Hollow Knight: Silksong Review – Worth the Wait

Hollow Knight: Silksong Review

One of the most anticipated games of the decade has finally arrived, eight years after its predecessor. Originally planned as DLC before evolving into a full-fledged adventure, Silksong puts the Knight’s sibling, Hornet, in the spotlight. With so much hype surrounding Team Cherry’s sophomore release, will Silksong rise to meet its cult following’s lofty expectations, or crumble under the weight?

Captured and transported to the kingdom of Pharloom, you manage to escape, only to discover the land is gripped by a terrible curse. Trapped at the bottom of a labyrinth, you must ascend its maze-like caves to reach the surface, freeing the inhabitants from their affliction while uncovering mysteries of your own past. While the narrative remains intentionally vague, the haunting atmosphere creates a powerful sense of allure, drawing you into each strange character and substory you encounter. Your journey becomes defined by personal achievements, where victories in battle and hard-won progress leave the most lasting impressions.

Make Your Move

Hornet is much more nimble than the Knight, with a higher leap that aids in ascending through the dense world. Automatically, you cling to ledges, making platforming more forgiving than in the original. However, there’s a caveat. Certain fauna require a downward strike to bounce upward and reach the next area. Since your strike is diagonal, this is harder to execute than the pogo-style attack from the previous release. With segments that require you to perform this consecutively, it can be disheartening when you misjudge the awkward manoeuvre and plummet to the bottom.

Combat is also faster than the original, with dashes and aerial strikes that ensure battles are varied. Blindly walking into fights will only result in failure. Even the smallest bug possesses a threat, and due to this, you must react and respond to each attack. This adds a great layer of tension to each encounter as you delve deeper and deeper into the claustrophobic world.

Customization deepens the tactical side of combat. Crests can be equipped to alter your moveset, letting you tailor the experience to your playstyle. Since only a limited number can be active at once, they encourage distinct builds that can enhance your combat prowess or support exploration. It’s a strong addition that gives you more control over the adventure, \and is especially valuable when facing the many challenges ahead.

Tough But Rewarding

There’s no skirting around it, Silksong is tough. Every encounter, whether it’s battling enemies or navigating treacherous environments, is packed with life-threatening hazards. To survive, you’ll need to carefully manage your health using the Bind ability. Each successful attack charges your meter, which you can then spend to heal. Unlike in Hollow Knight, where healing required you to stand still, Hornet can bind on the move. This allows you to stay mobile while regaining health, an essential advantage, especially during boss fights.

Although these encounters are undeniably difficult, they never feel unfair. Defeat always comes down to your skill rather than flawed design. Enemy attacks are clearly signalled, giving you the chance to react and counter effectively. Fights build in intensity until their climactic final moments, turning each battle into a tense struggle that ends in a true sense of triumph when you finally bring down the beast. It perfectly captures the thrill of overcoming an imposing threat thanks to its finely tuned balance of difficulty and fairness.

The classic Metroidvania structure returns, placing a strong emphasis on exploration and discovery. Each biome is packed with secrets and avenues that reward your curiosity. Due to this, you’re incentivised to scour each area and enjoy losing yourself in the brilliantly designed environment. Side quests are also nestled within, giving further reason to follow every path. While I found some of these enjoyable, they never progressed to being more than a distraction on your journey to the top.

Devious Design

The atmosphere and distinct visual identity are truly remarkable. Each area is carefully designed, with foreground details that add depth to the 2D environments. Floating particles lend a mystical allure, enriching the ambience. Subtleties in Hornet’s animations add to her character and help to create a refined, polished aesthetic. Coupled with an incredible score that perfectly captures the world’s essence, the overall presentation stands out as one of the game’s highlights.

Hollow Knight: Silksong manages to live up to the daunting expectations surrounding the sequel. It carries the spirit of the original while introducing fresh mechanics that shape a remarkable adventure, one worthy of standing alongside its predecessor. The challenge is steep, but the true reward comes from mastering enemy patterns and finding ways to overcome them. Every element coalesces into an experience that exemplifies what’s possible when developers take the time to fully realize their vision.

***Xbox code provided by the publisher***