12 Games Like Hollow Knight for Fans of Exploration and Challenge
The best games like Hollow Knight in 2026. Handpicked metroidvanias and action-platformers for fans who love tight combat, interconnected worlds, and the thrill of getting lost underground.
Hollow Knight works because it trusts you. It drops you into a massive, interconnected world with almost no hand-holding and lets you figure it out. The combat is precise. The exploration rewards curiosity. And the atmosphere, that quiet loneliness of Hallownest, stays with you.
If you have finished Hollow Knight and want more of that feeling, here are 12 games worth your time.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
The sequel. You play as Hornet in an entirely new kingdom called Pharloom, and the movement is faster and more aggressive than the original. Silksong leans harder into verticality and momentum, with Hornet's silk abilities replacing the nail-focused combat of the Knight. If you loved Hollow Knight, this is the obvious next step. It shipped September 2025 with a free expansion on the way.
Ori and the Blind Forest
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Switch
Ori trades Hollow Knight's somber tone for something more emotionally direct. The platforming is the star here. Movement feels incredible, especially the bash mechanic that lets you redirect projectiles and launch yourself through the air. It is shorter and more linear than Hollow Knight, but the level design is so tight that every screen feels handcrafted.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Switch
The sequel fixes the original's biggest weakness: combat. Will of the Wisps adds a proper weapon system, boss fights that rival Hollow Knight's best, and a shard system for build customization. The world is larger and more open. If you played Blind Forest and thought "this needs better fights," this is exactly that.
Blasphemous
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Dark Souls meets Spanish Catholic imagery in a 2D metroidvania. The pixel art is grotesque and beautiful. Combat is slower and more deliberate than Hollow Knight, built around parries and executions rather than dashing. The world design is cryptic in the best way, full of hidden paths and lore that only makes sense on a second playthrough.
Blasphemous 2
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Blasphemous 2 is a better game than the first in almost every way. You now choose between three starting weapons, each unlocking different traversal options, which means exploration is gated by your build choices rather than a single set of abilities. The boss design is significantly improved. If the first game's stiffness turned you off, this one moves much better.
Salt and Sanctuary
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS Vita, Switch, Xbox One
This is the game that proved Souls-like combat works in 2D. It has a full class system, equipment load, dodge rolling, and a massive interconnected world that loops back on itself the way Hollow Knight's does. The art style is divisive (hand-drawn, intentionally rough), but the level design and build variety are genuinely excellent. Bring a friend for local co-op.
Death's Gambit: Afterlife
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
A 2D action RPG with Souls-like combat and a surprisingly good story about immortality and death. The Afterlife update (basically a free expansion) reworked the entire game, adding new areas, bosses, and a talent tree system. Combat feels weighty, with each of the seven classes playing very differently. The map is more linear than Hollow Knight, but the boss fights are the highlight.
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
You play as a small, fragile girl in a ruined kingdom, and every boss you defeat becomes a spirit that fights alongside you. This is the core loop: explore, beat a boss, gain their power, use it to reach new areas. The atmosphere is melancholic in a way that feels genuinely close to Hollow Knight. Combat is fast and rewards aggressive play. One of the best metroidvanias of the last five years.
Axiom Verge 2
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch
Axiom Verge 2 goes in a completely different direction from its predecessor. Instead of Metroid-style gunplay, it focuses on melee combat and a dimension-shifting mechanic where you hack into an alternate world layered on top of the main map. Exploration is the priority here, not combat. If you loved the sense of discovery in Hollow Knight more than the boss fights, this will click.
Rain World
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch
Rain World is not for everyone, and that is what makes it special. You play as a slugcat, a small creature near the bottom of the food chain in a hostile, procedurally animated ecosystem. There are no power-ups. No clear objectives. Just survival in a world that does not care about you. The movement has a steep learning curve, but once it clicks, there is nothing else like it. Closest thing to Hollow Knight's "figure it out yourself" philosophy, turned up to eleven.
Vigil: The Longest Night
Platforms: PC, Switch
A Castlevania-inspired metroidvania with a Lovecraftian atmosphere and surprisingly deep combat. You have access to four weapon types from the start, each with skill trees, and the game encourages switching between them mid-fight. The world is dark and surreal in a way that feels distinct. It flew under most people's radar, which is a shame, because the exploration and build variety are strong.
Crowsworn
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Mac, Linux (coming 2026)
Crowsworn has been called "Hollow Knight meets Bloodborne," and that is not lazy shorthand for once. The combat is fast, aggressive, and built around a rally mechanic where you recover health by attacking. The art style and world design take direct inspiration from Hollow Knight while pushing toward a darker, more gothic tone. It is not out yet as of this writing, but it is confirmed for 2026 and it is the metroidvania most Hollow Knight fans are watching.
Want to Make Your Own Metroidvania?
If playing these games makes you want to build one, we have a metroidvania template that gives you a working foundation: interconnected rooms, ability-gated progression, a combat system, and a map. You describe what you want in conversation and the engine builds it. It is the fastest way to go from "I have an idea for a metroidvania" to something playable.