Starting with Hollow Knight as your first modern video game would definitely be interesting from a spectator's pov, but would be very frustrating on your end I think. Don't let the cute artwork fool you, this is a very hard game.
You'd be surprised at how hard theming and art can get somebody who's not big into games. My GF put like 100 hours into HK, and she's not a huge gamer, though a ton of that was trial an error.
@@AwshomeHat recommending Undertale is like recommending Stanley Parable, Beginner’s Guide, Spec Ops: The Line, or some other “game about games”… sure it can be played… but a lot of the value will be missed.
@@AwshomeHat Eh. For Undertale to shine it requires good knowledge of jrpg tropes. The gameplay is easy enough but a lot of the game's value would be lost.
It's crazy that you picked up on "walking a casket to a grave" because that's a very fitting description of this portion of the battle. You're essentially fighting it to put it out of it's misery
@@kiwan1450 For many players, Mantis Lords is the first 'wall' you encounter with multiple deaths before you scrape through. Sure, late on you come back and it's almost laughable how easy it is, but for me there were just three walls in the game. MLs, TL and HK. Oh, and The Path of Pain of course.
"This almost feels like carrying a casket to a grave or something" - about the music playing at the time in The Hollow Knight where the titular character is literally killing itself because it is overcome with madness & pain, being forced to fight it's own sibling to the death. What a tribute to Larkin's composition and how beautifully it communicates and amplifies the story being told. And kudos to the Old Composer.
As a quick note about Soul Sanctum: I adore how Larkin took the soft, restful tune of City of Tears and rearranged that melody line into something so sorrowful and despairing. City of Tears is one of the most uplifting melodies in the game, and he turned it into an expression of quiet horror in Soul Sanctum.
One very charming thing about the city of tears is the presence of 2 specific sound effects: The rain constantly falling, and the footsteps on the wet floor. Very calming
The greatest part about this OST is the context-sensitive layering. It's hard to tell in a track or video, but the music will rise and fade, or instruments come in or pull out depending on what you're doing. A track will be quiet if you're in an isolated corridor, or booming and tense when you're fighting. It's incredible and the perfect way to immerse the player into the music. My favorite is the City of Tears. I highly recommend playing the game if only to experience the layering. You'll see it early in the Forgotten Crossroads when you come across a large enemy and the staccato flute comes in.
43:57 the sound effects in the game generally mesh very well with the music, and this track in particular is constantly accompanied by the sound of rain, which adds an incredible sense of weight to the piece, to the point where I only listen to the version of the song with the rain
Nkw that i finished these i will rewatch for the full experience, i love seeing people listen to the hollow knight soundtrack or anything hollow knight !! So much fun :]
44:12 I love music. When I reached this part of the game, and I heard this music start to swell in, I was just blown away. Sitting by that bench, listening to that music, hanging out with one of the few friendly faces in the game by the bench as the rain pelts against the window... it hits so hard.
I love how for sealed vessel, he saw comments that the hollow knight dies during that piece, and just due to how sad that composition was he assumed they meant the player (which isn't completely incorrect or anything), but the reason the piece is so sad because it's lamenting the death of the boss itself, which not many video games really do. Of course that isn't to say it's not also somber due to the fate of the knight as well, but the piece is a tribute to a mercy killing of a character (the hollow knight) who had so much promise and who carried so much of the kingdom's hope, and who's only mistake that lead to this situation was simply the very "human" (or i suppose in this case bug) feeling of love for ones father. God hollow knight's lore is so damn amazing.
"Wow, this us heavy" Every time the Knight stops to rest, there is a moment of peace, but in that moment, you feel the weight of the lost kingdom on bearing down on your shoulders. City of Tears needs a rainfall soundscape over it like in the game. The game is set in an underground kingdom, and back to the themes of "the weight of the kingdom" I mentioned before - the City of Tears is under constant rainfall from a Lake in the cavern above. It is a beautiful place showcasing the glory if the kingdom before, the sadness of its fading light, and the constant tension of the potential complete collapse of the cavern food above, that would bury and flood the city.
I just finished this game for the first time this week, it was such a great journey and the soundtrack is just amazing, it really sets the tone of the game really well. I'm glad you did this reaction.
Your comments around 1:35:00 the power of music and the soundtrack of life makes me write this. When I first played Hollowknight I was very depressed, with my partner on the other side of the world and feeling lost at a new job. Many very late nights were spent avoiding sleep, playing Hollowknight, much just listening to the soundtrack especially 'resting ground', and 'the white lady'. Now we are happily married, and I hum 'city of tears' to our son every night as I rock him to sleep. Also that note a 1:44:54 - That heavy resolution. We've been waiting for 20+ hours of gameplay for that resolution. All the previous notes have come up in various cutscenes and emotional pieces. Only here as the ending credits roll do we get that note.
Geebz...words can't express how happy it makes me to have you diving face first into this world of video game music composition and to have an absolute beast like Hollow Knight so early is a really really good sign. The game is not an easy one. Expect challenge and strategize often. Really looking forward to it.
Big shoutout to the individual that did the editing and sent this to him - this was an expertly done editing job and captured the gameplay well with the music. In particular I liked the city of tears edit, shifting from the outside to the bench with quirrel, to the hollow knight monument. So good!
I really want to see your reaction to the rest of the soundtrack. Some standout pieces that you didn't react to include: - Grimm Troupe - Broken Vessel - Hollow Knight - Nosk - Radiance - White Palace - Queen's Gardens - The White Lady - Hive Knight - Gods and Glory - Dream Battle (There are other good ones, but those are some of the real standouts)
26:54 the transition to a minor feel with the shift in melody has always really struck me. It's the first indication as to the depth of Hornet's character and the tragic nature of what she has to do
Radiance is hella loved. The issue was that it was never down to only one track remaining. Seal Vessel is of course a given and Nightmare King is rocks! Other popular picks that come to mind would be Pure Vessel, White Palace, Nosk, Kingdom's Edge, and the battle music from the Pantheon. Too many great tracks!
My best friend and I used to talk about music all the time. Whether it was anime, video game osts, jazz, or our favorite guitarists in general. After he passed it's been hard for me keep my passion, but this channel and seeing your excitement has helped me regain some of what was lost. Thanks Geebz.
