"So, you knew about this ahead of time, UP?"
"What else is coming? Spill the details!"
Ichin chuckled and explained, "Yeah, I knew about Metroid in advance. During negotiations with Nintendo, I got some insight into their upcoming plans. Of course, I couldn't say anything due to confidentiality agreements. But now that it's officially announced, it's fine to talk about it. This is a great game—if you haven't played it before, you absolutely should give it a try."
As he spoke, his eyes remained fixed on the PV (promotional video).
Although he had known that a new Metroid title would be revealed, he hadn't seen any details beforehand.
The trailer showed Samus exploring a mysterious facility. As she walked through a corridor, the camera subtly shifted to show a white, mechanical entity clinging to the ceiling behind her. The moment Samus passed by, it began to move.
Noticing the machine crawling along the ceiling, Samus immediately aimed and fired—but her attacks had no effect.
The next scene shifted to in-game footage, displaying the familiar side-scrolling gameplay. Samus continued advancing while the mechanical enemy persistently pursued her from behind.
"So this installment isn't just about classic Metroid exploration," Ichin analyzed excitedly. "They've added an escape mechanic where you're being hunted! And from the looks of it, if you get caught, it's an instant game over. That means whenever this thing shows up, you have to be extra careful—no room for mistakes!"
The trailer continued, showing Samus traversing a variety of environments filled with traps, explosions, and intricate level designs. This was followed by a series of intense boss battles.
While the graphical quality was somewhat hindered by the Switch's limited hardware, Ichin didn't mind. Metroid had never been about high-end visuals—gameplay and exploration were what truly mattered.
Finally, the game's title was revealed at the end of the PV.
As the trailer concluded and the screen returned to the presentation stage, the audience erupted into cheers. It was clear just how much excitement this revival of a beloved franchise had generated.
But that was only the beginning—more interesting games were on the way.
A remastered version of Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, a classic horror game, was announced.
Then came Mario Party Superstars, a party game perfect for group gatherings.
Super Robot Wars 30, the 30th-anniversary installment of the iconic mecha crossover series, made a surprise appearance with a new PV.
Next was Melty Blood: Type Lumina, a fighting game set in the Tsukihime universe.
There were also third-party ports, including Dying Light 1, which was a notable addition.
Of course, not every reveal was exciting. Monster Hunter Rise, for example, only announced a new crossover event featuring an Akuma skin from Street Fighter.
Ichin had already lost interest in Monster Hunter Rise—he had played it briefly at launch, but it had long been buried in his backlog.
Then came Pokémon.
This part of the presentation dedicated a significant amount of time to Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl and the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Arceus. But despite the lengthy showcase, the actual content didn't seem all that impressive.
After watching Game Freak's segment, Ichin glanced at the chat, curled his lips, and said, "Don't expect Arceus to be some groundbreaking open-world game. Game Freak doesn't understand open-world design. Instead of hoping for some vast and content-rich world, you'd be better off praying for better optimization. Otherwise, we'll just end up with another game that lags like crazy in the wild areas and has atrocious textures."
"As for whether I'll buy it? Nah, I don't have time to play it. Neither the Diamond & Pearl remakes nor Arceus are on my priority list. I'll wait until second-hand copies drop in price—maybe then I'll check a used game store and pick one up."
Of course, people in the chat were quick to joke: "You say you won't buy it, I won't buy it, but watch the remakes sell another 10 million copies anyway."
"Hahaha, so true!"
"I have a feeling the remakes will sell pretty well."
Seeing the discussion about the Pokémon remakes, Ichin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the sales definitely won't be low. Even if they don't reach the numbers of Sword & Shield, they should still hit at least 5 million, maybe even more. But honestly, what does that have to do with me? It's not like I need Pokémon to survive. Alright, alright, let's move on to the next part."
With that, the Nintendo Direct moved on to the third-party and indie game section. Ever since the Switch launched, Nintendo had been actively expanding its game lineup, and over time, plenty of great indie titles had found a home on the platform.
Ichin watched with a smile as the screen faded to black, and a title appeared.
"Here it comes—our game."
Aoba gasped in surprise. "Huh? We're the first one?"
At that moment, everyone else in the room stopped what they were doing and gathered around Ichin. Suddenly, the camera feed was filled with a group of girls—each of them a stunning beauty—making the scene almost overwhelming to look at.
Fortunately, the camera window was small, and everyone was more focused on the studio's new game than the unexpected eye candy.
As the trailer played, the protagonist of the game appeared on-screen. Unlike typical game protagonists, this one had a small, white, bug-like head and stood on two legs. The unique design immediately caught the audience's attention.
Though it had a slightly dark and eerie aesthetic, the hand-drawn art style was still visually appealing rather than unsettling.
Then, gameplay footage began rolling, and the audience quickly realized—this was a Metroidvania!
"A Metroidvania game?"
Ichin nodded. "Yeah, it does have Metroidvania elements, but we've also added our own innovations. Keep watching, and you'll see what makes it unique."
As the trailer progressed, the game's distinct mechanics became more apparent. While it retained the classic Metroidvania structure, it also showcased fluid and engaging side-scrolling combat.
In one scene, the protagonist was defeated by a massive creature, only to respawn at a specific location and return to the spot of their death to recover lost items.
"Take note, everyone," Ichin explained. "Dying in the game comes with certain penalties—not too harsh, but enough to make you cautious."
The footage continued, showing intense battles against a variety of bosses—some towering, some swift and deadly. And finally, the game's title appeared on the screen:
Hollow Knight
Below the title, the Nintendo Switch logo appeared, along with a message: Releasing in 2021. Demo available now on the eShop.
"Whoo!"
As the trailer ended, Ichin grinned. "Alright, that was our studio's new game. The Chinese title is 窟窿騎士, but in English, it's called Hollow Knight."
"Huh? A Steam version?" He chuckled. "Of course! The Steam version will launch at the same time as the Switch version. But since this is a Nintendo presentation, it wasn't the right place to highlight other platforms."
"As for the demo—it'll be available on both the Switch and Steam in about fifteen minutes. Feel free to download it and give it a try. Thanks for all your support!"
...
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