It’s hard to think of another indie game that’s carried the same level of anticipation as Hollow Knight: Silksong. Ever since Team Cherry first revealed it in 2019, the sequel to one of the most celebrated Metroidvanias of the past decade has been on every gamer’s radar. What started as planned DLC quickly grew into a full-blown sequel, and the years that followed saw the game become something of a legend. Silksong wasn’t just another release date to track. It was the one everyone joked about, speculated over, and held onto with hope.
For me, the wait added to the excitement. I still remember refreshing social feeds during every Nintendo Direct and Xbox Showcase, half expecting Silksong to finally pop up. Each time it didn’t, I was left both disappointed and even more eager. So when the shadow drop announcement hit at Gamescom 2025, the feeling was almost surreal. After years of uncertainty, Silksong was finally real, and I couldn’t wait to see if it lived up to the expectations that had built up for so long.
Now that it’s here, the question shifts from if it would release to what kind of experience it actually delivers.
Hornet’s Voice at the Centre
Silksong puts the spotlight on Hornet, and that shift changes everything. Right from the start, her voice gives the story a different feel. She is not a blank slate like the Knight. Hornet argues, jokes, and reacts to the world around her, which makes every conversation feel like part of the adventure instead of just background lore.
Pharloom sets the stage as Hornet climbs toward the Citadel. The world is still cryptic, with plenty of lore tucked away in fragments and side interactions, but Hornet’s voice keeps things grounded. Her back-and-forth with pilgrims, rulers, and strangers makes the story easier to latch onto. Even when the bigger picture stays vague, her personality ties it all together.
I felt more connected this time around because of her dialogue. With the Knight, I admired the atmosphere but never felt fully involved. In Silksong, Hornet’s sharp comments kept me hooked. Her entries in the bestiary were some of my favourite touches, giving personality to enemies I had just struggled against.
By letting Hornet speak, Team Cherry has made the narrative easier to connect with, without losing the mystery that defines the series.
Combat That Pushes You
Silksong wastes no time showing how different Hornet feels from the Knight. She is quicker, smoother, and her moveset gives you plenty of options. Diagonal strikes and midair mobility change how every fight plays out, and chaining dashes with tools makes combat feel fast and sharp. The pace can be overwhelming at first, but it soon clicks and becomes second nature.
The challenge never really lets up. Even basic enemies can punish sloppy inputs, and bosses hit hard enough to test your patience. Many attacks now deal double damage, which means you have to study patterns right away. Healing also feels different. Hornet’s Bind lets you recover while moving, but the charge takes time. More than once I thought I was safe, only to get clipped and sent back to a bench.
One fight that really stuck with me was the Fourth Chorus. It had me grinding my teeth as I kept mistiming attacks and eating damage. I lost count of how many times I hit restart, but the fight slowly taught me to watch patterns instead of rushing in. When it finally clicked, dropping that boss felt like pure relief and satisfaction rolled together. That is the kind of payoff Silksong nails. Brutal going in, but worth every retry once you pull it off.
Crests let you shape Hornet’s abilities and tweak her style to fit how you like to fight. You can lean into ranged tools or go all in on aggressive melee. Either way, the choices matter because Silksong never eases up.
The combat can be brutal, but taking down a tough fight after dozens of tries feels amazing. That’s what keeps you coming back.
Pharloom on Display
Silksong builds on Hollow Knight in all the right ways. The art looks sharper, animations flow better, and the lighting gives each area more life. Every location feels distinct, whether you are crawling through damp caves or climbing open spaces above ground. No matter how chaotic the fight gets, Hornet always stands out clearly on screen.
The audio work is just as strong. Christopher Larkin’s soundtrack lands perfectly, with quiet tracks that set the mood while exploring and intense themes that kick in during boss fights. It is music you pay attention to instead of letting it fade into the background. Even the small touches matter, like the weight behind Hornet’s strikes or the sounds enemies make as they go down.
Greymoor really grabbed me. The washed-out colours and the heavy track fit together so well that I stopped just to look around. I almost never pause in games like this, but here I did. It turned Pharloom from just another stage into somewhere I actually remember.
Hollow Knight Silksong Delivers the Climb We Waited For
After years of waiting, Silksong proves it was worth the wait. Hornet’s faster, more expressive style makes combat and movement feel fresh while still staying true to the foundation of Hollow Knight. The difficulty is relentless, but it never feels cheap. Every death teaches you something, and every victory carries real weight. The Crest system also deserves credit for letting you experiment with builds that actually matter, keeping the action from feeling repetitive.
The world of Pharloom ties it all together. The art and animation shine in every area, and Christopher Larkin’s soundtrack pushes the atmosphere even further. Exploring new locations never feels like busywork. Even when I hit a wall in combat, I found myself pushing forward just to see more of the world. That constant pull is what makes Silksong hard to put down.
Silksong is not perfect. Running back to certain bosses can wear you down, and a few enemy types feel more irritating than tough. The difficulty also spikes harder than it needs to at times, which could push some people away. Even with those rough spots, the game keeps pulling you back in.
For me, Silksong delivered on the years of waiting. It is tough, it looks great, and it stands tall as its own sequel. Team Cherry pulled it off, and this is one I will be thinking about for a long time.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Summary
Hollow Knight: Silksong finally arrives and makes the wait worth it. Hornet’s fast combat, sharper movement, and voiced dialogue give the sequel its own edge. The world of Pharloom shines with stunning visuals and a powerful soundtrack that makes every area memorable. Some boss runbacks and harsh difficulty spikes can frustrate, but pulling through tough fights feels incredible. It’s a demanding but rewarding Metroidvania that stands tall on its own.
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