The Best Games Like Hollow Knight
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Hollow Knight

The Best Games Like Hollow Knight

1 October 2026 · 3 min read · Gaming

The best game like Hollow Knight is its sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong, which keeps the hand-drawn world and brutal-but-fair combat with a faster, more agile hero. Beyond it, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the most beautiful metroidvania around, while Dead Cells and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown deliver the same tight exploration and combat.

Here are the best games like Hollow Knight — metroidvanias built on exploration, precise combat and interconnected worlds — and which one suits you.

Silksong
The direct sequel
Ori
The most beautiful metroidvania
Explore
Unlock abilities, open the map
Combat
Precise, demanding, rewarding

Best games like Hollow Knight

Eight metroidvanias that capture Hollow Knight’s mix of exploration, precise combat and atmospheric worlds.

Game Platforms Why it’s like Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight: Silksong PC, PS, Xbox, Switch The direct sequel — same world, a faster, agile hero
Ori and the Will of the Wisps PC, Xbox, Switch A gorgeous, emotional metroidvania with fluid movement
Dead Cells PC, PS, Xbox, Switch Fluid combat and exploration with rogue-lite runs
Blasphemous 2 PC, PS, Xbox, Switch Dark, gothic metroidvania with sharp platforming
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown PC, PS, Xbox, Switch One of the smoothest, most stylish metroidvanias ever
Nine Sols PC, PS, Xbox, Switch A parry-and-counter metroidvania with a striking world
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist PC, PS, Xbox, Switch Eerie, melancholic worldbuilding and emotional storytelling
Ghost Song PC, PS, Xbox, Switch Lonely, atmospheric exploration on a desolate moon
Best games like Hollow Knight, led by Silksong, Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Dead Cells
The best games like Hollow Knight, ranked by how well they scratch the itch.

How we picked them

Hollow Knight stands out for its interconnected world, precise and demanding combat, and a haunting atmosphere that makes you want to explore every corner. We prioritised metroidvanias that nail at least two of those. Silksong is the obvious number one as the direct sequel, while Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the most beautiful alternative. Dead Cells adds a rogue-lite twist to the exploration, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the pick for the smoothest, most satisfying movement and combat.

The top picks explained

Four games that best fill the Hollow Knight-shaped hole.

🧵
Silksong
Direct sequel
The same hand-drawn world with a faster, agile hero

#1

🌳
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
PC / Xbox / Switch
A gorgeous, emotional metroidvania with fluid movement

Most beautiful

⚔️
Dead Cells
PC / PS / Xbox / Switch
Fluid combat and exploration with rogue-lite runs

Best combat

🗡️
PoP: The Lost Crown
PC / PS / Xbox / Switch
One of the smoothest, most stylish metroidvanias ever

Best movement

More indie and run-based picks? See our best indie games, best roguelike games and best Nintendo Switch games guides.

Which one to play

Pick based on what you loved about Hollow Knight.

You loved… Play
More of Hallownest Hollow Knight: Silksong
Beautiful art and story Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Tough, stylish combat Nine Sols or Blasphemous 2
The smoothest movement Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Games like Hollow Knight FAQ

What game is most like Hollow Knight?
Hollow Knight: Silksong, the direct sequel, is the closest — it keeps the hand-drawn world and demanding combat with a faster, more agile protagonist. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the best non-Team Cherry pick.
What is a metroidvania?
A metroidvania is an exploration-focused game set in an interconnected world where new abilities unlock previously blocked paths. Hollow Knight is one of the genre’s modern benchmarks.
Which game like Hollow Knight has the best combat?
Dead Cells and Nine Sols are the standouts — Dead Cells for its fast, fluid rogue-lite combat, Nine Sols for its demanding parry-and-counter system. Both reward skill like Hollow Knight does.
Is Ori like Hollow Knight?
Yes — both are atmospheric metroidvanias with exploration, ability unlocks and precise platforming. Ori leans more on emotional storytelling and fluid movement, with a brighter, hand-painted art style.
Are these games as hard as Hollow Knight?
It varies — Nine Sols, Blasphemous 2 and Silksong are comparably tough, while Ori and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown offer adjustable difficulty, making them more approachable.
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EverythingEdinburgh Gaming
Gaming Editor

The EverythingEdinburgh Gaming team covers esports, PC, console and gaming industry news.