Hollow Knight: Silksong Review

Unleashing The Silk From Within .

Read Time 12 minutes

Hollow Knight: Silksong hornet staring up

Hollow Knight: Silksong Hornet in green area

After seven painstakingly long years of intense speculation, memes, and growing skepticism about whether it would ever see daylight, the wait is finally over—Hollow Knight: Silksong has descended from the realm of vaporware into the hands of players who were already reaching hair-pulling levels of madness in a certain subreddit. A developer team so ambitious, so passionate, so focused on their vision that they went radio silent for nearly a decade just to ensure what they put out would slap just as much as the first game. And it's worth noting, this is a game that was initially supposed to be a DLC, but over time it simply grew into something that couldn't be contained to a three-letter label any longer.

Over a lengthy amount of time, trailers that teased several new mechanics were the only snippets of content that fans could hold onto, until one day, all of that changed unexpectedly. A Metroidvania built to make tryhards sweat and traumatize newcomers, pushing your reflexes, your patience, and your sense of wonder to their absolute limits. The wait was long, maybe too long, in fact, but from the opening moments, it's clear this wasn't wasted time, as Team Cherry set out to make more than just another Hollow Knight—they wanted to go above and beyond with their unmistakable, signature move of polishing every detail to mindboggling levels of perfection, while still making sure it remains riddled with bugs.

We play as Hornet, the mysterious needle-wielding character from the first game, who makes a return with her usual red dress, but with many of her powers stripped to give her adversaries a fighting chance. As expected, she doesn't move like the Knight—she darts, springs, and stings with agility that demands absurd levels of hand-eye coordination, as every mistake is punished with a merciless swipe from foes that hit harder than anything in Hallownest, resulting in a learning curve that feels a tad too unforgiving at times. From runbacks that will have you question the sanity of who developed certain areas, to early-game encounters that put you through hell just to earn yourself a slap on the shoulder, Silksong is a hard-hitting game in all senses of the word.

But the fights are only part of what makes the game extra saucy. This time around, we find ourselves in Pharloom, the towering kingdom Hornet is brought to in a cage by veiled entities, wherein the climb is what creates a constant sense of forward pressure. Its many maps, coming in a variety of colorful biomes, are a playground of secrets and a nightmare of obstacles, twisting and splintering into paths that taunt you with "just-out-of-reach" areas, daring you to return once you've sharpened your skills.

The platforming also took an upgrade, with multiple demanding sequences par with the famous "Path of Pain," but in several lite-ish versions. Over time, exploration becomes a test of grit, rewarding persistence with new tools, shortcuts, and hidden truths that slowly piece together the shape of this strange world. What really keeps you glued isn't the cryptic story or whispered lore notes—it's the rhythm of dying, learning, adapting until the impossible becomes routine. Then the game shifts gears, throws a new enemy type at you, or drags you into a boss fight that feels insurmountable until your hands start catching up to your instincts.

While there's no denying that the original game became a literal phenomenon at this point, Silksong proved it can match that same spark while carving out its own identity—a launch that saw Steam's servers crumble due to heavy traffic, arriving with an extremely generous price tag, and enough aura to forcefully delay other indie games by merely existing. Whether it meets the crushing weight of expectation in full, however, is something we'll explore in detail, as this introduction is just the surface scratch of what lies ahead.

Developer: Team Cherry

Publisher: Team Cherry

Release Date: September 4, 2025

Platforms: PS5, Xbox One X-S, PC

Genre: Metroidvania, Adventure, Action

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Climbing Through A Hostile Kingdom: Vertical Labyrinths of Peril .

From the very first minute stepping into Silksong, it's more than clear that this isn't just Hollow Knight with a new coat of paint, but rather a game with its own tempo, and several unique quirks that quietly reveal its strangeness without giving you access to the full course, at least not immediately. The most noticeable difference is the sheer density of things to discover—where Hallownest often felt vast and lonely, Pharloom feels a lot tighter, layered, and with a verticality that changes the way you explore almost entirely. Pretty much every area introduces something completely brand-new, which keeps the act of progressing upward consistently engaging.

