Hollow Knight: Best Locations

Highlights

• The Howling Cliffs are bland and empty, offering little to explore and lacking challenges or interesting characters, ranking lowest in
  Hollow Knight.
• The Abyss is lore-heavy and important, but lacks much for players to do, with a dark and empty atmosphere that doesn’t offer much interaction.
• The Hive, while visually unique, offers limited activities and is quite linear, with only a boss fight and a few secrets to discover.

Created by the independent developers at Team Cherry, Hollow Knight is a massively popular Metroidvania-style 2D platformer that took the indie game community by storm upon its release in 2017. Featuring an adorable silent knight protagonist, the story of Hollow Knight takes place in the fictional kingdom of Hallownest. The world of Hollow Knight is vast, beautiful, and full of mysteries, and venturing deeper in this desolate setting raises more questions about the kingdom.

The colossal world of the game is divided into a number of areas that are interconnected with each other in a maze-like fashion. All these locations are visually distinct and beautiful in their own ways, and some of the areas might provide a more pleasant experience in contrast to others. With all being said, here is a list ranking all the locations in Hollow Knight.

19 Howling Cliffs

The Borders Of Hallownest

The list starts off with probably one of the most boring areas of the game. The Howling Cliffs comes in at the last position on this list just because of one thing: the area is empty. There is not much to do in the Howling Cliffs and, for an area this big, it feels desolate.

The area barely offers anything, with only a handful of things to obtain, and there is no merit in going back to this area for re-exploration later on. The Howling Cliffs lack almost everything, be it challenges in the form of enemies or platforming, or even a good area soundtrack or interesting set of characters waiting to meet the Knight, thus putting it at the rock bottom of this list.

18 The Abyss

Origin Of Void

Home to the Silent Knight, the protagonist of the game, The Abyss is a dark and eerie area buried in the depths of Hallownest. The Abyss is one of the locations in Hollow Knight that is lore heavy and is extremely crucial to the plot of the game.

The Abyss is home to The Void, a substance used in the creation of the Knight. The area is quite large, but the majority of it remains dark and empty, and while the area is heavily important in the game’s storytelling, there is not much to do for the player while exploring it.

17 The Hive

The Hidden Kingdom Of Bees

The Hive is somewhat of a unique area to Hollow Knight. This location looks different from any other area in the game, and there is only one way to enter, making it isolated from the other areas in Hallownest.

The Hive is a hidden area of the game and, despite being a secret location, it offers barebones activities to the players. The area is quite linear, with a decent boss fight and a few secrets and shortcuts to discover, but there is not much else for players to do in this beautiful golden honeycomb-patterned area.

16 Royal Waterways

A Labyrinth Of Sewage, Pipes, And Tunnels

If one was supposed to describe Royal Waterways in a single word, “sewers” is probably the best fit. The Royal Waterways are a series of sewage pipes that support the City of Tears, another area of the game that will be covered later.

The Royal Waterways is flooded with sewer water, piles of trash, literal dung and maggots. The enemies and bosses in this area are quite nasty, and while that fits the theme of the area for the aforementioned reasons, the Royal Waterways ranks low on the list for just being really gross.

15 Infected Crossroads

The Infection Overtakes Hallownest

The Infected Crossroads is technically the second area of the map, except it gets infected as players make progress through the game. The Forgotten Crossroads consists of The Black Egg Temple and, because of the Knight’s actions in the coursehis journey, the infection is set free from the temple and affects the starting location of the game.

The Infection severely changes the area by blocking paths, forcing the Knight has to travel an unnecessarily long path to move from one place to another. The enemies that once infested Forgotten Crossroads also become infected, becoming more dangerous even after death, as they now explode. The Crossroads act as a bridge between a number of areas, and once they are infected, they heavily impair the player’s ability to move freely, making this area a lot less likable.

14 Ancient Basin

The Caverns Below The Capital

The Ancient Basin is a dark, desolate, and eerie location in Hollow Knight, located right beneath the dirty sewers of the Royal Waterways. The area is a little too quiet, and is infested with thorns and Shadow Creepers.

The Ancient Basin is a very silent and empty area that signifies the ruins of a once prosperous kingdom, but apart from the lore, palace grounds, and the tram route, the area has little to offer to players. Some might some appeal in this location of Hallownest, but apart from the fact that the Pale King had his kingdom built in this location, this area has not much else to offer.

