Hollow Knight: Silksong has been a long-anticipated sequel to the original Hollow Knight game and after 8 years since the previous entry, has finally come out.
I have played video games since I was around 7 years old, starting on the Nintendo DS, and have played a few good Metroidvanias such as Metroid Dread, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Castlevania. I can say with utmost confidence that Hollow Knight: Silksong is one of the best Metroidvanias I have ever played.
For those unfamiliar with the genre, a Metroidvania is a video game subgenre where the map is interconnected and non-linear and you must acquire new abilities or items to overcome obstacles or areas that were previously inaccessible.
Silksong is significantly harder than the original Hollow Knight. The combat is faster paced and is much more punishing, making so much as one mistake crucial to if you succeed onward or not. There are also many more enemies with a higher hit box than there were in the original Hollow Knight which can make it harder to proceed in certain areas. The atmosphere of the game is well crafted with dynamic lighting and a very vibrant and eerie setting. The visuals are easy to get lost in because of how fascinating and interesting they look.
Silksong is a very hard game but feels balanced, and it never feels like your deaths were out of your control. It can feel tedious at moments because of the high amount of trial and error some areas require (particularly the parry platforming areas), but this does not worsen the quality of the game in any way because it is fun learning how to master boss fights and or master a difficult platforming section. The bosses can be difficult but always have a distinct pattern to them, which can take some time to master, but it’s heavily satisfying once you finally beat them.
The gameplay is very hooking as well and seems more fluid than how the original Hollow Knight has played; the combat differs from the original in that you don’t downward slash straight down anymore but instead changed to a 45-degree downward slash that can also be used to parry. The parrying sections are occasionally frustrating, especially when you fall very far and wind up getting hit by spikes. Parrying is an interesting addition to the platforming in Silksong, though, despite the frustrations it can ensue.
The rebirth ability (being able to regenerate your health after a certain number of strikes) is also very helpful, especially during boss levels, but can at times also be frustrating when you are struck just before using the rebirth ability. Not to say that any of these frustrations are problems in the game, but more so just me being nitpicky.
The price of the game is also worth noting when you consider how expensive gaming is getting as a hobby. With other popular games like Mario Kart World being $80, and most games now being $69.99, it is refreshing to see to see that Hollow Knight: Silksong is only $20 and is of immense value for how cheap it is.
I am very surprised at how much I have loved this game so far; I can barely think of anything besides minor nitpicks as far as anything wrong with Silksong. Silksong is brilliantly made, and I have not yet played a game like it. I believe that Silksong is the best game I have played this year and think it should get Game of the Year for just how masterfully crafted the game is. I highly recommend Silksong to anyone who may be interested in checking it out; it is well worth it.
10/10- Masterpiece
Alexander Greve is a first-year Fine Arts and Computer Science major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