As such, the presentation of Pharloom's diverse environments treats you to much more than just reskinned versions of what came before. All of the areas you come across are drenched in atmosphere, carrying a clear theme that translates directly into how you engage with it, and every new section you explore being equally deadly as they are pretty. Meanwhile, even movement itself underwent some serious transformation, with maps now being clearly tuned to match Hornet's speed, reach, and mobility, giving traversal across areas an unprecedented ability to inflict more pain than ever before, with a plethora of different hazards, ranging from ambushes, traps, and overly aggressive denizens waiting for you to turn the wrong corner.

In terms of pacing, it has that trademark Metroidvania flair—slow drip at the start, then slowly but surely escalating the intensity as hours pass. Unlike the first game, here progression isn't just about finding upgrades that make you stronger and/or more nimble, but more so about how those few upgrades help you gradually uncover the map, open new traversal tricks, and reframe old obstacles. It's an addictive, albeit slower rhythm that might frustrate players looking for instant gratification, but for anyone who loves a steady sense of growth, Silksong surely won't betray expectations.

Even when you're backtracking, the layout of areas makes it seem like there's always something vital tucked away somewhere hidden just a little further ahead, whether it's a mask shard, a new ability, or shortcuts that cleverly loop back. The trail of secrets feels truly endless, being almost overwhelming with the amount of branching paths, locked doors that lead to entire sub-regions, and side routes that demand specific tools to get through multiple spike-covered walls and buzzsaws everywhere you look. From swamps filled with pits of maggots to icy mountains that make you take exposition damage to cold, the developers didn't hold back when it comes to the raw amount of possibilities of how they could torture players for simply trying to get around.

Hollow Knight: Silksong hornet fighting an enemy in a white field of petals

A staple of tough-but-fair design, the game raises the skill ceiling while constantly testing adaptability, rewarding players who can steadily achieve mechanical mastery over time.

Taking a step back, you don't need to dive into mechanics yet to notice how much richer the experience is. There's a snappiness to the combat flow that rarely lets you zone out, as even minor skirmishes carry enough resistance to make you respect spacing and timing against common adversaries, and focus on giving your all against tougher enemies. Everywhere you go, there's always a room filled with surprises, be it a gauntlet of enemies, boss fights against powerful foes, or platforming sequences that demand pinpoint precision. Not to mention, the immensely expanded bestiary becomes its own form of world-building—pilgrims, bony beasts, twisted insects—all of them feeding into the lore of a kingdom so cruel it charges the restless souls that climb it the currency of rosaries to have the opportunity to sit down.

That being said, not every brushstroke lands as intended. For instance, there are moments where the game's enormous density tips into fatigue, with some stretches leaning so heavily into merciless challenge that the game risks exhausting the player before offering reprieve. Likewise, checkpoint benches can feel sparse, and backtracking after a loss occasionally turns into an exercise in patience and endurance rather than pure skill. These spikes in difficulty are rarely deal-breakers, but they underline that Silksong is unapologetically built for players who enjoy punishment and persistence, while discouraging casual gamers from overcoming its multiple barriers.

For those in that target audience, it's a dream come true, but for anyone on the fence, it can feel a little bit uncompromising, and it's no wonder it left such a huge divide of players; those who've been sold for the hype hovering the refund button, and others ecstatic for finally having a new toy they can play with after mastering every mechanic the first game had to offer. There are some stretches where the punishment-to-reward ratio feels rather skewed, leaving you wondering if the friction was on purpose or simply an oversight. Surely it doesn't happen too often, but when it does, the cracks show up ever so slightly, reminding you that every game, even the meticulously crafted ones such as this, can stumble sometimes.

