In a somewhat miraculous turn of events, Hollow Knight: Silksong was finally released last September 4, 2025. Roughly seven years after its predecessor Hollow Knight, Silksong is shaping up to be the sleeper game of 2025, having literally been announced for release just two weeks prior at Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 19.
Personally, as somebody whose favorite game is Hollow Knight and who literally had their expectations for metroidvanias skewed heavily by it, I might be seeing things through rose-colored lenses. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like that’s the case, with this being the same sentiment across Steam and other digital game retailers like Nintendo’s eShop, PlayStation Store, and Microsoft Store.
Is it really worth all the hype?
Picture this: Silksong came out before GTA 6. Kidding aside, it crashed nearly every digital game retailer regardless of platform. It’s a beloved indie title with a price tag that feels too little for what it actually offers (20 USD or 615 pesos if you purchase it on Steam here in the Philippines).
The game itself may not be triple-A, but the experience it offers is. Before we gush more, we have to talk about what Silksong actually is, if it’s a worthy successor, and if you should pick it up in the first place.
Silksong? I hardly sung one
Hollow Knight: Silksong is a metroidvania title that serves as a direct sequel to Hollow Knight, taking place after the events of the first game. As a metroidvania, players through Silksong’s protagonist Hornet, embark on a journey across the lands of Pharloom, traveling high and low, back and forth, through its vast world. Some areas are gated by the lack of traversal skills like an air dash, wall jump, or double jump, and that’s where the back-and-forth comes in. Progression is locked behind exploration and adaptation, with the game even earning titles like “The Dark Souls of Platformers,” among others.
An experience enhanced
Known for its great atmosphere, worldbuilding, music, and combat, the Hollow Knight franchise delivers again in Silksong, with vast improvements while still keeping the core mechanics intact. You’re still playing a bug with a sword-like weapon, going from area to area in the most impressive ways possible, but this time you’re not the Knight. You’re Hornet.
It’s details like this that make the title feel more like a sequel than just DLC, with Silksong carving out its own identity. Character and storytelling, movement, and even the worldbuilding itself have been given their own twists while improving on the previous title.
Character and Storytelling
Unlike Hollow Knight, your protagonist actually talks in this game. There are actual conversations with Hornet, giving you a glimpse into her character beyond just being that cool bug from Hollow Knight that shouts SHAW.
Apart from having an actual character to root for, there’s also a sense of direction for the game’s plot, presented through the introduction of a quest system in the form of a wish board or request board. In Hollow Knight, multiple endings were determined by your in-game progression. Here, the quest system guides you towards what you can and should do, while also letting you take detours. There are loads of NPCs that could easily be glossed over, but putting the spotlight on them makes the game deeper than what its surface value might suggest.
Movement
Player movement has always been at the forefront of Hollow Knight, with its dynamic experience combining platformer staples like the air dash and wall cling, plus the legendary pogo move from DuckTales. In Silksong, all these return alongside underground fast travel for world traversal, but remember, you’re not the Knight this time, you’re Hornet.
Hornet, as introduced in Hollow Knight, wielded her needle and her speed, and these were implemented here with faster movement and, instead of the iconic pogo, a dive kick. It makes sense considering her boss fight mechanics, and getting to use them firsthand is just icing on the cake.
Worldbuilding
While in Hollow Knight you had to piece together what was happening, in Silksong you already have a plot from the get-go. You’re kidnapped following the events of Hollow Knight and have lost most of your powers. You claw your way back up, and over time, you meet bugs along the way.
You get the basic premise immediately, with more revealed if you choose to take on optional quests and plotlines. That’s good enough for me. Not needing a Wikipedia link just to explain what’s happening is already a step in the right direction, and having a character that’s more than just a silent badass is definitely warranted.
Should I try it?
If you enjoyed Hollow Knight, then you’re sure to enjoy Silksong. Personally, I’ve spent six hours with the game so far, and I wish I could’ve played more as I wrote this. There’s so much value packed into the game, especially considering its price at around 20 USD. And even if you didn’t play the first game, it stands completely on its own.
Be warned, though: the game bears its fangs early on. Don’t let its cute exterior fool you. This Hornet has a sting. While Hollow Knight progressively increased in difficulty, Silksong slaps you back to reality within the first few hours. Funnily enough, the bugs did shout “git gud” back in Hollow Knight, and I think that wasn’t a joke. It was a warning.
Closing Thoughts
Silksong’s release shows how, with enough time, love, and effort, dreams can be achieved one way or another. The more you think about it, seven years between sequels isn’t that long. But considering it was developed by an indie studio with only a handful of people, the feat becomes even more impressive.
It’s a bug’s life out there, and Hollow Knight: Silksong is my personal game of the year so far. While some may try it just for the hype and possibly get disheartened by its difficulty, I sincerely hope they enjoy it. The fact that we even get to play a game that literally shook every online digital game distribution platform at all is a gift in itself.
Pros
🐛 Highly accessible price point at 20 USD (615 pesos on PH Steam)
🐛 Fast-paced action, intuitive combat, and great storytelling
🐛 Eerie and sometimes soul-chilling atmosphere
🐛 Great standalone experience, not needing to play Hollow Knight
Cons
🐜 Steep difficulty curve that’s hostile from the start, though easier over time
🐜 Difficult to navigate without knowing what to do or where to go
🐜 Easily missable missions
🐜 ANTS
10/10—and it’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Outside of the immensely higher difficulty compared to Hollow Knight, the only reason you wouldn’t like the game is if it’s too hard, which is completely understandable.
When indie games are given enough freedom and funding to do what they aim to do, they often succeed wonderfully and Silksong is a perfect testament to that. There are hours upon hours of content, so now all that’s left is to git gud and go SHAW!
