I love both games as well. But even though they’re both considered metroidvanias, they’re fundamentally different games and preference really depends on what you’re looking for.

The death mechanic on Ori is a lot more forgiving as checkpoints are frequent and there’s no tracking back to get your souls back. Hollow Knight is brutal and far more of a challenge. Hollow Knights combat also feels “tighter” and more satisfying than Ori. However, Ori imo has a better story , music, and graphics. The traversal in Ori is a lot more smoother and enjoyable than HN, I find myself mindlessly cruising through the entire world (similar to how I feel swinging through Spiderman).