Hollow Knight

This game is so great it deserves its own thread.

I'm now 35 hours or so into this, and I have no idea how much progress I have made. Every time I play it I discover something new, or a new power, or a new secret. The map gets bigger, there are new enemies. And I get better, too. But as I posted on the other thread, I'm still not even sure what the objective is, so I have no clue how close I am to achieving that! Which is a little annoying, except that the design and writing and gameplay is so exemplary I'm having a blast just wandering around, finding and fighting things. I haven't had this much fun playing a game in ages, and I feel like in some ways it's preparing me for when I finally get around to cracking open my copy of Dark Souls on the PS4.

this is a dark souls game posing as a metroid game and i got duped by it

I think it's a great hybrid of lots of stuff, but I think what is key for me is as of yet I'm not sick of looking at it. I just love the art and design. That was my problem with Celeste (besides hurting my thumbs and me not really getting any better at it).

Something else I've liked about it so far is that I don't think I've hit an enemy or spot I couldn't figure out yet, or at least that required some sort of trick or luck or esoteric strategy. Part of that is because you can almost always go another way, or try some other area. You're never actually "stuck," and whether it's a tricky bit of platforming or an enemy there is no help, per se, just sticking with it until you do the thing. I have turned to one or two wikis or videos, but since there is no right or wrong way to proceed - I've heard of people making it super far before even learning they can upgrade their nail - my biggest takeaway has been discovering stuff/routes/secrets I just didn't see or missed. Or in the case of, say, the dash slash or whatever it is called, needing to look up instructions for how to perform it right. The game is definitely tougher than Steamworld, Dig 2, but iirc in that one I encountered more dead ends that required guidance.

An exception are the plumes of smoke coming up from the ground. I had no clue how to pass them and still don't, because I did a quick google and the explanation was convoluted and foreign to me at this point I decided to just cross that bridge when it became more obvious.

And again, I have absolutely no idea how much of this world I have not explored yet. I have a feeling I'm still at the tip of the iceberg.

Heh, I had accumulated over 10,000 geo just goofing around, and then I lost it all doing something stupid (or at least underestimating a commonplace enemy). Oh well, back to the grind!

this game owns

... but is insanely hard

See, posts like that make me wonder if indeed I have only scratched the surface of the game. I've explored tons, but so far nothing has seemed significantly (as in, stuck for hours) hard, at least not compared to Celeste or even Shovel Knight. An exception so far is Crystal Peak, which I find very frustrating, but I seem to be doing OK otherwise! Though to be fair I don't think I've even tried fighting any of the Dream bosses, and my discovery of the flower delivery quest ended in miserable failure when I diligently made it all the way to the (wrong) place only to get injured and lose the challenge at the last second (though I did discover something useful on the way there, so I guess that's a win?).

insanely was maybe an exaggeration but in my defense I was drunk when I posted that. I was stuck on the hornet but just applied a little patience and cleared her pretty handily. about 2/3 hours into the game now

This game is just the right level of challenge, IMO

I am 40 hours deep, and I think in the home stretch. Just did the second fight with Hornet, taken out 2 of the 3 dreamers, and mapped all the areas except one, I think. The plot is still almost totally opaque to me. Is it possible to get the story without having to watch a bunch of lore videos on YouTube?

I am over 40 hours and nowhere near where you are, I don't think ... or I don't know. I keep finding new stuff to distract me. Right now I keep losing my soul ghost in that sealed room with a beating heart and all those manifesting poison-spitting bee-things (not the Hive). I think I have a long way to go, and regret not leaving more markers on my map.

Out of curiosity I glanced online at a map, and thankfully I think I've explored most/much of the world at this point. Now it's just a matter of discovering all the secrets, unlocking powers, beating enemies/bosses/challenges, that sort of thing, which should be fun!

On sale for $10 right now!!!

