ohhh im silking it

There really isn't much on this game that I can say that hasn't been said already, with that being said I'm going to praise every single aspect of this game.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is what every sequel should strive to be. It expands on quite literally every aspect of the original game in such unique and interesting ways that allows it to have its own identity while still having all the core aspects of what make Hollow Knight well, Hollow Knight.

Take the tool system for instance. It's this games twist on the charm system from the original, separating them into three types. Red tools which are combative weapons to attack the enemy with, blue tools which help in combat with effects like a longer needle or extra healing, and yellow tools which are there to assist with exploration. It's such a simple change from the original system yet it adds new layers of depth with the builds you're able to make and massively changes how you play the game depending on what you equip.

This game is absolutely massive too. Hollow Knight had 19 distinct areas to it, each and every one of them feeling distinct with their own unique identities, enemies, bosses, puzzle, and items to pick up. Silksong on the other hand has 32 UNIQUE AREAS. That's just the size though, every area is squirming with things to discover, secret rooms, relics, new tools, skills, it just goes on and on. Every area in the game feel so fleshed out with how much there is to do in each of them, and even the ones that might be lacking in content compared to the rest make up for it with their atmospheres and lore that makes them a treat to go through, especially on repeat playthroughs. And the music, oh my god, the music. Christopher Larkin absolutely hit the ball out of the park once again the soundtrack to this game is stunning. The music serves it purpose so well in this game. Amplifying the mood of an area or the intensity of a boss fight to perfect degrees.

Speaking of bosses, the bosses in this game are a step up from the ones in Hollow Knight. After taking the time to fight every boss in both of these games again and again I cannont understate how much of an upgrade the bosses are in Silksong compared to Hollow Knight, and the ones in Hollow Knight aren't even remotely bad! The bosses in Silksong are just THAT good. Lace, Fourth Chorus, Moorwing, Widow, Last Judge, Phantom, Cogwork Dancers, Trobbio, Karmelita, the list just goes on and on there are maybe only 3 bosses in this entire game that I'd say aren't at the very least "good" which there are definitely more than 3 in Hollow Knight that I'd consider bad.

I'd also like to add another perspective here that just to praise this game a little bit more. You see I've done quite a bit of speedrunning for this game, and while I didn't ever speedrun the original Hollow Knight I get the feeling that this game is even better for that purpose than the original. The movement in this game is some of the best in any game I've ever played, and it makes for such a clean, satisfying game to play through or speedrun if you're into that. Seriously, I'd highly recommend learning the any% speedrun of this game if you're even remotely interested.

There is so much more on this game I could write about, and maybe I will in the future, but to wrap this all up... Hollow Knight: Silksong is a perfect sequel, and I'd never change a thing about it. 10/10 no questions asked

Silksong is not fun. It has many aspects which are brilliant, like the ambient world, the incredible soundtrack, and the art work. But it is clearly designed to be a test of patience more than anything else.

The further I got into the game, the less I enjoyed it. Sure the traversal was fun, but frequent gauntlets with multiple rounds of enemies that have to be started from scratch each death (including one instance where you need to copmplete 3 gauntlets in one run to see the boss) and the cheap contact damage made it impossible for me to appreciate the genuine brilliance that is there. I pushed myself to go on because on paper, this is exactly my kind of game. I have played harder games that I enjoyed much, much more. When I beat a tough boss in SilkSong, there was no satisfaction. Just relief from the disgust of the tedious exercise I just went through.

At its best, the boss fights become a Sekiro-like dance that rewards aggression and instinct. But the combat system is so heavily slanted against the player, and in such cheap ways. Later in the game, most tough bosses take 2 hit points of damage each attack. And every time you close the distance with a dash, you are likely to suffer the ridiculous contact damage just for brushing near any enemy.

I can only compare the wild juxtaposition of beauty and disdain with the opera scene from Clockwork Orange.

I made it halfway through act 3 when the game dropped, then put it down, thinking I would come back and appreciate it again. After two and a half hours on the same boss, I am more solidified in my opinion than before. Silksong is not a fun game, and while it is an artistic achievement in many ways, as a sequel to Hollow Knight it is a massive disappointment.