Of Insects, Wisps, and Uncertainty : A Hermeneutical Comparative Analysis of Ori and the Blind Forest and Hollow Knight

This paper is a multidisciplinary comparative analysis of two recent ludonarrative artifacts, Ori and the Blind Forest and Hollow Knight. Coming from the context of the uncertainty of light generated by the wave-particle duality paradox, and utilizing the analytical framework of game hermeneutics, this paper will argue that uncertainty acts as the central ludic and narrative impulse for both of these games. The first section will present the uncertainty inherent in the double hermeneutic and provide some brief context for the discussion of the two games. The second section will compare the gameplay experience, while the third section will contrast the narratives. The final section will conclude.