Taken as a whole, the broad strokes of Silksong paint a game that isn't only immensely captivating but also occasionally uneven at the edges. Still, what offsets the majority of said setbacks is the sheer boldness of its design choices, which establishes a foundation strong enough to carry the weight of a legendary legacy, with its flaws not being anywhere near enough to overshadow the masterclass the developers put out for the second time in a row. The authenticity behind every nook and cranny, the peak artistry nearly everywhere you look, the melodic soundtrack accompanying it all is just so indescribably awesome that it produces a flow that very few games in the genre can match.

Navigating a World Built to Punish: Silky-Smooth Threads of Steel .

If what you've read so far hasn't been explicit enough, then I'll just have to say it outright—Hollow Knight: Silksong isn't a game for everyone, much less for complete beginners. Right, some of it is partially exaggeration, but if I were you, I still wouldn't let the coolness of Pharloom and its cute-looking characters fool me; this game simply doesn't care about your well-being, as it's more interested in making you suffer than have a good time. Here, you'll find telegraphed attacks with minimal windup, fewer i-frames after getting hit, and enemies specifically tuned to prey on your muscle memory with punishing blows, and a pinch of input reading.

At its center, the combat loop is pretty straightforward: move faster than your foes, react quickly to avoid damage, and make every swing count. However, despite that apparent simplicity, Hornet's kit isn't quite as straightforward, being built around extreme mobility, with quick lunges, dash-anchored combos, and systems that tie survivability to your aggression. That means you have to engage with enemies rather than calmly watch their movements—this keeps pressure on your adaptability, where even healing itself becomes integral to combat tempo, with success in skirmishes being tied to rhythm, timing, and patience, not stat inflation.

The saving grace here is how satisfying the act of play feels. Crisp controls and fluid animations make Hornet's mobility a joy, and that responsiveness is what keeps frustration from arising. Seeing her tumbling around enemies, vaulting over obstacles, spinning between combos, and doing circles around enemies is just so awesome and is what grounds the whole experience. The game knows that if it's going to push you this hard, it has to earn your trust with snappy mechanics and responsive inputs, and it does precisely that.

The same can be said about other facets of gameplay, like in the case of charms from the first game that have been swapped out for a new tool system split into red, blue, and yellow sockets. In short, these allow you to allocate both passive and active trinkets you find across your journey to specific color-coded slots, meaning there's a new modular layer of complexity to enhancing our character's lethality. The variety of tools encourages experimentation on paper, with offensive options that add flair to your combos and defensive ones that act as lifelines in tougher encounters, but the socket restrictions ensure you can't just stack everything and trivialize the difficulty.

Hollow Knight: Silksong character Hornet facing off against a gauntlet of enemies

The roster of enemies is large and varied, with encounters designed to challenge the full suite of Hornet's tools, keeping combat dynamic, tense, and rewarding for skilled players.

Another thing that will be super welcome for those unhappy with the default 45-degree pogo are crests, which further augment your loadout by shifting your attack patterns and changing your playstyle, making your build feel a little more curated to your own preferences than before. A quick rundown shows a variety of movesets with distinct speed, attack range, and damage, among other such quirks, all of which are quite flavorful and generally complete in their implementation.

However, while the system works well enough for their intended purpose, the main downside I noticed in the current build of the game is how same-y every playthrough of the game feels, irrespective of how you choose to play. This is more of a personal opinion, but I disliked the dip in experimentation, as there's less freedom to tinker and break the rules compared to Hollow Knight, which might leave players wishing for more creativity in how they approach encounters, although I anticipate not everyone will agree with this perspective. The result is a progression system that feels clean and deliberate but, at times, a bit too restrained, especially for those who loved bending the original's charm system into absurd but effective builds.

Optional content and side systems are not afterthoughts either; the side objectives referred to as "wishes" are part of a carefully integrated questing system that brings a more tangible format for exploring areas, giving you concrete incentives to take detours to comb through areas you might otherwise rush past. One caveat, however, is that they usually lean a bit into the fetch quest formula, but they're handled with just enough variety to avoid feeling like straight-up padding, though some quests in particular may leave some to be desired both in terms of reward and objective.

