Video Game Review: Hollow Silksong

Thousands of games are released every year, but only a few stir up immense excitement with their launches. Up until recently, the two most anticipated games online were “Grand Theft Auto 6” and “Hollow Knight: Silksong.” What made this title rival  “Grand Theft Auto,” in terms of news buzz, was the fact that it had been in development for 8 years with little to no information released about it, and that it is a sequel to one of the most beloved games released in the 21st century, “Hollow Knight.” After a surprise release date announcement, September 4, 2025 marked the day players were finally able to get their hands on perhaps the most anticipated game of the year.

“Silksong” is a fantasy action-adventure game developed by the Australian group “Team Cherry” and follows a spider-like creature by the name of Hornet as she attempts to unravel the curse that plagues the kingdom of Pharloom. The game’s presentation incorporates many fantasy tropes, such as knights, magic spells, and presents a world entirely inhabited by bug creatures. Every character and enemy encountered is a type of bug, which can be off-putting to the squeamish; however, the game’s adorable art style makes this a less likely issue.

Similar to its predecessor, “Silksong” can be a challenging experience if one is not mindful. Areas, enemies, and bosses alike all demand certain levels of expertise on the player’s part to overcome the game’s many challenges. Unlike its previous entry, there are new tools at the player’s disposal, including a dynamic movement system, throwing weapons and equipable “Crests” that alter how you attack and dodge. These additions, while refreshing, can feel a little unbalanced, especially when it is clear that some configurations are much better than others. This had led me to not be as experimental with my playstyle as I would have liked.

The game’s presentation is one of its biggest strengths, featuring a variety of fantastical areas that eventually connect to form a large, cohesive map. For those interested in worldbuilding, “Silksong” does a wonderful job of slowly fleshing out its world and characters in a way that matches the player’s own developing curiosity. From an artistic standpoint, there are a lot of great designs and gorgeous settings here that feed my artistic intrigue

One of the biggest complaints levied towards this game is its difficulty, which has made the game off-putting to some. I would be lying if I didn’t say that I haven’t been incredibly frustrated while playing this from time to time, but I never found its challenges to be unfair. There are plenty of unique items at your disposal that make each encounter akin to a puzzle that’s solved by mixing and matching the right equipment. Since this was a highly anticipated sequel for many years, I do think the developers should have included some options to make the start of the game a smoother experience, as it can be quite brutal. That being said, pushing ahead and carving out each corner of the map and mastering the game’s mechanics has been an incredibly rewarding experience.

So far, I don’t think “Silksong” is a better game than “Hollow Knight,” even though it makes decisions that improve the overall play. It’s a wonderfully crafted work filled to the brim with details that contribute to making it a very memorable experience. Issues such as its pacing, increased difficulty, and unbalanced tool system do stop it from being a perfect game, but it remains a great one.