A review of Hollow Knight: Silksong

Silksong: A successor to the most popular indie game of all time

When the launch date for Silksong was announced, most reviewers felt that the time provided to review the game was simply not enough, especially since we received access at the same time as players around the world. As a result, my review, like many others online, is a partial one based on about 12 hours of play. The game ran smoothly and consistently, with no issues whatsoever, including full cloud save support on both Steam and Xbox Game Pass.

The game begins with the protagonist Hornet breaking out of captivity in the land of Pharloom and begins her journey for answers and revenge. The game’s playable area opens in a lush green dungeon as you begin to fight prickly caterpillars and bouncy bees. The terrain is classic Metroidvania fare as you jump across platforms and dodge spikes while swinging your needle and just like that, you are face-to-face with the game’s first boss, The Moss Mother.

There are a couple of things that Silksong does differently from its predecessor. Its new protagonist, Hornet, isn’t as stoic or devoid of personality, and the game now offers players greater depth and meaning through side quests that allow you to buy new items.

I enjoyed unlocking new skills, such as dash and swift step, as the game progressed, all while slowly coming to terms with the unfolding narrative. The writing is top-notch, often poetic and metaphorical, and the conversations with NPCs are crafted with a thoughtful, nuanced touch.

In terms of gameplay, the experience is smooth and glitch-free. That said, despite its near-flawless execution, I did find the game’s difficulty curve inconsistent, with sudden spikes that felt unbalanced. Similarly, the rosary-based economy feels a bit undercooked and could benefit from refinement in future updates.

Beyond these small nitpicks, however, there isn’t much to fault here. Silksong is a worthy successor to Hollow Knight.

Make sure to give this one a try! Trust me, it’s a game you’ll be playing for a long, long time. Be prepared to be frustrated, yet equally spoiled by its beautiful design and thoughtful writing.

Sneak Peek:

Title: Hollow Knight: Silksong

Developer: Ari Gibson and William Pellen for Team Cherry

Game Type: Single Player Metroidvania Action Adventure

Platforms:

PlayStation 5 and 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Series X/S, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2

Price: Rs 880 on Steam, and 1,664 on the PS store. Free to play day 1 on Xbox Game Pass

Verdict (all scores out of 10):

Innovative Gameplay: 8

Game Handling and Quality: 9

Value for Time: 9

Value for Money: 9

Overall: 8.75

What Stands Out:

• The “wish” and “rosary” systems give the game depth and room. With the option to finish side quests, there is more to the Hollow Knight experience this time around.

• The new protagonist, Hornet, has more personality. The writing in the game and the dialogue are not only top-notch but even poetic at times.

Fails to impress:

• The difficulty ramps up significantly at times, and the continuous death and respawn cycle then becomes quite frustrating.

• The game’s economic system with the rosary beads needs some fine-tuning.