Hollow Knight was released in 2017 and quickly became a Metroidvania that everyone was talking about. There were several things that made it stand out in the genre. The art style was beautifully hand-drawn, there were NPCs that deepened the lore, and it was challenging but fair.
That’s why the idea of a sequel was so highly anticipated. Even though Hollow Knight: Silksong took forever to release, it was a wait well worth it. That said, did it surpass Hollow Knight in ways that make it a superior game, or are things better balanced in the original hit? It’s time to go through what each game does best.
Hollow Knight Silksong: Things We Want To See In DLC
It’s already been a week, but Hollow Knight: Silksong is already thinking about DLC.
Silksong: The Gameplay Is Smoother
From Dashes To Jabs
Hollow Knight: Silksong looks like a dream, and it plays like one too. All the traversal upgrades make Hornet a more agile character, whether she is moving or combating enemies. The addition of Crests and Tools makes it a more customizable experience too. The pin system in Hollow Knight is good and combat can be fun, but The Knight is a slower character overall who doesn’t look cool in motion, unlike every move Hornet pulls off.
Hollow Knight: The Knight’s Downward Thrust
The Bouncer
The one move that Hollow Knight nails is the downward thrust. Capcom’s DuckTales game on the NES was a pioneer in creating a game where players could bounce off obstacles and enemies to get around. Shovel Knight, Hollow Knight, and several other games evolved this idea, and it felt great to pull off.
The downward move in Hollow Knight: Silksong is diagonal, and is near impossible to master. Hollow Knight: Silksong does have Crests that can change this motion, but even the ones that do have downward strikes don’t feel as precise as The Knight’s.
Silksong: More NPCs And Branching Paths
Have It Your Way
Maybe fans of Hollow Knight won’t like the bigger map in Hollow Knight: Silksong. However, they can at least appreciate that every biome feels more lived in thanks to NPCs. There are too many good ones to count, with the new mapmaker, Shakra, standing above other Hollow Knight: Silksong characters.
Best Characters In Silksong
Whether they’re in the game for a long time or leave after a quick introduction, these NPCs stand out in Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Among the dozens in the game, it will be easy to find a favorite NPC in Hollow Knight: Silksong. The original Hollow Knight had some stellar NPCs too, but the sequel has it beat in terms of quality and quantity, which is a rare combo to achieve.
Hollow Knight: The Difficulty Balance
Hits The Nail On The Head
Hollow Knight had some Soulslike elements, including hard bosses and losing currency upon death. It was challenging, but not impossible to beat if players learned attack patterns and upgraded The Knight’s skills. The same is partially true for Hollow Knight: Silksong, as players could manage the difficulty through item progression and taking their time. However, with things like some normal enemies doing double damage, Hollow Knight: Silksong’s difficulty quickly became legendary, but in a bad way.
Silksong: Hornet As A Character
She Can Talk!
So much of Hollow Knight is left up to interpretation because The Knight cannot speak. There are notes to find and NPCs to talk to, and piecing the puzzle together is half the fun. However, without any kind of personality, it’s hard to like The Knight as a silent character driving a game forward.
The opposite is true for Silksong, because Hornet can talk. She has thoughts, ideas, and can speak to NPCs to help flesh out the world. While it is hard to be charismatic in a game with only text-based exchanges, Hornet is easily more likable than The Knight by comparison.
Hollow Knight: A More Concise Map
Tight And Refined
With all the upgrades and hidden paths, Hollow Knight could get lengthy even before the updates. However, everything seemed more manageable as the map had a concise flow to it.
7 Lessons Games Should Learn From Silksong
Team Cherry nailed it with Hollow Knight: Silksong, and perhaps other games can too if they take away a few key lessons from Silksong's development.
Silksong is much bigger and more diverse in terms of biomes, which is great. However, it can be argued that the sequel is perhaps too big, and after a certain part, Act 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong becomes easy to get lost in. This, in turn, could lead more players to get bored and step away.
Silksong: The Graphics
Time Is A Factor
From the trailers, Hollow Knight and Hollow Knight: Silksong look artistically the same as hand-drawn games. However, playing each game back to back will show players just how more evolved Silksong is. The color palette alone is brighter and more vibrant, and the details on the characters are greater. Hornet’s red cloak looks amazing in motion, and all the colors overall pop, unlike the blacks, grays, and blues of Hollow Knight.
The Verdict
Hollow Knight: Silksong All The Way
Hollow Knight is kind of like training wheels for Silksong. To better appreciate the sequel, players have to play the original. Only then will everything make sense in the greater context of each adventure. Hollow Knight: Silksong looks better, controls better, and has a more influential female character driving things forward. Hollow Knight has the better difficulty balance and starting skills, but even though Silksong is much harder, it’s worth getting through as it will stand out as one of 2025’s best without a doubt.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 91 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- September 4, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Publisher(s)
- Team Cherry
