It didn't stand out in terms of power, like Bismark or Yamato did. It wasn't even a battleship, nor was it particularly advanced at the outbreak of WW2, as it was in the process of being refitted around that time.
The ~42000 tonne HMS Hood was a very large capital ship, the longest built for britain till 2014 (surpassed only by the QE class aircraft carrier in 2014).
For close to two decades, the mighty Hood was the world’s largest, fastest, and most famous & prestigious warship, the symbol of the British navy. (She had been the flagship of the Home fleet and cut a dashing figure).
Designed a year into the first world war, she was supposed to be the next generation warship that outclassed her contemporaries (like Queen Elisabeth class battleships). She had better armament (8x15" guns), better protection (~13800 tonnes) and was faster. However there were known deficiencies in her protection (shown up by the battle of Jutland) and the modifications added weight.
By 1939s she was rather long in the tooth and had clearly been surpassed and running on reputation. Her aura was still intimidating though.
Her deficiencies were known and she was scheduled for a refit. However the exigencies of war (and costs) meant she continued to be pressed into service through 1942. Unfortunately she encountered the bismark in 1941.
Modern historians sometimes call her the one of the first true modern fast battleships rather than the last of Britain's battlecruisers.
I posted this in /r/navy few days ago, you may be interested in it to find out about the mentioned deficiencies first experimented in the Jutland engagement during WWI.
http://www.informationdissemination.net/2014/12/the-enduring-myth-of-fragile_16.html