My name is Rachael (grade 11), and I would rate Hollow Knight is a 5/5. Hollow knight is Metroidvania and action-adventure game released by Team Cherry in 2017. The plot follows a small nail-wielding knight on its quest through the fallen insect kingdom of Hallownest. This kingdom fell to an infection which took over the inhabitants, turning them hostile and warping their bodies with sickly orange mutations. Hollow knight is a rather quintessential Metroidvania game. This means a heavy emphasis on exploration and unlocking new abilities to open up even more areas to explore. While liner for the first few hours, Hallownest quickly opens up to the player, allowing free choice between multiple areas to explore and even more ways to stumble upon new ones. The map layout can be confusing at times, especially without the use of the Wayward Compass item which places a player marker on the map. But rather then feeling oppressive, there is a simple joy in getting lost in Hallownest’s dungeons and discovering something completely new in the process. The games excellent music and charming art direction make every area feel unique and interesting. Furthermore, the environment of Hollow Knight actively participates in its storytelling, showcasing the world’s twisted nature along with echoes of what once was. Though the game has a spectacularly deep well of lore to be found online, much of it can be discovered in game through careful exploration and deduction. This means that the more you put into the story of Hollow Knight, the more you get out. However, this doesn’t mean that the game punishes more casual players. You will still have a perfectly fulfilling game experience while sticking to the game’s critical path, with the average playtime being around 39 hours. While not as hard as titles like Dark Souls, Hollow knight bosses are cleverly designed and will provide a stiff challenge, allowing the player to decide whether to repeat attempts against a single boss or leave and try again later after acquiring better stats or a new ability. This prevents the player from feeling trapped. Young children may be scared by some aspects of the title, as the general feel and ascetic presentation of the game are rather dark, and one mid-game area has elements which purposefully build a sense of dread. This is not a game that holds your hand. You must discover aspects of the map yourself, and there are few to no quest markers, and many points in the game when your objective is simply to explore. However, I fully recommend this game to anyone who enjoys exploration and deep lore with a side of challenging gameplay.