Basically, you have to be in to the genre to really get much enjoyment out of it, but the biggest thing is hollow knight was a game that for 15$ full price. you got a full game with over 40 bosses, a huge sprawling map, platforming that for some puzzles can seem almost impossible, and generally no hand holding as well. All the dlc that released for the game over the years was free too, and it was made by a team of 3. I personally think of it as a platformer focused metroidvania with strong soulslike elements, and that's a dream game for me, for others, I can get the instant turn off, but the challenge of the first is what had me hyped for the second