Hype Knight: Silksong

To call Hollow Knight: Silk Song hotly-anticipated is the understatement of the year; aside from being hyped to the moon, it was also considered almost an urban myth, with gamers at one point joking we’d get Grand Theft Auto VI before we got Silksong. And then, with no warning, Team Cherry not only revealed that the game was done, but that it’d be released within two weeks of the reveal and at a low price point.

This threw other game release dates into disarray, because who wants to go up against a cultural juggernaut like Silksong? The first Hollow Knight might not have invented the Metroidvania genre but it certainly became a prime example of how to do it well, so it was fair for both gamers and game devs to expect Silksong to follow in its nimble insect footsteps. 

Of course, it’s also possible that the weight of its predecessor crushes Silksong like a bug underfoot. To find out whether Silksong earns its Game of the Year nomination for 2025, read my Silksong review!

The Same Old (Silk)Song

It’s impossible to start any Hollow Knight: Silksong review without noting that this was initially conceived as DLC for the first game, and in many ways the specter of Hollow Knight still haunts Silksong’s already haunted world of Pharloom. Aside from looks, gameplay follows a similar Metroidvania path to the original, where new skills unlock alternate routes and different locations. 

However, while technically it’s more of the same, it’s also an excuse for Team Cherry to show what they learnt from Hollow Knight and refine what worked. After all, they’ve had eight years to do this, given the first game was released way back in 2017.

Silksong starts with a nicely-animated intro in which the protagonist this time, Hornet, is being transported in a cage-like carriage. Suddenly, neon white lines spread out and engulf the carriage, causing it to tumble down into the first area, Moss Grotto, freeing Hornet in the process. A handy needle-like blade is also nearby, and so, suitably armed, our heroine sets out on her adventure. 

It’s a succinct entry (back) into this insectoid world, injecting mystery and momentum from the beginning. Coupled with Hornet’s occasional moments of apparent fatigue that seem to come out of nowhere, there’s also an undercurrent of unease – is she maybe not as capable as we’d like to believe? 

Answers do come, but you’ll need to spend roughly 30 hours to complete the main story to get them. There are also multiple side quests and secrets to find, too, so completionists should reasonably expect to spend upwards of 40 hours, even 60, to 100% Silksong.

Luckily, Pharloom is brought to life with richly-detailed parallax scrolling that adds substantial depth to the 2D platformer. Little details, like how rocks and moss can be smashed for no real purpose, help with immersion, while the map twists and turns in unexpected ways. 

Take Moss Grotto’s damp, verdant scenery, for example. This soon leads into Ruined Chapel, that’s all dark bone and rock. Later, you’ll lead Hornet through the industrial heat of Deep Docks before journeying up to the rain-lashed Grey Moor. It all looks lovely, with characters drawn in clean lines and bold colors, enhanced with some of the most fluid animation I’ve ever seen in a game.

A Hornet’s Sting

Hollow Knight: Silksong isn’t a serene day trip, though. There are over 150 enemies, from fuzzy caterpillars to spiky grubs and various winged terrors, that want to murder Hornet. And they will, repeatedly, because Silksong is a tough game. I’d argue it’s a lot harder than the first one, but your mileage may vary.

I don’t like throwing the term “Soulslike” around all the time, but the simple fact is a lot of modern games owe at least some of their DNA to this genre, and Silksong – for better and worse – follows suit. 

The last place you died holds a cocoon you can smash to get back some of the things you collected (like Shell Shards and Rosary Beads; the former is for crafting, the latter is currency). Places to rest and regain health are often quite far from bosses, who often involve lengthy battles that can feel like a war of attrition.

Although to be fair, a lot of players enjoy this kind of harsh challenge (just check out Hollow Knight: Silksong Steam reviews to see how many). I do too, but in moderation, and Silksong arguably favors punishment over reward. 

That’s not to say that Hornet is outgunned or even outclassed; she starts with a ledge-grab, and soon unlocks dash and float movement options. Indeed, she’s a far more agile character than Hollow Knight, and using her moveset is key to survival.

Hornet starts with a simple needle-sword but does gain other abilities. These include Needle Strike, Thread Storm, Silkspear, and vary from heavy and slow high-damage attacks to AOE powers. Hornet can also equip Crests, of which there are seven in total. These alter her moveset and allow for the use of more defensive abilities, chained attacks, and even a Berserker mode.

Friends and Foes

After spending a lot of time in forlorn insect towns and Giger-esque cathedrals, I’m not entirely convinced Silksong is going to win at this year’s Game Awards, but it’s definitely earned its place on the list of nominees, and here’s why.

During the course of my Hollow Knight: Silksong review I came close to ragequitting a few times, almost always as a result of boss battles, but occasionally due to tough platforming challenges. However, it’s worth noting that the sense of achievement that comes from finally beating a monstrous boss like the Skull Tyrant is worth its weight in gold. 

Luckily, while backtracking is part and parcel of all Metroidvanias (from Animal Well to Blasphemous 2), Silksong’s world is fun to explore. I strongly recommend going back and poking around in dark corners for secret areas, as there’s a pretty good chance you’ll have overlooked something (or someone) that could lead to a helpful boost.

Speaking of which, the good news is that Pharloom isn’t all death and punishment – there are shopkeepers, wanderers and archivists dotted around the place that can offer equipment, lore, or some other form of help to Hornet. It’s also in these encounters that Team Cherry’s writing shines, as they allow the studio to sprinkle-in welcome doses of humor.

My Final Verdict on Hollow Knight: Silksong

I know my Hollow Knight Silksong game review isn’t alone in noting that “more of the same” is the order of the day here. A quick eyeball at the Hollow Knight: Silksong Metacritic score from other players shows that most feel the same. However, there are a few contrarian reviews just for the sake of it, but you won’t get that from me. 

Some boss battles are well-choregraphed gauntlets that reward persistence and memorisation of attack patterns, but even these can feel like they last too long. Hornet starts as quite a weak character, although as the first friendly face she encounters notes she holds more power than others suspect, and it is fun unlocking that power – even if it feels like this, too, takes longer than it should.

Thankfully, as frustrating as all this is, the world is beautifully-realised, the soundtrack alternates between elegiac and epic without ever becoming overbearing, and Hornet is ultimately a joy to control.

Team Cherry’s controversial decision to release Silksong for under $20 leads into discussions about play time versus value, and the studio’s long-awaited sequel arguably delivers on quantity. Aside from its almost cruel level of baseline difficulty in places, I’d also happily end this Silksong review with a note that it delivers on quality, too. 

Hollow Knight: Silksong 

The Sting of Victory

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a punishing Metroidvania that borrows all the best bits from its predecessor and doubles down on the more Soulslike aspects. Boss battles and platforming challenges veer on the harsh side, but a gorgeous world makes it all worth exploring.