My favorite part about this OST is that it almost tells the whole story of the game on its own. You can make so many inferences and/or connections with motifs Larkin uses. You can tell he is completely in tune with what the developers are doing.
I'm such a Hollow Knight fanboy dork that I teared up multiple times during this. I always loved the soundtrack, but never really appreciated it fully until I watched you react and point out the details and the nuances of it. Thanks amigo, great stream.
Hollow Knight is a BRUTALLY hard game. I recommend Journey to start out with- you reacted to the music already, and it's much more forgiving and very chill and will let you get comfortable with a controller and not punish you for fumbling a bit. Hollow Knight will stomp you into the dirt, grind you under it's heel and demand perfection.
Hollow Knight is definitely not "brutally" hard. It's challenging, and there are optional challenges like the pantheons that you could consider brutal, but nothing in the base-game is overly difficult.
@@Retro_Rainer Hollow Knight was my first 2d game aside from like... Freddi Fish as a child and I found it to be pretty forgiving. If you're struggling with a boss you can leave and by the the time you return you've learned the movement better and have maybe figured out that spells are OP. I think more stubborn gamers would have a worse time because they'd try brute forcing a boss above their skill level, while those a little more easily frustrated would leave. Those very easily frustrated... I suppose they'd give up entirely which is a little sad. Tbh it's like Celeste to me. People call it brutally difficult, because it feels that way, but you don't realise just how much you're progressing as you play, improving and learning, until you go back and do something that kicked your ass the first time. The game is actually secretly teaching you everything as you go so it always feels just _slightly_ too hard but maybe beatable, to give you the rush of happy chemicals when you get past a challenge.
@@Retro_Rainer If we're putting HK somewhere on a line between "Easiest Game Ever" and "Hardest Game Ever," I would put it fairly centered, leaning hard just a tad.
To answer the question at 44:45 , because I didn't see it being mentioned in the live chat: The area this soundtrack plays in, is a pretty desolace city, with perpetually falling rain- hence the name "City of Tears". So the main ambient sound that plays with/over the soundtrack piece is the sound of pouring rain, which in my opinion, makes the experience of hearing it for the first time even more magical. Love these longer type of reaction + videos, great work!
Sealed vessel feels incomplete without watching the actual fight Hearing the nusic switch to more dramatic and sad with the violins as the hollow knight begins stabbing himself in order to help you It doesnt even feel like a boss fight anymore, which completely fits the fight The hollow knight is one of the easiest fights in the game, its barely a challange, which just adds to how unsatisfying it is to get the bad ending One of my favorite fights in video gaming, its not necessarily hard or challanging, it just feels more like a sacrifice than a boss fight
Nightmare King is actually a remix/sequel song of Grimm’s song, which I personally like better, listening to them back to back really lets you realize the similarities. Christopher knows his stuff.
I don't see a lot of ppl talking about The Hive Knight theme in the HK community but I really love that song with this chevaleresque grandiose vibe, very military snare drum (I suppose) and all the wind/string section. It really captures the overwhelming atmosphere you could find in a beehive mixed with the heroism of the Hive Knight!
I discovered your channel quite recently and I am enjoying myself very much here :D Seeing you react and appreciate one of my favourite game soundtracks was very heartwarming, thank you for that and for all the amazing work
For Dirtmouth, the heaviness feel it evokes completely makes sense with it being at the top of the whole kingdom of Hallownest. And as you descend into Forgotten Crossroads you really feel the thick air that connects the whole map. Truly masterful.
I disagree with the people who are saying absolutely don't start with this but it is harder than the person playing here makes it look. You might enjoy learning and getting better. I hadn't played anything this hard before and I really liked it! It does a pretty good job of giving you easier things to do that train you to be better at the harder ones. Maybe try it and don't be afraid to stop if it is too hard.
Oh man starting on Hollow Knight as a first game might be a dive into the deep end lol. It's an absolutely amazing game, and if you were able to tough it out to learn how to play games through hollow knight, that would be huge kudos to you.
That’s kind of what I did. Before hollow knight, the hardest game i played was breath of the wild and I’m so bad with platforming! I had to put the game down from hornet 1 lol after a few months I came back and fell in love with it and brute forced myself to learn the game and ended up getting true ending with 102% 💛 i want to try Pantheons but holy shit I’m nervous lol
If you can, you should register to City of Tears as it goes into Soul Sanctum. Larkins use of leit motif is amazing. It shows a location within the City that has gone down a darker path and culminates in an epic boss battle. And the lore in the game of the Soul Sanctum reflects that. Brilliant!
City of Tears still to this day bring me close to tears and I've listened to that song a gazillion times. It doesn't help that I've done a deep down on the story of this game and understand what the City represents. Such an emotional piece.
For the hornet, I was filming while I beat her and for some reason everytime I went to heal it synced so well with the the moment of music where the melody gives you just a little more hope, I will upload that video to my channel soon
These videos are so good for me! As a composer who doesn't have the time to actually study music theory or composition I have to do everything based on how it sounds to me, with no real guide on what I'm supposed to do. Watching these videos really helps. So much really useful information that I can apply to my own works. Thank you, and I'm glad you enjoyed the OST, Hollow Knight has my favourite OST of any game I've ever played, and is the basis of most of my own music.
I hoped you'd check this one out! I get tracks from this stuck in my head all the time. Thanks for breaking it down and pointing out things I haven't picked up on. Glad to listen to it without sound effects. It'd be awesome if you could get the composer on to chat! All the sound design in this game is super charming and immersive. Even the little character voices (not dialogue, but noises) are delightful.
43:50, In the case of City of tears the Soundtrack is missing what is in my opinion a vital component of the City's soundscape. The endless rainfall. The city is built underneath a lake, and at some point the cave ceiling sprung a leak so there is always "rain" in the city. The guards also sort of sing as they go about their patrols, but you only occasionally hear that. The in game presentation of city of tears is actually extremely well done and beautiful. This video ruclips.net/video/lqNgHUvlOyQ/видео.html from about 2:50 to 5:20 should give a sense of how the City's music is introduced, and the overall soundscape of the City of Tears. The music does get flooded out a bit, but the soundscape is so gorgeous.