I've just opened up my fifth station and I love this so far. The atmosphere and rhythm of it is great, not getting a map at first in each area is a clever way to step up the sense of danger.

My one complaint is the annoying decision to assign the unnecessary quick cast to R - it's too close to RT and I've accidentally triggered it at the worst possible moment so many times.

Apparently they just updated it with a big new free DLC.

Whenever I get stuck I admit I glance at an online map, not for any specific hint but for a general direction as to where to go. But I sometimes I also check in with a particular youtube walkthrough, which is only so helpful, given the person is doing different things in a different order. And yet, every once in a while I watch and he pops into some place for the first time, some place I have been to dozens of times, and just immediately knocks down a hidden wall or finds a secret passage. Similarly faces various challenges in a seriously underpowered state, challenges I have problems with even after getting the thing that does the thing. What the fuck, dude!? How do you do that?

Bought it in the sale and enjoying it so far. Does a story/point develop or is it just amiably running and jumping in different directions?

I think the latter? I have played almost 60 hours and have no idea what's going on!

I should stress/clarify that as I progress, things *are*changing and developing, and there is an overarching mythology to the world. I'm just not quite clear on the ultimate goal, or whether I am moving toward it. I'm certainly doing stuff, but I think it's partly a matter of trying different things and exploring different areas until other things and areas make themselves apparent to you. And with those areas and things and powers come more aspects of the mythology.

That said, every once in a while I get stuck and hit the internet for advice, and sometimes the advice is all stuff I'm am totally unfamiliar with! And I've made a lot of progress! "Oh, first you should get the thing from the place after you beat the guy." And I think, huh, that seems harder than what I'm trying to achieve!

I'm enjoying wandering around randomly! I hope I don't have to remember too much about where I've been.

That said I'm wondering about getting a different controller - I'm not sure the basic set that comes with the Switch is really that suited to platforming. Had the same problem with Celeste. It's hard to do little micro-moves with the joystick.

I had a much easier time with this and the regular Switch controllers than I did with Celeste. But Celeste benefitted from the Pro, if only for comfort.

This is great! Maybe the first Switch game outside of Zelda that I feel like I've really connecting with. But even just finding the coin for the quill and compass seems pretty hard!

It gets easier, gradually. But you know what? I've accumulated so many power-ups and charms and abilities, improved my nail three times, and still I have yet to encounter anything that made me feel overpowered. Even the simplest enemies can take you down if you don't pay attention, and some of the simpler enemies suddenly get more difficult as you progress in the game. Nothing is easy, just easier.

I take it back: the Dream Shield charm, plus or minus a couple of others, has really helped me steamroll the last few bosses, even bosses that had given me a lot of trouble before (like Watcher Knights and Hive Knight). I don't know if it counts as overpowered, because I am terrible and need the help, but a few of those charms (plus extra life, etc.) have really made a big difference, at least added to my growing experience.

Another thing: I had made good progress but ran up against a figurative wall and needed to get a hint online. Not only had I totally forgotten about a boss I'd put off, even if I had beat said boss I literally would have had no idea what to do next. I would have just dashed around indefinitely. I don't know if that's because I missed a clue, or didn't understand, or what, but the game's dedication to ambiguity and elliptical mythology would have gotten me nowhere without some concrete direction. How some of these (you?) serious gamers figure all this shit out is beyond me.

Made it to Greenpath! Loving this. Hands hurt.

Wonderful music too.

feels like the jump button has a lag. Or has different timing than most other games.

