Hollow Knight: Silksong – Masterpiece with Minor Flaws

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• DEVELOPER: Team Cherry
• PUBLISHER: Team Cherry
• PLATFORMS: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
• GENRE: Metroidvania
• RELEASE DATE: September 4, 2025
• STARTING PRICE: 19,50€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

What words could describe Hollow Knight: Silksong, a game that managed to break all platforms and attract over 500,000 concurrent players in just one hour? The real question is, is the hype justified? If you’re the type of player who stops at every passage or wants to find all the bosses and try to unlock as much as possible, you can beat the game in 20-40 hours, maybe even more. But that doesn’t mean you’ll unlock the true ending. Through multiple playthroughs, you will manage to complete a whole chapter that lasts for three acts, and Team Cherry has already announced possible DLCs.

A Brand-New Character Introduces Faster, More Dynamic Gameplay

Silksong follows Hornet, a key character from the original Hollow Knight. Hornet is kidnapped and taken to the kingdom of Pharloom. In this cursed land, numerous pilgrims are trying to reach the top of the Citadel, probably to solve the danger threatening their home. Hornet, too, for her own reasons, wants to reach the top. Unlike the silent protagonist in Hollow Knight, Hornet is not mute. She regularly reacts and participates in dialogues with other characters, which makes the entire narrative more interesting and better structured. Every interaction, subplot, and seemingly unrelated detail is more impressive because her participation draws you further into Silksong’s story.

“Every player’s playthrough is its own story and its own canon, so nothing is universally true or false.”

Additionally, the new protagonist is faster and more agile. World exploration is made easier by her running and later gliding, but platforming remains a key element. Navigating through numerous locations and biomes will be challenging because Silksong never gives up on its intention to make your life difficult. You will get new skills to overcome obstacles, but the game remains demanding and unforgiving of mistakes. The platforming in Silksong is noticeably harder than in the original. This difficulty, along with a new resource management system, gives the platforming a feel similar to “Soulslike” games. In this game, you are simply forced to be patient and learn the patterns.

Hornet’s standard attacks include a simple needle jab, while various throwables and other tools give her a greater range and contribute to a more dynamic combat experience. However, what truly sets her apart are her more advanced abilities, like the grappling hook or the Cross Stitch counterattack skill that parries incoming blows. In other words, in Silksong, you have more ways to fight enemies and move through different locations.

However, this title still suffers from the same problem as the original game. The beginning and early parts are incredibly taxing without any particular reason. Although the experience improves as you progress and gain more skills, some design decisions could have been more flexible. It seems like Silksong tries to cater exclusively to hardcore players, forgetting about those who are not as nimble and skilled at playing this type of game.

“Silksong is way harder than Hollow Knight, and my theory is that Team Cherry became evil masterminds without even realizing it.”

Far From a Typical Metroidvania

I’d dare say this isn’t a classic Metroidvania. It feels as if the developers prepared us for this game with Hollow Knight, and this sequel brings even more frustrating moments. The dash function is only unlocked after you’ve already traversed four biomes, and until then, you have to fight bosses by relying on walking and throwing needles. The new “pogo” attack, which is now a diagonal downward strike, requires maximum input precision, so you’ll often miss either enemies or platforming objects. Turning during this attack is also harder, especially on an Xbox controller. Another confusing decision is that the compass, which shows your location on the map, is not a permanent upgrade. This means you can’t use it simultaneously with other exploration items.

As for the Soulslike elements, Hornet loses her currency upon death. If you want to retrieve the lost geo, you have to return to the spot where you died without perishing again. Fortunately, most of the benches (checkpoints) in Silksong are well-placed, and you can quickly get back into the action, just don’t forget to rest on a bench, or the game will return you to the last one you rested at. Enemies are also quite aggressive and varied, from weak, standard ones to flying opponents and those who throw projectiles at you. However, it’s worth repeating: if you didn’t like the original Hollow Knight, you probably won’t love Silksong.

“The really interesting things are the things you sort of discover along the way.”

Healing is also more demanding because it consumes more energy, and some enemies can hit harder. This certainly won’t appeal to everyone, as the game punishes you in some ways if you’re not careful enough. The bosses, on the other hand, get progressively more difficult. While you will encounter some simpler mini-bosses, the main ones are quite memorable and challenging.

For example, you will fight a bug that spits acid, Lace who wields a sword and has various combo attacks, etc. Without revealing too many details, you can expect the final boss to be extremely tough, similar to the first game. However, Silksong introduces a huge number of new bosses. Each one will provide a certain dose of fun, but you must understand that nothing is easy in this game. You have to be prepared to die a lot until you learn the moves and patterns of each enemy.

What Are the Main New Features?

The crafting feature is unlocked when you find a special NPC called the “Blacksmith’s Daughter.” She acts as a merchant who can craft new tools in exchange for Rosary Beads and specific materials, like “Craftmetal.” Crafting is not just a side activity; it’s a crucial part of progression. To unlock new areas or overcome certain challenges, you will often need to craft a specific tool. For example, to pass through a cave filled with lava without taking damage, you’ll need the Magma Bell.

“Hornet, what compels your climb out of the darkness?”

Silksong also introduces a new Talisman system with three types, representing exploration (yellow), defense (blue), and attack (green). Although limited slots prevent you from using all the talismans you find, you’ll quickly realize this is an intentional design decision. It forces you to make difficult choices, encouraging you to carefully select the right talismans for specific situations. The currency has also been changed from Geo to Rosary Beads, which are easier to collect. You can also string these beads together to keep them in your inventory and prevent losing them after death.

Main missions are precisely marked on a map that is now twice as large. However, you will have to buy parts of the map from a character named Shakra, whom you will meet periodically. He sells various map add-ons, so this option won’t be available right from the start. Although Silksong is a massive game with numerous areas to explore, the “fast travel” option mitigates the monotony of travel, especially once you unlock it. If you’re not a fan of backtracking, you won’t be able to avoid it here. But thanks to running and dashing, everything happens faster and more dynamically, so you don’t feel like you’ve wasted much time moving back and forth.

“The SILKSONG IS REAL!”

The main problem with Silksong lies in the way side quests are handled. These tasks, called “Wishes” in the game, are often taken on from characters in main hubs or from specific NPCs throughout the world. And this is where the sequel falls short. While a few well-designed quests stand out, too many of them boil down to monotonous enemy-killing, tracking, or item collection. Some are even extremely tedious and require too much enemy grinding, which simply doesn’t fit the otherwise exciting pace of the game. A particularly good mechanic is the ability to have NPCs join you in battle. They can even help you in boss fights, where they take hits and distract the enemy.

Completely Justified Hype

The graphics, music, visuals, and overall atmosphere in Silksong are masterfully executed. Although the maps are sometimes sparse in detail, each location exudes a unique style. This draws you so deeply into the world and story that you don’t even notice the lack of detail. Moreover, the visual style retains the recognizable charm of Hollow Knight but with a completely new ambiance that sets the vast world of Pharloom apart and makes it special.

The overall hype surrounding Silksong is completely justified. The game has become a true cultural phenomenon and provides enough content for multiple playthroughs. It is undeniable that Silksong has met fan expectations: it successfully strikes a perfect balance between Hollow Knight’s recognizable DNA and new ideas. While it doesn’t stray too far from the original and uses familiar mechanics from other Metroidvanias, it is precisely this faithfulness to the core DNA that is the reason why everyone has fallen in love with this game.

When you consider that this title costs only 19,50 euros on Steam, one has to wonder who is crazy here and what the sales numbers will even be. In any case, if you haven’t already, you must get a copy of this incredible game.

Review copy provided by the publisher