me lol. I also wanted to write how nice it is that you can feel yourself get better at the game. My first playthrough, Soul Master was so hard for me I gave up for most of the game. Same with some other bosses. In all subsequent playthroughs, I didn't die to a single boss.
I absolutely love HK and your video is great! I too had to give it a 2nd chance and I am so glad I did, because once the world opens on the lush Greenpath area, it's so charming that it's hard not to want to explore more of Hallownest. It's the only metroidvania that I play, and I think its design and lore are what kept me so involved and now I am eargerly awaiting for Silksong.
the main menu theme to fear and hunger in this video gave me a freaking heart attack. You evil, evil monster
You make videos so fast. Im so impressed
First time listening to one of your videos! I’m glad it showed up in my recommended, and I’m planning on checking out more!
The Ogir-Yensa Sandsea music is such a great fit for Fog Canyon.
I bought Blasphemous 1 & 2 because of your retrospective, don't tell me I have to buy a new game now! Thanks for the video as always :)
Get it bro. Hn is a masterpiece
Definitely didn't expect this. I really like souls games and these reviews on them but hk is my absolute favourite
Been watching your slulsbourne retrospectives and now you've done my favorite metroidvania, love the video! Also I hear that FFXII music, I'd love to see a retrospective on that one someday
Funnily enough, I was super close to doing a retrospective on FFXII but chose Hollow Knight instead! I will do a vid on it at some point though cos I absolutely love that game.
2:11:50 Bugs that have already succumed to the infection, such as the husks in the crossroads, the sentries and guards in the city of tears, and the aristocrat bugs near the watchers spire, are likely to simply... stop moving when the infection is cleared. The sentries at least are described as already being dead and only animated through the infection. So it seems likely that any bug that shows lowered intelligence, aggressive behavior, and or infected eyes/body parts, are already dead.
There is, however, a distinction to be drawn between succumbing to the infection and allowing it into one's self. As we can see by the fools in the coliseum and the traitor mantises, bugs who willingly allow the infection into themselves seem to retain some about of conscious thought or willpower, and show no outward signs of infection, except some infected orange eyes. These bugs have a higher likelihood (in my opinion) of returning to their senses after the Radiance is destroyed. I find it likely that they have not been killed outright, given the lack of growth/pustules on their bodies, and are instead simply sustained and animated/controlled by the Radiance.
I can't think of where I heard this off the top of my head (perhaps the Seer tells you) but I believe the Radiance is ultimately more of a petulant child then a malevolent god. She is still a god, mind you, but a lot of signs in the game point to the Radiance caring at least minutely about those I her thrall, and the Infection, then, is simply an angry lonely response to having her worship taken from her, her moths spurn her, her grounds taken, and her name forgotten. After all, the Infection only seems to kill and mind wipe those who resist it.
I’m a bloodborne meatrider, you said bloodborne, I will sub and watch every video you’ve ever produced
This vid inspired me to get around to actually playing this awesome game. I'm shite at metroidvanias so it was a struggle (Traitor Lord whupped me for 2 solid days before I got it, that double damage is a bitch and a half), but it's such a lovingly crafted experience. They take tons of notes out of the Fromsoft playbook while still maintaining their own style and a decent sense of levity across the whole thing. I gotta go get the awoken dream nail bc I want the good ending, just wanted to let you know your video is great and I'm now rewatching it!
Lol I also call the old man but the mayor. Totally thought it mentioned it somewhere. We are very interesting psychological creatures.
I am so happy you wrote a song for Ogrim
1:46:04 - The traitor lord fight ALSO features an ally helping you out :D He's likely balanced around having both you and your ally in the fight.
there is so much gameplay built in just from the healing mechanic like you said. In a boss battle, in order to heal, you HAVE to get in there and attack to build up soul. After that, you can then decide if you want to be even more aggressive and use that soul to fire off your offensive magic abilities or maybe be very safe and conservative and save that soul for healing because you expect to take more damage soon. All the while a frantic boss battle is taking up your concentration while you maneuver around the arena attacking and dodging. It's so simple but creates such deep combat. This isnt even mentioning all of the charms that alter your abilities and the way your soul use and healing works.
Hk combat system is a masterpiece, even despite it's simplicity. Really an example on how simple combat isn't ingerently worse. For example some of my probably favourite combat systems, dmc5 and hk, are on different ends of the spectrum taken to extreme, but in quality and enjoyment they're close
I love how when you begin the battle with Troupe Master Grimm, he bows to you respectfully. If you attack him during this bow, he'll shriek at you and the fight begins with him in his more aggressive phase 2 moveset.