Jump is fine for me! But finding it a little awkward attacking baddies on the diagonal (although maybe it's meant to be)

I think there's a problem with my controller when not directly connected. or maybe I am just bad.

jumping is really crisp for me. sounds like a controller issue

Like I said, I'm generally not very good at these games, and not being a game ninja it takes me longer than many to get a hang of things, but I've been cruising along at a pretty steady clip here so I assume the controls are pretty solid. My theory is that lots of 8-bit styled platformers, whether something challenging like Shovel Knight or punishing like Celeste, the style of the art lends themselves to very precise control movement, down to the pixel. But Hollow Knight (like Steamworld) is so beautifully stylized/designed/drawn that while it can be challenging it feels a little less pixel-precise. There are a couple places with very tough platform moves and attacks, but it all feels very graceful to me, not at all mechanical. That said, I've yet to be able to master the nail bounce in Hollow Knight, and I think that is the downside of its art style; when there's something specific and mechanical you have to do, doing something based almost on intuition and instinct rather than robotic precision is a bit more trouble. I dunno. I wonder how I'd do at something like Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze.

I feel like I'm in the home stretch of this game by the way, certainly the final 20% or so, though I get the impression there's an advanced mode or something you need to beat to really finish it.

I have three weeks before I go back to work when I thought I'd have a crack at finishing Middlemarch finally, but, uh, Hollow Knight

All right I started playing this and beat the first boss…it’s good

This game is so good that sometimes I can't even tell if I'm even fighting a boss.

Curious to see how Dark Souls hits you Josh. I haven’t played HK yet (have it on the Switch tho, wanna get thru Zelda first), but a lot of things you’re talking about sound very much DS inspired.

I got it all figured out. Hollow Knight, then finish Doom, then Dark Souls. I can tell you right now that Hollow Knight is at times cute, and funny, and always nice to look at, even when it is really dark. Dark Souls is all gloom all the time isn't it?

um, well, there's a certain humor that can potentially be found in dying a lot, if you look at it from one perspective. but yeah, not too cheerful. but it does an excellent job of setting a distinct and memorable mood

Yeah it’s super gloom for the most part but there’s comedy to be had through getting wrecked like Karl said. Also unexpected lols from certain enemies.

Meant more the unexplained, esoteric nature of it. Also it’s supposed difficulty, but sounds like you’re managing it pretty well in HK.

Man, this Hornet is really really really really hard for a second level Boss

Yeah I'm not much farther than you are and I had trouble with Hornet too - all I can say is just be patient, keep your distance, get in a hit or two when you can but just try to avoid her hits and wear her down

I am super stuck on Hornet too. As much as I appreciate not having to fight bosses again if you'd rather just peace out and do something else (and it's cool you can get your shade back without initiating the boss fight), I wish you could just hit "try again" rather than spending a couple minutes after every regen filling up with soul and heading back to their lair.

The Switch is the first videogame system I've played since the PS2, and the deterioration in my skills is never more evident than when I mess up and die fighting Hornet because my hands are sweaty lol. This game is extremely pretty and fun though, and I look forward to maybe getting to see at least one more area.

Hornet is pretty tough. Mantis Lords are super tough. Watcher Knights were hard. I'm trying to remember a few more. None has been totally maddening yet, except maybe Hive boss for me, mostly because I would get my ass kicked on my way there by enemies, so I'd arrive in a weakened state.

I took an hour and like eight tries to beat the soul master today. After taking an hour and like twelve tries to even open up the way to his room. I haven’t played a game tuned to this kind of difficulty since Viewtiful Joe I think. (Which I never beat.) Celeste B-sides are harder but the deaths are much less of a punishment so they don’t key me up as much.

I think - and I could be wrong - that as you go along money/geo becomes less important, so losing that cash (and the time spent accumulating it) isn't as soul destroying. Plus, there's that dude you can unlock up in Dirthmouth who will restore your soul for a rotten egg, which is a) funny and b) a relief. I do like the spikes in difficulty, though. It keeps me engaged. I thought every single second of "Celeste" was tough, which eventually turned me off.

