Compare this game
Hollow Knight

Review · Action · PlayStation 4 · Linux · macOS

Hollow Knight

Reviewed: 30 Apr 2026

PlayStation 4 · Linux · macOS · PC · Nintendo Switch · Xbox One

Team Cherry · 2017

Ludograph rating

A

Recommended

73 /100

Automated review

Hollow Knight is an action-platformer that encourages problem solving, spatial awareness, and strategic thinking through challenging exploration.

06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 62 · R 10
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

62

Risk (RIS)

10

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

13+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.84
B2Social-emotional
0.17
B3Motor
0.75

Hollow Knight offers significant cognitive benefits through its challenging exploration, strategic combat, and intricate lore. Players will develop strong problem-solving skills, spatial awareness, and critical thinking as they navigate its complex world and unravel its mysteries. The demanding platforming and boss battles also hone hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and reaction time, while the game's adaptive challenges encourage learning and transfer of skills.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.17
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.11

The game presents minimal risks. Its single-player nature and lack of microtransactions or social features mean there are no significant compulsion-loop design, monetization pressures, or social risks. Content-wise, it features moderate fantasy violence and some atmospheric fear/horror elements, consistent with its E10+ rating.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.67
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.00
R4.4Substance References
0.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.67

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Not yet assessed·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

Avg playtime~7 hReviewedApr 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is Hollow Knight safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Hollow Knight a rating of 73/100, recommended for ages 13 and up. It scores well on developmental benefits with manageable risks.

What age is Hollow Knight appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 13+ for Hollow Knight, based on benefits, risks, and content review. That is stricter than ESRB E10+, because our assessment weighs behavioral design risks, not just content.

How long should kids play Hollow Knight?

Our session recommendation for Hollow Knight is up to 120 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of Hollow Knight?

The game presents minimal risks. Its single-player nature and lack of microtransactions or social features mean there are no significant compulsion-loop design, monetization pressures, or social risks. Content-wise, it features moderate fantasy violence and some atmospheric fear/horror elements, consistent with its E10+ rating.