Hollow Knight free Mac Game

When the knight takes damage from an enemy or from the environment, a mask is reduced. By striking enemies, the knight gains Soul, which is stored in the Soul Vessel. If all masks are lost, the knight dies and a Shade appears at that place. The player also loses all Geo and can hold a reduced amount of Soul. The player needs to defeat the Shade to recover the lost currency and to carry normal amount of Soul. The game continues from a last visited bench—they are scattered throughout the game world and act as save points. Initially the player can only use Soul to "Focus" (regenerate masks), but as the game progresses the player unlocks several offensive spells, which consume Soul.

Many areas feature more challenging enemies (bosses) which the player may need to defeat in order to progress further. Defeating some bosses grants the player new abilities. Later in the game, the player acquires a "dream nail," a legendary blade that can "cut through the veil between dreams and waking." It enables the player to face more challenging versions of some bosses, and to break what is sealing the path to the final boss.

During the game, the player encounters non-player characters (NPCs), with whom they can interact. These characters provide information about the game's plot or lore, offer aid, and sell items or services. The player can upgrade the knight's nail to deal more damage or find soul vessels to carry more Soul. During the course of the game, the player acquires items that provide new movement abilities. They include an additional jump mid-air (Monarch Wings), adhering to walls and jumping off them (Mantis Claw), and a quick dash (Mothwing Cloak). The player can also learn other combat abilities, known as nail arts, and the aforementioned spells. To further customise the knight, the player can equip various Charms, which can be found or purchased from NPCs. Some of their effects include: improved combat abilities or skills, more masks or their regeneration, better movement skills, easier collecting of currency or of Soul, and transformation. Equipping a Charm takes up a certain number of limited slots, called notches. Wearing a Charm that requires more than the available number of notches is possible, but it results in being "overcharmed," causing the knight to receive double damage from all sources.

Hallownest consists of several large, inter-connected areas with unique themes. Although Hollow Knight does not bind the player to one path through the game nor require them to explore the whole world, there are obstacles that limit the player's access to an area. The player may need to progress in the story of the game, or acquire a specific movement ability, skill, or item to progress further. To fast travel through the game's world, the player can utilise Stag Stations, terminals of a network of tunnels; the player can only travel to previously visited and unlocked stations. Other fast travel methods, such as trams, lifts, and "Dreamgate," are encountered later in the game.

As the player enters a new area, they do not have access to the map of the surroundings. They need to find Cornifer, the Cartographer, in order to buy a rough map. As the player explores an area, the map becomes more accurate and complete, although it is updated only when sitting on a bench. The player will need to buy specific items to complete maps, to see points of interest, and to place markers. The knight's position on the map can only be seen if the player is carrying a specific Charm.

Plot

In ancient times, the bugs of Hallownest worshiped a higher being - a primordial, god-like creature - called the Radiance, a moth whose mere presence could sway the denizens of Hallownest to mindless obedience. However, another higher being, the Wyrm, arrived, and transformed into the Pale King in order to rule Hallownest. He expanded the minds of the bugs of Hallownest, civilizing them, and convinced the moth tribe to forget the Radiance, locking her away.

The Pale King went on to construct a great kingdom, but the Radiance fought back by entering his subjects' dreams and driving them to madness, an affliction called the Infection. In an attempt to contain the spreading Infection, the Pale King used the power of Void, a type of living darkness, to create the Vessels - beings that lack a mind and will beyond what is imprinted on them. After many attempts, he created a suitable Vessel, the Hollow Knight, and used it to contain the Infection. The Hollow Knight was placed within the Black Egg Temple and sealed by three powerful elder bugs, the Dreamers, to be locked away forever.