I really hate this game and love it

I'm definitely really close to (I think) the (first) final boss, and I only know that because once again I more or less did everything I thought I was supposed to be doing and literally had no idea what to do next and had to look it up.

can someone come to my house and do hornet please

iirc just take your time and heal when you get the chance. I want to say there are times she gets tired and you are tempted to attack, but sometimes you just got to take one for the team and heal instead.

if you think hornet is hard just wait for hornet v.2

yeah i never got past hornet the game wasn't hooking me enough to persevere

you need to flag one of your ILG nemesis’ posts to trigger act 3

thats right

I used reaper crest for much/most of my play.

reaper crest is a real trap option - the extra range seems great early on but it's so slow which ends up making its damage output significantly worse. wanderer crest has a vertical pogo but is much much faster which really makes everything feel better and makes things significantly easier as your damage output is significantly higher just from that higher attack speed.

Fightin Cowboy uber-bro streamer I followed for all my From game tips called it the hardest Metroidvania he's ever played

this is crazy to me because i know he's played nine sols and that's a much much harder game. i guess maybe he's just absurdly good at parrying from playing so many parry-based games that it was just second nature to him but idk the boss fights in nine sols are on another level. i've played a ton of metroidvanias and silksong is on the hard side but far from the absolute hardest. i think fairly crucially the difficulty in silksong is very fair - enemy patterns are very telegraphed and the controls are extremely responsive, so dying never really feels like you're fighting the game itself, which is actually fairly common in these sort of games. zexion is a metroidvania that i played recently and found a lot of it to be even harder than silksong and in a much less fun way - it's a very blatant homage to super metroid and deliberately imitates the clunky jump mechanics, but also demands a lot more precision than super metroid (or silksong even, as silksong at least gives you the opportunity to heal) ever did, especially in boss fights. there's a lot of things i really liked about zexion but also a lot that was just total bullshit and that's not something i'd say about silksong at all - the worst thing in silksong is the bilewater runback which is pretty annoying but still doesn't compare to some of the bullshit in zexion. the traps in silksong are also much kinder than something like la-mulana so they really didn't bother me at all.

also d-pad > analogue stick for 2d platformers, it's just so much easier to be precise with your inputs

silksong demands a lot but it's extremely readable & controls very precisely which makes its challenges about as compelling as possible to me

imo reaper is the best for exploration architect is best for most bosses

this is crazy to me because i know he's played nine sols and that's a much much harder game.

Yeah, I barely made it into Nine Sols before quitting. It was both too slow and too exacting, as far as play style goes, at least for me. (I hate parrying.) I think iirc his ultimate complaint/confession was both that he went too long before learning how to upgrade his needle (for whatever that is worth in this game), and by then he was pretty frustrated and frazzled. He also admitted he is impatient (which seems contrary to parry games), and since so much of this game is unforgiving repetition - of areas, of enemies, of traversal attempts - by the time he got better he was pretty much done/over it/beat down. I appreciate his honestly!

But also, imo this game throws more bullshit at you than most, in terms of RNG, enemy AI, etc. I believe the developers have talked about this, how they gave Hornet a pretty zippy moveset and more versatility, so ramped up the enemies accordingly. Which is probably what did me in, ultimately. Between the twitchy platforming around spikes or thorns, the flying enemies and other projectiles, the elaborate runbacks and limited resources, there was just never a time I felt relaxed enough to fully enjoy the game or explore. Everything started to get this let's-get-this-over-with vibe, which is for sure impatience on my part at work. Again, real bummer, since the run through I've been watching reveals all sorts of good or clever or creative stuff I'm missing, in addition to all sorts of areas I would just not have made it through (Sinners Walk, Bilewater, Mt Whatever, even the dark cogworks area).

It's kind of an unknowable thing, whether a game is hard because a player is not good enough, whether it's hard because the devs are devious, or whether it's hard because of poor game design. The last does not seem to be the case here, because these nerds know what they're doing, but iirc I have seen people complain that things like getting and then putting on the fire charm to fight the Last Judge was not intuitive (which seems like a very From sort of complaint), or that you get a maggot protection charm *after* dealing with the maggots (?). Or forcing you to deal with so much platform and other challenges *before* giving you the double jump, a Metroidvania mainstay. Everything takes *work*, lol.

