Fat, creepy worms.

Only one week later, Mr. Wheel gives me the original Hollow Knight game. At least having had some experience with the Hollow Knight series since I played Silksong prior, it shouldn't take me long at all to figure this one out.

Just like Silksong, the game has me adjust the border and the brightness of the game. The opening cutscene here is even more cryptic than the opener to Silksong. Something is chained up and this something seems to awaken and crack. And then... this round... stone thing with 3 glowing lights. We then meet our smol adventurer here as he sets off into the land. Just like Silksong, I have a blade I can use to cut down shrubbery and also specific walls. Climbing my way through this dark forest area, I come across... I don't know it looks like a mirror but the reflection is all glowy. This tells me how to heal. Just like Silksong, once I defeat enough enemies, I can use what energy I have, in this case... SOUL... and use it to replenish my health. As I traverse my way more through this cave, I collect these little... I don't know pebble coins? I guess it's the in game currency. There's an area I find where I can crack open an egg containing these moth creatures which I guess gives me bonus temporary health. It's not before long I make my way into Dirtmouth, The Fading Town. And this folk named Elderbug... whether he is the leader or just one of the longest standing citizens of this town says that this towns population has dwindled down and down because the residents have fallen into a well and into the caverns. But perhaps for a good reason that being allegedly good fortune will be found down there. Sounds good to me! Into the Forgotten Crossroads I go! A dark, underground land filled with the not so friendliest of enemies. I meet this dude deep down and while I don't get his name, he says he's a cartographer and offers me a map of the land. And just as I suspected, the map is just as shitty as the ones are in Silksong. Yes it gives me a full view of the area I am in... but for now it's not very useful. I take on a couple of these... I don't know they almost look like cursed fireflies that spit out their mucus at me. Gross. But once I take them out, I can take a nice little dip in this small pool and take a rest on the bench. Just like Silksong, it's also a save point! There's these long, sharp toothed tubes that come in and out of the ground. But they're not that threatening as long as you're careful.

A lot of this cave is like trying to traverse a maze. It's not much for the most part other than enemies to take down and sections to platform. I do eventually find door that leads to another rest save point. Which was nice. There was a toll machine where I could insert 50 Geo's... which are the official name for those pebble coins I called them. But I chose not to pay. I'm sure that choice won't bite me in the ass. Going up higher... I hear something... I don't know it sounds a little whiny. Like it's distressed or something. But where is it coming from? I try to search for it... only to be faced with these knight bugs who actually know how to defend themselves... mostly. And then I come across some giant cursed fireflies who spit their babies at me... even grosser. And somehow I manage to just jump into one and die. Amazing. Albeit the road back wasn't horrible. Apart from this weird shadow ghost that comes to haunt me. Like a ghost of my former self. Once the fireflies are taken care of, I find a door with a slot on it... and... that's all she wrote there. I still want to know where the whining is coming from. It's not from the very dark area I end up finding. I am stunned I didn't take damage there. Eventually I find the source of the whining. And after taking down more cursed fireflies, I save the first of many fat cursed worm looking things. I thought it was something I could talk to but... no. The moment I free it, it's just gone. And I am left wondering... now what the fuck do I do? Well I can die to this massive bug boss with its big ass stick what crushes and kills me on first impact. I really should've known that. I feel so silly. My 2nd go at that mini-boss though goes a lot better as I free another cursed worm. Shortly later, I meet with Quirrel at the temple of the black egg. So that's what it was. This is what I saw in that opening cutscene. Quirrel seems to have such a fascination with these mystery relics. I can see why. It's only a matter of time before we find what that does... assuming we do ever find what that thing does. I've made my way back to the beginning of the forgotten crossroads where I find a room that holds the fat worms. And I assume... like... their leader or father or whoever. I've freed 2 so far out of... it looks like 20? At least if you count the front most little homes for those guys.

I find another worm some time later. However I can't quite get to this guy. Not yet at least. It's a little too far for grabs. Maybe later down the road I'll find a power-up or something that gives me higher jumps perhaps. I knew no matter how hard I tried, I just wasn't getting to that worm. So I headed onward where I meet Myla. This beetle looking fellow, singing a song as they mine down some rock. They tell me these mines are full of riches. Well I definitely don't doubt that. I just hope their singing isn't a prayer like that Sherma dude was doing in Silksong. I ride up this elevator thing when I reach... I don't know it looks a lot like a dragon head. Hitting it makes it glow and I guess I absorb some sort of energy? I don't really know what that did for me though. At this very top layer of the mines, I come across another dead end when I begin walking on what I thought was ground that would crumble and break under me. But it never did. Despite it shaking, it just held on. Holy hell that is the strongest weak ground I have ever seen. From there, I had really no idea where i was going. I eventually stumbled across this small very open looking building with what looks like something inside it. Whether it's something I can pull or push or even pull out. But I can't actually seem to go inside it. No matter how hard I try. I don't know whether this is a tease or if I am am supposed to get in another way. Either way, it's a dead end. I find another one of those things I can hit that lights up and gives me energy. And then I approach the Gruz Mother. One of many bosses in this game. It's not too bad to deal with. It either heavily pounds itself up and down in a zig zag motion or homes towards you. But I easily took it down and also its money! As one last desperate move, it explodes to let its babies try to attack me. They fail. I meet up with Sly. Who seems to have awoken as soon as I visited him. He was working on his way back to the top in Dirtmouth. He says he'll meet me back up there to thank me properly for... I don't know waking him up? I eventually make it back to Dirtmouth. But first I meet with Iselda who actually seels me some good shit. Like a wayward compass that'll tell me exactly where I am on the map. And a quill which updates my map and pins which pinpoint where certain things are also on the map. Huh the map ain't so useless now.

Sure enough I do actually meet back with Sly who also offers to sell me stuff... but now I'm broke as fuck and can't buy what he's offering. Probably the most important thing I need from him is a simple key. Only 950 Geo's. What a steal! That's where I end it for the night, I take a seat on the bench and go to sleep... quite literally too.

I think I needed that. After a long 1 hour stream. Just a moment to pass out... and sleep!