It's been almost 8 years since I first stepped into Hollow Knight, the indie hit that changed the way we watch metroidvania forever. It was the first game I bought on the new Switch, from my first “real” paycheck, and it has a special place in my heart. Dark atmosphere, challenging difficulty, secret world and emotional soundtrack, all that turned Hollow Knight into a classic.
And then, in 2019, the announcement of Silksong: originally intended as DLC, but Team Cherry's ambition turned it into a standalone title. The hype grew, the silence lasted, and the fans went crazy; subreddit r/silksong it became the epicenter of the madness, to the extent of "sacrificing" four users by banning the game to release as soon as possible. The term for that madness was also coined,silksanity". And here it is, 2025, and the game is finally out, devastating Steam and the eshop that could not be accessed for 2 hours after the game was released. Expectations? Yes, they were met, and more than worthy.
Hornet takes over the stage
In Silksong, we take on the role of Hornet, the princess, warrior and guardian of Hallownest, whom we met as a rival and ally in Hollow Knight. Unlike the quiet, introspective figure of Knight, Hornet is loud, expressive and aggressive, which is felt already in the first minutes of gameplay. She moves like a ballerina with her needle, fast and agile. Her fighting style is reminiscent of a dance: high jumps, dashes and acrobatic dive attacks blend into fluid movement with a sense of total control under her fingers. Every movement has weight, but also elegance. In short, the Hornet is a badass.
At the beginning, of course, she is deprived of all her abilities. I won't spoil too many of them, let's just mention a few that you will unlock quickly. With the help of silk, the Hornet can throw its needle like a missile, quickly dash through different biomes, and use its mantle as a parachute and glider. Passing through this world seems more fluid and rhythmic, compared to Knight's methodical research. As you progress through the game, you'll have to perform increasingly complex acrobatics and stunts to navigate the terrain.
Silksong introduces a new upgrade system that replaces the original Charms, called Tools. They are categorized by color: white and red weapons are for active attack, like knives and bombs. They consume silk or require resources to restore. Blue tools are passive survival boosters, which work in the background, and yellow are utility tools like a compass. They are equipped through the Crest system. Crests are predefined "loadouts" that determine the number and color of available slots and additional passive effects. Choosing the Crest shapes the Hornet as a class – from a lightning-fast long-range killer to a tactical tank. The combination of Tools and Crests allows for significantly greater tactical flexibility compared to the original.
Pharloom, the new kingdom
Story void Hornet in Pharloom, a mysterious kingdom full of religious, fanatical atmosphere. The opening credits show the Hornet being held captive by the mysterious followers of the Citadel. She soon frees herself from her captors and sets out to find answers, who wants her and why? On the way through the different biomes of Pharloom, we meet different characters, with their own stories, wishes and offers. The narrative is typically minimalistic and unobtrusive, often told through optional dialogue and prompts. You will often talk to some NPCs more than once.
My fast-travel companion and best friend, Bell Beast!
The novelty is that Hornet is not a silent protagonist like Knight, but actively conducts dialogue. Side quests, "Wishes", are not just classic fetch missions, but bring a good sense of progression and reward, and often hide small slice-of-life stories that further enrich the world. Through these quests, we learn more about the daily concerns, beliefs, and motivations of Pharloom's inhabitants, which gives the whole world a wider emotional depth and warmth, despite the bleak atmosphere.
Pharloom is a diverse and colorful world: from grassy caves, through hellish volcanic pits, all the way to mechanical biomes and haunted underground lairs where whispers rule. Each zone exudes personality, and the atmosphere is greatly contributed by another brilliant soundtrack by Christopher Larkin, whose compositions precisely hit the atmosphere of each biome. Wherever you are, you have the impression that you are there, with the Hornet, looking for a way forward.
So many things to buy, and I - poor.
