Hollow Knight: Silksong review: A tapestry of whimsy and violence

Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally here – after years of fans anxiously waiting, the newest title from Team Cherry is out in the wild and kicking up quite a storm. With big bug-shaped boots to fill, this Hollow Knight sequel has managed to pogo its way into the hearts of Metroidvania lovers. 

If you’re wondering whether to pick up Hollow Knight: Silksong, you’ll find The Escapist’s full, spoiler-free review below. We’ve looked at everything from the story and the world-building to the combat and the overall difficulty of the game. So after waiting for what felt like an eternity to play it, here’s what we thought of Silksong.  

The Escapist recaps

• Silksong is the sequel to the indie darling Hollow Knight, created by Team Cherry. It’s a Metroidvania with a mean streak, placing players in the shoes of the princess-protector Hornet and tasking them with ascending to the peak of a gorgeous kingdom. 
• The game is visually stunning, with meticulously designed zones, unique critters and bosses, and fantastic animations throughout.
• Silksong is undeniably difficult – which has been a source of annoyance for some fans – but based on our testing, it never felt unnecessarily punishing. Each death felt like a chance to learn a boss mechanic or perfect a movement. 
• The game runs well, with no noticeable graphical quirks or performance issues. We reviewed it on the Nintendo Switch 2 and found the experience to be solid. 
• The new title received an exceptional response from the Hollow Knight community, with platforms like Steam and the Nintendo eStore buckling under the pressure of fans trying to get the game in their library. 

Silksong introduces the striking region of Pharloom

Stepping outside of Hallownest from Hollow Knight, Silksong takes place in the region of Pharloom. It’s a vast, sprawling kingdom filled with a variety of different biomes, and at the very top, there’s a shining Citadel.

In Silksong, you play as Hornet – a character who will be instantly recognizable to fans of Hollow Knight. She’s the half-sibling of the previous game’s protagonist, originating from royal lineage and offering a deadly set of combat abilities to help you traverse Pharloom with ease.

Hornet ends up in Pharloom against her will, with the ultimate aim of ascending to the top of the kingdom and reaching the Citadel. As you might expect, it’s not as easy as just climbing up and entering the gates. Scores of enemies and tricky bosses line the winding path upwards, decorated with lava pits, spikes, and falling boulders.

Silksong is a Metroidvania with a heavy dusting of Soulslike salt. It gets the player to focus on exploring the world and unlocking new areas, all while Hornet gets stronger through unlocked abilities and purchased tools.

Visually, the game is stunning. Each area had a clear identity and a unique set of mobs, with gorgeous music to help set the scene. 

The lore in Hollow Knight was exceptionally engaging, and Silksong carries this on nicely. The world feels rich and lively, with Hornet’s interactions with other characters revealing more about Pharloom and the greater story within the game in a natural yet meaningful manner. While the gameplay is certainly the focus, the story is mesmerizing, too. 

High skill requirement, but a higher level of reward

Silksong is a difficult game; there’s no way around that. It throws some difficult bosses at you right out of the gate, arguably testing the player more aggressively than its predecessor did and making the region of Pharloom feel hostile.

That said, there weren’t any points that felt unnecessarily mean while playing. There were a few traps and gotcha moments, of course, along with some bosses that took a significant chunk of time to beat, but they never felt unwarranted.

The difficult bosses felt like learning the steps to a dance. The first few attempts felt like running into a bug-shaped wall, but once the attack patterns became apparent and once Hornet had the right upgrade or gear, they were fun and rewarding to learn. 

Without spoiling it too much, one fight in the early game that stands out is Lace. This fight felt mean and too fast-paced for the first few attempts, but after breaking down the boss attack patterns, it felt like an acrobatic dance, perfectly enhanced by the dramatic background music and deadly scenery. 

This is a title that challenges you, but it also rewards you for patient, meticulous moves instead of aggressive gameplay. 

Something else that stood out is the variety of bosses on offer, along with the regular enemies dotted around the world. There were some standard mobs that felt more challenging than bosses, at times, making each chunk of health or bench – the safe zone where you restore health – feel like a genuine reward. 

Some standard mobs also acted as a sneak preview of upcoming bosses, using scaled-down versions of their moves to give a glimpse of what lay waiting in the wings. 

A must-play for Metroidvania lovers

Silksong was a joy to play through. This review was written from the perspective of a Hollow Knight nerd who was concerned that the game may not live up to expectations, and is delighted to have been proven wrong. 

We reviewed the game on Nintendo Switch 2 and found it ran perfectly, with no noticeable frame drops, visual quirks, or bugs – other than the actual bugs themselves – to report. It all looked incredible, but more importantly, it felt incredible, with smooth movement, well-designed levels, and an agile main character.

While the difficulty level and unforgiving nature of some bosses may be understandably off-putting to some players, others are bound to fall in love with Silksong. It’s beautiful and mean, with a vast world, a fierce roster of bosses, and an engaging story. 

Just remember to pick up Hollow Knight as well if you haven’t already – it’s just as lovely. Silksong was worth the wait. 

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