I happened to watch this video after watching your Sunless Sea video the other day and immediately was like “Wow, this mf-er is really starting out the video the same exact way” lmaooo then you also pointed it out
I really enjoyed this one. Hollow Knight has such a special place in my heart and it was nice to listen to someone talk about it the same way I feel about it. Also points for being a fellow wayward compass enjoyer. I had a friend ask why I didn't switch it out later in the game and the answer will always be “because I would rather die” 💚
Love the video, great commentary. Earned a like and sub 🎉 extra points for the DT reference
Rolled my eyes whenever a Dark Souls comparison was made but this is an enjoyable video. Hope you cover Silksong whenever it decides to come out. Nice Dung Defender song btw.
So I had an interesting story concerning how i related to the god master dlc.
After reaching the first ending to the game I had to look up information on other endings to find them. I learned about god master and decided I didn't care about spoilers for a mere boss rush and watched Joseph Anderson's critique on it.
From said critique I also originally decided completing godhome wasn't for me. But I wanted to see some of the new bosses. I figured I could pass the trial of the master and the trial of the artist at least.
nail masters oro and mato were a delight, and i just wanted to reach sly. so despight knowing it was hard grueling content for my skill level i pushed through and beat him.
i was happy. i didnt think id ever reach the pure vessel. but i took a quick poke into the 4th pantheon. then put the game down.
but the pure vessel boss fight was so close, and i didnt think i had the skills to beat nail master sly but here i was.
there was a lot of frustration in the design of the pantheons but the reward of one new boss just on the horizon kept me coming back.
after pure vessel it was sisters of battle
and after that i finally thought i could do it.
Joseph Anderson's well explained criticisms had me convinced the game mode wasnt for me. and had i gone in blind i might have left in frustration. but knowing those critiques ahead of time meant i never went in unprepared for the mental fruatration, so every attempt wasnt nearly as frustrating as it could have been.
i acheived every ending in hollow knight and had a great time because i researched the potential problems and paced myself to avoid feeling overwhelmed
saying this feels weird to me for some reason but you're probably the first scottish youtuber I've seen and I really enjoy what you've made! Definitely subbing and checking your backlog because this is real good!
Fr covering all my fav games, love it
I did NOT expect the Hunter to just... hand you something xD
It goes to show how amazing HK is with messing with your "Fight or Flight" reflexes in-game.
When Cloth appeared I dipped out thinking she was a Boss or an enemy. Later on, as I came back, she appeared in the same area and I cautiously approached her, then realized she was friendly when the "Listen" text appeared. I gasped, not realizing I held my breath because the game has made me think everything is going to "Attack first and ask questions never" so I expected nothing less in this situation with Cloth, but the relief of a friendly bug was immense because I was worried there was no one down here that could fight the infection after seeing it claim... Myla ; A ;
The moment he said that Quirrel was the only npc to help with a boss other than Hornet, i immediately realized he never met or continued the quest of Cloth. Was then later confirmed wheb he fought the traitor lord and never mentioned her
Just wanted yo say this thumbnail is heat
I'm so glad youtube suggested me this channel, loved your dark souls retrospective, I'm sure I'll love this, my 2nd favorite indie metroidvania after Blasphemous
The fuck canyon, i love it. Thats what im gonna start calling it when i explode myselfe for the millionth time. Anyway, great video. I just found your chanel recently, watched your souls videos so far and they where great too, excited to watch the rest of it.
Great video and you have some great taste in games, sir. Will say that NKG, Pure Vessel, and Absolute Radiance are 3 of the best bosses I have ever fought. Very unfortunate you were not able to play any of them. Hope you give godlike mother shot sometime. As a big souls veteran you can do eeet.
I have always respected the game and loved the art but the gameplay always lacked for me. Glad to see someone do the series justice.
Probably a good thing that you slept on ground slam/Descending Dark. It is objectively the best spell in the game in terms of utility-so much so that a lot of people think it trivializes the combat
I love hearing positive successful 2nd chance stories for games that were initially dismissed. It was kind of like that for me with the Monster Hunter Series.
one time i was so mad at dying to the guards at the end of the path of pain that i ragespeedran the entire thing in 12 minutes. i was PISSED 😂
Powerups:
- A cloak from a mysterious dead bug that has wind powers
- A core of a dead automaton
- Magical wings
- The endless power of the void
- A claw from some mantis's pirate cosplay box
Me after watching any Hollow Knight video: I should beat all those secret bosses.
2:18:20 I'm glad I got unbreakable strength before accidentally banishing the troupe. Never got the other two. Iam annoyed I didn't get to fight NKG until my second playthrough, though.
An interesting thing about the development of this game is that the creators have gone on record saying that their influences were early NES games rather than Dark Souls or even Metriod games.
