In my review of Hollow Knight for the Nintendo Switch, I said:
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night holds a special place in my heart. It is one of the few games I have beaten multiple times on multiple platforms. Elevating a game like Hollow Knight to be its equal is a huge honor in my book. Deservedly so because the nearly 40 hours I have already put into Hollow Knight isn’t nearly enough even if I am running out of things to do. I cannot wait for more with the game’s next DLC!
Well, I waited for the release of Godhome, the final free DLC for Hollow Knight, and, to be frank, I am disappointed. Given that this is free DLC (something I very much appreciate it) and it comes after a lot of other free DLC (again, thank you so much), let me clarify a few things:
- Godhome adds more content. I refuse to hold that against it.
- I much prefer the days where developers gave free updates as opposed to our current climate where I sometimes feel they break things just to charge to fix it later.
- Hollow Knight is still perfect on its own.
The problem at the heart of the Godhome DLC is this: it wasn’t what I wanted. My favorite thing without question about Hollow Knight was the exploration. From the beginning to the end of my time with it prior to Godhome, I thought it was a perfect take on the Metroidvania formula, complete with a spooky atmosphere and really outstanding animations/combat.
The entire purpose of Godhome is to add in a boss rush mode. That’s it. That’s all. There aren’t new areas to explore, new items to collect, or new abilities. It is just bosses in a rush.
I actually really loved the challenge of chasing down some of the game’s harder bosses. I also loved braving some of the game’s more advanced platforming. Hollow Knight is the kind of game that makes me forget it is hard because I keep playing, keep pushing, and keep improving.
Godhome would’ve likely done the same if I had the willpower, but I don’t. I didn’t follow this DLC too closely to avoid spoilers, so maybe my hype and interest could’ve been curbed long ago, but I wanted a new area. I want someplace new to explore and to overcome. I wanted new bosses too but done in a way that tied back into the plot and mystery of the game.
Godhome is not that and therefore I cannot objectively look at it as being either good or bad. For me, the idea was a letdown as soon as I realized what I was getting into and more so when I googled spoilers to make sure I wasn’t wrong.
For the most hardcore fans out there, Godhome may be a dream come true. For me, it is just a reminder that I would much prefer a Hollow Knight 2 with new places to explore to this. Boss rushes are great and can be fun. I wish I could get over my disappointment and just enjoy this DLC for what it is but I can’t.
This post is part of a series of everyday posts for Blaugust. If you’d like to know more, click here.
Murf Versus 