Got tears in my eyes several times all along this video. I know why know I look forward to SIlksong, (Hollow Knight 2). Thank you for the video PRGeebz
You mention several times the idea of different parts of the tracks representing something happening in the story - the ambient tracks like "Greenpath" in Hollow Knight are actually dynamic, and so each one has an "exploration" version and an "action" version which they can smoothly transition between as fights or other moments begin and end, which is shown off in the OST version of the pieces. I'm glad you got Sealed Vessel as one of the final tracks. It's probably my favorite piece in the game in terms of how it musically tells the story of both the fight it takes place in and that character's history, especially those attack notes as the melody tries to return to the tonic but keeps getting forced back up before descending into tragedy. Speaking of the tonic, the OST version incorporates the sequences from both of the main endings to the game, with the very end of the second one being the only place in the entire game where the Hollow Knight's leitmotif, which crops up in so many different tracks, is actually allowed to resolve to the tonic instead of being left hanging. 1:44:33 to 1:44:45 is the leitmotif, and then 1:44:47 to 1:44:56 finally gives it the resolution phrase it's been begging for every other time you hear it throughout the game. Another great one is "Enter Hallownest", which is an overture that isn't actually in the game itself. If you're interested in some of the game's more bombastic sounds, you might check out Gods and Nightmares, the OST for the DLC content.
For me this is one of the best games played and music i have listened to so far. Many of this tracks are so good in provoking emotions(for me very melancholic) and are setting the tone for the world of hollow knight, being a fallen empire now mostly forgotten. Liking your videos and your reactions to the music are very entertaining and informative.
Loved watching thoughts on this. Absolutely phenomenal ost to be honest. You earned a sub. Wish the whole ost was done on the reaction though. Maybe a 2nd video? There are at least 8-10 more tracks that were not done here, and they are all worth it.
reflection is legitimately my favorite video game music piece ever, and also the most relaxing song ive ever known. was my top song on spotify for two years due to me using it to fall asleep haha
Love it. I have to keep recommending the Ghost of Tsushima OST for you to check out in the future! Would be even better with the visuals like it is here.
You are a fun guy and you are not a mushroom. Great analysis and commentary, great game and soundtrack. Beautiful graphic style in the game. What more could you want? Maybe one day there will be a full soundtrack from Bloodborne, Dark Souls 1, 2 or 3 or Elden Ring? I will definitely be waiting because the music is amazing and beautiful. All of these games are from one developer and from what I can recall many composers created soundtracks for them and probably collaborated with each other.
The cool thing about the mantis lords in connection to their music is that with the notable exception of Hornet, they are the only major enemies that aren't mindless monsters that we are mercy killing, nearly every major enemy other than Hornet and the Mantis lords emanate either madness, sorrow, wildness, or a mix of the three for the most part, the sealed vessel track, for instance, is for the hollow knight, one of the last bosses of the game, it expresses power, but there are instances of clarity where there is pity and sorrow for the one great figure reduced to nothing more than a trapped, tortured beast, to whom the kindest fate we can give to him is death, but the Mantis lords have retained their sanity and it is shown in both their fight and their music, they are highly disciplined, skilled, powerful warriors who operate on honor, this isn't a fight to the death or a mercy kill, its a duel, a challenge to prove your strength to them. cool fun fact, after you beat them, all the mantis enemies who previously attacked you now bow to you and wont attack you. P.S, The Hollow Knight is the last/second to last boss depending on your ending, the character you play is generally referred to as ''Little Ghost"
When you open a game with a piece like Dirtmouth.... you've hooked me already. I mean.. i stayed in place for like 10 minutes after getting to each and every section my first time playing just to take in the INCREDIBLE soundtrack. Legitimately one of my favorite game OST's ever, period.
39:00 To answer your question, as near as I can: Dynamics usually tend to deal with 'loudness' of a tone/pitch held, to either louder or softer. Modulation is usually dealing with changing a note/sound/tone/pitch to whatever you fancy including dynamics. So, technically, changing the dynamics is affecting the modulation of a sound, but modulation can mean so much more. You can change the modulation so it ends up a different note, a different fullness/hollowness, even a vibrato effect. This is about the limit of my knowledge.😅
To understand the sealed vessel theme I'll explain both what's going on I the scene but also the stor behind At 1:38:40 were in a dark building, where this vessel is held, the final boss. THE hollow knight At 1:38:55 we enter the chamber where is vessel is sealed. And we have to unseal him by destroying the chains holding him At 1:39:13 the hollow knight (hk) is unsealed. He's both a knight and a prince, aswell as a great warrior. But within him he holds a great evil. This evil grabs at the will and wants of their "host". The evil is an infection. The hk is empty of will and wants, thus his name "the HOLLOW knight" At 1:41:35 the hk starts to lose against the player. But he also starts to release the evil, because he cannot both hold the evil back and fight the player at the same time. The track takes a tragic turn as the hk decides to fight the evil. In the game this is shown as the hk stabbs himself several times and let's the player hit him. The evil also takes control of the hk several times through out the fight, throwing its own attacks towards the player At 1:43:26 the hollow knight is finally defeated and the player takes his place, becoming the new sealed vessel. There's 5 official endings to the game and this is one, the easiest. Also the difference between the knight (the player) and the hollow knight is that the hk isn't truly hollow, in a flashback we get to see how the hollow knight gains a small will by looking up to its father figure, the king. The player never meets the king and grows up alone, thus never having a will
in crystal peak, when you think about the crystal bug boss fight i think the reason why Christopher used guitar part to give that feeling of a old west fight where you fight to gain something well the hero actually got the bench as a reward finally! amazing thinking Christopher!!!
If you were to play this game, you will probably quickly notice that the music is adaptive, so on the grimm boss battle, the music goes crazy when he does a specific attack, and when you enter a fight in crossroads, it changes to that part, same thing with sealed vessel.
you should listen to Grimm Troup lyrics made by the channel 'Man on the internet ' on youtube. he basically just puts lyrics onto the song Grimm troup and the nightmare king and it fits really really well with the character named Grimm and what happens when you meet him
The reason many of these tracks will change from calm to agitated is because they account for both safe exploration and getting into fights. They will actually go back and forth dynamically in the game.
