Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight tells almost none of Hallownest's story through direct exposition, most of what actually happened to this fallen kingdom is pieced together from item descriptions, environmental details, and optional NPC conversations easy to walk right past.

Because the map is genuinely interconnected rather than a series of separate levels, a locked door or unreachable ledge noted early on is worth remembering, nearly every dead end becomes accessible later once a new movement ability is found, and backtracking to those spots often reveals real rewards rather than empty space. Combat rewards patience over aggression, most bosses punish greedy extra hits with a counter-attack that costs more health than the hit was worth. Cuphead pairs a similarly hand-crafted art style with a tighter, boss-rush focused difficulty curve.