It's a better game than its predecessor for most people, but for me it stripped out what I loved about Hollow Knight. Hollow Knight had this brilliant contrast between its chill exploration and the difficult bosses that I feel Silksong doesn't have. It made Hollow Knight quite cozy for me despite the difficulty. Silksong is a far more abrasive and tense experience, even if moment-to-moment I don't feel it's any more difficult than Hollow Knight. Enemies and bosses demand more from you, but you have so many tools now to compensate that it evens out.
Given the story and setting, it makes for a brilliant marriage of gameplay and story. On an artistic level, absolutely divine. Pharloom is on the brink of collapse, and you feel it. It's tense, it's hostile. It's like a cornered dog snarling and bearing its fangs at you. For what I wanted out of a Hollow Knight sequel, though? The peace and quiet made Hollow Knight for me, and it's a shame that it feels like that's been lost. Maybe I'll have to revisit it down the road though, but it just doesn't feel like there's enough quiet. It kinda picks up where endgame Hollow Knight leaves off. Even as somebody who 112% Hollow Knight, I don't enjoy it. I don't want a game that feels like endgame Hollow Knight when I'm trying to explore and see new things. Save that shit for when I have nothing left to do and want to get more out of the game... like with Hollow Knight.
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u/rpool179 Aug 19 '26
Hollow Knight: Silksong. And I actually beat it. Will NEVER play it again!