You finally reach it after hours of claustrophobic tunnels and dim green light. You slot a Crest into a statue, the gate cranks open, and suddenly, everything changes. The music shifts to a melancholic piano melody. Rain—which shouldn’t even exist underground—beats against the glass. It’s the City of Tears Hollow Knight players remember most vividly. It is the heart of Hallownest, both geographically and emotionally. Honestly, it’s the moment the game transforms from a difficult platformer into a genuine masterpiece.
The scale is overwhelming. For a first-timer, the verticality of the spires and the sheer thickness of the atmosphere can feel suffocating. Yet, it’s beautiful. You’re standing in a graveyard of a civilization that thought it would live forever. The rain isn't even weather; it's lake water leaking through the ceiling from the Blue Lake above. That’s the kind of environmental storytelling Team Cherry nailed.
Navigating the Rain-Slicked Labyrinth
Getting around the City of Tears is a lesson in patience. You can’t just dash through. The area is split into two main wings, separated by a massive elevator and guarded by those annoying Great Husk Sentries. If you’re coming in from the Fungal Wastes, you’re stuck in the western half until you find a way around. It’s a classic Metroidvania "lock and key" design, but it feels organic here.
You’ve got the Nailsmith tucked away in the far left corner. Don't ignore him. Upgrading your nail is basically mandatory if you want to survive the Soul Sanctum. Speaking of which, the Soul Sanctum is a nightmare. It’s a vertical gauntlet of teleporting Soul Twisters that will absolutely wreck your health bar if you aren't careful. It’s where the game stops holding your hand.
The transit system here is also peak design. You have the Stag Station, the elevator to the Crossroads, and eventually, the passage to the Royal Waterways. It’s a hub. Everything flows through the city. It’s busy, yet dead. That's the paradox of the City of Tears.
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The Soul Sanctum and the Ethics of Immortality
Let's talk about the Soul Master. He’s a jerk. But more importantly, his lore is fascinatingly dark. While the rest of the city was trying to build walls against the infection, the scholars in the Soul Sanctum decided to harvest "Soul" to stay pure. They thought they were smarter than the Pale King. They weren't.
The piles of discarded bug shells in the background tell the story. They experimented on their own kind. It’s a grim reflection of what happens when a society values survival over morality. When you finally beat the Soul Master and get the Desolate Dive, it doesn't feel like a heroic victory. It feels like putting a mad dog down.
Why the Music Makes the Experience
Christopher Larkin’s score for the City of Tears is arguably the best track in the game. It uses a technique called leitmotif, where the melody reflects the city's tragic history. The vocals are haunting. They sound like they're echoing through a massive, empty cathedral. Which, let's be real, is exactly what the city is.
The music changes when you enter different sub-areas. In the Soul Sanctum, it gets frantic and brass-heavy. Back in the main streets, it’s just the piano and the rain. It’s immersive in a way few indie games ever manage. You don't just play this level; you feel it.
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Hidden Mechanics and Secret Rooms
There is so much stuff hidden in the walls here. You’ve got Eternal Emilitia, a bug who literally laughed as everyone else died because she was "socially rejected" by the upper class. Now she’s the only one left with her mind intact. Talk about irony.
Then there’s the Pleasure House. You need a Simple Key to get in, but once you do, you find Millibelle the Banker if she’s stolen your money. You can literally beat the Geo out of her in a hot spring. It’s a weirdly cathartic moment in an otherwise depressing area.
- The Hollow Knight statue in the center provides crucial lore.
- Lemm is your best friend for dumping all those King’s Idols and Wanderer’s Journals.
- Cornifer is hidden high up, listen for his humming or you'll be lost for an hour.
- Watch out for the elevator shafts; there are secret openings in the walls midway up.
The Narrative Pivot Point
The City of Tears Hollow Knight experience is where the plot actually kicks in. Before this, you're just a bug wandering in the woods. Here, you meet Hornet again. She tells you about the sacrifice required to save the kingdom. You see the statue of the Hollow Knight and the Dreamers. The stakes are finally laid out.
It’s also where you realize the Pale King wasn't exactly a "good" guy. He built this shining city on the backs of thousands, and when the infection hit, he just... disappeared. The luxury of the city—the velvet benches, the gilded elevators—contrasts sharply with the rotting corpses of the guards still patrolling the hallways.
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Surviving the Sentries
If you're struggling with combat here, you aren't alone. The Great Husk Sentries are a massive jump in difficulty. They have long reach and a lot of stagger resistance. The trick is to use your spells. Vengeful Spirit (or Shade Soul later) is your best friend because it hits multiple times and keeps you at a safe distance.
Don't try to tank them. This isn't Dark Souls where you can just hide behind a shield. You have to dance. Dash in, strike once, dash out. It’s rhythmic. Once you find the Nailsmith and get your first Pale Ore upgrade, these fights become much more manageable. But that first stroll through the city? It's brutal.
Real-World Influence and Design Philosophy
Team Cherry has mentioned in various interviews (like those with Kotaku and Edge Magazine) that their design philosophy relies on "environmental storytelling." They didn't want to use cutscenes to explain the City of Tears. They wanted the player to look at the background assets. The rain, the architecture, the way the light hits the water—it all tells a story of lost grandeur.
It’s inspired by Gothic architecture, obviously, but there’s a touch of Victorian industrialism in the elevators and the plumbing. It’s a mix of the organic and the mechanical. It’s the peak of Hallownest's technology, and it still couldn't stop a microscopic infection. That’s a powerful message.
Master the City of Tears with These Steps
To truly conquer this area and make the most of your mid-game progression, follow this specific sequence:
- Find Cornifer immediately. He is located in the upper-right section of the first main area you enter. Without a map, the verticality of the city will leave you running in circles.
- Visit the Nailsmith. Head to the far left of the city (bottom floor). This is the single most important power spike in the game. You'll need 250 Geo for the first upgrade, no Pale Ore required.
- Sell your relics to Lemm. He’s located in a tower near the fountain. This is how you fund your nail upgrades and buy expensive Charms from Salubra.
- Beating the Soul Master. Don't rush him. His projectiles track you, so you need to move in a "circular" motion. When he does his dive attack, jump and dash to avoid the shockwave. Getting the Desolate Dive ability is essential for reaching the Crystal Peaks later.
- Unlock the shortcuts. There are several lever-operated gates that connect the Soul Sanctum back to the main city. Unlock these before you lose all your Geo to a stray Husk Sentry.
The City of Tears isn't just a level; it's the soul of the game. It’s where you stop being a visitor and start becoming part of the world’s history. Take your time, listen to the rain, and don't let the Soul Twisters tilt you too hard. Once you leave this place, the game never feels small again.