{"id":17293,"date":"2026-02-11T13:04:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T11:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/?p=17293"},"modified":"2026-02-13T00:53:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T22:53:43","slug":"the-beautiful-deadly-dance-of-hollow-knight-silksong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/the-beautiful-deadly-dance-of-hollow-knight-silksong\/","title":{"rendered":"The Beautiful, Deadly Dance of Hollow Knight: Silksong"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the six years following the 2019 announcement of Hollow Knight: Silksong,<\/i> Team Cherry\u2019s follow-up to the highly acclaimed 2017 insect-themed, soulslike-metroidvania Hollow Knight,<\/i> the game (or continual absence thereof) has become something of a phenomenon. Between the years-long radio silence and the eventual reveal that Team Cherry took so long because they simply enjoyed making the game too much<\/a>, it\u2019s fair to say that no one else is doing it like them. The result is an experience defined in part by the grandiosity of the team\u2019s ever-growing vision: a game that is larger, more polished, more detailed, and certainly more difficult than Hollow Knight. <\/i>Compared to the launch of its predecessor, the number of eyes on Team Cherry\u2019s work has likewise ballooned. But even if Silksong<\/i> is now on everybody\u2019s radar, does that mean that everybody should play it?<\/p>\n

\"Large
Otherworldly thread has ensnared the denizens of the kingdom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Silksong<\/i> follows Hornet, a prominent side character in Hollow Knight<\/i>, as she is kidnapped by unknown bugs and taken to the crumbling, haunted kingdom of Pharloom. Her quest to discover her own place in the mystery leads her, alongside Pharloom\u2019s desperate pilgrims, on a winding journey towards the object of everyone\u2019s hopes and dreams: the Citadel of Song, regarded as a beacon of hope in a desolate and dangerous land. (Of course, this shining city is not as it seems.) Though much more upfront and straightforward than Hollow Knight<\/i>\u2019s cryptic plot, Silksong<\/i>\u2019s story is no less intriguing\u2014or moving. The narrative is supported not only by the wonderful character voice of Hornet, a fun addition to a franchise that previously starred a voiceless protagonist, but also the beautiful and detailed world.<\/p>\n

This strong sense of atmosphere is one of the many standout features that Silksong<\/i> carries over from Hollow Knight. <\/i>Though its early areas do not grip you with the same deep sense of place and history felt from the beginning of Hollow Knight,<\/i> it more than makes up for this in the midgame with the highs and lows of the central Citadel: a towering, multifaceted structure whose cultural and social complexities form a significant part of the plot.<\/p>\n

\"In
Hornet confronts a recurring antagonist.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is not to say that Silksong<\/i>\u2019s opening chapter is uneventful. As it slowly eases you into its story, the world becomes ever more aesthetically diverse, moving from gloomy moors to caverns of luscious greenery to lava-flooded mines. Systems unique to Silksong <\/i>also spice up the early game: new healing mechanics open up exciting new gameplay rhythms, while adapting to the scarce in-game currency and frightening amounts of double damage requires patience and caution.<\/p>\n

By far the best improvement from Hollow Knight<\/i> <\/i>is the way that Hornet moves. Even in the early game it is satisfying to see her pull herself up onto ledges; by the time you\u2019ve got five movement abilities under your belt (including some fun new ones not seen in Hollow Knight<\/i>), everything from boss fights to simply wandering around the map becomes an opportunity for constant parkour. Hornet controls so tightly and fluidly that you won\u2019t want to stand still. It is no surprise that the game\u2019s strongest segments are its platforming challenges, and the game\u2019s best bosses are those that force you to perfect your airborne control.<\/p>\n

As in other soulslikes, boss fights in Silksong <\/i>continually demand perfect play. Silksong<\/i> limits the player\u2019s ability to \u201ccheese\u201d bosses relative to the first game, creating experiences that require not brute force but a careful dance. A comparable leap in quality is the difference between the spread of bosses in Dark Souls <\/i>and Dark Souls III\u2014<\/i>DS3\u2019s required bosses are on the whole more refined, but also harder, making them more rewarding but also making it easier to burn out if that\u2019s all you\u2019re doing. Fortunately, Silksong <\/i>almost always offers an alternate path if you\u2019re not feeling the main progression: especially in the midgame, the possibilities for exploration feel endless.<\/p>\n

\"Hornet,
One of many beautiful early-game setpieces.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This high level of polish is not the only part of Silksong<\/i> reflective of its protracted development. In some ways, you can kind of tell it was made by a handful of people who shut themselves in a room and didn\u2019t look at any other game released since 2017. Long, tedious runs from savepoints back to boss arenas\u2014long a despised mainstay of the Souls<\/i> series\u2014make a return from Hollow Knight<\/i> as easily the worst aspect of Silksong.<\/i> FromSoftware themselves seem to have learned their lesson in Elden Ring,<\/i> in which a new mechanic mitigates the worst parts of runbacks, but Team Cherry have made no such quality-of-life changes in their latest release. Do they want you to push past and overcome this frustration? Do they hate you and want you to suffer? Does Team Cherry\u2019s William Pellen just not realize that soulslikes as a genre have advanced since that one time he played a \u201cfair bit\u201d of Dark Souls<\/i><\/a>?<\/p>\n