Leee, I'm kind of fascinated that this game clicked for you but you can't get into From games! Though per your post a few back, I actually thought the cute bugs worked against me, too, because at some points (or for a few enemy types) I felt a little bad killing them.

anything that looks hot put on the fire charm, tho i did complete the maggot areas while apparently holding the maggot charm for at least some of it without realizing what it did

But you'd have to know that there even *is* a fire charm first, right? And even then, iirc the charm description says it's meant to protect from "fire and magma," but implied specifically to be used in the Deep Docks, so there are a few leaps you need to make. One, find the vendor selling it. Two, have craftmetal and beads to buy it. Three, realize it is useful outside of the fire/magma area that's mentioned in the description. Four, equip it in this totally unrelated area to fight a boss (and not just the fire boss in the Docks). That's why it feels very From to me: there is this thing that does a thing if you find the thing and know exactly when to use the thing, but we're not going to explicitly connect all those dots for you. That's why I don't avoid guides for some of these more obscure, byzantine games. Like the famous hidden wall behind a hidden wall behind a hidden wall in Dark Souls that leads to an entire new area. I appreciate the secret and also the troll-y ness of the design, but at the same time, I want to progress and find/see stuff!

i think most people are going to get the fire charm just in the course of playing the game, but its true you have to figure out its uses, or just watch a video of a boss youre having trouble with and someone tells you lol, i try not to google stuff but i will eventually

theres tons of stuff in this game that almost no one would find on their own

the sharing of info is dare i say assumed in the games design, people want an easy mode but there already is one google.com

Well, *easier* mode, lol.

Leee, I'm kind of fascinated that this game clicked for you but you can't get into From games! Though per your post a few back

I mentioned that 2D helps a lot, as I tend to get lost in 3D, especially if I don't have a map. I also like jumping! And From doesn't have video gamey jumps.

I actually thought the cute bugs worked against me, too, because at some points (or for a few enemy types) I felt a little bad killing them.

It's kill or be killed! Also, thank God there's no Myla analogue in this game.

btw i really like the lore in this game i make no attempt to understand whats it means but i like that its there in the background being spooky and they obvs put a lot of thought into it which i appreciate

But also, imo this game throws more bullshit at you than most, in terms of RNG, enemy AI, etc.

what do you mean? it's a difficult game, but it's mostly not throwing arbitrary nonsense at you which is unfortunately not that uncommon in metroidvanias (i have played way too many). the bosses don't say, chaotically spam projectiles all over the place from all directions while suspended over acid that rapidly drains your health. the closest is probably savage beastfly, which is that sort of chaotic bullshit if you don't have enough upgrades to kill the enemies it summons quickly due to how chaotic they are, but it stops being such a problem once you're capable of doing enough damage.

But you'd have to know that there even *is* a fire charm first, right? And even then, iirc the charm description says it's meant to protect from "fire and magma," but implied specifically to be used in the Deep Docks, so there are a few leaps you need to make. One, find the vendor selling it. Two, have craftmetal and beads to buy it. Three, realize it is useful outside of the fire/magma area that's mentioned in the description. Four, equip it in this totally unrelated area to fight a boss (and not just the fire boss in the Docks).

this is just the game is rewarding exploration, i don't think there's really any leaps involved here at all. finding the vendor selling it isn't hard at all, they're not at all off the beaten path and most players are going to naturally stumbling across them. finding craftmetal probably requires a bit of exploration, but the very first shop in the game does sell one at least and none of the others accessible early on are that well hidden. you aren't going to know that the boss has fire attacks, but as soon as you see that it does and die to it, it's pretty obvious to equip the fire resistance charm for subsequent attempts.

