[quote]What's with the bird theme this week?[/quote] I was hoping someone would notice! Well, I’ve been playing Team Sonic Racing, and the first thing I thought when the game was announced is “Jet better be in here!”. He wasn’t. But he’s a bird so when I brought him onboard for the interview I thought “BIRDS”! [quote]Oh - I bought Hollow Knight on your recommendation![/quote] Awesome! [quote]I think the first thing that hit me is how visually stunning it is! The trailer really didn't showcase that enough. But each location in the game so far has been beautiful, and I love the character designs.[/quote] Indeed, it’s absolutely beautiful! What’s your favorite location? Favorite character design? [quote]Considering that Hollow Knight is inspired by the Metroid series, I do think the game is making mistakes that series learned from decades ago... But on the whole it really is excellent so far.[/quote] Like what? :o [quote]Hopefully it holds up until the end.[/quote] For me it did. Aah, once you finish it we need to talk about the lore! All the lore!

[quote]I was hoping someone would notice! Well, I’ve been playing Team Sonic Racing, and the first thing I thought when the game was announced is “Jet better be in here!”. He wasn’t. But he’s a bird so when I brought him onboard for the interview I thought “BIRDS”![/quote] Ahh, reminds me of how disappointed I was when King Boo and Dry Bones weren't in Mario Kart 8. Luckily, they were brought back for the deluxe version. Maybe that will happen for Jet? [quote]Indeed, it’s absolutely beautiful! What’s your favorite location? Favorite character design?[/quote] Well, I'm only a few hours in so it's hard to say. But there was this room where I'm supposed to deliver caterpillars - I like that part of the game. Also, the foresty area is amazing. I'm waiting for a water level though. I hope there is one, they're always my favourites. As for character designs, the main character. I also like the... guzzles? Those flies with skull faces. They're cool. [quote]Like what? :o[/quote] Have you seen GMTK's video on Metroid and Zero Mission? In short, Hollow Knight is opening up way too fast. Maybe it changes later on, but if anything that would just mean its world design is back to front. Also, the map should be a lot more helpful. I have mixed feelings about the map, but it's definitely inferior to those of the best Metroid games. However, these are its [i]only flaws[/i], so I'm still happy to call the game 9/10 so far. [quote]For me it did. Aah, once you finish it we need to talk about the lore! All the lore![/quote] I found a couple of rocks with poems on them. I... didn't get it. Lol.

[quote]Jet[/quote] Probably not. Jet hasn’t been in Sonic & Sega All Stars Racing, or its sequels (which are the spiritual predecessors to TSR). Jet’s so far exclusively appeared in the Sonic Riders games. But TSR feels just so right for him to be there! [quote]Art[/quote] Ah, the caterpillar room is so satisfying to see filled up! Once you do, just walk back & forth through the room a few times! The Gruzzers! They’re pretty cute, I agree! [quote]Game Flaws[/quote] Really? I don’t think the game opens up too fast at all. :o The map I half agree. Have you visited the map shop yet? [quote]Lore[/quote] It’s really obscure until you have all the pieces. :p

[quote]Probably not. Jet hasn’t been in Sonic & Sega All Stars Racing, or its sequels (which are the spiritual predecessors to TSR). Jet’s so far exclusively appeared in the Sonic Riders games. But TSR feels just so right for him to be there![/quote] To be fair, it doesn't quite feel right for any speedsters to be in cars lol. [quote]Really? I don’t think the game opens up too fast at all. :o[/quote] It felt just as overwhelming to me as the first Metroid. Fair enough Hollow Knight doesn't reskin rooms, because it's a modern game, and has a map, but there are still just as many paths. I only have two upgrades and I almost have half an open world. :/ [quote]The map I half agree. Have you visited the map shop yet?[/quote] I fully bought out its stock in the first hour. That stuff should have been on the map already, and still didn't really help much. I also don't like that I need to spend a token slot to see my location on the map. The whole map system feels overly unfair. [quote]It’s really obscure until you have all the pieces. :p[/quote] Is there a way to review all lore later? Without retreading the world?

