Hollow Knight Summary
Coming from indie developer Team Cherry, Hollow Knight is perhaps one of the greatest modern Metroidvania titles. First released in 2017 after a successful Kickstarter campaign, the title eventually made its way to consoles in 2018. Hollow Knight saw a massive spike in popularity after being ported to the Nintendo Switch, where the game continues to shine as one of the best 2D platformers on the system. While the DLC for the game originally came as separate expansions on PC, the console versions of the game packaged it together with the base game as Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition.
Hollow Knight exists as one of a growing number of action platforming games that borrow heavily from both Metroidvania and Soulslike titles. With fluid and precise platforming alongside punishing and methodical combat, Hollow Knight is still one of the best games to merge the two subgenres and one of the first to do so. Team Cherry announced a sequel in 2019, Hollow Knight: Silksong, which has since entered a protracted development and has no clear release date in sight.
Hollow Knight DLC – 4 Essential Additions
Shortly after its release in 2017, Hollow Knight started seeing the first of its 4 DLC expansions arrive. The first of these is the Hidden Dreams DLC, which adds 2 new boss encounters, a new fast travel system, and a brand new Stag Station. The second DLC, The Grimm Troupe, arrived roughly 3 months later and introduced new quests, charms, boss fights, and enemy types. Shortly before Hollow Knight‘s arrival on Nintendo Switch another DLC, the Lifeblood expansion, brought plenty of improvements and adjustments to the core experience while also adding a new boss fight. The final expansion, the Godmaster DLC, coincided with the game’s release on Nintendo Switch and preceded the Xbox and PlayStation launches by a month.
Thanks to each of the DLC expansions arriving before the game’s console launch, the Xbox and PlayStation versions of the game include all previously released DLC as Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition. Regardless of platform, all of the DLC and expansions for Hollow Knight are free additions to the game. Not only are these expansions some of the best content in an already incredible game but they are also integrated into the core experience in an organic way. As a result, the DLC for Hollow Knight is a core component of the game and shouldn’t be missed by anyone.
Hollow Knight DLC Checklist
Accross all 4 DLC expansions for Hollow Knight are a plethora of new boss encounters, enemies, map areas, and quests. These DLC expansions provide meaningful and significant changes to the core gameplay to enhance Hollow Knight to its definitive version.
Hidden Dreams
Gameplay Changes/Adjustments
- Fast Travel mechanic
- Increased damage for Flukenest and Glowing Worm charms
- Cyclone Slash nail art is buffed, increased AOE and knockback
- Enemies drop Essence
- Nosk enemy has two new attacks
Bosses
- White Defender
- Grey Prince Zote
Enemies
- Winged Zoteling
- Hopping Zoteling
- Volatile Zoteling
Abilities
- Dreamgate
Locations
- Hidden Station
The Grimm Troupe
Gameplay Changes/Adjustments
- Several new quests related to the mysterious new bugs appearing in Dirtmouth
- Two new endings depending on how players complete the new quests. Players can help Grimm carry out his ritual or banish him by helping Brumm
- New NPCs to meet after summoning the Grimm Troupe
Bosses
- Troupe Master Grimm
- Nightmare King Grimm
Enemies
- Grimmkin Novice
- Grimmkin Master
- Grimmkin Nightmare
NPCs
- Troupe Master Grimm
- Brumm
- Divine
- Grimmsteed
- Nymm
Charms
- Grimmchild
- Carefree Melody
- Dreamshield
- Sprintmaster
- Unbreakable Greed
- Unbreakable Heart
- Unbreakable Strength
- Weaversong
Items
- Additional Charm Notch
Lifeblood
Gameplay Changes/Adjustments
- Customizeable background in the title screen
- Visual changes to the game, including new animations
- Traitor Lord has two new attacks
- Hivelings are larger and have increased health
- The Collector can be staggered
- Hive Guardians deal increased damage
- Volatile Mosskin explode on death
- Husk Hives are larger, faster, and summon Hivelings quicker
- Desolate Dive can no longer be used on Flukemarm
- The Grimmchild charm is necessary to access the Nightmare King Grimm boss fight
- False Knight’s stagger animation is faster
- Spore clouds from Fungified Husk are larger
- New dialogue from NPCs
- New and improved sound effects
- Flukenest charm damage is reduced and costs 3 notches
- Weaversong deals more damage and can inflict stagger on boss enemies
- Joni’s Blessing provides 40% + 1 HP instead of 50% + 1 HP
- Fury of the Fallen generates red smoke instead of a red aura
Bosses
- Hive Knight
Items
- Map Markers
Godmaster
Gameplay Changes/Adjustments
- Embrace the Void ending
- Godmaster Theme for the main menu
- Eternal Ordeal Theme for the main menu
- Godseeker Mode
- Eternal Ordeal
- Pantheons
- Hall of Gods
Bosses
- Absolute Radiance
- Brothers Oro and Mato
- Great Nailsage Sly
- Paintmaster Sheo
- Pure Vessel
- Sisters of Battle
- Winged Nosk
Enemies
- Flukemunga
- Pale Lurker
NPCs
- Fluke Hermit
- The Godseeker
Locations
- Godhome
- Hall of Gods
- Junk Pit
- Land of Storms
Is Hollow Knight’s DLC Worth the Money?
Considering that all of the DLC for Hollow Knight is completely free, it is absolutely worth the player’s time. Additionally, the content on offer presents some of the best features in the entire game, with the Grimm Troupe having some of the best optional boss encounters. The Lifeblood expansion mostly improves several aspects of the core game along with some critical rebalancing and is essential content. Since the DLC is free, it is included as part of the core game when purchasing on consoles. The Godmaster and Grimm Troupe DLC present optional content, but it should not be missed.
Hollow Knight DLC Tips and Tricks
While the Hidden Dreams and Lifeblood expansions primarily add quality of life changes to Hollow Knight, The Grimm Troupe and Godmaster expansions are major gameplay additions. As such, there are some steps required of players before they can access the content of each expansion.
Accessing The Grimm Troupe
- Travel to the Howling Cliffs and smash through 2 breakable walls
- Use the Dream Nail on the large bug at the end of the passage
- Go back to the previous area and hit the torch with the glowing furnace grate to trigger a cutscene
- The Grimm Troupe will appear and reside in Dirtmouth
Accessing Godmaster
- Head to the Colisseum of Fools
- Destroy a fake wall in the northeast section of the map and defeat a Pale Lurker to obtain a Simple Key
- Head to the Royal Waterways
- Just above Flukemarm’s arena is a breakable wall that leads to a new area – The Junk Pit
- Here you will find the coffin of The Godseeker. Use the Simple Key to unlock the coffin
- Strike The Godseeker with the Dream Nail to begin the questline