Is Hollow Knight worth buying in 2026?
PLAY
Yes — Hollow Knight is worth buying in 2026 — arguably more than ever, because with Silksong finally out the original became chapter one of a finished pair. It is still the standard for exploration-driven metroidvanias: a dead kingdom, no hand-holding, and a map that is the story.
Overwhelmingly Positive — 97% on Steam · Released 2017
from6,59 €checked 31 Aug 2026
The case
Hollow Knight’s trick was scale and silence: it drops you into Hallownest, tells you nothing, and lets the map be the story. The metroidvanias since have copied its checklist — dash, wall-jump, charms — and our guide of alternatives exists because almost none copied the feeling of being somewhere too big for you.
Silksong changes the buying question in the original’s favour: the ending lands differently when you know what follows, and the first game is the gentler introduction to how these games think. Start here, not with the sequel.
It was always absurd value — every content pack was added free — and the checked low with its date on this page underlines it. For the genre, this is the reference purchase.
Buy it if
- Exploration with no markers and real getting-lost is the appeal
- You want the full Hallownest story before (or after) Silksong
- You like choosing your own difficulty: the brutal parts are optional walls
Skip it if
- Getting lost frustrates rather than delights you — this game will not help you
- You want story told to your face; here it is archaeology
- 2D platform combat has never once clicked for you
FAQ
Should I play Hollow Knight before Silksong?
Yes. Silksong stands alone mechanically, but Hornet’s story continues this one, and the original is the gentler on-ramp to how these games think.
How hard is Hollow Knight really?
The main path is demanding but fair; the famous brutality lives in optional endgame content you can simply decline. You choose your wall.
Is it too old to start now?
Hand-drawn art does not age like polygons: it looks today the way it looked at release — which is to say, better than most of its imitators.
Played it already?
Mapped all of Hallownest? Our ranked guide sorts ten games by which part of it they rebuild — the map, the fights, or the atmosphere — and names the darling to skip.