13 Godhome

Tresspass In The Home Of The Gods

Introduced in the game with the Godhome DLC, Godhome, as the name suggests, is the home for Godseekers, the creatures who worship gods from other lands. This location is accessed by using the Dream Nail on Godseeker, who can be found in the junk pit.

While it sounds ironic that the true location of Godhome is in a junkpit, the palace in the dream realm looks divine. Godhome consists of gold pillars and archways that look beautiful. Godhome has the toughest challenge for the Knight (and the players) in the form of five Pantheons. These Pantheons serve as the ultimate end game challenge of Hollow Knight, and players looking for extreme challenges will find this place to be a hidden treasure.

12 Dirtmouth

The Fading Town Where The Journey Begins

Dirtmouth – The Fading Town is where the adventure of Hollow Knight begins. The area serves as the origin of the game where the Knight begins an epic journey to save the ancient Kingdom of Hallownest. Dirtmouth is an area which has little to offer in terms of exploration, but players will have to return to it again and again.

The Ghost town, which is almost empty in the beginning, starts become get lively as the Knight progresses through the game. Dirtmouth is the ultimate destination to rest, upgrade, and plan the next exploring quest for players, and the only place where players can read the 52 precepts of Zote, if one understands what they mean. The many charismatic NPCs that eventually fill in Dirtmouth’s empty homes make it a jopy to return to, even if it’s a depressing little town at the outset.

11 Resting Grounds

Where The Dead Conduct Their Rituals

The Resting Grounds got their name for a reason. They act as the resting place for the dead. The place serves as a resting spot for the Knight as well, and a variety of interesting characters can be found in this ghost town of an area.

The Resting Grounds consist of a variety of sub-areas, from the vast blue lake to the ghostly town where the Knight can find the shrines of the Dreamers. From the spooky catacombs where players can attempt the Delicate Flower Quest, to the Spirits Glade where the dead rest in peace, the Resting Grounds are a cozy place, and not overly challenging, but they make for a nice location the Knight will return to again and again from various routes.

10 Forgotten Crossroads

The Beautiful Highways Of Hallownest

The very first area players explore, the Forgotten Crossroads serve as a teaching guide for the players, as they make players aware of the controls and the most important NPC of the game: Cornifer – The Mapmaker.

The Forgotten Crossroads do a good job as a beginners’ area, and act as a bridge to the other locations in Hallownest. The name of the area implies that it was once a bustling zone full of life and now forgotten, and as players navigate through the game, the area will be infected and become truly forgotten, more than just in name.

9 Fog Canyon

A Misty Canyon Filled With Bubbles And Acid

Fog Canyon is simply one of the prettiest places in the game, and relatively calm as well. Yet the calm nature of this location doesn’t mean that there is no threat to the Knight’s life in this area. Fog Canyon is an area that comes with a different kind of challenge for the Knight.

Instead of fighting enemies, this location is dangerous because of the environment, be it the acid pools, the thorny vines, the adorable jellyfish that chase the Knight and explode upon touching them, or the sparks of electricity that can hurt the Knight gravely. Fog Canyon might be hard to traverse through with all the dangers present, despite them not actively attacking the Knight, but the environment’s soothing soundtrack and aesthetic appearance make up for the rough journey through this canyon.

8 Kingdom’s Edge

Where Ash Falls Perpetually

Kingdom’s Edge is one of the most uniquely designed locations in the entire game. This location at first might seem visually appealing to the players, as they see snow falling all around, but there cannot be snow in an underground area. Instead, Kingdom’s Edge is eternally covered with the white ash from the Cast-Off Shell, creating a mesmerizing visual spectacle.

The Colosseum can be found in this location, and players are warned as they see corpses of warriors tossed from great heights into the acid pits below, implying the impending danger that lies in the form of the Colosseum of Fools, where the strongest gather for a trial that only the mightiest will survive.

Kingdom’s Edge, with its scenic beauty, melancholic music, beautiful yet dangerous environment, and variety of challenges, makes for a really great location in Hollow Knight, where every second spent in this location is worth the time.

7 White Palace

Home To The King, And Many Challenges

The White Palace is a vision of grandeur, and a sight to behold in Hollow Knight. The purity of this location accentuates its surroundings. The White Palace feels like a refreshing treat after exploring the dark and gloomy environments in the game.

