Hollow Knight: How indie games tell stories in 2019

There is much to praise in Hollow Knight, the inaugural game of a simple Australian studio composed of just three developers (Team Cherry). Launching exclusively on PC and landing on Switch in 2018, metroidvania has become an instant critical success, garnering great prominence among the latest independent productions. Sales and ratings were so significant that the studio announced in 2019 that it was working on a sequel.

And it's no wonder: the polished gameplay, meticulously well-built world and fearsome creatures present in Hollow Knight are some of the features that make it such a unique video game. It was in the diversity of narrative forms, however, that I experienced the most memorable portion of the grim reality of Hallownest's realm.

Insect's life

First, it is important to remember that we will not deal directly with the development and outcome of the plot itself, as this could spoil the experience of readers interested in testing, on their own, everything the title has to offer. Instead, we'll talk about how the title distances itself from more popular forms of storytelling — such as unnecessary dialogue and excessive use of cutscenes.

Speaking cutscenes, these appear on a few occasions just to give the player context about more significant moments — unlike most major productions that appropriate cinematography in excess to develop characters. The rare opportunities we have to glimpse the hand-drawn insect animations become unforgettable and slowly introduce the player to a universe rich in detail.

Also when it comes to animations, it is important to emphasize the creativity in the Design of the relatable creatures that we meet on our journey, whether by their behavior towards our actions or by the originality in their aesthetics. The arthropod beings we can interact with usually express themselves through short subjective speeches - ranging from moral questions to the availability of side missions.

Exhaust lines and perform side quests for NPCs are also part of the narrative — as positive outcomes and future interactions can emerge from seemingly simple and irrelevant actions. For the more greedy and immediate, killing a few specific NPCs guarantees extra "change", even if it means unwanted consequences down the road. Hostility, disdain or disinterest on the part of the beings we encounter exists and is part of the experience in an oppressive undead labyrinth called Hallownest.

Hollow Knight's Influences

Much of the game's inspiration is attributed to the series. Dark Souls. The fragmented narrative proposal requires the player to be curious and a certain sense of discovery so that, at the end of his “archaeological search”, he can better understand the facts through the compilation and interpretation of vague dialogues, descriptions of items and hidden clues.

Hollow Knight proposes challenging combat and exploration precisely because of its theme, an irreversibly ruined kingdom — which, unlike the recurring heroic journeys, proves to be the true protagonist of the adventure. A world that explains a little of its past through the Design of the environments and for the smallest details of each corner of the scenarios — as well as FromSoftware's Action RPGs.

Denominated environmental storytelling, this narrative form is one of the highlights of both titles, but it originally refers to the seminal classic Super Metroid and its successors in the series Metroid Prime. Telling stories through environments can even be a recurring bet of numerous productions these days, but few do such a good job as to be noticed and praised for the wealth of details.

Strokes, colors, sounds and compositions

The various layers that make up the environment and the concern to represent detailed scenarios go far beyond the great aesthetic work, fulfilling an essential role when combined with the writing and narrative proposal of the game — inviting exploration, contemplation and interaction, when possible, with elements of that world. . Murals, rocks, carcasses, plaques and signs are some of the ways in which we voluntarily learn a little more about the history and myths of this fantasy universe.

Christopher Larkin, composer of the more than 40 tracks that make up the authentic musical selection, spent practically the entire period of development writing and recording. This means that each song was also minimally thought out and performed in order to intensify the unique feeling that each moment of the game gives us. Melancholy, fear, joy, surprise and heroism were some of the emotions that most impacted my narrative experience. Here, the soundtrack is an integral part of the narrative.

The urge to explore every corner of the map and the purpose of gradually interpreting what happened to the kingdom ravaged by crises and wars make Hollow Knight one of the most interesting and fun metroidvanias of recent years. A package that, in addition to using unusual narrative resources in an attractive way, knows exactly how to combine combat and exploration in a rewarding and lasting way.