As someone who’s played this game to completion, the reason I stayed with it was the soundtrack of the City of Tears. When I first reached this zone, instant tears from the music. It’s beautiful, it’s harrowing and sad but I want to stay there and cry with the vocalist. Hollow night made me cry 3 times. This song was the first. So do we hear the music before the game noise? Some of us do. Hollow knight is my favorite game and it probably will always be. Because of the unbelievable music
Dang can't believe I missed this! This soundtrack has had a strangle hold on me for months, can't stop listening to it, dirtmouth, hornet, sealed vessel, white palace, soul sanctum and resting grounds are my personal favs, main theme is also stellar. Can't wait for the sequel and it's music.
crystal peak is one of my fav area themes because the when you get to a one of the hard platforming parts of the area the music adds the guitar and get more intense.
Was great watching this video as I was working, I love your comments! Hollow Knight is one of my favorite videogames of all times, so special to me... Happy you liked the music! If you play videogames in the future, I hope you record it! Would love to see that! Thank you for sharing
Yay my favorite game and one of my favorite video game OSTs!!! Nightmare King Grimm always gives me some Final Fantasy vibes with those dissonant stabs. I love the use of polyrhythms throughout, and I'm glad you pointed out how gamelan-y Crystal Peak was, as that had never dawned on me but you're right. My favorite artist, Joanna Newsom, also is fond of using polyrhythms, and she worked with a fantastic string arranger on one of her albums. If you reacted to her song "Cosmia" or "Emily" on this channel, I would be in your debt.
Hollow knight is the ONLY OST I consistently listen to and never get tired of an always makes my hairs stand up. Its just amazing and heavy in its feelings which I absolutely love
Grimm's theme (Both his first fight and his Nightmare fight, which is the one you listened to at the end) has got to be some of my favorite piece of game music!! He is definitely a HARD boss, one you wont forget fighting! But he's so fun, and winning against him is one of the most satisfying victories this game has to offer!
This OST quickly became a favorite among our household. Not only I, but my 11yo son have beaten the game now, but even the others who haven't beaten it love this music. It's so thematically connected and gorgeously set.
@@athan_valentine Yep! I'm so proud of him. HIs tenacity saw him through in the end. Now he's working on the pantheons, having beaten Radiance the normal way.
@Tyler Peacock That's awesome. I just beat the last pantheon a couple of months ago, and it was one of the toughest things I've done. Hope he can do it too.
24:30 I am pretty sure the idea is that many first time players don't get to the intensity spike the first or second time they attempt the boss fight so this part here attempts to tighten the screws of both players that haven't gotten that far before or that are having their first try and are thinking "oh my god I am doing so well, don't mess up, don't mess up" to make them do panic movements so they take damage and panic further without really changing how the boss is fighting
I was kinda sad Geebz didn't mention the constant leitmotif that builds the base for this OST. You can hear it on every song, in a lot of different ways, and when you realize it, you go - woooooah!
My friend, I don’t know how big you are into big band jazzy music but if there was only one games music I would ask you to react to it would be Cuphead. The game is widely acclaimed and even got an animated kids show on Netflix although most kids would have trouble playing the game as it is very difficult. Anyway this video made me smile so Thankyou
Starting with Hollow Knight as your first modern video game would definitely be interesting from a spectator's pov, but would be very frustrating on your end I think. Don't let the cute artwork fool you, this is a very hard game.
I think it would be too hard for a beginner, something like Undertale would be more accessible
You'd be surprised at how hard theming and art can get somebody who's not big into games. My GF put like 100 hours into HK, and she's not a huge gamer, though a ton of that was trial an error.
@@AwshomeHat recommending Undertale is like recommending Stanley Parable, Beginner’s Guide, Spec Ops: The Line, or some other “game about games”… sure it can be played… but a lot of the value will be missed.
@@AwshomeHat Eh. For Undertale to shine it requires good knowledge of jrpg tropes. The gameplay is easy enough but a lot of the game's value would be lost.
I'd recommend starting with something like Transistor or Bastion. Fairly straightforward, great OSTs, great visuals, compelling stories.
Hornet theme really isn’t the same without hearing her go “ADAAYO!” every few seconds.
*S H A W !*
Same with dung defenders DOMO DOMO
ADIDAS
don't forget her GIT GUD!
HEGALE
It's crazy that you picked up on "walking a casket to a grave" because that's a very fitting description of this portion of the battle. You're essentially fighting it to put it out of it's misery
"Are mantis lords an intens boss? This music is intense."
5 seconds later: "my thumbs hurt jst watching."
Welcome to hollow knight😏
The fight is not hard but it's one of my favorites
the traitor mantis lord is harder...no room to jump and dodge
@@kiwan1450 For many players, Mantis Lords is the first 'wall' you encounter with multiple deaths before you scrape through. Sure, late on you come back and it's almost laughable how easy it is, but for me there were just three walls in the game. MLs, TL and HK. Oh, and The Path of Pain of course.
@@randommcranderson5155easier than mantis lords imo. Sharp shadow makes TL cry
@@dimitrijestanisic3478 I'd almost agree, but double damage go brrrrr
One of my favourite OST's of all time.
Absolutely, one of the the best OSTs along with Disco Elysium.
@Catwithaknife69imagine if he did it with silksong 😂
@@hadiyousaf3396if it ever comes out Y-
"This almost feels like carrying a casket to a grave or something"
- about the music playing at the time in The Hollow Knight where the titular character is literally killing itself because it is overcome with madness & pain, being forced to fight it's own sibling to the death.
What a tribute to Larkin's composition and how beautifully it communicates and amplifies the story being told. And kudos to the Old Composer.
i feel bad he missed the the fight fight with that one...
As a quick note about Soul Sanctum:
I adore how Larkin took the soft, restful tune of City of Tears and rearranged that melody line into something so sorrowful and despairing. City of Tears is one of the most uplifting melodies in the game, and he turned it into an expression of quiet horror in Soul Sanctum.
I wouldn't call city of tears uplifting. It's major sounding, sure, but it definitely has this air of sadness
@@David-zy1lr Well, I didn't exactly mean happy... it's not an easy mood to comunicate with one word. Bittersweet? Sorrowfully glad?
@@theyonlycomeoutwhenitsquiet hallowed.
@@theyonlycomeoutwhenitsquiet Melancholy
One very charming thing about the city of tears is the presence of 2 specific sound effects: The rain constantly falling, and the footsteps on the wet floor. Very calming
51:13
Geebz calling the buffer ring a “punk ass bitch” was the highlight of my day. Glorious.
too real lmao
Man speaking truths.
