Hollow Knight: Silksong - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Hollow Knight: Silksong is so much more than I expected from a sequel, deftly avoiding the pitfalls that come with following up from one of the best indie games. Team Cherry’s second masterpiece is not for everyone, but it’s absolutely proven to be worth the wait. It rewards patience in its combat, platforming, and exploration, before daring the player to take big risks during boss fights. Frustrating map design decisions and a tendency to punish the player early on dampen the experience from time to time, but make no mistake, Silksong is every bit as great as its predecessor.

The evolution of video games has been long and, at times, painful. Undoubtedly, one of the most important turning points was when we made the leap to 3D in the mid-1990s, which, for many, left 2D games as a thing of the past. This change brought with it profound consequences, such as a severe setback in design; video game design had to be learned almost from scratch. Fortunately for all of us, the knowledge acquired before that eventuality was quickly revisited, and today we find ourselves in a much more mature era where both styles can coexist seamlessly and even combine in crazy new ways. Hollow Knight: Silksong feels largely like the result of so much experience...Hollow Knight: Silksong largely represents the best of this form of entertainment that we are so passionate about, this in the midst of a difficult crisis for the industry that is looking everywhere to reinvent itself to become profitable again and of course, not stop this unstoppable cascade of creativity that year after year gives us great experiences on all fronts. Almost out of nowhere, this small group of Australians returns to deliver one of the most special video games I have played in a long time at a price that still sounds ridiculous to many, precisely when the conversation on this matter has taken on very intense overtones due to the sustained rise in the price of these products.

Hollow Knight: Silksong takes the masterclass design of its predecessor and elevates it to set a new gold standard in Metroid-like design.

Hollow Knight Silksong is an extraordinary achievement in video gaming, an unforgettable work born from an unparalleled creative conglomerate. Silksong is the refinement of a masterpiece.

Silksong took everything that made Hollow Knight memorable and made it even better. It’s a faster and more demanding experience that somehow feels natural for Hornet’s journey. Pharloom is a labyrinth of beauty and menace, each corner stuffed with secrets that make getting lost feel like part of the design. Bosses will break you, platforming will bruise you, but the thrill of overcoming both is what makes it unforgettable. It’s everything you’d expect after six years of waiting—and then some.

Team Cherry delivers a visually stunning and musically masterful sequel that expands Hollow Knight’s formula with richer biomes, deeper lore, and a charismatic heroine in Hornet, though its steep difficulty, resource management frustrations, and punishing enemy waves can make it exhausting for some players.

Hollow Knight: Silksong was worth the wait. It is a masterclass on how to improve an already successful formula, expand on almost every single of its mechanics, change some things and keep surprising the player. It is so huge and full of stuff to do, that it makes you think you are never done, but in a good way. Even though it can be very difficult and frustrating, that makes it really satisfying to beat and keep improving.

Silksong isn't the revolution of a decade like Breath of the Wild or possibly GTA 6. Its difficulty and universe make it a game still reserved for an audience that loves a demanding experience despite a notable effort in its accessibility. Still, in its category, it's a king who has by no means lost his crown. The title oozes the love of its developers from every pore of its skin. In addition to being undisputed in its field, Silksong is an example for all. An example that shows what can be delivered with time and love. Like a caterpillar, the developers of Team Cherry isolated themselves in their cocoon. And for 7 years, they were able to create a video game in the image of silk: light, soft, strong, which will undoubtedly stand the test of time.

It's been a long wait, but it's been so worth it. Silksong is, on the surface, "just" a metroidvania and more like Hollow Knight, but the love poured into this world goes deeper. Thanks to Hornet, the battles reach new heights. The sense of adventure that Silksong evokes resonates in your soul, even though your life is constantly hanging by a thread.

There's so much to love about Hollow Knight: Silksong, especially if you were a fan of the first game. This sequel better focuses the narrative with guided exploration and eases the frustrations with the first game's platforming by making the protagonist far more acrobatic. In many respects, that makes it a safe sequel, as much of the game is merely a more polished, approachable, and fulfilling take on what worked well before. But that first game is one of the best metroidvania titles out there, making this sequel equally essential. Hornet's story is more than worth the wait.

Hollow Knight: Silksong proves that patience pays off. Although not revolutionary, it managed to distill the very best of the metroidvania genre into an experience that will take your breath away. A beautiful world, cleverly designed challenges, and uncompromising difficulty make for an adventure you won’t soon forget. The wait was worth it.

Team Cherry confirms their mastery over the metroidvania genre, their raw artistic talent and their somewhat sadistic tendencies too in this sequel that's as enchanting and generous as it is demanding.

Hollow Knight: Silksong delivers on nearly a decade of hype, with phenomenal action and a world begging to be explored. Both the story and Hornet's characterisation lead to a more active and engaging story in this sequel, while combat similarly feels sharper and more agile, allowing you to truly show off your skills. Filled with secrets to uncover, fantastic bosses, and multiple combat combinations, there's dozens of hours of nearly perfect Metroidvania gameplay on offer.

Silksong is a game that refuses to be anything other than what it is, an unflinchingly robust and brutal sequel that will push you to your limits. Persevere, and you’ll be able to see past its more frustrating choices to experience one of the greatest games of the year, and a testament to giving developers the time and freedom to realise their visions.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a flawed masterpiece. To the right player, it can be one of the greatest games of all time. But that’s only if they are able to look past or easily overcome the grueling, unforgiving challenges that come up regularly. From the world design to the music, characters, and animations, this is a monumental achievement, but had I not been working on this review, I would have given up on Silksong a long time ago. That certainly says something about me as a player, but it also says something about the game, too.

Silksong offers an experience that blends enchantment with certain frustrations. The game keeps the player engaged most of the time, sparking curiosity with each new map explored. I recommend Silksong especially for Metroid enthusiasts, but not for all players.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a near perfect followup to its justifiably revered predecessor. Unfurling from its cocoon, this Metroidvania has evolved on just about everything I loved about the original. With a gorgeous, labyrinthine world full of secrets, and twitchy acrobatic controls, Silksong can be rewarding when it's not being overly punishing. It's a bit tougher out the gate than last time around – but Silksong has been worth the wait.

Silksong is a technical feat. So densely packed is its world that maintaining a laser focus on forward momentum is borderline impossible. At every opportunity, I found myself pausing the main campaign just to prolong my time in Pharloom...Little did I know that pacing myself wasn’t necessary. Mechanically, Silksong is just as expansive. Superior fluidity of movement and a less obtuse approach to building the perfect bug warrior made traversal and combat feel like a treat to be savored at every opportunity...Ultimately, games like these live and die based on how well their worlds are built, and Pharloom is one of the best from an architectural and visual perspective. It’s a shame that its fierce difficulty spike and pacing issues in the early game will absolutely turn less hardcore audiences away, because it’s clear that Silksong is seven years of love, care, and dedication splashed on a screen. Equal parts breathtaking and brutal, Hollow Knight: Silksong proves it was worth the wait but won’t go easy on anyone.