[quote]Jet[/quote] That is true. The game actually explains why they’re in cars, though. Jet’s not actually a speedster, though. He rides hoverboards. On a side note, it’s not actually Jet himself I want in the game, it’s his team. I play Technical types in TSR, so I’d probably end up playing Wave rather than Jet. [quote]Opening up[/quote] There’s only one moment in the game where I truly felt lost. I felt the game opened up in reasonably sized chunks, with only the later upgrades opening up things like crazy. Maybe I just explored it differently, though. [quote]Map[/quote] If you have the quill, and compass, then I can’t say I agree. Once I had those the map worked perfectly for me. Although, fair enough on the tokens. I never really used them. You do unlock more as you progress through the game, so be sure to check back at the map shop. [quote]Lore[/quote] Hm.. Not off the top of my head. Edit; though enemy logs are kept in your inventory. Lots of it comes from that.

[quote]That is true. The game actually explains why they’re in cars, though. Jet’s not actually a speedster, though. He rides hoverboards. On a side note, it’s not actually Jet himself I want in the game, it’s his team. I play Technical types in TSR, so I’d probably end up playing Wave rather than Jet.[/quote] Fair enough. [quote]There’s only one moment in the game where I truly felt lost. I felt the game opened up in reasonably sized chunks, with only the later upgrades opening up things like crazy. Maybe I just explored it differently, though.[/quote] It's not so much about being lost. I haven't been lost yet. The problem is having twenty long, winding paths to explore when only one is the critical path. Super Metroid is perfect in this area, opening up just enough that I feel like an explorer, but keeping me confined to a single critical path, with a few short side paths towards minor upgrades. Hollow Knight wants me to feel oppressed and tiny. Not a flaw in and of itself, but it's gone too far. [quote]If you have the quill, and compass, then I can’t say I agree. Once I had those the map worked perfectly for me. Although, fair enough on the tokens. I never really used them. You do unlock more as you progress through the game, so be sure to check back at the map shop.[/quote] The map isn't bad per se. It's just that when twenty year old games in the same subgenre have much better maps, Hollow Knight leaves a lot to be desired. Why does merely entering a room make the map pretend I've fully explored it? Why can't I see which type of obstacle each unexplored path consists of? These are errors Nintendo rectified as early as 2002 with the GBA Metroid titles. Fusion and Zero Mission had their own flaws, but the map was fantastic. Even Super Metroid, with its comparatively simpler map, didn't have these problems. Also, the map shop is busywork, not an interesting way of inhibiting information. But rant over - like I said, Hollow Knight is still excellent, and I still love it. I just think the map and world design could have been better.

[quote]World[/quote] I never felt there were. Almost every path I ended up exploring lead to an upgrade, or was the way to continue. The few paths that didn’t usually cut off pretty quick with an upgrade lock for later. [quote]Map[/quote] Fair. I liked their map system, but I can see why you don’t.

It's possible we just explored its world in a different order. I can see why that would lead to us having wildly differing views lol. But like I said, in every other way, this game is incredible. I find myself using the moth wings even when I don't need to, just because it feels so good to control. Attacking feels both impactful and as light as the protagonist is. Sound design and music is masterful. Visually stunning. I love the characters and their strange, Banjo Kazooie ish voices. Intriguing story - looking forward to seeing where it goes. Thought I'd balance my negatives out with the positives. ;)

[quote]It's possible we just explored its world in a different order. I can see why that would lead to us having wildly differing views lol. But like I said, in every other way, this game is incredible.[/quote] I could see that. If you explored it in a different order, though, you probably unintentionally sequence broke. :p [quote]I find myself using the moth wings even when I don't need to, just because it feels so good to control.[/quote] You mean the Moth Cloak (the dash)? Yeah, it’s pretty fun to use! [quote]Attacking feels both impactful and as light as the protagonist is.[/quote] Attacking feels so nice! That alone makes fighting bosses fun! [quote]Sound design and music is masterful. Visually stunning.[/quote] It’s crazy to think it’s only made by 3 guys! [quote]I love the characters and their strange, Banjo Kazooie ish voices.[/quote] Unrelated, but Iwas so disappointed by A Hat in Time’s mumble badge. It was supposed to make the characters sound like Banjo Kazooie characters. It didn’t. [quote]Intriguing story - looking forward to seeing where it goes.[/quote] And I want to talk about it, so hurry up and find out! :p

Hurry up and find out? You said it was 80 hours!

Well, er.. Yeah!

There was a water level! I just found that place with the jellies, and I can't wait until I can actually explore it.

Ah, Fog Canyon? One of the most useful NPCs is in that area!

Cornifer? He's in every area lol.