Hollow Knight: Silksong

Incredible skonging

Absolutely exceptional game. Playing as hornet is 10x more fun than the original. You are faster and more agile and death does not hinder progress as much as before. 10/10 GOTY

On a scale of 1 to skong this would be "shah!"ing all the way.

When I first rolled credits on Silksong, I was pretty disappointed. Although it's clear that a lot of care and attention went into making the game a reality, my first few hours with it were a bit of a nightmare. This is mainly because early-game exploration can be very confusing at times, even for a Metroidvania. Finding an area's map helps a lot, but if you miss one or don’t have enough Rosaries to buy it, you're going to have a bad time. 

If I'd stopped playing at the end of Act 2, I probably would've landed on a 7.5, but curiosity got the better of me. The process for unlocking the game's final act isn't the most straightforward, but it's well worth the trouble, as Act 3 is where Silksong shines brightest. It doubles down on the things that the two acts before it got right: clever puzzles and fantastic boss fights. With a bit more distance from those early frustrations, I started to really enjoy myself.

That's not to say the game is perfect. Some of the platforming sections ask a bit too much of players, and the new diagonal downward slash usually hinders a lot more than it helps. Some of the bosses also push a little too far into unforgiving territory than I would have liked. Even with these issues, though, the highlights shine through. If you're into Metroidvanias, Silksong is a no-brainer. Just do yourself a favour and grab those maps whenever you get a chance.