Seeking indie games with Hollow Knight-like atmosphere

[MilaQM]

I just finished playing Hollow Knight and absolutely loved its atmosphere, challenging combat, and deep exploration. I'm looking for indie game recommendations that capture a similar feeling of getting lost in a beautifully crafted, mysterious world. I've already played Celeste and Dead Cells, which were great but felt different. I'm specifically interested in games with a strong sense of place, maybe some light Metroidvania elements, and a compelling art style. I'm open to any platform, but I primarily play on PC and Nintendo Switch. What are some hidden gems that might scratch this itch?

[LoganWM]

Hyper Light Drifter nails that moody, mysterious vibe with tight combat and exploration. It’s a compact world that rewards exploration and has a gorgeous, pixel-art style that feels timeless on PC and Switch. If you want something a bit more narrative-forward, Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights matches Hollow Knight’s atmosphere with a haunting, hand-drawn look and tight metroidvania progression on both PC and Switch.

[RobertS]

Blasphemous goes darker and more grotesque, but it nails the sense of place and dense world-building. It’s a chunky metroidvania with heavy combat and a striking art style that’s still indie. Sundered is another strong pick—hand-drawn art, big boss fights, and a leaning towards exploration and atmosphere over pure challenge, available on PC and Switch.

[Jonathan99]

Axiom Verge leans into retro sci-fi Metroidvania vibes with a strong sense of discovery and a lot of secrets to uncover, and it plays nicely on PC and Switch. If you want something a bit lighter but still with a distinctive look, Greak: Memories of Azur is charming, with clear level design and cooperative or single-player pacing, also on PC/Switch.

[Nora_M]

Chasm offers an interesting spin with procedurally generated floors and classic metroidvania pace, and Moonlighter blends exploration with light RPG progression and shop sim vibes. Both are solid fits for a ‘lost world’ feeling and are available on PC and Switch.

[OliverL]

If you want two more options that keep the focus on atmosphere and world-building, La-Mulana 2 is a challenging but incredibly rewarding retro-inspired adventure (great if you like tough puzzles and ancient ruins) and The Swords of Ditto gives a lighter, cooperative-friendly take on dungeon exploration. All are on PC/Switch and offer strong visuals and memorable worlds.