10 Games Like Hollow Knight That Match Its Depth and Difficulty

Hollow Knight sold over 15 million copies, and its sequel Silksong moved 5 million in its first week. That kind of demand proves one thing: gamers want more metroidvanias with tight combat and sprawling worlds.

If you have already explored every corner of Hallownest, the games below offer the same sense of discovery. Each one brings precise platforming, challenging boss fights, and worlds that reward patient exploration.

This list covers 10 titles ranked by how closely they match Hollow Knight’s formula. Every entry includes real sales data, review scores, and honest downsides so you can pick the right one.

AI Summary

• Hollow Knight has sold over 15 million copies worldwide (Team Cherry, 2025)
• Hollow Knight: Silksong launched September 4, 2025 with a 92 Metacritic score and 5 million copies in its first week
• The best alternatives span from faithful metroidvanias (Ori, Ender Lilies) to roguelike hybrids (Dead Cells) and puzzle-driven exploration (Animal Well)
• Dead Cells has sold over 10 million copies, making it the most commercially successful entry after Hollow Knight itself
• Nine Sols and Animal Well represent the newest wave, with 800,000 and 650,000 copies sold respectively by mid-2025

1. Hollow Knight: Silksong

Metacritic: 92 | Released: September 2025 | Platforms: PC, Switch, Switch 2, PS4/5, Xbox

Silksong is the obvious first pick. Team Cherry built a direct sequel that speeds up combat while keeping the deep exploration that defined the original. Hornet moves faster than the Knight, which changes how you approach every fight.

The game sold 5 million copies in its debut week. It also launched day-one on Xbox Game Pass, making it accessible to a wider audience than the original ever was.

Downsides: The difficulty spikes are sharper than the first game. Some areas feel punishing without the gradual skill curve that made Hallownest fair. The map system also works differently, which frustrates players who relied on the original’s cartography charms.

2. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Metacritic: 90 | Released: 2020 | Platforms: PC, Xbox, Switch

Moon Studios crafted one of the most visually striking metroidvanias ever made. The Ori series has sold over 15 million copies combined, and Will of the Wisps is the stronger entry. Combat flows like a rhythm game, with spirit weapons that chain together smoothly.

The platforming sections rank among the best in the genre. Each ability opens new traversal options that feel natural rather than forced.

Downsides: The story leans heavily on emotional beats that some players find manipulative. Combat lacks the weight and tension of Hollow Knight’s nail strikes. The game is also shorter, clocking in at roughly 10 to 12 hours for a full playthrough.

3. Dead Cells

Metacritic: 89 | Released: 2018 | Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch, Mobile

Dead Cells has sold over 10 million copies, and for good reason. It blends metroidvania exploration with roguelike structure. Each run gives you a randomized set of weapons and abilities, so no two playthroughs feel the same.

The combat is fast and punishing. Parrying, dodging, and chaining attacks feel responsive in a way that rivals Hollow Knight’s precision. Motion Twin continues to add free content years after launch.

Downsides: The roguelike structure means you lose all progress on death. Players who want a persistent world to explore will find this frustrating. There is no interconnected map in the traditional metroidvania sense. The pixel art style also looks generic compared to Hollow Knight’s hand-drawn aesthetic.

4. Blasphemous 2

Metacritic: 83 | Released: 2023 | Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox, Switch

The Game Kitchen doubled down on what made the original work. Blasphemous 2 sold over 100,000 copies in its first month. The religious horror aesthetic sets it apart from every other entry on this list.

Combat now includes three distinct weapon types, each with its own skill tree. The world design encourages backtracking in ways that feel natural rather than tedious. Boss fights are grotesque and memorable.

Downsides: The religious imagery is intense and not for everyone. Some platforming sections feel stiff compared to Hollow Knight’s fluid movement. The story is deliberately cryptic, which can leave players confused about what to do next.

5. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights

Metacritic: 84 | Released: 2021 | Platforms: PC, PS4/5, Xbox, Switch

Ender Lilies puts you in control of a small girl who commands defeated spirits as weapons. The concept sounds unusual, but it works. Each spirit gives you a different attack style, and mixing them creates deep build variety.

The soundtrack is haunting. The art direction uses watercolor-style backgrounds that make every area feel distinct. The game earned a 9/10 from SwitchABOO and sits at 84 on Metacritic.

Downsides: The map is confusing and lacks the clarity of Hollow Knight’s layout. Some spirits are clearly better than others, which makes certain builds feel mandatory. The difficulty curve drops off sharply in the final third once you have enough upgrades.

6. Nine Sols

Metacritic: 86 (PS5) / 84 (PC) | Released: 2024 | Platforms: PC, PS4/5, Xbox, Switch

Red Candle Games, the studio behind Detention and Devotion, built a taopunk metroidvania. Nine Sols sold over 800,000 copies by its first anniversary in May 2025. The combat centers on a deflection system that rewards precise timing.

The art style blends East Asian mythology with cyberpunk elements. Boss fights are the highlight, each requiring you to learn distinct attack patterns. The story tackles themes of grief and revenge with surprising emotional weight.

Downsides: The deflection-heavy combat is harder to master than Hollow Knight’s dodge-and-strike approach. Some areas feel empty between boss encounters. The game demands patience from players who prefer faster-paced action.

