Hollow Knight: Silksong Review – A Stunning, Challenging Metroidvania Evolution

Before its official release, Hollow Knight: Silksong was already generating immense excitement among fans of the genre. As the highly anticipated sequel to the indie phenomenon Hollow Knight, expectations were sky-high. After spending over 30 hours immersed in its intricately crafted world of Pharloom, it’s clear that Silksong not only meets but exceeds the hype, presenting a rich and challenging Metroidvania experience with its own unique flair.

Living Up to the Hype

If you haven’t played the original Hollow Knight, don’t worry — Silksong tells a compelling story in its own right. You follow Hornet, a mini-boss and mysterious figure from the first game, as she’s captured and transported to the eerie insect kingdom of Pharloom. Stripped of much of her power and equipped only with her needle, Hornet embarks on a perilous ascent to break a curse affecting the land.

This shift in narrative direction flips the original premise on its head — instead of a descent into darkness, you journey upward through vertically expansive zones. Hornet’s agility is a highlight; her acrobatic abilities include powerful diagonal dive attacks, mid-air dashes, and sprints far beyond the original knight’s mobility. These mechanics add layers of fluidity and complexity to combat and traversal, enriching the gameplay loop significantly.

Enhanced Movement and Combat Mechanics

• Diagonal Dive Attack: Unlike the original’s straight-down pogo strike, Hornet’s divebomb arcs diagonally, enabling dynamic enemy engagement and evasive flicks.
• Twitchy Parry System: Demands quick reflexes, rewarding those who master timing and positioning with satisfying combat combos.
• Increased Verticality: Traversing Pharloom involves challenging jumps and pogo moves, intensifying platforming segments.

However, while the combat innovations provide exhilarating moments, the increased platforming difficulty can sometimes feel unforgiving. Obstacles like diagonal jumps over spikes and long runbacks to bosses introduce a level of frustration that may test the patience of some players.

Difficulty and Game Design Considerations

Hollow Knight: Silksong unapologetically leans into its difficulty, even launching players into demanding encounters right from the start. Unlike many modern games, Silksong offers no adjustable difficulty settings, with the exception of an unlockable permadeath mode that substantially raises the stakes.

This design choice fosters a pure experience for hardcore gamers but may alienate those less experienced or new to Metroidvanias. Challenging boss fights include gruelling runbacks filled with tough platforming and enemy swarms, which can sometimes dampen the fun. Interestingly, contemporary titles like Elden Ring have evolved to allow quicker retries near boss arenas, illustrating a trend toward player-friendly challenge balancing (Source: IGN, 2023).

Combat and Progression Dynamics

• High Boss Damage: Each boss strike typically deals two damage, and with only five health pips, the margin for error is razor-thin.
• Scarce Damage Upgrades: Damage enhancements are rare and often feel insufficient, prolonging some boss fights.
• Resource Management: Healing uses shards, a limited resource replenished at benches, demanding strategic conservation during retries.
• Currency Loss on Death: Losing Rosary currency upon defeat affects upgrades and checkpoints, adding tension but at times creating discouragement.

Exploration and World Design

The beautifully crafted world of Pharloom is a labyrinth of secrets, diverse enemies, and unique environmental mechanics tied to each region. Players encounter everything from poisonous flora to cunning bosses that test agility and strategy in equal measure. The map gradually unfolds, enhancing exploration and rewarding thorough engagement.

Community feedback has underscored the deep variety of enemies — reportedly one of the largest in any Metroidvania to date — highlighting Team Cherry’s dedication to detailed creature design (PC Gamer, 2025). Moreover, the superb haptic feedback on modern consoles adds a tactile dimension to the experience, amplifying immersion.

Customization and Replayability

• Movements and Abilities: Hornet’s abilities are customizable through crests, akin to charms, allowing players to tailor combat style.
• Hidden Quests and Secrets: Numerous optional side quests and hidden paths enrich replayability.
• Multiple Playstyles: Diverse tools and combat methods support various approaches, from aggressive to tactical play.

These elements ensure that even after completing the main story, players have plenty of content to explore and master.

Conclusion: A Metroidvania Masterpiece with Complex Charm

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a brilliantly evolved follow-up that maintains the core strengths of its predecessor while introducing fresh mechanics and a more demanding challenge. Its stunning art, expansive world, and tight combat mechanics make it a must-play for enthusiasts of the genre.

However, the steep difficulty curve and sometimes punishing design choices may prove off-putting for more casual players. The absence of accessible difficulty options limits its appeal outside dedicated fans but underscores Team Cherry’s commitment to a pure, skill-driven experience.

For players who thrive on challenging gameplay and detailed exploration, Silksong offers a rich and rewarding journey. Its design nuances and the community’s ongoing engagement exemplify how indie titles continue to push boundaries in the gaming landscape.

Key Takeaways:

• Innovative new mechanics like Hornet’s diagonal dive and expanded mobility enhance combat and platforming.
• Challenging difficulty requires skill and patience, with minimal aid for newcomers.
• Expansive and beautifully crafted world with varied enemies and secrets encourages exploration.
• Customization through crests offers strategic depth to combat styles.
• Resource and progression systems add a layer of strategy but can sometimes contribute to frustration.

Hollow Knight: Silksong exemplifies the evolving Metroidvania genre, blending artistry with demanding gameplay. As the Metacritic score stands at 85/100 and player reviews highlight its challenging nature with a passionate fanbase emerging, it continues to be a seminal indie game in 2025.