Best Games like Hollow Knight, Ranked Best to Worst

Do you want the best games like a hollow knight? Hollow Knight made quite the splash when it was released in 2017, during a time when the industry was undergoing a glut of indy two-dimensional games. Hollow Knight’s uniquely dark aesthetic really made it stand out.

Years after its release, the enthusiasm for the game hasn’t relented. This is thanks to a small but dedicated group of core gamers who want to recreate the feeling of having participated in Hollow Knight for the first time. The following are the main games that will help gamers do just that.

Best Games like Hollow Knight

Bloodborne

This one might raise a few eyebrows but keep an open mind. Yes Bloodborne, at face value, couldn’t be more dissimilar than Hollow Knight. One is a two-dimensional platformer, while the different is a three-dimensional hack-and-slash. The 2 games however have a lot in common. I’m not just talking about their moody dark skies. There is a good reason why fans of Hollow Knight have called it two-dimensional Dark Souls.

The enemies and barriers put before the player in Hollow Knight are very similar to Dark Souls games. The mixture and difficulty of bosses is another way the two games echo one another. Bloodborne in individuals, with its emphasis on fast-paced gameplay that emphasizes dodging enemy attacks and striking at the opportune time. If they ever did create a two-dimensional Souls game they would at the very least take a couple of pages from Hollow Knight’s playbook.

Shovel Knight

Shovel Knight is the Game of Thrones to Lord of the Rings. Both are regarded as the pillars of the side-scrolling platformer genre. Basically, the only difference between the two games is the art styles.

Both games encouraged sequels in which side characters from the original game are put in the center. Shovel Knight and Hollow Knight established the standard for indy platformers and the genre is better off for it.

Dream Alone

What would you likely accomplish if you had Tim Burton take a break from filmmaking to make a video game with his signature dark brooding style? Well, it would likely be Hollow Knight but Dream Alone is a close second. 

Dream Alone is another platformer setting in a dark, atmospheric environment. The game is a bit darker than the cartoonish violence of the Hollow Knight, but lovers of the latter will feel right at home with Dream Alone’s gameplay.

Tunic

Another visually stunning game that blends Hollow Knight with other modern Legend of Zelda games. The tunic is a reflection of Hollow Knight, which has a place in a world that manages to be both small and large at the same time.

The player carries control of a small fox who sets off on a journey that puts them in conflict with enemies of all shapes and sizes. The game’s problem seems to keep in line with the player’s experience. This gives players the chance to take in the game’s amazing graphics which, at times, seem to flirt with reality. 

Stela

Like Hollow Knight, Stela is a game that revels in its view. Frequently, the titular character is barely noticeable as the camera pans out to reveal levels as meticulously designed as they are massive.

No two stages are the same and, at times, it’s nearly impossible to believe that you are even playing the same game. Much like Hollow Knight, Stela is as much of a graphic experience as it is a game.

Chasm

One part Hollow Knight and one portion Dungeons and Dragons, Chasm is a game that perfectly blends the side-scrolling platforming with RPG elements. Best described as two-dimensional Skyrim, the game sends players on a journey across a medieval world to raid dungeons and battle all manner of ghouls and monsters. While the aesthetic isn’t as dark as Hollow Knights, it is just as atmospheric with the background setting the tone for each separate stage.

Mark of the Ninja

From samurais to ninjas. Mark of the Ninja is another game that fits Hollow Knight in terms of critical acclaim but doesn’t quite measure up commercially. Mark of the Ninja’s relative obscurity, yet, is not indicative of its quality.

Both Hollow Knight and Mark of the Ninja utilize dark atmospheres but while Hollow Knight has no stealth element, Mark of the Ninja is almost entirely about stealth. The main character uses all their tools to stay hidden even as they dispatch enemies in some of the cleverest ways imaginable. It is a bit of a departure from the traditional platformer formula but it functions.

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