Sup guys it's been a while. I was pleasantly surprised when HollowKnight: Silksong was suddenly announced and released in the span of two weeks. I've played the game through up to the main boss and am currently completing the extra content so here's my thoughts on the game. Screenshots may include minor spoilers of areas in the game but no major bosses.

Obligatory introduction for those that are new: Silksong is 2D metroidvania in which you explore a rich world to fight bosses and unlock new abilities. It also has some soulslike elements like sparse checkpoints, an interconnected map and challenging enemies. You play as Hornet, an iconic boss from the original game who uses a needle and thread as her weapons.

I think that one of the most important elements of making a fun game is that the basic act of controlling your character should be fun and Hornet fulfills this criteria without any issue. Her jumps are precise and attacks are snappy with very little startup or end lag. As a staple of metroidvanias, you gradually unlock new abilities that allow for even more nuanced maneuverability.

Take the dash for example, which you receive fairly early. It allows for a quick boost to either dodge an attack or close the gap on a recovering enemy. Dodging in the air puts you at a slightly downwards trajectory which you have to keep in mind when avoiding obstacles. Holding dash allows you to run which in turn enhances your jump distance and enables a unique dash attack. And this is only one movement upgrade. When you combine and master Hornet's full kit, you get to zip around enemies with freedom and precision that just feels really enjoyable the whole time you're controlling her.

Boss fights are the strongest points of this game. I've mentioned previously that I love the boss design of Slave Knight Gael from Dark Souls 3 since he has fast but predictable moves. The continuous stream of attacks allows you to enter a fun flow state but unfortunately in order to increase the difficulty in later games, Fromsoft opted for frequent delayed attacks that break the pace of the fight, a choice I firmly dislike. Luckily Silksong is filled with bosses reminiscent of Gael.

Bosses in Silksong have a small set of moves which are well telegraphed and have clear openings. Every enemy attack is a small minigame to find the optimal pathing to dodge the hitbox whilst moving into position for a counter attack. In subsequent phases the moves are slightly modified with a twist like extra projectiles, keeping things fresh. I had a lot of fun learning their patterns and bosses have their health set in such a way that it feels like they die once you've downloaded their moveset and become untouchable. It's kinda like that scene in the matrix where Neo learns kung fu; You can claim that you've learnt the boss and the game says 'show me'.

I also think the moveset for bosses are 'reserved' in a good way, there aren't any strange gimmicks (like delayed attacks) that break up the pace or force you to fight in a lame way. It's a simple formula of dodging and attacking but it's fun, addicting and there's a lot of variation to it.

When reading some sources online, the difficulty seems to be a point of contention but in my opinion the curve was perfect. The difficulty in Silksong is designed in a fair way where there is always something the player could have realistically done to avoid the punishment. Traps are either laid out with huge visuals or have an auditory cue and delay before activating. The environmental obstacles move in predetermined and repetitive patterns. Enemy attacks have big startup animations and even against faster attacks, Hornet is equipped with the proper mobility to avoid them. The challenges are reactable but only if you keep your attention focused which adds constant tension to exploration and fights. There was one mandatory fight which I thought was horseshit (you'll know when you get to it) but everything else felt like the onus was on me to pay attention or adapt to.

Some forms of punishment nudge you towards engaging with the mechanics and improving in a certain way. For example, some attacks doing two points of damage means you have to observe enemies properly and can't brute force a fight through sheer stats. Run backs through the same route encourage you to experiment and improve your parkour in a controlled environment so that you can weave through latter enemies with improved finesse. It feels really good to master (or at least try to master) all the mechanics that the game lets you play with.

Silksong falls firmly into the metroidvania genre so exploration is as important as the combat. The simple ability to run makes back tracking way less tedious than the first game and there are less instances where you have to memorize that one specific path that is unlocked by the new ability you found. In general I could simply wander where I wanted to and naturally uncover new areas without feeling I was being pushed towards any specific path. This is a testament to the level design since I can imagine preparing multiple routes whilst taking into account the available movement options would be incredibly hard. If I found something strangely challenging, I could try pushing into other areas and the game opens up new paths as if it anticipated you to do so.

Exploration is rewarded heavily. Stray paths may lead to a small vein of currency but more difficult rooms hidden behind breakable walls or a platforming sequences give you bigger rewards such as health upgrades, new tools or crests, which are a entire new moveset for Hornet paired with unique passives. But aside from extrinsic sources of motivation, exploring the kingdom of Pharloom is just fun, reminiscent of venturing in worlds like that of Elden Ring. It's fun to seek out secret rooms, interconnecting paths and new areas. The cool thing is that the game doesn't force the content on you and just trusts you to find things on your own. I'm currently progressing optional content and I don't think I've even uncovered half of what the game offered when I saw the main credits for the first time.

Aside from it's layout, Pharloom feels like a concrete location where each area has it's unique function in the kingdom complete with npc's that have their own motivations. There are pilgrims who need to recover their motivation at a desolate base camp as opposed to a whimsical traveler you bump into at establishments. The now-iconic hand drawn sprites depict a wide variety of biomes that directly tie into gameplay mechanics like an icy mountain that freezes away at your health unless you warm up at select sources of heat. The sound track is just as epic as you'd expect from the first game. All this is tied up with excellent performance with no perceivable stutters, something that would be fatal in the punishing nature of the game.

Verdict

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5. It's honestly insane that three people were able to develop this game with such tight mechanics and polished presentation. Best game of 2025 as of September, followed closely by Death Stranding 2 (which I'm mentioning here since I probably won't be writing a review).