By bullshit I mean - and yeah, this might just be me - so many things to deal with at once. You have to platform while flying things are shooting at you with projectiles that seem to know where you'll be (because they do, by design), and spikes or thorns all around you, or lava below, with rocks falling and things blowing up, and oh yeah, many of the enemies and hazards take off two health. And this is just a relatively early game regular room, not a boss room, though many of these things are in boss rooms at well; there were many boss battles in the chunk of the game I finished that *also* involved shit falling from the ceiling and other enemies and their projectiles and whatnot. Can't say how unusual this is, but it's unusual for me, at least, to bounce off a game, any game, let alone one I'd been looking forward to for so long, and whose attributes are clear. Of course people can beat it, just like blind people have beat Dark Souls, but it ain't easy.

pretty obvious

Nothing in this game was pretty obvious to me, lol! If Fightin Cowboy, a dude that has mapped out and calculated every single aspect of those From games, somehow missed the needle upgrade for 10+ hours of his play through, is that his problem or a problem with game design? Dunno! A bit of both, I'd say.

Look, the idea of monolithic media that is universally beloved is a myth, which is why some people don't enjoy it. You bring up your experiences with the game (albeit mentioning things that basically are inaccurate, namely that RNG really only shows up in boss battles with variable waves of adds), then other people ITT bring up their experiences. Obviously it's all subjective, but the "yes yes but what about" concerns kind of devalue the counter arguments we're making and it feels to me like we're going around in circles. It's like someone who likes one novelist but not another on the same genre.

To address the specific point about losing two health, it's definitely possible to avoid getting totally wrecked outside of gated areas with patient cat & mouse/hit & run tactics. However, it largely becomes a moot point in the late game, and I'd regularly tank the damage out of laziness.

And I don't think the boss fights are unfair, there was one where I dimly could not avoid its bouncing projectiles and barely made it out to the other side. Then just this week I watched a video of another normal player simply walk under it; they still needed some precision because the safe space was small but I think the design of that bale speaks to a kind of theme of starting calm and overcoming your instinct of running away from something fearsome, and instead going towards it so that you can whale away with the wanderer crest.

We're definitely going around in circles, heh. And I'm not devaluing anyone's experience, at least not purposefully. If there's been any pushback on my part it's been on denials or dismissals that this game is particularly difficult. *Of course* it is objectively difficult, that's a major part of the ongoing discourse. The subjective ymmv questions are "how difficult?" or "too difficult?" or "yes it is difficult but is it manageable?"

I think, Leee, you really got to the heart of maybe why my playstyle or habits don't jibe with this one. Part of the sleight of hand working with this game is that in a sense it rewards punishment, which is counterintuitive. There are certain situations where taking damage is built in and expected as a sacrifice for reward (healing power, attacks). Like, you know you will get hit, but it's worth it for the damage you can do in return or silk you can regain back. In a way this is a different kind of parry method, since it encourages aggressive play over caution, at least sometimes. I think my problem, though - and it is *my* problem - is that the cost of failure was too frustrating, especially relative to my improvement. That's why I found the notion of health bars intriguing/appealing. At least I would have some measure of progress, to know if I was close, which would provide necessary encouragement to counter the frustration. As it is my own balance was off, as the frustration of failure was leading to either more caution or impatience, which are both often signs of needing a break.

Part of the sleight of hand working with this game is that in a sense it rewards punishment

Again, I completely disagree. Aggressiveness is NOT generally rewarded in this game, aside from a few bosses (and even in these fights you don't need to trade hits). Instead, the game wants you to hang back to learn attack patterns, and wait for the right time, which is extremely typical stuff.

Tanking damage has very few applications in this game. I admit that there's a build where you can face tank, but I only used it against one boss, and my other comment about tanking was against regular enemies that annoyed me, at which point I had max health and could regenerate silk at a bench and didn't feel like being careful.

Nearly every objection you bring up is why I have no interest in From games.

been trying for way too long to beat the waves of choir enemies in the high halls and finally had an epiphany: you lose shell shards to replenish the secondary items you use! i always thought the number of shells i lost was random but nope, i stopped replenishing my supplies once i ran out of shells

did everyone else already know this?

