This Hollow Knight Silksong review looks at whether Team Cherry has successfully followed one of the most respected Metroidvania games of the modern era. After years of anticipation, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally arrived with a huge amount of pressure surrounding it. The question was simple: could a sequel live up to the reputation of Hollow Knight?
The answer is surprisingly strong. Silksong keeps the exploration, combat, atmosphere, and demanding platforming that made the original special, while giving Hornet a faster and more flexible style of play. It also introduces a new kingdom, new enemies, new characters, new abilities, and a much larger adventure. Critics have generally praised the game, although its difficulty and occasional frustrating design choices remain important considerations.
Hollow Knight Silksong Review: What Makes It Different?
Hollow Knight: Silksong moves the adventure away from Hallownest and places Hornet in the mysterious kingdom of Pharloom. Instead of controlling the silent Knight from the original game, players take control of Hornet, a character who already has a strong personality and a very different fighting style.
This change immediately gives Silksong its own identity. Hornet moves quickly, jumps with greater freedom, and attacks with her needle weapon. Her movement feels more athletic, which makes both combat and platforming more dynamic.
The game still follows the core Metroidvania formula. Players explore interconnected areas, discover abilities, defeat bosses, uncover hidden routes, and return to previous locations after gaining new powers. However, Silksong adds more structure to the adventure, including quests and clearer objectives.
The World of Pharloom
Pharloom is one of the strongest parts of the game. Team Cherry has created another beautifully hand-crafted world filled with strange creatures, ancient locations, dangerous environments, and mysterious stories.
The setting feels different from Hallownest while still carrying the distinctive atmosphere associated with Hollow Knight. Some areas are gloomy and threatening, while others are brighter and filled with unusual colours and details.
Exploration remains a major reason to keep playing. Pharloom constantly encourages curiosity because hidden rooms, characters, shortcuts, abilities, and secrets can appear around almost every corner. The world feels designed to reward players who are willing to look beyond the obvious path.
The visual presentation also works extremely well with the music. Christopher Larkin’s soundtrack adds emotional weight to quiet areas while making major battles feel more dramatic.
Combat and Hornet’s Abilities
Combat is faster in Silksong than in the original Hollow Knight. Hornet’s movement allows her to attack, dodge, jump, and reposition quickly, creating battles that demand concentration.
Her needle gives combat a distinctive rhythm. Players need to understand enemy patterns rather than simply attacking repeatedly. As the adventure progresses, additional abilities and tools provide more ways to approach difficult situations.
Healing also feels different because Hornet can use silk to recover health. This creates an interesting balance between attacking enemies and finding safe opportunities to recover.
Boss fights are another major highlight. Many encounters require players to learn patterns, understand timing, and react quickly. Winning after several failed attempts can feel extremely rewarding because the game makes improvement part of the experience.
Difficulty: Is Silksong Too Hard?
Difficulty is probably the biggest issue to consider before playing Hollow Knight: Silksong. This is not designed to be a relaxed adventure where players can easily defeat every enemy.
The game expects players to learn from mistakes. Some bosses and platforming sections can be extremely demanding, especially when players first encounter them. The challenge becomes more manageable as players understand movement, enemy patterns, and Hornet’s abilities.
However, the difficulty is not always perfectly consistent. Some sections can feel significantly tougher than others, and certain platforming moments may become frustrating. Several reviews have specifically mentioned the game’s harsh design and occasional issues with difficulty balance.
For players who enjoy challenging games, this will probably be one of Silksong’s biggest strengths. Players who prefer relaxed exploration may need more patience.
Story and Characters
Silksong’s story continues the series’ preference for mystery rather than straightforward storytelling. Pharloom has its own history, secrets, factions, and unusual characters, but the game does not simply explain everything immediately.
Hornet makes the narrative more direct because she can speak and react to the world around her. Her personality adds a different energy to the story compared with the silent protagonist of the original game.
Much of the game’s lore is discovered through exploration and conversations. Players who enjoy reading environmental clues and searching for hidden details will find plenty to investigate.
