8 Ways To Make Hollow Knight’s Second Playthrough Feel Like A New Game

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Summary

  • Customize Experience: Use mods for new gameplay, visuals, and features like co-op play.
  • Optimize Gameplay: Ditch maps for immersion, try speedruns with in-game timer and achievements.
  • Embrace Challenges: Hunt hidden bosses, explore side content, and test your skills with self-imposed challenges.

As a gaming enthusiast diving back into Team Cherry’s captivating Metroidvania world, I find that the challenge of mastering Hallownest can be intense for newcomers. Yet, it’s this very challenge that draws me and many others to revisit this enchanting realm time and again. To ensure each playthrough remains engaging, maintaining a sense of novelty is crucial when revisiting this exceptional game.

Hollow Knight offers a wealth of player-driven and thoroughly refined systems, making it an engaging experience for those embarking on a second playthrough, as they delve deeper into the game’s hidden bosses and explore adaptations in its mechanics.

8. Download Mods

Change Things Up — From Skins To Co-Op Play

Even though these custom modifications are currently exclusive to players using PC, they are among the most popular methods for tailoring both the gameplay and appearance of the game Hollow Knight according to individual preferences and desires.

Modifications for Hollow Knight not only adapt Team Cherry’s original concept but also expand upon the established format of this successful game. They can alter visual aspects, introduce desired features like cooperative multiplayer, and provide a unique gaming experience each time the game is launched. In essence, the thriving modding scene for Hollow Knight allows players to constantly reimagine the game.

7. Work From Memory

In Ditching A Game Mechanic, Players Can Enhance Their Immersion

An integral aspect of the Hollow Knight video game, falling under the Metroidvania genre, is the presence of a vast, interconnected network of locations with puzzling areas that may appear like dead-ends at first glance. As players progress, they will acquire new abilities and learn the mechanics of Hallownest, which will facilitate their exploration. Additionally, Cornifer’s cartography abilities enable players to gradually uncover the numerous biomes and locales within the game.

During a repeat play, some gamers might discover that they’ve become quite familiar with the game world after spending about 30 hours in it during their first playthrough. To maintain an element of mystery and discovery in subsequent playthroughs, players can choose to simplify the experience by avoiding the friendly insect-like creature’s maps and instead creating their own or exploring the game without a map at all.

6. Try A Speedrun

Incorporating Player-Led & In-Game Systems

In their initial journey through Hollow Knight, players often discover and admire the expansive, stunning, and enigmatic world of Hallownest. Subsequently, some enthusiasts have resorted to utilizing gameplay tactics and shortcuts to swiftly traverse the game’s content after their first playthrough.

Enhanced by its Metroidvania gameplay style and the inclusion of an in-game timer displayed upon finishing the game, Hollow Knight is perfectly tailored for a player-generated challenge. With numerous accomplishments for progressively faster completion times, and a thriving speedrunning community, making a swift second attempt to finish Hollow Knight is not just commendable but actively supported.

5. Fully Utilize The Charms System

Collect & Experiment To Enhance Combat & Exploration

In Hollow Knight, the fundamental gameplay is smooth and responsive. However, it’s likely that many players will enhance their abilities in both combat and exploration using the game’s vast charm system. Consequently, numerous players might choose to employ charms like the ‘Wayward Compass’ for assistance during their initial journey through Hallownest, and experiment with various combat modifications.

With 45 charms at your disposal, Hollow Knight offers an immense variety during a second playthrough, potentially leading to intense gameplay experiences. Delving into and tinkering with the charm system can grant players the opportunity to specialize in a particular playstyle, thus enabling them to explore Team Cherry’s game in a fresh and unique manner on their subsequent journey through Hollow Knight.

4. Look Into Side Content

Explore & Assist A Range Of Hallownest’s Inhabitants

In the game known as Hollow Knight, while many players may focus on traveling through Hallownest and confronting the Hollow Knight, this doesn’t mean there are no other objectives within Team Cherry’s world for players to pursue.

With a growing fascination and eagerness to delve deeper into the enigmatic realm of Hallownest, many players find themselves eager to embark on a second journey. This repeat playthrough offers an opportunity to grasp the intricate needs and desires of its inhabitants more thoroughly. From saving endangered grubs to tracking down elders who hoard Geo, the world of Hollow Knight is rich with hidden side quests waiting to be discovered and experienced.

3. Hunt Down Bosses & Side-Bosses

Challenge Yourself To Seek & Destroy Them All

In the game Hollow Knight, the bosses can be quite challenging to defeat, particularly for those not well-prepared. Yet, they aren’t merely tests of skill; they are intertwined with the story and mechanics of Hallownest. This means that it might come as a shock to some players that only a small fraction of the game’s 47 unique bosses are essential to complete.

To broaden their knowledge about the world or to accept a tough fight, players can make their subsequent playthrough more engaging by confronting and overcoming these bosses. Given the multitude and variety of bosses in Hallownest, it’s likely that many players embarking on a second, or even third, game session will still find some of Hollow Knight‘s giants formidable opponents.

2. Experience All DLC Content

Experience All That Team Cherry Has Funneled Into The Game

Initially released in 2017, Hollow Knight was undoubtedly among the richest content experiences of the previous gaming era. Since then, the game’s mechanics and story have been significantly expanded upon by developer Team Cherry.

From August 2017 to August 2018, the ‘Hidden Dreams,’ ‘Grimm Troupe,’ ‘Lifeblood,’ and ‘Godmaster’ DLC packs were given out for free to players, and have since been integrated into the main game. To those who are new to the world of Hollow Knight, these additions blend seamlessly with the core content. They enrich the game by introducing fresh bosses, mechanics, and lore elements. Depending on when a player finished their journey in Hallownest, they might discover a wealth of additional content waiting for them.

1. Play With A Player-Led Or In-Game Challenge

Make The Tough-As-Nails Platformer Even Harder

The vast array of content and customizable mods in Hollow Knight on PC is nothing short of amazing, but there’s something to be admired about the simple pleasure of making things more challenging. Whether it’s by setting up self-imposed challenges within the game or using Team Cherry’s ‘Steel Soul’ mode after a successful first run, Hallownest can transform from a nurturing sanctuary into a daunting landscape in an instant.

Given that overcoming challenges in combat and navigating through levels are fundamental aspects of the gameplay in Hollow Knight, expanding these elements in a seamless manner would be a straightforward yet comprehensive method to boost player enjoyment.

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2025-01-20 10:04