Owners of current generation consoles have just received a long-awaited update for one of the most acclaimed metroidvanias of the last decade. Developer Team Cherry has released a robust update for Hollow Knight, introducing native versions optimized for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The content package arrives free of charge for those who already own the title on previous platforms, allowing immediate access to technical improvements at no additional cost.
The update is not just limited to a resolution increase, but represents a deep overhaul of the game’s code. The development team used technologies originally created for the sequel, Hollow Knight:Silksong, to refine the stability and performance of the original title. Essa technical integration results in a more fluid experience, eliminating latency issues and optimizing loading times between areas of Hallownest’s vast map.
Visual refinements and technical performance
The graphical changes are noticeable from the first moments of exploration, with significant adjustments to lighting and particle effects. The original art direction, known for its hand-drawn style, has been given a treatment that highlights the details of the settings and character animations. For PC gamers, support has been expanded to include ultrawide monitors with 21:9 and 16:10 aspect ratios, eliminating the black bars on the sides that existed in the previous version.
On modern consoles, the main focus is fluid gameplay, essential to the game’s platforming and combat challenges. The title now supports frame rates of up to 120fps on compatible screens, ensuring a much more accurate response to commands. In initial tests, stability is maintained even in the most visually demanding areas, such as the gardens of Rainha or during boss battles with multiple projectiles on the screen.
Balance adjustments and fixes
In addition to the aesthetic improvements, Team Cherry implemented a series of fixes for old bugs that persisted in the community. A critical bug in Cidade of Lágrimas, which could trap the player in a specific room, has been fully resolved. Collision physics also underwent a meticulous review to avoid situations where the character would get stuck in the geometry of the scene, something that occasionally occurred in speedruns.
Several bosses and mechanics have received fine adjustments to make combat fairer and more consistent:
- The Lorde Traidor has had its hitbox adjusted, reducing the impact range to better match the visual animation of the attack.
- Esquiva’s Mestre amulet interaction with certain animations has been synchronized to avoid unfair damage during invincibility frames.
- Issues related to soul capture when using certain amulets have been fixed, ensuring that magic regeneration works as expected.
Another subtle but important implementation concerns the game’s camera. A new smoothing system has been added to the look up or look down feature, making the screen transition less abrupt. Isso helps players identify hazards outside the standard field of vision more clearly before performing blind jumps into vertical platform areas.
Data migration and compatibility
The transition to the new versions is designed to be as simple as possible while keeping players’ progress intact. The system automatically recognizes save files from the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions, allowing direct import of data into the native environment of the new consoles. Isso ensures that all achievements, collected items, and discovered map percentages are transferred without loss.
In the Sony ecosystem, there is a specific note for users who have redeemed the game through the PlayStation Plus service. The developer reported that it is in final negotiations to allow these licenses to also receive the free upgrade, but at the moment, the automatic upgrade is mainly guaranteed for digital copies purchased directly from the store. Enquanto This, Nintendo’s latest hardware also demonstrates clear visual benefits when the console is in docked mode, taking advantage of the extra power to maintain visual fidelity.