I did know it but didn't figure it out until Act 2 because of how reluctant I was about using red tools.

tools are crucial

1st act: im never going to use this silly shard bundle

2nd act: i must spend one hour farming beads in order to afford essential shard bundles

3rd act: fsck I need tools more than ever now and there’s no xunting way to farm beads

i luckily had totally maxxed out on beads before i got there, real bead hoarding

went to get my needle upgraded and then beat that gauntlet in like two seconds haha

now i am working on trobbio. love the way he taunts me whenever he kills me (“trobbio!”)

Honestly boss health meters is the only real thing I would want changed in this game. Not having them feels 100% unnecessarily psychologically difficult. I would greatly appreciate having them. That said, you can demarcate progress through witnessing advancement in phases during the fight, but still

Hades 2 does this with Typhon and it's super annoying but you can gauge progress through similar phase advancement.

Was just watching more of the playthrough I've been dipping in and out of, and hoo boy, that barnacle/urchin covered area in Act 2? Sands of Karak? I know there's harder, but there's no way I would have remotely had the patience/skill for even that, lol!

Btw, my favorite detail even in Act 1 is the way the ant enemies carry away their fallen comrades.

Full of spoilers, but thoughtful Jacob Geller essay:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp-gPD_-RM4

Nothing in this game was pretty obvious to me, lol!

i know that getting the fire resist tool in the first place isn't super obvious and many people won't get it if they aren't thorough, but i think it should be an obvious move to equip the fire resist tool, if you already have it, on a rematch against a boss that has fire attacks? it's not some obtuse unintuitive interaction?

oh yeah, many of the enemies and hazards take off two health.

they nerfed pretty much all the early game hazards that take off two health in the first patch which was broadly a good change, it didn't need to be that punishing

Like, you know you will get hit, but it's worth it for the damage you can do in return or silk you can regain back.

i do agree that this is not an effective playstyle at all, taking hits is pretty much never worth it. playing aggressively enough to get hits in wherever possible is rewarded (which is why reaper crest is really such a trap option and wanderer is by far the easiest to use), but not being reckless enough to take unnecessary damage

I know there's harder, but there's no way I would have remotely had the patience/skill for even that, lol!

the hardest platforming in the entire game for me was doing the first half of sands of karak before getting the double jump, which was completely unnecessary because i could have just come back later after getting the double jump which makes it so much more manageable (though still not easy).

i have no idea how i'm gonna beat groal the great

post your switch to josh and he’ll do it for you

He’s definitely a pain, but he is maybe the most cheese-able boss in the game so you can always resort to that if the frustration gets too much (I did!)

same

Groal definitely the biggest pain in the game, at that point given the runback I had no qualms about looking things up.

Lost Trobbio was the cheesiest for me, because you can just equip the Wanderer's Crest along with the silk-regen-on-damage tool and just tank everything and heal.

i did beat that disgusting boss btw, so yay. i am still in act 2 tho, i think i need to find all the fleas. wish there was a way that i could find out how many i have left...

There is, actually!

There is, actually!

Also, DLC incoming: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/hollow-knight-silksong-creators-confirm-dlc-is-coming/1100-6536590/

hmm ok. i imagine there's a way to get a map marker, but i think i am done with shakra

You don't get it from Shakra! There's an NPC, I think in the Putrefied Ducts, who sells it instead.

moved the flea and finally got the final quest of act 2. i'd already done 1/4 of it and the clues were pretty easy to solve. after groal, going back to beat the boss will probably be a breeze

made it to act 3 and am not having fun anymore lol

ok i have gotten the hang of it a little and am having fun again

These fucking guys

https://www.teamcherry.com.au/blog/holiday2025

Impressive the DLC already has a release year at least!

For all we know it’s coming out in 2 weeks.