Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight: Silksong is packed full of sharp platforming, enticing exploration, and nail-biting combat that's all unapologetically challenging in just the right way.

Hollow Knight Silksong takes all the best parts of its predecessor and somehow makes them even better.

Pretty and charmingly mean-spirited, this is a game filled with revelations and genuine personality.

Silksong can be ruthless, but it's hard to pry yourself away from its haunted little world that never seems to end.

Enemies also feel much more aggressive in general, rising to meet the increased skill ceiling of Hornet's more acrobatic moves.

Musicians know the feeling of a piece that is woven with complexity, which takes longer to learn than most, but brings commensurate satisfaction upon mastery; Silksong is the video game equivalent, sitting ready to be played and adored, but only after appropriate levels of devotion and persistence.

Living up to its name, “Silksong” spins a taut lattice, almost every thread in its right place. You may get stuck in its trap. Wrestle mightily against its binds, however, and you will be wrapped in shimmering brilliance.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is caught in a web of trying to bind two conflicting genres together, with the expectations and norms of each half damaging the other. The beauty of its art design and precise, joyful feel of its movement are inarguable wonders, but the tiring and demotivating nature of its sadistic approach to challenge ripples throughout the entire experience of exploration and combat. It's more of what was good about Hollow Knight, but it failed to avoid some very clear pitfalls in design on its long path to release.

A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.

The love, care, and attention that's gone into making Hollow Knight: Silksong is already very evident in its vast array of gorgeous environments, earworm audio, and tough but fair platforming challenges. Pharloom is a land we just can't get enough of, and we can't wait to see where Team Cherry will take us as we work towards the conclusion of the campaign.