The greatest part about this OST is the context-sensitive layering. It's hard to tell in a track or video, but the music will rise and fade, or instruments come in or pull out depending on what you're doing. A track will be quiet if you're in an isolated corridor, or booming and tense when you're fighting. It's incredible and the perfect way to immerse the player into the music. My favorite is the City of Tears.
I highly recommend playing the game if only to experience the layering. You'll see it early in the Forgotten Crossroads when you come across a large enemy and the staccato flute comes in.
43:57 the sound effects in the game generally mesh very well with the music, and this track in particular is constantly accompanied by the sound of rain, which adds an incredible sense of weight to the piece, to the point where I only listen to the version of the song with the rain
Yeah Dung Defender is another one where the song just doesn't right without the sound effects
@@DaronMGL truuuuueee. No way I'm listening to that song without DOMAAA! DOMA DOMA DOMA!
@@DaronMGL don't forget hornet. If you listen to her theme and nobody is screaming hegale! Or pshaw! at you it doesn't count
I still hear the circular saw blade in my head when I listen to the White Palace track and I just want to rage quit my brain!
@@mllesadie2120 that's called PTSD.
✨Timestamps✨
(finished)
3:50 - Dirtmouth
7:13 - Crossroads
14:23 - Greenpath
22:05 - Hornet
28:49 - Reflection
33:27 - Mantis Lords
39:26 - City of Tears
47:40 - Dung Defender
55:23 - Crystals Peak
1:06:31 - Fungal Wastes
1:14:08 - Decisive Battle
1:22:20 - Soul Sanctum
1:31:10 - Resting Grounds
1:38:11 - Sealed Vessel
1:47:31 - Nightmare King
Nkw that i finished these i will rewatch for the full experience, i love seeing people listen to the hollow knight soundtrack or anything hollow knight !! So much fun :]
OMGoodness - THANK YO SO MUCH - I forgot to do that - me so old :)
can’t believe that whoever put together this playlist for him didn’t add false knight 😭
@@washpotatodfalse knight theme is decisive battle and same for alot of bosses
@@epicsansboigaming not true
44:12 I love music. When I reached this part of the game, and I heard this music start to swell in, I was just blown away. Sitting by that bench, listening to that music, hanging out with one of the few friendly faces in the game by the bench as the rain pelts against the window... it hits so hard.
I love how for sealed vessel, he saw comments that the hollow knight dies during that piece, and just due to how sad that composition was he assumed they meant the player (which isn't completely incorrect or anything), but the reason the piece is so sad because it's lamenting the death of the boss itself, which not many video games really do. Of course that isn't to say it's not also somber due to the fate of the knight as well, but the piece is a tribute to a mercy killing of a character (the hollow knight) who had so much promise and who carried so much of the kingdom's hope, and who's only mistake that lead to this situation was simply the very "human" (or i suppose in this case bug) feeling of love for ones father. God hollow knight's lore is so damn amazing.
Bloodborne y hollow knight: musica que trasmite la lamentable muerte del jefe final🤝
"Wow, this us heavy"
Every time the Knight stops to rest, there is a moment of peace, but in that moment, you feel the weight of the lost kingdom on bearing down on your shoulders.
City of Tears needs a rainfall soundscape over it like in the game. The game is set in an underground kingdom, and back to the themes of "the weight of the kingdom" I mentioned before - the City of Tears is under constant rainfall from a Lake in the cavern above. It is a beautiful place showcasing the glory if the kingdom before, the sadness of its fading light, and the constant tension of the potential complete collapse of the cavern food above, that would bury and flood the city.
I just finished this game for the first time this week, it was such a great journey and the soundtrack is just amazing, it really sets the tone of the game really well. I'm glad you did this reaction.
Sealed Vessel OST is so dope. Goosebumps every time the sad and somber part comes out.
Your comments around 1:35:00 the power of music and the soundtrack of life makes me write this. When I first played Hollowknight I was very depressed, with my partner on the other side of the world and feeling lost at a new job. Many very late nights were spent avoiding sleep, playing Hollowknight, much just listening to the soundtrack especially 'resting ground', and 'the white lady'.
Now we are happily married, and I hum 'city of tears' to our son every night as I rock him to sleep.
Also that note a 1:44:54 - That heavy resolution. We've been waiting for 20+ hours of gameplay for that resolution. All the previous notes have come up in various cutscenes and emotional pieces. Only here as the ending credits roll do we get that note.
YES! listening to it with the intentended visuals is THE WAY!
Geebz...words can't express how happy it makes me to have you diving face first into this world of video game music composition and to have an absolute beast like Hollow Knight so early is a really really good sign. The game is not an easy one. Expect challenge and strategize often. Really looking forward to it.
Big shoutout to the individual that did the editing and sent this to him - this was an expertly done editing job and captured the gameplay well with the music. In particular I liked the city of tears edit, shifting from the outside to the bench with quirrel, to the hollow knight monument. So good!
I really want to see your reaction to the rest of the soundtrack. Some standout pieces that you didn't react to include:
- Grimm Troupe
- Broken Vessel
- Hollow Knight
- Nosk
- Radiance
- White Palace
- Queen's Gardens
- The White Lady
- Hive Knight
- Gods and Glory
- Dream Battle
(There are other good ones, but those are some of the real standouts)
And the title theme lmao
yes, grimm troupe, hollow knight, radiance and title theme are a MUST
Pale court is one many people miss. Actually played by live artists, the accord quartet and Péter Kiss.
False knight was a banger too
26:54 the transition to a minor feel with the shift in melody has always really struck me. It's the first indication as to the depth of Hornet's character and the tragic nature of what she has to do
LOL @ 40:00 where the bug runs off the edge and he just pauses and looks down at it briefly before moving on :)
I don't know why it's not loved by the HK community but Radiance is a piece I've always enjoyed from the OST.
Radiance is hella loved. The issue was that it was never down to only one track remaining. Seal Vessel is of course a given and Nightmare King is rocks!
Other popular picks that come to mind would be Pure Vessel, White Palace, Nosk, Kingdom's Edge, and the battle music from the Pantheon. Too many great tracks!
@@po9430 dont forget Pale Court
i just cant listen to it because it gives me p5 ptsd
Parts of the Radiance track sound kind of pirate-ey to me idk why.
