Hollow Knight: Silksong – Everything You Need to Know

Enthusiasts, skeptics, and everyone in between, the moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here! After its initial announcement in February 2019 and several subsequent delays, the highly anticipated game Hollow Knight: Silksong will be released on September 4th across multiple platforms including Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch, and even the rumored Switch 2. As other developers have decided to postpone their games in anticipation, it’s safe to say that this release is a significant event! But what exactly can we expect from Silksong? Beyond being a sequel to one of the greatest games ever created, what innovative mechanics and features should players be excited about? Let’s delve into all the details below.

How it Connects to Hollow Knight

In the past, over a decade ago, Team Cherry had an ambitious goal for their Hollow Knight Kickstarter campaign. This goal involved adding a new playable character with distinct quests if they surpassed their funding target. However, this idea evolved significantly, eventually transforming into a separate game – Hollow Knight: Silksong. In this spin-off title, Hornet takes center stage. Although there may be links to Hallownest, Silksong is essentially a unique journey on its own.

As Big or Bigger Than Hallownest

It’s unclear yet how vast Pharloom, the new kingdom in Silksong, will be compared to the original game’s world, but co-director Ari Gibson hinted that it could potentially match or even surpass Hollow Knight’s scale. In fact, he suggested that it might become another colossal undertaking similar to the first game. Given Team Cherry’s work style, the size of the world has grown accordingly, and this expansion may also include multiple towns and a new quest system.

Areas Revealed Thus Far

Though we’ve peeked at just a slice of the full picture, various regions have been thoroughly explored. One such area is Greymoor, teeming with new characters (including the peculiar Crawbugs) that Hornet will encounter; and Deep Docks, which gradually unveils itself as a complex labyrinth filled with formidable foes. The journey’s aim is to reach the highest point of the kingdom, and despite glimpses of other locations, it seems like we’ve barely touched on what lies ahead.

More Extensive Mobility

In contrast to the protagonist in Hollow Knight, Hornet showcases significantly increased mobility. While the protagonist can wall hang and perform a downward slash for added momentum and height, Hornet has additional moves such as throwing her Nail at enemies, which allows her to move towards them or attach to various environmental elements to traverse gaps. Additionally, we’ve noticed trailers featuring a double-jump and a rather amusing hovering ability in Hornet’s repertoire.

Combat Mechanics

In the game ‘Silksong’, mobility serves not only as a means of movement but also as a formidable weapon. The standard slashing techniques are still present, yet Hornet now has the ability to execute a diagonal dash from mid-air to strike enemies. One attack transforms her Nail into a drill-like instrument, while another allows her to plow through multiple targets simultaneously to inflict damage. In comparison to its forerunner, the combat is noticeably quicker and more action-packed.

How Healing Works

This new healing system can potentially be very life-saving, but using it comes with a catch. You can swiftly restore your health by unraveling a thread of silk, allowing you to jump back into the fray without any interruption. However, once you use a spool, it’s all gone, regardless of how little health you needed to recover. The question is whether to heal whenever required or hold off and only do so when it’s critical – that’s the balancing act between benefits and drawbacks.

Crafting and Tools

In this new installment, crafting plays an essential role. Hornet collects materials from defeated foes to construct various Tools. These include weapons like the Straight Pin for ranged attacks, and the Silkspear, which recharges by inflicting damage. Also notable are the Sting Shard, a lethal trapping mechanism, and the Magma Bell, an item that shields against harmful lava and excessive heat.

More than 200 Enemy Types

During Hornet’s adventure, she will meet a variety of creatures, some of which may require deadly action. The game features around 200 distinct enemy types, which is surprising since it was initially announced that there would be approximately 150.

Over 40 Boss Fights

Following this, you’ll encounter several challenging boss fights involving over 40 enemies. So far, we’ve faced some diverse opponents like the nimble Lace and a pair of coordinating bosses, not to mention the colossal, roaring beast found within a lava cavern. Given the intensity of previous encounters in Hollow Knight, it’s safe to say we’re in for an exhilarating journey ahead!

Quests

As a gamer, diving into the world of Silksong, I’m excited to explore, chat with NPCs, and hopefully sort out their troubles. But it doesn’t stop there! This game is packed with side quests and extra tasks. How elaborate they are, only time will tell, but tracking down “rare beasts” fits nicely into the fresh new crafting system. To keep tabs on these missions, you’ll find useful noticeboards scattered across Pharloom.

Rescuing Fleas

In an update shared with EDGE in December 2020, the role of Grubs has been replaced by Fleas. However, these newcomers don’t seem to be waiting passively in jars for assistance. Rather, they may engage in conflicts, which could potentially necessitate Hornet’s intervention.

Steel Soul Mode

When the game Silksong is captured, you’ll have the opportunity to try again in Steel Soul mode. Offering a “tougher test,” this essentially refers to the hardcore mode found in Hollow Knight where death would conclude a playthrough and restart your progress (with certain exceptions). In Silksong, it’s expected that these regulations will apply, but it wouldn’t be unexpected if Team Cherry added some fresh elements.

PC Requirements

Hey there fellow gamer! Just wanted to give you a heads up about Silksong, it’s an incredible game but it demands some hefty system requirements. If you’re planning to play on PC, make sure you’ve got an Intel Core i3-3240 or an AMD FX-4300 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a graphics card like the GeForce GTX 560 Ti or Radeon HD 7750 with at least 1GB of VRAM. If you’re going for the recommended settings, expect to need an Intel Core i5-3470 processor, 8GB RAM, and a graphics card like the GTX 1050 or Radeon R9 380 with at least 2GB of VRAM. Oh, and did I mention you’ll need a whopping 8GB of space just to install it! Enjoy the adventure, but make sure your rig can handle it first!

Post-Launch Content Plans

One intriguing and potentially nerve-wracking aspect of the upcoming game ‘Silksong’ is Team Cherry’s eagerness to expand it further, as expressed by co-director William Pellen in an interview with Schreier: “Launching it is certainly thrilling. But what follows for us is equally exciting. The most intriguing part now is figuring out what we can add next. We have a plan. Some of the plans for those additional features are quite ambitious, but we hope to accomplish some of it.”

Although this ambition is promising, given the delightful free updates that made the original game so captivating, it’s worth noting how ‘Silksong’ came into existence. Will this continuous development perpetuate the cycle of challenges? Only the passage of time will reveal the answer.

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2025-09-02 18:53