When you think of “Hollow Knight,” you most likely think of a suit of empty, shining armor. In terms of this game, you’re actually getting a cute little bug warrior that lends you hours of exploration and upgrades, new charms and weapon combos, and that ultimate satisfaction of beating a boss you’ve been stuck on for the last three hours.

“Hollow Knight” is a game that has really taken me into the game world. Getting lost for hours in the massive underground map, always feeling like you’re finding something new, meeting new people, and collecting more and more money to buy that next upgrade.

The main thing that new players will notice as soon as they get into the game is the wonderful art style. Almost the whole game was hand drawn as individual frames, meaning that they opened up Photoshop, drew whatever it is they were working on, then animated it by using a bunch of different images (also hand drawn). This art is so immensely immersive and really takes time to shine and create gorgeous environments always decorating and setting the mood in each area.

Another thing that really adds to the whole experience is the music and characters. With over one hour and forty minutes spanning over 41 different soundtracks all composed by Christopher Larkin, not only does it do a great job of setting the mood, but it also sounds absolutely amazing. I never got tired of listening to the OST for over 42 hours of playtime. Along with the music are the characters. Every character is distinct and has their own personality; most are fun to talk to, especially making you feel like an exploring adventurer with funny and entertaining dialogue.

Along with the visuals and aesthetic of this game is the actual gameplay. The only thing that I would have to say I didn’t like would be difficult bosses or missing an item or two that you need to progress. Now, some people might disagree with me and say that those are part of the game — but some are quite difficult to fight and find. For example, to beat the Pantheon of Hollownest, only around two percent of all-time Steam players have beaten it — granted, this is the hardest fight in the game.

The gameplay consists of lots of exploring and fighting enemies. Most of the time spent is finding new areas and fighting the things along the way. There are so many variables and things to find and fight that you never get bored. Your move set consists of your trusty nail, which is the weapon of choice for a bug fighting other bugs. An up, down, and left/right swing of your nail will do damage, as well as the enhancement of charms that give you an advantage over everything else. There are a total of 45 charms in the game and up to 11 charm notches. Charm notches are the max cost of your charms. Each charm has a notch price and is limited to the max amount of notches you have. This allows for endless combinations of them with some granting synergies: upgrading certain charms when used together. Needless to say (and spoiler safe), this allows for a wide variety of combat, and you will have to use many of these different tools to defeat tough enemies. Those tough enemies, being bosses, will present a challenge when facing off for the first time. The more you fight them, the more you can evade their attacks and get more damage in. This adds a big sense of progression to fighting the same thing over and over again because you learn more and get closer each time you go back.

“Hollow Knight” doesn’t have a ton of replayability after you finish it, though a multiplayer mod is available to play with your friends, giving the game more depth. Not for the faint of heart, but Steel Soul mode is insanely hard, forcing you to beat the entire game with zero deaths — this also includes beating every boss on the first try. If you are really thirsting for more things to do, then going after the achievements and Pantheons (Boss Runs) can be challenging, but you can spend hours on these tasks. This is a game of game sense, and once you build a knowledge of it, you don’t want to forget it.

According to Steam, I have spent 63.2 hours with the game open, but closer to 43 hours of actual gameplay being immersed in every minute of it and loving the storyline, visuals, characters, dialogue, and exploration. If you are thinking of buying this game then I would 100% recommend it. On top of that, it is available for purchase on Steam, and you will not regret this wonderfully immersive experience.