@@bbbbb5542 oh pale court is amazing
My best friend and I used to talk about music all the time. Whether it was anime, video game osts, jazz, or our favorite guitarists in general. After he passed it's been hard for me keep my passion, but this channel and seeing your excitement has helped me regain some of what was lost. Thanks Geebz.
As a musician and aspiring video game Composer, Larkin ticks all of the boxes. I have this whole game on vinyl. A true work of art.
My favorite part about this OST is that it almost tells the whole story of the game on its own. You can make so many inferences and/or connections with motifs Larkin uses. You can tell he is completely in tune with what the developers are doing.
You having the material the song is referencing in front of you is so great. Props to the editor.
I'm such a Hollow Knight fanboy dork that I teared up multiple times during this. I always loved the soundtrack, but never really appreciated it fully until I watched you react and point out the details and the nuances of it. Thanks amigo, great stream.
Hollow Knight is a BRUTALLY hard game. I recommend Journey to start out with- you reacted to the music already, and it's much more forgiving and very chill and will let you get comfortable with a controller and not punish you for fumbling a bit.
Hollow Knight will stomp you into the dirt, grind you under it's heel and demand perfection.
Hollow Knight is definitely not "brutally" hard. It's challenging, and there are optional challenges like the pantheons that you could consider brutal, but nothing in the base-game is overly difficult.
@@TarnishedProductions if (big IF here) you're at all familiar with gaming and a controller.
for someone who doesn't play games it's brutal.
@@Retro_Rainer Hollow Knight was my first 2d game aside from like... Freddi Fish as a child and I found it to be pretty forgiving. If you're struggling with a boss you can leave and by the the time you return you've learned the movement better and have maybe figured out that spells are OP. I think more stubborn gamers would have a worse time because they'd try brute forcing a boss above their skill level, while those a little more easily frustrated would leave. Those very easily frustrated... I suppose they'd give up entirely which is a little sad. Tbh it's like Celeste to me. People call it brutally difficult, because it feels that way, but you don't realise just how much you're progressing as you play, improving and learning, until you go back and do something that kicked your ass the first time. The game is actually secretly teaching you everything as you go so it always feels just _slightly_ too hard but maybe beatable, to give you the rush of happy chemicals when you get past a challenge.
@@Retro_Rainer If we're putting HK somewhere on a line between "Easiest Game Ever" and "Hardest Game Ever," I would put it fairly centered, leaning hard just a tad.
@@SuperZergMan yeah, but I assume you play games on a regular basis?
To answer the question at 44:45 , because I didn't see it being mentioned in the live chat: The area this soundtrack plays in, is a pretty desolace city, with perpetually falling rain- hence the name "City of Tears". So the main ambient sound that plays with/over the soundtrack piece is the sound of pouring rain, which in my opinion, makes the experience of hearing it for the first time even more magical. Love these longer type of reaction + videos, great work!
Sealed vessel feels incomplete without watching the actual fight
Hearing the nusic switch to more dramatic and sad with the violins as the hollow knight begins stabbing himself in order to help you
It doesnt even feel like a boss fight anymore, which completely fits the fight
The hollow knight is one of the easiest fights in the game, its barely a challange, which just adds to how unsatisfying it is to get the bad ending
One of my favorite fights in video gaming, its not necessarily hard or challanging, it just feels more like a sacrifice than a boss fight
Nightmare King is actually a remix/sequel song of Grimm’s song, which I personally like better, listening to them back to back really lets you realize the similarities. Christopher knows his stuff.
I don't see a lot of ppl talking about The Hive Knight theme in the HK community but I really love that song with this chevaleresque grandiose vibe, very military snare drum (I suppose) and all the wind/string section. It really captures the overwhelming atmosphere you could find in a beehive mixed with the heroism of the Hive Knight!
Totally agree! Hive Knight's theme is actually my favorite song in the game
Hive Knight is such an underrated song in the ost
I discovered your channel quite recently and I am enjoying myself very much here :D Seeing you react and appreciate one of my favourite game soundtracks was very heartwarming, thank you for that and for all the amazing work
i hope he sees this
For Dirtmouth, the heaviness feel it evokes completely makes sense with it being at the top of the whole kingdom of Hallownest. And as you descend into Forgotten Crossroads you really feel the thick air that connects the whole map. Truly masterful.
Really love the Crystal Peak song from this game, great for studying
Agreed!
I disagree with the people who are saying absolutely don't start with this but it is harder than the person playing here makes it look. You might enjoy learning and getting better. I hadn't played anything this hard before and I really liked it! It does a pretty good job of giving you easier things to do that train you to be better at the harder ones. Maybe try it and don't be afraid to stop if it is too hard.
"casket to a grave" and "mass requiem" are very accurate ways to depict the second part of the final boss track
Such a fantastic OST for my favorite game! Thank for doing this! Glad you enjoyed it!
Oh man starting on Hollow Knight as a first game might be a dive into the deep end lol. It's an absolutely amazing game, and if you were able to tough it out to learn how to play games through hollow knight, that would be huge kudos to you.
That’s kind of what I did. Before hollow knight, the hardest game i played was breath of the wild and I’m so bad with platforming! I had to put the game down from hornet 1 lol after a few months I came back and fell in love with it and brute forced myself to learn the game and ended up getting true ending with 102% 💛 i want to try Pantheons but holy shit I’m nervous lol
If you can, you should register to City of Tears as it goes into Soul Sanctum. Larkins use of leit motif is amazing. It shows a location within the City that has gone down a darker path and culminates in an epic boss battle. And the lore in the game of the Soul Sanctum reflects that. Brilliant!
City of Tears still to this day bring me close to tears and I've listened to that song a gazillion times. It doesn't help that I've done a deep down on the story of this game and understand what the City represents. Such an emotional piece.
Ori and the Blind Forest is another amazing OST
Ooooh. This is one of my favorite game soundtracks. If not my favorite. Thanks for this.
It is so cool to see a guy like you ascend into that for you unknown world of game music. Hope you are having fun. Great content.
For the hornet, I was filming while I beat her and for some reason everytime I went to heal it synced so well with the the moment of music where the melody gives you just a little more hope, I will upload that video to my channel soon
These videos are so good for me! As a composer who doesn't have the time to actually study music theory or composition I have to do everything based on how it sounds to me, with no real guide on what I'm supposed to do.
