Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight joins demanding combat with an interconnected world. A route that seemed closed can become an invitation after gaining an ability, so learning geography and learning movement reinforce each other.
2017 game and its official free content updates; not Silksong.
The appeal
Explore a mysterious fallen kingdom and gradually make it navigable.
- explore
- jump
- strike
- heal
- equip
- return
Gameplay loops
Moment-to-moment loop
Explore a route → read enemies and hazards → fight or evade → discover a connection, reward, or obstacle.
Session loop
Make an expedition from a resting point, decide how far to push, then return or open a useful connection.
Across sessions
Acquire movement and combat abilities, expand a mental map, and pursue newly reachable objectives.
Mechanics
- Interconnected exploration
- Team Cherry emphasizes connected areas and evolving movement abilities. Progress includes changing where the player can go, not only increasing attack values. [1]
- Configurable combat identity
- The developer-authored Steam description presents charms as equipment that changes abilities. Loadout and exploration therefore interact with combat preparation. [2]
A decision
A side passage leads away from a known resting point and you are carrying valuable currency.
The uncertainty is partly geographical: knowing how to return can matter as much as knowing how to fight.
What makes it interesting
Revisiting a recognizable barrier after gaining an ability lets a player experience growth spatially.
Distinctive scenery and sound support navigation and curiosity; these are functional parts of discovery as well as atmosphere.
Where it can fall short
- Uncertain routes and repeat travel can create exhaustion instead of curiosity.
- Combat difficulty can block players who primarily want exploration, so the audience promise and access options deserve explicit attention.
Does a new ability make backtracking feel purposeful?
Draw a six-room map with two initially visible barriers. Give the player one movement upgrade halfway through.
Observe whether players remember a blocked path, choose to revisit it, and can distinguish a meaningful return from empty travel.
Notes save in this browser.
Related lessons
- Players, play, and a promise →Decide who you are making an experience for and what it should offer them.
- Progression and motivation →Distinguish getting better, getting stronger, and discovering something new.
- Level and world design →Use space to guide attention, create choices, and pace discoveries.
Sources
Mechanics are cited below. The analysis and exercises are our interpretation. About the sources
Checked October 19, 2026.
- Team Cherry: Hollow Knight ↗Official account of interconnected exploration and new abilities.
- Team Cherry: Hollow Knight on Steam ↗Developer feature description covering equipment, traversal, combat, and world scope.
