what type of game is hollow knight

Hollow Knight is a 2D action-adventure Metroidvania game with some light Souls-like elements.

What type of game it is

• Core genre: 2D side-scrolling action-adventure in the Metroidvania style, focused on exploration, backtracking, and ability-based progression.

• Perspective: Side-scrolling platformer with precise movement and combat.

• Gameplay style: Nonlinear exploration across a large, interconnected world (Hallownest) where new abilities open up previously blocked paths.

• Difficulty feel: Often described as having Souls-like aspects (challenging combat, losing currency on death but being able to reclaim it, and a “learn from failure” loop).

Quick scoop on how it plays

• You control a small, silent knight exploring an underground kingdom full of hostile creatures and bosses.

• Combat uses a nail (sword-like weapon), spells, and movement skills (dashes, double-jumps, etc.).

• Progress comes from finding new abilities, charms (build modifiers), and map upgrades scattered around the world.

• The world is open and interconnected, so you choose your route and can miss some areas entirely on a first run.

How people describe it in forums

• Fans usually call it “a 2D Metroidvania with Souls-like difficulty and atmosphere.”

• Forum players emphasize exploration, hidden secrets, and tough but fair boss fights as the main hooks.

TL;DR: Hollow Knight is a challenging 2D Metroidvania action-adventure game with platforming, exploration, and Souls-like death and difficulty mechanics.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.