Watching these videos really helps. So much really useful information that I can apply to my own works.
Thank you, and I'm glad you enjoyed the OST, Hollow Knight has my favourite OST of any game I've ever played, and is the basis of most of my own music.
I love how I found your channel just a few days ago, and now you randomly happen to listen to the OST of my favorite game ever :D
Same here
Im so glad you looked at Sealed Vessel, its easily my favorite song on the OST
I hoped you'd check this one out! I get tracks from this stuck in my head all the time. Thanks for breaking it down and pointing out things I haven't picked up on. Glad to listen to it without sound effects. It'd be awesome if you could get the composer on to chat! All the sound design in this game is super charming and immersive. Even the little character voices (not dialogue, but noises) are delightful.
Such an amazing soundtrack! I loved your breakdown
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love this game so much. The ost is amazing; I'll actually listen to Greenpath sometimes to go to sleep.
Hollow Knight OST my beloved. Gods, I love this game to death. I'm so happy to see you react to it.
43:50, In the case of City of tears the Soundtrack is missing what is in my opinion a vital component of the City's soundscape. The endless rainfall. The city is built underneath a lake, and at some point the cave ceiling sprung a leak so there is always "rain" in the city. The guards also sort of sing as they go about their patrols, but you only occasionally hear that.
The in game presentation of city of tears is actually extremely well done and beautiful. This video ruclips.net/video/lqNgHUvlOyQ/видео.html from about 2:50 to 5:20 should give a sense of how the City's music is introduced, and the overall soundscape of the City of Tears. The music does get flooded out a bit, but the soundscape is so gorgeous.
Got tears in my eyes several times all along this video. I know why know I look forward to SIlksong, (Hollow Knight 2). Thank you for the video PRGeebz
I think one of the best thing about hollow knight is that you can clearly hear the soundtracks even while you are doing intense boss fight
Thanks for this, was fun watching you react to this!
yes! it would be awesome to see a talk between you and Christopher Larkin
I love this ost dude. Watched it over on twitch and now I’ll watch it here :)
Fancy seeing you here
@@shadowhenchy indeed good sir
You mention several times the idea of different parts of the tracks representing something happening in the story - the ambient tracks like "Greenpath" in Hollow Knight are actually dynamic, and so each one has an "exploration" version and an "action" version which they can smoothly transition between as fights or other moments begin and end, which is shown off in the OST version of the pieces.
I'm glad you got Sealed Vessel as one of the final tracks. It's probably my favorite piece in the game in terms of how it musically tells the story of both the fight it takes place in and that character's history, especially those attack notes as the melody tries to return to the tonic but keeps getting forced back up before descending into tragedy. Speaking of the tonic, the OST version incorporates the sequences from both of the main endings to the game, with the very end of the second one being the only place in the entire game where the Hollow Knight's leitmotif, which crops up in so many different tracks, is actually allowed to resolve to the tonic instead of being left hanging. 1:44:33 to 1:44:45 is the leitmotif, and then 1:44:47 to 1:44:56 finally gives it the resolution phrase it's been begging for every other time you hear it throughout the game.
Another great one is "Enter Hallownest", which is an overture that isn't actually in the game itself. If you're interested in some of the game's more bombastic sounds, you might check out Gods and Nightmares, the OST for the DLC content.
After two weeks and from other countrie, спасибо (thanks).
For me this is one of the best games played and music i have listened to so far. Many of this tracks are so good in provoking emotions(for me very melancholic) and are setting the tone for the world of hollow knight, being a fallen empire now mostly forgotten. Liking your videos and your reactions to the music are very entertaining and informative.
Loved watching thoughts on this. Absolutely phenomenal ost to be honest.
You earned a sub. Wish the whole ost was done on the reaction though. Maybe a 2nd video?
There are at least 8-10 more tracks that were not done here, and they are all worth it.
reflection is legitimately my favorite video game music piece ever, and also the most relaxing song ive ever known. was my top song on spotify for two years due to me using it to fall asleep haha
Love it. I have to keep recommending the Ghost of Tsushima OST for you to check out in the future! Would be even better with the visuals like it is here.
You are a fun guy and you are not a mushroom. Great analysis and commentary, great game and soundtrack. Beautiful graphic style in the game. What more could you want? Maybe one day there will be a full soundtrack from Bloodborne, Dark Souls 1, 2 or 3 or Elden Ring? I will definitely be waiting because the music is amazing and beautiful. All of these games are from one developer and from what I can recall many composers created soundtracks for them and probably collaborated with each other.
The cool thing about the mantis lords in connection to their music is that with the notable exception of Hornet, they are the only major enemies that aren't mindless monsters that we are mercy killing, nearly every major enemy other than Hornet and the Mantis lords emanate either madness, sorrow, wildness, or a mix of the three for the most part, the sealed vessel track, for instance, is for the hollow knight, one of the last bosses of the game, it expresses power, but there are instances of clarity where there is pity and sorrow for the one great figure reduced to nothing more than a trapped, tortured beast, to whom the kindest fate we can give to him is death, but the Mantis lords have retained their sanity and it is shown in both their fight and their music, they are highly disciplined, skilled, powerful warriors who operate on honor, this isn't a fight to the death or a mercy kill, its a duel, a challenge to prove your strength to them.
cool fun fact, after you beat them, all the mantis enemies who previously attacked you now bow to you and wont attack you.
P.S, The Hollow Knight is the last/second to last boss depending on your ending, the character you play is generally referred to as ''Little Ghost"
So much Reminds me very much of Nathan Mcree's work on the first tomb raider. Evokes that mystery of a new open space to explore.
When you open a game with a piece like Dirtmouth.... you've hooked me already. I mean.. i stayed in place for like 10 minutes after getting to each and every section my first time playing just to take in the INCREDIBLE soundtrack. Legitimately one of my favorite game OST's ever, period.
39:00 To answer your question, as near as I can:
Dynamics usually tend to deal with 'loudness' of a tone/pitch held, to either louder or softer.
Modulation is usually dealing with changing a note/sound/tone/pitch to whatever you fancy including dynamics.
So, technically, changing the dynamics is affecting the modulation of a sound, but modulation can mean so much more. You can change the modulation so it ends up a different note, a different fullness/hollowness, even a vibrato effect.
