The player loses all Geo and can hold a reduced amount of Soul. If all masks are lost, the knight dies and a Shade appears where they died. By striking enemies, the knight gains Soul, which is stored in the Soul Vessel. When the knight takes damage from an enemy or from the environment, a mask is reduced. 'Mask shards' can be collected throughout the game to increase the player's maximum health. The knight starts with a limited number of masks, which represent the hit points of the character. Defeated enemies drop currency called Geo. The player can learn spells, allowing for long-range attacks. Melee combat involves using the nail to strike enemies from a short distance. In most areas of the game, players encounter hostile bugs and other creatures.

The knight wields a nail, which is a type of sword, used both in combat and environmental interaction. The player controls an insect-like, silent, and nameless knight while exploring the underground world. Hollow Knight is a 2D Metroidvania action-adventure game, that takes place in Hallownest, a fictional ancient kingdom. Gameplay screenshot in which the player fights a large boss enemy, the False Knight. A sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong, is in development. Hollow Knight was well received by critics and has sold over 3 million copies as of December 2020. The player is the Knight, a nameless warrior uncertain of their own identity or origin, who wanders and explores the ruined kingdom of Hallownest to uncover its mysteries, encountering various friendly or hostile bugs, fighting bosses, and unlocking new powers and abilities to progress. Development was partially funded through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, raising over A$57,000 by the end of 2014. It was released on Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux in 2017, and on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in 2018. Hollow Knight is a 2017 Metroidvania action-adventure game developed and published by Team Cherry.

Mac port review for hollow knight