Ever wondered how a game accidentally became the blueprint for an entire genre? Hollow Knight did just that, evolving from a simple Metroidvania into THE Metroidvania. It’s raised the bar so high, even Silksong has big shoes to fill. Is your favorite Metroidvania up to the challenge?
Hollow Knight, a title whose creators initially eschewed the “Metroidvania” label, has paradoxically emerged as the definitive benchmark for the entire genre, accidentally establishing a formidable standard that subsequent titles, including its highly anticipated sequel Silksong, must now contend with. This profound influence underscores its unprecedented success and the lasting impact of its innovative design within the gaming industry.
While developers William Pellen and Ari Gibson expressed a desire to avoid genre constraints during its creation, Hollow Knight transcended the mere definition of a “Metroidvania” – a subgenre characterized by nonlinear exploration and ability-gated progression – to become, unequivocally, “Metroidvania” itself. This transformation signifies its ascent from an indie game within a category to the very archetype against which others are measured, showcasing groundbreaking game design.
Evidence of Hollow Knight’s genre-defining status is starkly visible on platforms like SteamDB, where it consistently tops user-applied Metroidvania tags with an exceptional 96.08% positive rating, surpassing even acclaimed titles like Dead Cells. Its commanding lead in followers, with Silksong closely behind, further solidifies its unparalleled influence, relegating older spiritual successors and even original series entries like Castlevania to much lower positions, highlighting its market dominance in the gaming industry.
The game’s commercial success mirrors its critical acclaim, with lifetime sales figures approaching those of the entire Castlevania or Metroid franchises, which boast decades-long legacies. While the Metroidvania genre saw growth in the mid-2010s, the surge of new releases post-Hollow Knight in 2017 unequivocally marks it as a pivotal inflection point, akin to how Stardew Valley redefined farming simulation games.
Hollow Knight’s intricate world and refined mechanics have profoundly reshaped player expectations, compelling a re-evaluation of established genre tropes. The author’s personal experience illustrates this, finding previous genre favorites like Metroid: Zero Mission and newer titles such as Axiom Verge feeling comparatively less engaging or innovative after experiencing Hollow Knight’s depth and polish in game design.
The widespread adoption of Metroidvania elements without thoughtful integration often leads to predictable and frustrating design choices in other games. Common pitfalls include repetitive spike mazes, enemies strategically placed to knock players off ledges, and overly long, uninspired chase sequences, all of which detract from the player experience and highlight a lack of innovation beyond surface-level mechanics in the broader gaming industry.
What sets Hollow Knight apart is not its invention of new platforming mechanics, but its masterful execution and the sheer exhilaration derived from familiar actions, such as bouncing across spikes on a weapon tip. Team Cherry’s genius lies in prioritizing an immersive “feel” and expansive world-building over adhering strictly to genre conventions, an approach that has inadvertently set an incredibly high bar for any subsequent indie game.
This success has inadvertently created a “two-pronged trap” for developers: some aim for direct clones, often missing the subtle artistry and emotional depth that made Hollow Knight so memorable, while others merely sprinkle Metroidvania ideas into their games, leading to experiences that feel meager in comparison. Games like Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, despite unique qualities, illustrate the challenge of applying light Metroidvania dustings without losing distinctiveness in their game design.
The anticipated triumph of Silksong, should it meet these elevated expectations, will likely stem from Team Cherry’s continued focus on “feel” and exploration over rigid genre adherence, echoing Ari Gibson’s 2017 sentiment. Their commitment to crafting an “adventure in this big world” with abundant discoveries ensures player engagement and remains the core tenet of their game design philosophy, offering a potential blueprint for future genre evolution in the gaming industry.