The story therefore works best when players take their time. Rushing from one objective to another can still be enjoyable, but exploring Pharloom makes the world feel much richer.
Exploration and Progression
Exploration remains at the heart of the Hollow Knight experience. Silksong gives players plenty of reasons to revisit locations because new abilities can open previously inaccessible areas.
The difference is that progression feels somewhat more guided than in the original. Objectives and quests provide additional direction, which can make the adventure easier to follow without completely removing the feeling of discovery.
This is a welcome change for players who enjoyed Hollow Knight’s world but occasionally struggled with knowing where to go next. At the same time, Silksong still gives exploration enough freedom to preserve the Metroidvania experience.
Visuals and Sound
Silksong looks exceptional. Its hand-drawn environments are detailed without feeling overcrowded, and the animation gives Hornet and the creatures of Pharloom plenty of personality.
Each area has a distinct visual identity, helping the large world feel varied rather than repetitive. Small environmental details also make exploration more rewarding because the background often feels like part of the world rather than simple decoration.
The soundtrack complements these visuals beautifully. Music can shift from quiet and atmospheric to intense during major encounters, helping important moments stand out.
Together, the art and music create the same kind of memorable atmosphere that made Hollow Knight so respected while giving Silksong its own identity.
Is Hollow Knight Silksong Worth Playing?
For most fans of Metroidvania games, the answer is yes. Hollow Knight Silksong successfully builds on the strengths of the original while making meaningful changes to movement, combat, quests, and exploration.
It is especially appealing to players who enjoy challenging platforming, difficult boss fights, atmospheric worlds, secrets, and rewarding progression.
The game is not perfect. Its demanding difficulty can become frustrating, and some side activities and platforming sections may feel less polished than the strongest parts of the adventure. Still, these problems do not outweigh the overall quality of the experience.
Hollow Knight Silksong Review Verdict
After years of anticipation, Hollow Knight: Silksong has managed to avoid becoming a disappointing sequel. Instead, Team Cherry has delivered a large, confident Metroidvania adventure that understands what made the original special while giving Hornet her own identity.
The fast combat, detailed world, memorable bosses, atmospheric soundtrack, and rewarding exploration are the game’s biggest strengths. Its difficulty can be intimidating, but overcoming those challenges is also a major part of the appeal.
For fans of Hollow Knight, Silksong is an easy recommendation. For newcomers, it is also an impressive introduction to the series, although players should be prepared for a game that expects patience and persistence. Overall, this Hollow Knight Silksong review finds the sequel to be a highly polished and rewarding adventure that deserves attention from anyone who enjoys challenging exploration games.
FAQs
Is Hollow Knight Silksong worth playing?
Yes. Hollow Knight Silksong is worth playing if you enjoy Metroidvania games, challenging combat, exploration, platforming, and detailed fantasy worlds. Its difficulty may require patience, but the sense of progression makes overcoming challenges satisfying.
Is Hollow Knight Silksong harder than Hollow Knight?
Silksong can feel harder because Hornet’s faster movement and the game’s challenging encounters require players to learn new combat and platforming habits. Difficulty also varies between different sections.
Who is the main character in Hollow Knight Silksong?
Hornet is the main character in Hollow Knight Silksong. Unlike the mostly silent protagonist of the original game, Hornet has her own personality, dialogue, abilities, and fighting style.
Where does Hollow Knight Silksong take place?
Hollow Knight Silksong takes place in Pharloom, a new kingdom filled with unusual creatures, mysterious locations, dangerous environments, and hidden secrets.
Is Hollow Knight Silksong a Metroidvania?
Yes. Hollow Knight Silksong is a Metroidvania that combines exploration, platforming, combat, ability upgrades, interconnected areas, hidden routes, and backtracking.
Does Silksong have difficult boss fights?
Yes. Boss fights are one of the major challenges in Hollow Knight Silksong. Many encounters require players to learn attack patterns, improve their timing, and use Hornet’s abilities effectively.
For more updates visit: GAME TYPES