7. Animal Well

Metacritic: 91 | Released: 2024 | Platforms: PC, PS5, Switch

Animal Well is a puzzle-first metroidvania built by a single developer, Billy Basso. It sold roughly 650,000 copies by August 2024. The game has no combat at all. Instead, you use tools like bubbles, frisbees, and slinkies to navigate a mysterious underground world.

Every room hides secrets within secrets. The community spent months discovering hidden layers that most players never see. This is the most cerebral entry on the list.

Downsides: Zero combat means players seeking Hollow Knight’s fight mechanics will be disappointed. The cryptic puzzle design can feel aimless without a guide. The pixel art, while charming, is intentionally minimal. The game is also short at around 6 to 8 hours for the main path.

8. Salt and Sanctuary

Metacritic: 84 | Released: 2016 | Platforms: PC, PS4, Vita, Xbox, Switch

Ska Studios built a 2D Dark Souls before “soulslike metroidvania” was a genre label. Salt and Sanctuary copies Dark Souls mechanics wholesale: stamina management, corpse runs, and weighty melee combat. The skill tree is massive and lets you build wildly different characters.

It remains one of the closest mechanical matches to Hollow Knight’s challenge level. The gothic art style holds up well despite the game’s age.

Downsides: The art style is murky and can make platforming hard to read. The game is nearly a decade old, and it shows in some quality-of-life areas. The sequel, Salt and Sacrifice, shifted to a Monster Hunter structure that disappointed fans of the original.

9. Haiku the Robot

Released: 2022 | Platforms: PC, macOS, Switch

Haiku the Robot is a bite-sized metroidvania set in a world of malfunctioning machines. The pixel art is clean and readable. Boss fights demand precise timing, and the upgrade system follows the classic ability-gating formula.

It clocks in at around 5 to 7 hours, making it a good palate cleanser between larger games. The robot protagonist has genuine charm.

Downsides: The game is short and lacks the scope of Hollow Knight’s world. Some ability upgrades feel underwhelming. The story is minimal, relying on environmental cues rather than dialogue. There is no Metacritic score due to a limited number of reviews.

10. Rain World

Metacritic: 72 | Released: 2017 | Platforms: PC, PS4, Switch

Rain World is the most divisive entry on this list. You play as a slugcat trying to survive in an ecosystem that does not care about you. Predators hunt you. The rain kills everything on the surface at timed intervals. There is no combat upgrade system.

The AI ecosystem is genuinely innovative. Creatures hunt, eat, and fight each other independent of your actions. When the game clicks, no other metroidvania feels as alive.

Downsides: The difficulty is brutal and unfair by design. The game explains almost nothing about its mechanics. The Metacritic score of 72 reflects how polarizing it is. Many players bounce off it within the first hour. This is not a Hollow Knight substitute. It is its own thing entirely.

How to Choose the Right Game

Pick based on what you loved most about Hollow Knight:

If you want more of the same: Start with Silksong. It is the closest match in feel, scope, and quality.

If you want beautiful art and fluid movement: Ori and the Will of the Wisps delivers the best visual and platforming experience on this list.

If you want endless replayability: Dead Cells offers hundreds of hours through its roguelike structure.

If you want the hardest combat: Nine Sols rewards precision like nothing else. Its deflection system is demanding but satisfying.

If you want puzzles instead of combat: Animal Well proves that a metroidvania does not need a sword to be engaging.

Limitations of This List

This list focuses on games that share Hollow Knight’s core design pillars: exploration, ability-gating, and challenging combat. Some popular titles like Shovel Knight and Celeste are excellent platformers but lack the interconnected world design that defines metroidvanias.

Sales figures are approximate and sourced from publisher announcements and industry reports. Metacritic scores reflect critic consensus at launch and may shift over time. Individual preferences vary, and a high score does not guarantee you will enjoy a game.

You might also like: Best Metroidvania Games 2026, Best Roguelite Games 2026, Games Like Celeste 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What makes a game similar to Hollow Knight

Games like Hollow Knight share three core traits: an interconnected world that opens up as you gain new abilities, precise combat that punishes careless play, and environmental storytelling that rewards exploration. The best alternatives nail at least two of these elements.

Q2: Is Hollow Knight: Silksong better than the original

Silksong earned a 92 on Metacritic compared to the original’s 90. It sold 5 million copies in its first week. Most critics praise the faster combat and larger world, though some find the increased difficulty frustrating. It is a strong sequel but the original remains the better starting point for new players.

Q3: Which game on this list is closest to Hollow Knight in feel

Silksong is the closest match since it is a direct sequel from the same studio. Beyond that, Ender Lilies and Salt and Sanctuary capture the combat weight and world design most faithfully. Ori and the Will of the Wisps matches the exploration feel but has lighter combat.

Q4: Are any of these games available on Xbox Game Pass

Hollow Knight: Silksong launched day-one on Xbox Game Pass. Dead Cells and Ori and the Will of the Wisps have also been available on the service. Check the current Game Pass catalog for availability, as titles rotate in and out.

Q5: What is the best metroidvania for someone new to the genre

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the best entry point. It has adjustable difficulty, clear visual cues, and a gentle learning curve. Hollow Knight itself is also a strong starting point, though its late-game content is significantly harder than the early areas.