HOLLOW KNIGHT
Even among the vaunted company it keeps as one of the greatest metroidvania games ever made, Hollow Knight is a testament to the excellence that this genre allows in world and level design. The world of Hallownest is massive, mysterious, and an absolute joy to explore- and there’s just so much to see. A startling amount of the game is completely skippable, and there are so many amazing boss fights and bits of story and lore in the game that you’re rewarded with for thoroughly exploring every inch of Hallownest. Things such as power ups and upgrades also act as excellent motivators, while the fact that the very act of moving and jumping around feel just so darn good in Hollow Knight means that not a single moment of aimless exploration ever feels boring.
