We waited six years for this!

When Silksong was announced back in 2019, fans around the world exploded with excitement. Six years later, the wait is finally over. The highly anticipated sequel has arrived, ready for players to lose themselves all over again.

Does it live up to the hype? Absolutely! But is it for everyone? That answer is a little more complicated.

Welcome to Into Indie Games’ review of Hollow Knight: Silksong, where we’ll cover what the game does well and where it may push some players away.

For more information about Hollow Knight: Silksong, check out the official website here.

Get Lost in the Kingdom of Pharloom

Silksong takes place in a new kingdom called Pharloom, and much like Hallownest, it feels alive at every turn. Each zone has its own culture, tone, and ecosystem. At no point did I feel like I was trudging through copy-paste environments or facing the same enemies recycled again and again.

The artistry behind these zones is remarkable. The hand-drawn visuals build on the foundation of Hollow Knight, while layering in new detail and a stronger sense of movement. Pharloom feels like a world that exists without you, humming with life, menace, and secrets. From Crawbugs nesting in Greymoor to the Skarrs camped out at Hunter’s March, the enemies in every single region feel like they belong there.

Exploration is still at the heart of the experience, and Pharloom rewards curiosity. But this is also where one of my biggest issues comes in. Traps and environmental hazards, even in early areas, now take away two masks of health. Considering you only start with five, it feels like the game is actively punishing you for stepping off the beaten path.

More than once, I held back from checking a new path because one mistake could cost me half my health bar, and most likely, all my Rosaries. It sometimes feels like Team Cherry leaned too far into punishing players for simply wanting to poke around.

Hornet’s Acrobatic Combat Style

The biggest shift from the original comes in how you play. Hornet is not the Knight, and she never feels like the Knight. She doesn’t even move like him. Hornet is agile, acrobatic, and fast. She darts across arenas, weaving in and out of fights with a style that feels closer to a dance than a duel.

Her toolkit makes combat more fluid. Where the Knight felt weighty and deliberate, Hornet is light and aggressive. She can vault over enemies, dash across wide gaps, and string together strikes with a rhythm that rewards precision. 

Even the pogo, a cornerstone of Hollow Knight‘s combat, is different in Silksong. Hornet has a diagonal pogo, which takes some time to adjust to. But once you master it, the combat starts to click and feel more even rewarding.

That said, Silksong is harder. Much harder. Not just in the usual “git gud” sense, but in the way certain encounters are designed. Some bosses summon endless adds that each deal two masks of damage. Even when the boss itself has a simple moveset, the chaos of dealing with the minions often tips battles toward frustration rather than challenge. At times, it feels like difficulty is being inflated for its own sake.

It does get better eventually. Needle upgrades smooth out damage sponge bosses later on, but those early hours can be a rough climb, even for veterans. For newcomers, it could be outright discouraging.

The Music and Sound of Pharloom

If there’s one thing Silksong gets just as right as Hollow Knight, it’s atmosphere. Pharloom feels alive not only through its visuals but through its music woven into every area. Christopher Larkin’s score once again takes the center stage, shifting seamlessly from gentle choirs to frantic strings in a heartbeat to capture the perfect mood.

Boss fights pulse with energy, pushing you into that razor-sharp state of focus that the game demands from its players. The maniacal strings playing in the background during the fight against Widow had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Each boss soundtrack is designed with utmost care to complement the intensity of the challenge. 

NPCs and Side Quests

Where Hollow Knight often leaned into mystery and silence, Silksong lets its characters speak more openly. Unlike the Knight, Hornet actually talks to the NPCs, and that one small change makes every interaction feel more grounded. Pharloom is filled with NPCs who aren’t just quest givers but personalities with their own motives, quirks, and sometimes contradictions.

Side quests, called “Wishes,” give you a reason to backtrack and dig deeper into the world. Some quests will have you hunting down a beast; other times, you’ll be tracking down a missing person. These side quests are a bit more deliberate with clear objectives. It’s a welcome change from the somewhat cryptic side quests in the original.

The Highs and Lows

For everything Silksong does right, there are places where its difficulty tuning makes it stumble. Environmental hazards dealing double damage discourage exploration, and bosses relying on adds drag some fights into slog territory.

Yet despite these issues, I just couldn’t put it down. The lore, atmosphere, the music, and the sheer sense of wonder kept pulling me back. I wanted to see every corner of Pharloom. I wanted to understand its denizens. I wanted to conquer every boss, even the ones that tested my patience.

That balance between frustration and awe is part of what makes Silksong special. It isn’t a game designed to be comfortable. It is a game designed to push you… to make you yell out in anger just to dive in for another round with the boss that’s been punishing you for the last 10 minutes. 

Verdict: Brutal but Brilliant

Hollow Knight: Silksong isn’t just a reskin of Hollow Knight. It’s a sharper, faster, and in many ways harsher take on what made the original so special. Hornet’s acrobatic style is engaging, the zones are works of art, and the music ties it all together into an unforgettable journey.

At the same time, its difficulty will divide players. Veterans may relish the added challenge, while newcomers could find themselves pushed away before the world fully opens up. I didn’t love every choice Team Cherry made, but I never doubted the care behind them.

If you enjoyed Hollow Knight, you should absolutely play Silksong. If you struggled with the original or never warmed up to its deliberate rhythm, this one won’t change your mind. For me, though, Pharloom is a place I’ll remember long after I’ve put the controller down. 

Developer: Team Cherry
Country of Origin: Australia
Publisher: Team Cherry
Release Date: September 4, 2025 (PC, Linux, macOS, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch)

The PC version of the game was played for this review of Hollow Knight: Silksong.

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