U srcu Pharlooma nalazi se centralni hub, kamp buba hodočasnika koje, duboke predane svojoj vjeri, sanjaju o usponu na vrh Citadele, oko koje se vrti čitava game. Taj nawarivni okvir daje cijelom svijetu osjećaj dublje mitologije. Pharloom djeluje as mračnija jezivija verzija Hallownesta, inpravo zbog tog mračnog religijskog fanatizma. Dok je Hollow Knight znao be tih i tužan, Pharloom je više... inznemirujuć. Ispod površine šuška se o obredthere is, žrtvama, svetinjama, o silama koje nije mindno spominjati naglas.
Boss fights and a design that doesn't let you go
Silksong je zahtjevan, but fer... inglavnom. Čeka vas preko 40 boss fight, sa svojim specifičnim mehanikama i obrascthere is koji traže učenis and prilagodbu. Here soundtrack briljira i podiže taj adrenaline još više. Neprijatelji se ne šale, i mnogi already u ranom dijelu games mogu napraviti dvostruku štetu u jednom udarcu. Kao i uvijek, bossovi koji me najviše plaše su ne gargantuozne beštije, already protivnici moje veličine. Save pointovi znaju newhen be podosta udaljeni od bossa, pa moram trčati nazad do njega i preskakati horde neprijatelja in order to me boss ponovo uwas za minutu, what zna frustriwari. Međutim, how napredujete, igra se otvara: više alata je dostupno, skills prorade, a frustracija se pretvori u uzbuđenje. Still, U Team Cherryu su čuli kritike, tolazi patch koji ublažava dva rana bossa.
Hornet regularly vocalizes his desires, frustrations and aggression.
The new thing is Rosaries – beads of the rosary that serve as the main currency in the game. We lose them on death, just like Geo in the original. Fortunately, there are also Shell Shards, another type of non-losing currency used for crafting and tool upgrades. Another key change: when you die, you no longer have to chase the aggressive ghost of your past, just find and break the silken cocoon that is quietly waiting, and all the hard-earned resources are yours again. Faster, and definitely less frustrating.
Run, run, run!!!!
The biggest charm of Silksong is its design that never lets you go. Every corner of the world hides something: a secret passage, a new NPC, a little thing that expands the lore or an unexpected boss fight. There is always a reason to explore just a little further. I want to hear another Larkin composition, discover another strange biome, meet another bug with its own twisted story and, of course - mow down another boss. That feeling when, after a series of failures, you finally break your opponent - it's not just a victory, it's pure euphoria.
Performance on Switches
On the original Switch, the game runs smoothly at 60 fps and on the OLED, the darker atmosphere shines. Switch 2 users get a free upgrade: 4K and 60fps in docked mode and 1080p with 120fps in handheld mode. Also, in the options you have an alternative for large screens, 120 fps with 1440p. Thanks, Team Cherry, we love options.
The visual identity remains faithful to the original. The cartoony style of Hollow knight returns in a richer guise, with a richer, warmer color palette, more playful than the previous darker atmosphere. Silksong is enveloped in details that seem to breathe and vibrate: the flames in the background, the wind blowing away the beads of the crown, and the animation of the Hornet itself as it walks, runs and jumps. The lighting effects are more complex and the textures are richer, and the whole world looks more tactile and invites exploration.
I can't count how many times this boss has killed me
Nintendo Switch is the perfect platform for this type of game. It's ideal for quick handheld sessions, and works just as well on the big screen when you want to delve deeper into Pharloom. Silksong is one of those games that fits naturally into every rhythm of life. Just arm yourself with patience.
Team Cherry did the unexpected, releasing the game for €20, in a time of expensive AAA titles, season passes and early access. I believe they are aware that fans would gladly pay 40E, even 60E, but they didn't take advantage of the hype. Instead, they put community and gaming ahead of profit, and showed that they value their fans.
An experience that reminded me why I love indies
Playing Silksong makes me feel like it's 2019, and I'm playing Hollow Knight again for the first time. From the first step, jump and swing of the needle, the feeling is familiar, yet new and different.
Silksong is not just a continuation, but an answer. A response to every post, every theory and meme, every "silksanity" outburst that fans have had. Team Cherry didn't try to make Hollow Knight 2, they made it again. With a different rhythm, but with the same respect for the player.
For 20 euros? Honestly, I feel like I owe them so much more.
