How was Hollow Knight made?
Concept and Design
Hollow Knight is a metroidvania-style action-adventure game developed by the independent game studio Team Cherry, founded by Christopher Larkin, Ariyela Baril, and William Pellen. The game’s development began in 2014, and it took the team around three years to complete.
The game’s concept was born from the team’s shared love for dark, atmospheric games, particularly the Metroid and Castlevania series. Larkin, the lead developer, had always wanted to create a game that would take players on a journey through a vast, hauntingly beautiful world. The team aimed to craft a game that would focus on exploration, platforming, and combat, while maintaining a sense of mystery and discovery.
Game Mechanics and World-Building
One of the key decisions the team made was to design a game that was both punishingly difficult and beautiful. The Hollow Knight world, Hallownest, is a decaying metropolis filled with mysterious creatures, ancient ruins, and hidden secrets.
The team implemented a range of game mechanics to make the game more engaging, such as:
• Platforming: Players must navigate Hallownest’s many platforms, chasms, and pitfalls to progress.
• Combat: The game features a challenging combat system, where players must use strategy and timing to defeat enemies.
• Exploration: The game world is designed to be thoroughly explorable, with many secrets hidden behind locked doors, invisible paths, and obscure mechanics.
• Items and Abilities: Players can acquire a range of items and abilities to aid in their journey, such as health boosts, attack upgrades, and new ways to traverse the environment.
Art and Audio
The game’s visuals and sound design are a significant aspect of its appeal. The team’s art style was heavily influenced by various sources, including:
• Watercolor paintings: The team aimed to create a sense of fragility and delicacy, reminiscent of watercolor paintings.
• Atmospheric landscapes: They drew inspiration from haunting landscapes, such as the moon and abandoned cities.
• Classic video games: The game’s pixel art aesthetic pays homage to the visuals of classic games, such as the Metroid and Castlevania series.
The game’s audio is just as noteworthy, with a haunting soundtrack composed by Christopher Larkin, the game’s lead developer. The sound design features a range of unsettling, otherworldly sounds that add to the game’s eerie atmosphere.
Development Challenges and Surprises
Despite the team’s preparation, they encountered several challenges during development. Some notable obstacles included:
• Polishing the game: With a small team and limited resources, it took a significant amount of time to fine-tune the game’s mechanics and fix bugs.
• Story and world-building: The team initially struggled to find a compelling narrative to underpin the game. However, they eventually discovered that the world itself told a story, and players would discover its secrets as they explored.
• Technical difficulties: The game’s engine was notoriously finicky, causing frustration for the team at times. "I remember when the game’s loading system would randomly decide to quit working for hours at a time," says Larkin.
Despite these challenges, the team was determined to push through and deliver a game they could be proud of.
Release and Reception
Hollow Knight was released on PC in February 2017, followed by a release on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in September 2017. The game received widespread critical acclaim, with many praising its:
• Atmosphere and sound design: Reviewers noted the game’s ability to create a sense of tension and foreboding through its visuals and audio.
• Gameplay and mechanics: Critics praised the game’s challenging yet rewarding combat, exploration, and platforming.
• Story and world-building: Players enjoyed discovering the game’s mysteries and secrets, and many found themselves invested in the world and its lore.
Hollow Knight has sold millions of copies worldwide and has become a beloved cult classic among gamers. The game’s success has allowed the Team Cherry to continue working on new projects, including Hollow Knight: Silksong, a sequel set to release in the near future.
Conclusion
Hollow Knight is a testament to the power of creativity, perseverance, and a willingness to take risks. The game’s unique art style, engaging gameplay mechanics, and atmospheric soundtrack have made it a standout title in the world of independent game development.
For anyone interested in learning more about the making of Hollow Knight, the team’s developers have shared numerous blog posts, interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories on their official website. The game is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and we highly recommend checking it out for yourself.