This is about the limit of my knowledge.😅
Hands down one of the best OSTs ever created. From music to graphics to gameplay to world design, this game is a work of art
To understand the sealed vessel theme I'll explain both what's going on I the scene but also the stor behind
At 1:38:40 were in a dark building, where this vessel is held, the final boss. THE hollow knight
At 1:38:55 we enter the chamber where is vessel is sealed. And we have to unseal him by destroying the chains holding him
At 1:39:13 the hollow knight (hk) is unsealed. He's both a knight and a prince, aswell as a great warrior. But within him he holds a great evil. This evil grabs at the will and wants of their "host". The evil is an infection. The hk is empty of will and wants, thus his name "the HOLLOW knight"
At 1:41:35 the hk starts to lose against the player. But he also starts to release the evil, because he cannot both hold the evil back and fight the player at the same time. The track takes a tragic turn as the hk decides to fight the evil. In the game this is shown as the hk stabbs himself several times and let's the player hit him. The evil also takes control of the hk several times through out the fight, throwing its own attacks towards the player
At 1:43:26 the hollow knight is finally defeated and the player takes his place, becoming the new sealed vessel. There's 5 official endings to the game and this is one, the easiest.
Also the difference between the knight (the player) and the hollow knight is that the hk isn't truly hollow, in a flashback we get to see how the hollow knight gains a small will by looking up to its father figure, the king. The player never meets the king and grows up alone, thus never having a will
in crystal peak, when you think about the crystal bug boss fight
i think the reason why Christopher used guitar part to give that feeling of a old west fight where you fight to gain something
well the hero actually got the bench as a reward finally! amazing thinking Christopher!!!
If you were to play this game, you will probably quickly notice that the music is adaptive, so on the grimm boss battle, the music goes crazy when he does a specific attack, and when you enter a fight in crossroads, it changes to that part, same thing with sealed vessel.
Oh wow, almost two hours! That’s great, I’ve been waiting for this :D
you should listen to Grimm Troup lyrics made by the channel 'Man on the internet ' on youtube. he basically just puts lyrics onto the song Grimm troup and the nightmare king and it fits really really well with the character named Grimm and what happens when you meet him
When you made the comment about the casket I was like, "Yes, YES! That's exactly what's happening!" (metaphorically)
The reason many of these tracks will change from calm to agitated is because they account for both safe exploration and getting into fights. They will actually go back and forth dynamically in the game.
As someone who’s played this game to completion, the reason I stayed with it was the soundtrack of the City of Tears. When I first reached this zone, instant tears from the music. It’s beautiful, it’s harrowing and sad but I want to stay there and cry with the vocalist.
Hollow night made me cry 3 times. This song was the first.
So do we hear the music before the game noise? Some of us do. Hollow knight is my favorite game and it probably will always be.
Because of the unbelievable music
Dang can't believe I missed this! This soundtrack has had a strangle hold on me for months, can't stop listening to it, dirtmouth, hornet, sealed vessel, white palace, soul sanctum and resting grounds are my personal favs, main theme is also stellar. Can't wait for the sequel and it's music.
crystal peak is one of my fav area themes because the when you get to a one of the hard platforming parts of the area the music adds the guitar and get more intense.
I would love for you to do a video like this about final fantasy 9, i cant say enough about how soul entangling good the music is in that game.
Was great watching this video as I was working, I love your comments! Hollow Knight is one of my favorite videogames of all times, so special to me... Happy you liked the music! If you play videogames in the future, I hope you record it! Would love to see that! Thank you for sharing
Yay my favorite game and one of my favorite video game OSTs!!! Nightmare King Grimm always gives me some Final Fantasy vibes with those dissonant stabs. I love the use of polyrhythms throughout, and I'm glad you pointed out how gamelan-y Crystal Peak was, as that had never dawned on me but you're right. My favorite artist, Joanna Newsom, also is fond of using polyrhythms, and she worked with a fantastic string arranger on one of her albums. If you reacted to her song "Cosmia" or "Emily" on this channel, I would be in your debt.
Was very refreshing to listen along to this during my day. A lot of super interesting insights and a very charming show! :)
This was super cool. I really like these OST videos. Keep em coming Geebz!
Hollow knight is the ONLY OST I consistently listen to and never get tired of an always makes my hairs stand up. Its just amazing and heavy in its feelings which I absolutely love
Grimm's theme (Both his first fight and his Nightmare fight, which is the one you listened to at the end) has got to be some of my favorite piece of game music!!
He is definitely a HARD boss, one you wont forget fighting! But he's so fun, and winning against him is one of the most satisfying victories this game has to offer!
It's quite amazing how the soundtrack adds and removes layers of intensity in real time based on game state. One of the best soundtracks out there.
OMG. Geebz did Hollowknight? I am so excited by this.
Love your reactions sir!
Doing great!
Love from germany!
This OST quickly became a favorite among our household. Not only I, but my 11yo son have beaten the game now, but even the others who haven't beaten it love this music. It's so thematically connected and gorgeously set.
Beating this game at 11 requires some serious skill
@@athan_valentine Yep! I'm so proud of him. HIs tenacity saw him through in the end. Now he's working on the pantheons, having beaten Radiance the normal way.
@Tyler Peacock That's awesome. I just beat the last pantheon a couple of months ago, and it was one of the toughest things I've done. Hope he can do it too.
1:32:32 Ninten-dude!😄that’s me! Woo! Thomas Newman!
I have goosebumps all the time I listen to some good part in music
Great work, thank you for video
24:30 I am pretty sure the idea is that many first time players don't get to the intensity spike the first or second time they attempt the boss fight so this part here attempts to tighten the screws of both players that haven't gotten that far before or that are having their first try and are thinking "oh my god I am doing so well, don't mess up, don't mess up" to make them do panic movements so they take damage and panic further without really changing how the boss is fighting
I was kinda sad Geebz didn't mention the constant leitmotif that builds the base for this OST. You can hear it on every song, in a lot of different ways, and when you realize it, you go - woooooah!
My friend, I don’t know how big you are into big band jazzy music but if there was only one games music I would ask you to react to it would be Cuphead. The game is widely acclaimed and even got an animated kids show on Netflix although most kids would have trouble playing the game as it is very difficult. Anyway this video made me smile so Thankyou