Overall, where Silksong shines is in the way the systems talk to each other, as the game is at its best when its mechanics quietly complement one another, making exploration and combat feel like two halves of the same coin instead of entirely separate obligations. When everything clicks, the game produces small, frequent payoffs that are the emotional currency of a great Metroidvania. Those moments are why the design choices that feel harsh in isolation tend to read as purposeful in practice.

Final Thoughts: Merciless Heights Yield Rewards Beyond Measure .

For a game that sat simmering in the cauldron of anticipation for so many years without ever leaving the spotlight, Hollow Knight: Silksong bursts through the door making headlines, and with a level of confidence that only a studio like Team Cherry could pull off. A beloved title turned into a franchise with a sequel that doesn't just succeed in carrying the torch forward, but aims much higher than that, redefining expectations for the series and raising the bar for other developers yet again.

It's no surprise that a game that's known for being challenging aims to cater to players wanting tight, demanding action, and a progression loop that insists skill matters. Where some games dilute difficulty in fear of burning a few bridges, Silksong leans into it as its whole identity. The balance lies in doing all of that without disregarding accessibility completely, and the game threads the needle at the extreme edge of what's acceptable, which might inevitably turn some people away. There's very little in the way of hand-holding, but those who embrace that philosophy will be overjoyed to see their dedication to overcome all sorts of 'trials' eventually lead to an equally uncompromising payoff.

That's to say, this isn't a game made to appease every taste under the sun—instead, it doubles down on being exactly what its audience craves: a sprawling, punishing, intricately designed Metroidvania, and in that regard, it delivers with unmatched confidence and consistency. As much as my words might deter some people from enjoying the game, my intention isn't to discourage but rather to caution you to tread carefully—this is a title that demands an equal measure of effort, persistence, and skill, and if you aren't willing to meet it on its terms, you'll likely never see the magic hiding beneath the surface.

For those willing to endure, expect an experience that keeps growing richer the deeper you dive into it. A pretty demanding commitment, but the payoff for holding on rarely disappoints, as long stretches of trial by fire are rewarded with the satisfaction of small breakthroughs, each one stacking to make the whole journey feel worthwhile. In terms of playtime, the length leans toward the hefty side, so you can expect around 40-60 hours to get through all of the main content, or maybe a lot longer if you're a completionist type like myself.

As for the narrative, its delivery remains deliberately opaque, with scraps of dialogue, environmental hints, and character encounters weaving the fabric of Pharloom's haunting tapestry. The multiple endings, which change depending on your actions, all feel more in tune with the usual Soulslike tradition of storytelling by implication. While expansions for the game haven't been announced as of yet, I'm sure the future will hold many more surprises in terms of storytelling, as there's a sense that Pharloom still hides many more secrets than what first playthroughs can possibly uncover.

At the end of the day, Hollow Knight: Silksong is a triumph, no matter how critically you want to look at it. It's a game that dares to be difficult, occasionally overindulgent, but ultimately unforgettable. Regardless of your stance on its stumbles, Silksong stakes its claim as one of the most daring and distinct experiences of its generation—an achievement worth every ounce of patience it demands, and one that will likely be remembered as a landmark in the genre for years to come.

Exhilarating combat with fast, fluid movement and demanding boss battles that keep the tension high.

Vast, vertical world brimming with secrets, smart shortcuts, and beautifully hostile environments.

Deep progression system with versatile tools, crests, and wishes that encourage experimentation.

Lengthy adventure packed with unique enemies, areas, and content that rarely feels like padding.

Difficulty curve leans punishing, potentially alienating players unwilling to embrace trial and error.

Sparse checkpoints can make repeated runbacks to bosses or key encounters frustratingly tedious.

A steeper-than-usual learning curve may overwhelm newcomers unfamiliar with the Metroidvania structure.

Limited build variety leaves little room for experimenting with drastically different playstyles.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

A brutally demanding yet deeply rewarding adventure, where every victory feels earned and every loss stings. Impeccable world design, fluid combat, and haunting atmosphere make the struggle worthwhile for those who are willing to endure it.