Team Cherry\u2019s somewhat-charming, somewhat-frustrating refusal to examine how other recent games have pushed the soulslike and metroidvania genres in new, interesting directions might mean that Silksong<\/i> rarely feels like it\u2019s treading new ground, but it also keeps the game from falling into the same pitfalls as, for example, Moon Studios\u2019 2020 sequel Ori and the Will of the Wisps<\/i>, an Ori<\/i> game that does not feel like it wants to be an Ori<\/i> game. In its quest to become \u201cthe perfect metroidvania\u201d<\/a>, Will of the Wisps<\/i> studied and assimilated concepts from many recent entries in the genre (including, arguably, Hollow Knight<\/i> itself), diluting its own unique identity. Silksong<\/i> does no such thing. Silksong<\/i>, for better or for worse, is a Hollow Knight<\/i> game to its core.<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t attribute every annoying decision made in Silksong<\/i> to a disinterest in innovation or player-friendly design, however. Like all the best soulslikes, there are moments when the game unfurls, with what I can only call gleeful malice, just how far it is willing to go to hurt its players. It is in these moments\u2014not the moments when the savepoint is just a bit too far away from a key boss, but those where you feel ensnared by the workings of a master troll\u2014that my frustration turns to a begrudging respect. Would a flow- and player-retention-obsessed AAA exec approve that one boss who makes you fight a whole enemy gauntlet before the main guy appears? Like FromSoftware\u2019s catalog, Silksong<\/i> calls for a special level of perseverance, though it affords the player more limited opportunities to completely change their playstyle than a typical Souls<\/i> game. Silksong<\/i> is for players who want to slowly work to gain mastery over a game system that challenges them not only with pure artistry, but also with sheer obstinacy.<\/p>\n

\"BLOODMANGLER<\/a>
\u201cthe two types of silksong bosses\u201d<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But when you do finally gain that mastery, Silksong<\/i> feels magical. Everything clicks. You are rewarded for exploring every nook and cranny, for testing every new item and tool, even if its use isn\u2019t immediately obvious. What at first seem like insurmountable challenges can be studied or reframed\u2014and when in doubt, you can, as is often the optimal Souls<\/i> strategy, ask your friends what approaches they recommend. (Once you get to Act 2, please do ask someone where to find the second damage upgrade. It will change your life.)<\/p>\n

Of course, as with any soulslike, this type of challenge isn\u2019t for everyone. Though I now often name Hollow Knight<\/i> as my favorite game, when I first picked it up, the punishing difficulty and the vagueness of the objectives made me rage-quit a few hours in. Despite this, it\u2019s a game with many diverse points of appeal and one I would recommend to a wide swath of players. Silksong<\/i> is a slightly trickier sell. Its plot stands on its own without any required knowledge from the first game, but, as the difficulty curve rewards familiarity with Hollow Knight<\/i>\u2019s mechanics, I would recommend picking up Silksong<\/i> only after beating its predecessor.<\/p>\n

Overall, Silksong<\/i> remixes, perfects, and refines the Hollow Knight<\/i> formula, not into something entirely different and unexpected but something that still feels fresh and interesting. But as I work my way through the challenges necessary to complete Silksong<\/i>\u2019s true ending, I think about playing Hollow Knight<\/i> for the first time in 2018: knowing nearly nothing about it and being drawn into greater depths than I\u2019d ever imagined. For all its technical mastery, Silksong<\/i> could never surpass that<\/i>. I suspected this would be the case as soon as it was announced. I am a person who has been thoroughly shaped by Hollow Knight<\/i>; of course such a faithful, soulful sequel could not recreate that experience of something entirely new. But I am happy to say that the wait has nevertheless delivered something exciting, engrossing, and beautiful.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hollow Knight: Silksong<\/b><\/p>\n

Publisher\/Developer:<\/strong> Team Cherry
\nPlatforms:<\/strong> Windows, Mac, Linux, Switch\/Switch 2, Xbox One\/X\/S, PlayStation 4\/5
\nRelease Date:<\/strong> September 4 2025
\nGenres:<\/strong> Metroidvania, soulslike
\nPEGI:<\/strong> 7<\/p>\n

All screenshots taken by author.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Eight years in the making, Team Cherry\u2019s follow-up is a worthy \u2013 if demanding \u2013 sequel
\n#hollow knight #indie games #metroidvania<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":262,"featured_media":17301,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[172,8],"tags":[225,653,1864],"class_list":["post-17293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","category-game-reviews","tag-indie","tag-metroidvania","tag-soulslike","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/262"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17293"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17342,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17293\/revisions\/17342"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17301"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}