Is Silksong harder than Hollow Knight? Difficulties compared

Ever since Silksong’s monumental release on September 5, 2025, it’s been compared to the game that came before it – Hollow Knight. Both games are incredible in their own right, each offering a brutal yet whimsical Metroidvania experience.

But which game is harder? The difficulty spike in Silksong’s early game has had players debating whether the new game is harder than the first. Here’s a breakdown of the difficulty differences between Silksong and Hollow Knight.

The Escapist recaps

• Silksong is the sequel to Hollow Knight, and it was released to a monumental reception on September 5, 2025 – almost breaking digital platforms like Steam and the Nintendo eShop in the process. 
• While both Silksong and Hollow Knight are generally considered to be difficult games, Silksong can be argued to be slightly trickier. It has a nastier early game with regard to double damage and bosses, and some movements require more finesse, like the pogo mechanic. 
• That’s not to say that Hollow Knight doesn’t present a challenge, though. The iconic Metroidvania cultivated a dedicated community for a reason, after all, and it features some particularly brutal boss battles.
• Both games are worth picking up and playing, but if you’ve not played either, it’s best to start with Hollow Knight to get a feel for the playstyle and hone your skills before progressing to the sequel. 

Is Hollow Knight trickier than Silksong?

Silksong is trickier than Hollow Knight based on its early game, boss designs, and some of the key mob mechanics that players will encounter while exploring the overworld. 

Hornet also starts out without key abilities and a low amount of health, and the pogo mechanic can be hard to nail. Instead of the downwards pogo that players will be used to from Hollow Knight, it’s a diagonal downwards slash, which can be tricky to line up while moving. 

The difference in difficulty levels is arguably not too drastic or unwarranted, but it’s certainly there. 

This becomes apparent within the first few hours of tearing through Pharloom. Some of the early game bosses require patience and precision – one example that springs to mind is Lace – and there are some optional, non-boss critters that can decimate Hornet if you’re not careful. 

Enemies hit hard in Silksong. Regular enemies can take off two chunks of health with a well-timed attack, meaning that even traveling to the next boss room can be a deadly ordeal without the right route. 

There were scores of difficult fights in Hollow Knight, of course, but the speed and sheer damage output of most Silksong bosses give them a run for their rosaries. 

That being said, Silksong also has a less punishing death loop than Hollow Knight. When you die in Silksong – and you will, plenty of times – you don’t have to battle your shade at your corpse location. You can simply crack open the cocoon for a full silk refill, which usually means starting off a boss fight with a full bar. 

Additionally, the world feels more lush with bench locations, making runbacks less frustrating, in most cases. There are some nasty exceptions to this rule in the mid to late game, though. 

Silksong is somewhat harder than Hollow Knight, but it’s still a rewarding experience and worth playing through. The world is immaculately designed, and once you master the boss mechanics, the fights can feel like an acrobatic dance thanks to Hornet’s unique skillset. It’s a game that rewards patience and precision, especially in the late game. 

Ask The Escapist