The White Palace is terrible

[texasgoldrush]

Seriously, its so out of place in this game with a huge spike in difficulty in its platforming sections. Its simply put, not fun, even when I beaten it. Its so bad that I will probably use a trainer to shortcut if I play through the game again.

Either redesign the palace or add a slow version of it.

It easily wins the worst level to a great game award this year.

[Spirit]

The WP was frustrating but fair, I would make small progress, die, respawn, and each time I would be slightly closer to victory. The path of pain on the other hand is too unforgiving. You either complete the circuit or you start from zero.
The WP at least respawned you almost next to the place you just died, path of pain makes you repeat half of the level you just barely passed so you can attempt to overcome the next challange that will most likely kill you.

I gave up, not all of us are the perfect vessels

[alekzanderlr]

Originally posted by texasgoldrush:

Originally posted by GT Dr. Burks:

The idea of the Palace is to be an end-game test of platforming skill. In that sense it is sort of out of place, but also optional. It's for people to push themselves and see what they can do. It's ment to be challenging, and is also optional. I imagine it is not expected for everyone to do it, and certainly not everyone will enjoy it. Much like hardcore difficulties in games. Not my cup of tea, but some folks love it, and I don't have to do it.

The problem is you have to do it to get the best ending and the true final boss. That is the problem.

Its not the challange that is the problem, is that it simply put, doesn't fit the game. Its a huige difficulty spike.

I agree with you.

I managed to get through the area after some effort but I hated every minute of it. Only went through that because it was locking me out of the final fight.
It was as if I had been forced to play a different game belonging to another genre. The gameplay doesn't fit with the rest of the game.

[Pimpollo]

I just finished my first playthrough of Hollow Knight and The White Palace was indeed my least favorite area of the game, by and large due to a difficulty spike, but the whole area feels incongruous when compared to the rest of the game's design. It definitely pulled me out of the experience and reminded me a lot of Meat Boy.

Regardless, this area is completely optional and doesn't tarnish what is otherwise an outsanding gameworld.

[Pino]

"Git Gud"

[Pino]

"Git Gud"

[texasgoldrush]

Originally posted by Pimpollo:

I just finished my first playthrough of Hollow Knight and The White Palace was indeed my least favorite area of the game, by and large due to a difficulty spike, but the whole area feels incongruous when compared to the rest of the game's design. It definitely pulled me out of the experience and reminded me a lot of Meat Boy.

Regardless, this area is completely optional and doesn't tarnish what is otherwise an outsanding gameworld.

Its not completely optional, its somewhat optional. You have to go through it to get the real ending. Its as optional as the inverted castle in Castlevania SOTN.

[Smug Hatterene]

Demanding that the entire area be changed or outright removed because you found it difficult is not gonna earn you sympathy.

Like many others have said, you power through till you win.

Pardon me if I sound blunt.

[texasgoldrush]

Originally posted by Sexy Lurantis:

Demanding that the entire area be changed or outright removed because you found it difficult is not gonna earn you sympathy.

Like many others have said, you power through till you win.

Pardon me if I sound blunt.

And I am goping to sound blunt.

Its not the that its challanging, its not that its tough, it simply put doesn't fit the game. It does not play to the game's strengths.

I beat it, the part sucks, it isn't fun, its not what Hollow knight is about.

[SirusTheMadDJ]

Originally posted by texasgoldrush:

Its not the that its challanging, its not that its tough, it simply put doesn't fit the game. It does not play to the game's strengths.

I beat it, the part sucks, it isn't fun, its not what Hollow knight is about.

First. Post.

"There's a massive differculty spike!"


As for "not fitting the game", accurate platforming isn't a part of the game, eh? So, Queen's Garden, The Abyss, the aerial focused part of the Fool's Challenge and the path to the final boss "doesn't fit" the title either then, right?

Differculty is subjective, same as game design or what people find "better". Just because you hated the section, doesn't mean they need to "change it" just to suit you.

As for needing to cheat to clear it, the speedrunners have all the little tricks to cut out large sections of it, but this says more about how much you are (or were) willing to try in clearing one of the harder sections in the game.

As for "not being what the game is about", you're not on the team who made the game. I dare say they have more of an idea what the game's about than someone complaining about a challenge.

Hate to say it, especuially when you've already cleared it, but there really is nothing else to add.

Get. Gud. There's shortcuts and tricks that'll make it less of a pain, but end of the day you only need it for two endings. If you have them already, you don't need to ever play Meat Boy ever again.

[texasgoldrush]

Originally posted by SirusTheMadDJ:

Originally posted by texasgoldrush:

Its not the that its challanging, its not that its tough, it simply put doesn't fit the game. It does not play to the game's strengths.

I beat it, the part sucks, it isn't fun, its not what Hollow knight is about.

First. Post.

"There's a massive differculty spike!"


As for "not fitting the game", accurate platforming isn't a part of the game, eh? So, Queen's Garden, The Abyss, the aerial focused part of the Fool's Challenge and the path to the final boss "doesn't fit" the title either then, right?

Differculty is subjective, same as game design or what people find "better". Just because you hated the section, doesn't mean they need to "change it" just to suit you.

As for needing to cheat to clear it, the speedrunners have all the little tricks to cut out large sections of it, but this says more about how much you are (or were) willing to try in clearing one of the harder sections in the game.

As for "not being what the game is about", you're not on the team who made the game. I dare say they have more of an idea what the game's about than someone complaining about a challenge.

Hate to say it, especuially when you've already cleared it, but there really is nothing else to add.

Get. Gud. There's shortcuts and tricks that'll make it less of a pain, but end of the day you only need it for two endings. If you have them already, you don't need to ever play Meat Boy ever again.

None of those areas you listed are as taxing or as difficult as The White Palace. Second, the areas you listed all have that Hollow Knight mix that the White Palace lacks.

Routinely bad levels get made because the design team does forget what their game is about. Take Xen from Half Life for example, or the Body of the Many in System Shock 2, or the Proving Grounds in Bioshock. The levels I have just listed are departues that detract from the game and play to its weaknesses.

White Palace is this kind of level.

Had the rest of the game actually progressed with actual difficult platforming sections, than yes, the White Palace would be legitimate. But it didn't and it sticks out like a level not from Hollow Knight, but from Super Meat Boy.

I am not knocking the White Palace because of its challange, I am knocking it because it simply put, doesn't fit the game.

[SirusTheMadDJ]

Then this is a difference of opinion and a pointless rant thread. Gotcha.

[alekzanderlr]

By the way OP, threads about people going "what the ♥♥♥♥ is this super meat boy ♥♥♥♥?" at the White Palace are nothing new. See https://steamcommunity.com/app/367520/discussions/3/135512625248902242/ for example.

[Wavelord]

the pale king said "No cost too great." apparently that included installing saws in the palace.

hardest part for me were the timed rectracting spikes.
but completely doable in 2 hours

i felt a sense of deep accomplishment after finishing it.
there are some very hard bosses in the game and i think in the endgame it is totally fine to dial it up to 11 in the plattforming aspect as well.

[RiderFight0710]

I suck at parkore in this game but I got through White Palace 1st try and Path of pane on my 3rd because of having Deep Fouces Hive Blood and Grub Song. I highly recomend this charm build.

[Kaspu]

I thought that it was the best area in the game and it's not even close to being as hard as the dream bosses. The secret area in white palace (path of pain) is pretty hard though.