Bloodborne was a significant inspiration though. It is responsible for a bunch of design phylosophy and mechanics, like obviously shade
@@Reinoiro I don't know if you know this, but the devs have said that their influences for hollow knight were Faxanadu, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, the original Metroid, Mega Man X for player movement, and a Japanese animated movie called Angel's Egg for the aesthetic and art style. Although they share similarities, the point is that those similarities come from the old-school style of exploration and difficulty. Also, they developed the shade sort of as a joke in response to someone playing the demo and wondering what happens when you die. I can definitely see why this connection gets brought up a lot though, and I find it interesting that some of the most popular and critically acclaimed games have this same kind of difficulty and exploration inspired by retro games.
@@Ax0_1t01 I don't remember which dev specifically but one of them played some bloodborne before making hollow knight, citing it specifically over dark souls. I can't find the interview because now it's all flooded by Crowsworn being more directly inspired by it
Honestly the Traitor Lord is one of those bosses that used to be a joke but they gave him more attacks and double damage.
desolate dive gives like 1-2 second invincibilty . which is why its the most used spell
Man I love your videos I can't wait for you to blow up.
A game that always gives me some of the same vibes as Hollow Knight is Valdis Story: Abyssal City. Worth playing if the magic isn’t there for a new Hollow Knight playthrough, IMO.
You should definitely look up the full Mister Mushroom quest and Ending! its a lot more than just the one instance
This one's on my bucket list... as is Dark Souls III, but I'm currently pulled into the world of Baldur's Gate III, so these adventures will have to wait.
Very well written, good video.
I don’t know if HK is the best 2D metrodvenia game but I believe it has the best combat system with some of the best 2D bosses to complement it.
The combat system itself isn't even that complex. Just slashes and basic spells. But with bosses and level design it gets complimented so well, it gets actually deep despite being simple
1:57:58 then play the DLC Pale Court CANDLE it will be worth your time, pain and Suffering.
1:36 the bandai namco logo at 3 am be like
did you use fear and hunger music around 2:06:47
Sure did, also at 01:31:28.
Its a shame you didnt fight NKG. Its tough but it is so much fun. You actually have a blast even when you are losing over and over. Also, the music is insanely good and the whole presentation of the fight is spectacular.
Dung defender's song was beautiful, ngl
It’s actually cannon that there’s a disco ball and DJ in the grub fathers stomach and that all the grubs are having the biggest party ever
Damn man your voice is so fucking nice to listen to, love ya shit
"A kids game about bugs" Pale king:
1:51:50 no in truth the Gubfather is the Cocoon for the Grubs. Because when you read the grublfy eldgy Chram it the grubs will go in the next Stage of there Life.
(Spoliers)
There's another True(?) Ending from beating the Godhome DLC where you basically beat the Radiance at the peak of it's power and also become a "God of Void" or something along those lines, in this ending, the Hollow Knight is implied to have been freed from it's chains and the binding of the Infection, without... you know... being dead.
I haven't beaten the Path of Pain either. I thought the White Palace was hard enough that I didn't even want to attempt the Path of Pain. But I have watched completed playthroughs of it, and I will say that the first section of it looks to be arguably the 2nd hardest section of The Path of Pain. I think having to traverse downward is harder than upward or horizontally.
Nailsmith reviews Hollowknight
Is it just me, or does Cornifer's humming sound like Luigi's humming from Luigis Mansion 1
The Grubs are in the process of their evolution. It's not a bad ending
a Celeste retrospective would be sweet :D
Honestly, I'd love to do a video on Celeste and have been thinking about it, but just quite sure how I'd approach it. Defo possible that I cover it this year though.
Hollow Knight got me into the Souls Series. I played it on Switch and then I was oh I get it. Then I gave Bloodborne another chance. And well. The rest is history.
Silk song when!?
I think the mourner's a moth
my guy spend probably weeks on making a 2 hour long movie only to have 4k views. But if you keep going one day you will make it big!
There is another ability in the game that gives s, one you early on dismiss… but which is incredibly useful in combat because of this: the ground pound spell (Desolate Dive/Descending Dark), besides being able to hit enemies multiple times and doing great damage.
Siiiiick
I need to send my Dad this video. He refuses to play hollow knight because...and I quote.."it looks like mario"
If you think the Hollow Knight boss is too easy, try beating the game in under 5 hours for the speedrunning achievement and fighting him with only 5 health masks. I promise you’ll be sweating once you realize how hard of a fight it is.
if you think the hollow knight is too easy try fighting him 50x back to back trying to kill radiance at 95% completion already lmaooo
Wonderfully put I’m glad you showed up in my recommended 😁👆 immediately subscribed