While the palace itself is extremely beautiful, this location can be a dangerous place for the Knight to get around in. This area in the Dream Realm, which was once home to the Pale King, is now covered with thorns, saw blades, and spikes. The White Palace is full of interesting lore and deadly challenges for players and, while the ever rotating sound of the sawblade might not be appealing, the music certainly is. The Path of Pain might give players a fresh trauma, but the White Palace, with its blend of scenic yet deadly beauty, is one of the best locations in Hollow Knight.

6 Fungal Wastes

Covered In Acid And Mushrooms

The Fungal Wastes, by their name alone, might sound like a wasteland, and an area that would be rather boring to travel across. In reality, it’s the contrary. With its goofy atmosphere and charming music, the Fungal Wastes are an extremely fun location for players to travel through on their journey.

The Fungal Wastes are easily one of the best locations in the game. These mushroom-infested wastelands are quite fun, yet challenging to traverse through, as players move up and down, hopping on the bouncy mushrooms, and fighting a variety of mushroom enemies.

The Fungal Wastes eventually lead to the Mantis Village, home to the Mantis Lords, which make for one of the best boss challenges in the entire game. The Fungal Wastes become a memorable trip for the Knight, as players have new encounters in this toxic wasteland.

5 Deepnest

Thick Layers Of Web

Deepnest holds a reputation in the game for being one of the most feared areas. With enemies crawling up from the ground, a pitch dark environment that limits the movements of the player, and a surprising encounter with a mysterious shape-shifting creature, Deepnest might not be this high on the list of many players.

However, the reason why Deepnest is so high up on this list is because of how well this location manages to encapsulate an eerie, sometimes frightening vibe. Deepnest is one of the biggest locations in Hollow Knight, and there is plenty of content for players to uncover here, be it new skills, mysterious encounters, or evading various death traps. The area is deadly, but the little brave Knight is never afraid of danger.

4 Crystal Peak

Some Strange Powers In The Crystals

Crystal Peak is shown to players as a sneak peek early in the game, where they find Myla, the happy miner. Crystal Peak is a well-crafted area in the game that cleverly utilizes the shining crystals and hardworking mining bugs to create a location for players that is both fun and challenging to explore.

This location is so well-designed, like a mine with little bugs working to mine crystals, and as players move up, they see bigger, unexplored crystal caves. Crystal Peak is proof of the fact that Hallownest was once an advanced society with a variety of machinery. With fun platforming sections on the conveyor belts, and the sparkling beauty of the crystals, this location outshines many others significantly.

3 Queen’s Garden

A Beautiful Lush Garden Now Filled With Thorns

The Queen’s Garden is one of the most beautiful areas in the game. This area is a late-game location filled with thorns and a variety of enemies. The area is also filled with beautiful flowers, lush greenery, and beautiful structures. Every single thing about the Queen’s Garden is just breathtakingly alluring.

The Queen’s Garden, despite being visually appealing, is the home to many dangers awaiting the Knight, and it requires skill to move freely in this area. The Queen’s Garden has a great soundtrack in which the players will fall in love with, and along with its scenic beauty, rough challenges, interesting encounters, and a challenging boss fight, it becomes one of the best areas in the game.

2 Greenpath

Covered With Leafy Vegetation And Bugs

Much like the Queen’s Garden that was covered above, Greenpath is another location in Hollow Knight that is covered with lush greenery, but this area is the place the Knight comes across much earlier in the game, loing before arriving at the Queen’s Garden. This location is entirely covered in vegetation, making it an interesting landscape of plants and greenery.

Greenpath becomes even more memorable for players and the Knight as they meet and fight Hornet for the very first time, who acts as the first truly challenging boss of the game. The acid pits below the lush green paths are spots players have to be wary about. Greenpath offers a lot, as players have to keep on returning to uncover new secrets, making it one of the best locations in the game.

1 City Of Tears

The City At The Heart Of Hallownest

The biggest area in the game, which connects to six other areas, the City of Tears is the best location in Hollow Knight. The capital of Hallownest, the City of Tears is the most beautiful location in the game, where rain falls eternally. The city itself is well-designed, as it exhibits the class divide between the rich and the poor in Hallownest through its visuals.

The City of Tears is not in the top spot on the list because of its visuals alone, but because this location offers the most to players. The impressive soundtrack that plays in the background truly resonates with the theme of the city that was once the pride of Hallownest before the infection ravaged the land. Between the time it takes to explore, the many secrets it hides, and one of the best boss fights in the game, the City of Tears simply can’t be beat.