During this slow month of gaming, many of you might be looking through backlogs and wish lists to find out what to play next. To help you decide, we are putting two indie games in the ring to battle it out and determine which is the best. In today’s corners we have Hollow Knight versus Ori and the Will of the Wisps, two of the most critically acclaimed 2D platforming adventure games of all time.
Round 1: Gameplay
Hollow Knight has some of the smoothest combat among many fighting games, especially in the 2d world. The progression system is more or less linear with avenues created by ‘charms’ that allow you to mix and match fighting techniques based on your playstyle. Every boss fight is challenging, but fair, and will lead you well into the night saying, “just one more try!”
Ori and the Will of the Wisps made significant improvements from its predecessor, Ori and the Blind Forest, with new weapons to master and a focus on vertical combat. It created moments that felt cinematically appealing while remaining intense and fluid. However, dying to the occasional monster can sometimes feel like the game’s fault, rather than your own, which can be frustrating at times.
Winner: Hollow Knight
Round 2: Story
Hollow Knight’s story is infamous for its subtlety and reliance on environmental clues. The world of Hallownest is rich with history and reveals much about The Knight and his role in the story as you progress through the diverse world. Though if you want the whole story, it might require a 3-hour YouTube video and a journal full of notes.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps branches off from its previous title with a new character for our band of misfits to love. This small owl with a broken wing becomes the focus of the story as they get lost in a storm learning how to fly. The many characters we meet along the way and the occasional battle with the main antagonist, a much larger owl with broken wings, the more we can see Ori’s role within the world and the fate of our feathered friend. The beginning, middle, and end of this game will have you crying many kinds of tears.
Winner: Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Round 3: Art Direction
Hollow Knight is a detailed, hand-drawn world full of various bug-like creatures and diverse areas to explore. The artists at Team Cherry did a wonderful job capturing movement and emotion with a unique style that allows Hollow Knight to stand out on that alone. The music changes from area to area and is both distinct and beautiful.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps also uses a very distinct art style that is reminiscent of moving oil paintings. Every area captures a spirit of wonder and expresses tone very well. Though sometimes the foreground and background can mix, causing the occasional ‘false landing’ while exploring.
Winner: Hollow Knight
Round 4: Exploration
Both of these games are Metroidvanias, and follow a very familiar feel of progression through the unlocking of certain abilities and tools. The worlds are diverse and highly detailed, containing secrets everywhere you look. Sometimes dark caverns require a lantern, or a wide chasm needs a new way to cross. Due to the very similar nature of progression and exploration, both games are tied for this round.
Winner: Tie
Overall winner: Hollow Knight
Though Hollow Knight takes the win by a thin margin, you can find a lot to love in both of these games. If you want to keep up with news of Silksong, the upcoming sequel to Hollow Knight, this YouTube channel provides daily updates.
Have any questions or comments? Tell us on Twitter.
Matthew has been a lifelong lover of video games since he could first hold a controller, and among his favorites are narrative-heavy, singleplayer games like; Divinity: Original Sin 2, Elden Ring, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Hollow Knight. Matthew also plays tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder and Call of Cthulu. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s in Sociology and minored in English.
