Silksong is real. It’s finally here. I’ve played about seven hours of it already. Whether it’s exploring the first few screens of the world and happening upon Bone Bottom or plucking away at the first real test of a fight against Lace, the game uses the same formula as Hollow Knight and wields it to equally incredible effect.
I’m something of a Hollow Knight megafan: I own the original game on Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and PC, and have beaten it at least once on all platforms (though I’ve never quite managed to overcome the Path of Pain – I’m too old and slow for that now, I think).
My initial read of Silksong is a simple one: it’s harder, faster, and more complex than its forebear, but that’s no bad thing. As I wrote yesterday, Team Cherry is artisinal in its use of game design to empower the player, and Silksong proves that on a sophomore attempt, the developer is no less keen eyed and sadistic in its approach. I’ve not played enough to put a score on the game yet, but my initial thought is: this is an all-timer. We’ll see if that holds water once I hit the end-game.
But you don’t just care about what I have to say, do you? Let’s go to the wider Eurogamer team – made up of all different levels of familiarity with the series – to see what everyone else has to say about Silksong now that the servers are back online and we can all actually play it.
Marie – Guide Writer
Hollow Knight familiarity level: Played a bit of the first one, never managed to get too deep into it.
Impressions:
I am, quite welcomely, blown away so far with Silksong. I’ve just reached the end of The Marrows, partly because I keep finding myself getting distracted by the detailed designs in each area and also because I keep revisiting Sherma to hear their song on repeat. The music in Silksong alone is enough to keep me coming back for more.
I thought the diagonal attack would take a while to get used to and make this a lot harder than Hollow Knight, but I’ve found this attack far easier to use than the Knight’s downwards one. I found many of Hollow Knight’s early enemies quite tricky, spending more time getting used to the controls than anything, but with Silksong the attack process feels more organic – I’m picking it up a lot faster. It’s personal preference I’m sure, but it’s making a big difference on how comfortable I am with Silksong’. Also, I’m finding the Hornet easier to maneuver to get from A to B.
Will I feel as confident as the game progressively gets harder? Only time will tell – but for now, I’m happy!
Connor – Staff Writer
Hollow Knight familiarity level: Beat the game for the first time last week (not true ending).
Impressions:
Playing through Silksong I’m happy to learn that the cast of lovable quirky side characters is just as strong here as it was in the original game. The moment I ran into Shakra – your new map seller – I was immediately ride-or-die for her. A total flip on Cornifer, the jolly equivalent from Hollow Knight, Shakra is a tough, loyal warrior carving her own way through the world. I’ve been humming along to her song since yesterday.
The same goes for Sherma – a cute bug with another brilliant song and boundless faith. Hit that spoon, little guy. Finding these characters and learning their stories was a big appeal for me in the original game and I’m happy to find myself well-served in Silksong
Victoria – News Reporter
Hollow Knight familiarity level: Flirted with Hollow Knight.
Impressions:
I have only just started Silksong, so I cannot yet say whether I love, like or loathe it. What I will say, though, is that I love how it sounds. Each ‘thwip thwip’ of Hornet’s needle is divine. And the way her feet pitter patter against the bones and moss beneath her – ah, it is just lovely!
I am obviously some way off even thinking about finishing Silksong but, it is already one absolutely beautiful-sounding game if I ever did hear one!
Ed – Deputy News Editor
Hollow Knight familiarity level: Completed the first game.
Impressions:
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I find the map bug’s singing quite irritating. Hollow Knight is all about discovery and, in the original game, hearing the cute little bug’s humming and finding pages strewn across the ground were always a joy, knowing a full map was finally in your grasp. It works similarly in Silksong, but the new bug just doesn’t have the same charm to me. Sorry!
Outside of this I’m loving it: the difficulty is pitched well, I’m enjoying the swift movement, and the layers of paralax scrolling look divine on the Switch 2‘s screen. So far, it’s the same but different, and that’s enough for me.
Bertie Purchese – Associate Editor
Hollow Knight familiarity: A complete newcomer.
Special – that’s what I wanted to see. I’d heard so much about Hollow Knight and sequel Silksong that I wanted to see, the moment I loaded the game, why that was. I wanted to feel like I was unwrapping something exquisite and precious – something worthy of the hype and acclaim the series has had. It made loading Silksong one of the most anticipated gaming moments I think I’ve had.
Did Silksong live up to it? To my delight, yes, and in such style. And I know I’m speaking quite superficially here, but the impact of that almost paper-drawn art style and the incredibly precise way the game plays, feels so deliberate and confident it puts me in mind of Nintendo. I felt immediately in safe hands. Expert hands. Master craftsperson hands. Silksong feels like Nintendo, albeit a darker and more mysterious one, and I don’t think there’s a higher compliment I can give.
Matt – Staff Writer
Hollow Knight familiarity level: Hazy.
Impressions:
I played the original Hollow Knight in erratic snatches; on summer holiday car rides between scenic stop-offs when it first came out. And as is the way with holiday things when you finally get home, the whole thing rapidly took on the haze of a barely remembered dream.
So it felt kind of appropriate my first encounter with Silksong last night was with sleepy eyes and a drowsy brain, when I really should have been in bed. I watched the intro animation (fancy!), found a secret room by pressing the wrong button and hurling myself through a rock, fell off the same platform far too many times, and quickly decided tonight was probably not the night for all this. I did, though, have the sudden sleepy realisation Hornet kind of looks like a tooth in a dress and that’s apparently now something I can’t un-see.
