Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Difficulty Spike – Is It Too Much?

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The discussion about the difficulty level of video games has resurfaced again, centered around “Hollow Knight: Silksong,” the long-anticipated sequel to the widely popular “Hollow Knight” (selling over 15 million copies). Developed by Team Cherry after seven years, it was released on all platforms on September 4th. The game has been highly anticipated and promoted not only by fans of the original but also by those who enjoy participating in memes. However, this wasn’t about setting high expectations that only perfection is acceptable; instead, it reflected a wide range of opinions.

Many scarcely caught a glimpse of the game “Silksong“, sparking great interest as they scrutinized screenshots and analyzed details. Already smitten, their eagerness to experience it was insatiable. As buzz surrounding the game grew, with appearances at Summer Game Fest and the Xbox Games Showcase, the number of anxious players eagerly anticipating its release skyrocketed. This fervor was such that major retailers like Steam, Nintendo eShop, Xbox Store, and PlayStation Store experienced significant server congestion as soon as “Silksong” became available. The day had finally come – we were prepared!

As players delved deeper into the game, they soon realized a common theme: Everything inflicts substantial damage. Even routine foes can dish out twice as much health points (HP), which is troubling given Hornet’s initial five HP. Nearly every boss inflicts similar damage with their attacks, some merely by touching. Although Hornet has weakened in-game due to her imprisonment, this also highlighted another concern among fans: The seemingly insufficient upgrade options.

If everything caused so much pain, why wasn’t there an increase in health? It seemed like the enemies needed more than their usual amount of attacks to defeat – where were the improvements to damage? Why would Team Cherry make such a choice? This isn’t even considering all the issues with currency drops, insufficient rewards from bosses, the map system, and my personal pet peeve – having to replay boss battles. Even after playing numerous Souls-like games and side-scrollers before Elden Ring’s checkpoints or Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown’s “Retry” option, runbacks are now seen as a questionable design choice.

In simpler terms, unlike the game “Shadow of the Erdtree,” the game “Silksong” on Steam has not been affected by review bombing. With over 40,000 reviews so far, a whopping 91% have given it a positive rating, making it “Very Positive.” However, despite the majority’s approval, discussions about the game have still surfaced. The common responses like “get good” or “it’s a skill issue” are being used, but those with criticisms claim they have legitimate grievances.

In simpler terms, while I understand some players’ frustrations about bosses not dropping rewards and unexplored areas in the game ‘Silksong’, my personal experience was different. Even though I completed the game within 20 hours, I took it at my own pace, tackling tasks, earning currency, and attempting to defeat bosses. However, there are still some bosses I haven’t defeated yet, and I haven’t collected all the Tools available. It seems there are hidden areas to discover as well, which highlights the grandeur of Pharloom. My time farming for currency was limited to about ten minutes to buy a Simple Key.

On multiple instances, I would lose money upon death and struggle during respawn attempts, yet continued as if nothing had happened. I never felt compelled to strive relentlessly for specific advantages, which is amusing given that I vanquished the Last Judge without enhancements for the Needle or Tools. In fact, I only utilized other offensive tools sparingly, mostly relying on the Straight Pin and Longpin. This wasn’t due to a lack of difficulty – rather, I enjoyed the adrenaline rush, mastering the Judge’s patterns while improving Hornet’s mobility. Knowing when to glide, when to roll in mid-air, when to jump (and not jump) – all part of the game.

Feeling exhilarated by gaining control, I didn’t mind the prospect of dying after defeating it and having to restart the fight. The harsh contact damage served as a lesson that mastery isn’t just about speedy maneuvers, but precision and positioning – skills that proved essential in subsequent battles. In certain skirmishes, my focus on the thrilling movement and combat was so intense that I often forgot I had superior equipment at my disposal.

Despite understanding those who prefer avoiding such complexity and tough challenges, whether Hollow Knight fans were surprised by frequent enemy attacks causing high damage or had expected a simpler gaming experience based on its art-style alone, longing to immerse themselves in this beautiful world. Sometimes, excitement can lead people to buy a game without fully grasping its features. On the other hand, I sympathize with players who appreciate the game’s aspects such as characters, visuals, soundtrack, and controls, which are all exceptional, but find the difficulty challenging and dislike playing it because of that.

Admittedly, there are numerous mods on PC that make gameplay less challenging, such as minimizing damage received by each attack and having every foe drop currency (though this can seem contradictory to the game’s lore). The inclusion of a permanent Compass, much like in ‘Hollow Knight’, might be anticipated, even though it may not perfectly align with the intended gaming experience. The reappearance of this feature in ‘Silksong’ isn’t surprising considering its presence in previous games.

On some rare instances, I find that a game shines brighter due to its challenging nature. Discovering various enhancements is fun, but uncovering Hornet’s true power in her speed and learning to use her movements inventively offers a particularly satisfying experience. This becomes even more rewarding when you circumvent enemies, either to re-encounter bosses or simply avoid combat altogether.

If opponents didn’t pack such a punch, would the character disintegrate? Not likely, but the thrill of dodging foes mid-flight, confidently using Silk Skills without the need for healing, and drifting into that flow state where time seems to slow down wouldn’t be quite as exhilarating.

Absolutely, it’s important to consider the learning aspect too. With Silksong being a fresh game featuring novel mechanics and systems, some players might not grasp everything right away. This unfamiliarity could be causing unease among those unsure of what’s coming up, exacerbated by the concern about losing progress or making insufficient progress. However, as more details emerge over time, they may come to understand that the situation isn’t as dire as it seems initially.

Well, I personally prefer a more challenging gaming experience, but I can empathize with those who might want something a little less punishing. It would be fantastic if all platforms offered the same mods for games like this, or perhaps Team Cherry could introduce a lower difficulty setting without altering the current Normal Mode in any way.

Regardless of whether it turns out to be successful or not, I’m convinced that this decision was the correct path, as it enhances the desired pacing, flow, and challenge for the developers. I can’t wait to dive back in and explore more of Pharloom, drawn by its captivating ambiance and the exciting tension of its perils. Although the discussion about difficulty will likely continue, the release of Silksong and the sheer enjoyment it brings makes me content.

As a passionate gamer myself, I’d like to clarify that the perspectives shared in this write-up are mine alone. They may not reflect the collective viewpoint of GamingBolt as a whole, so please remember not to attribute them to the organization.

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2025-09-11 15:57