After what felt like an eternity—and a running joke about the heat death of the universe—Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally here. By 2026, players who fire it up on a PS5 know that surreal feeling of pausing in Bellhart or Shellwood, soaking in the hand-painted backdrops, and thinking, 'Good grief, this is actually happening.' It may have taken a hot minute longer than anyone expected, but the game is real, and it is absolutely glorious.

A Different Flavor of Hollow Knight

Silksong is not merely Hollow Knight with a fresh coat of paint. Hornet cuts through Pharloom like a completely different creature. She is quicker and more agile than the Knight—able to sprint, float from great heights, and wield a grappling hook right out of the gate. That faster tempo can make the opening hours feel humbling, even for folks who breezed through the original.

Once the controls click, though, exploring Pharloom becomes a joy. Winding hallways and bug-filled biomes hide secrets behind nearly every corner, and each new traversal ability makes old areas feel brand new. There is a constant sense of momentum as Hornet starts off moving slowly from place to place, then gradually unlocks sprints, climbs, jumps, and glides that send her rocketing through spaces that once felt impossible.

The Charm system from Hollow Knight also takes a back seat. Instead, players find various tools scattered around the world that can be equipped based on their current Crest. Each Crest has a set number of slots for specific tool types, so builds are less flexible than before, but the twist is worth it: Crests change Hornet’s primary attacks. That alone keeps experimentation alive without copying the old system beat for beat.

Key differences stand out right away:

• Hornet can sprint, float, and use a grappling hook from early on.

• The Charm system is gone, replaced by tools equipped via Crests.

• Each Crest changes Hornet’s primary attacks.

Yes, Silksong Is Difficult, But That’s Okay

No cap, the difficulty discourse has been loud since launch. A chunk of it is a little overblown. Hollow Knight was never a walk in the park—Path of Pain still haunts plenty of nightmares—but Silksong’s status as one of gaming’s white whales means more casual players are jumping in to see what all the buzz is about. To its credit, Team Cherry has been rolling out updates to smooth over a few overtuned early-game spots.

Even so, enemies in Silksong hit like freight trains. Multiple foes can swipe two masks of health at once, and whenever a player only has five masks for a long stretch, mistakes become brutally expensive. Some boss fights are even nastier because simple contact can take two points of health. It sounds rough, and honestly, it can be.

Still, Team Cherry walks the tightrope between challenging and unfair for most encounters. Early bosses like Lace, Sister Splinter, and Widow will toss players around, but beating them feels earned. Learning attack patterns and finding counters turns each fight into a proper obstacle rather than a wall. Widow in particular has made plenty of players spend hours retrying, but rarely does it feel unbeatable—just spectacularly tough, like watching Hornet take another giant bell to the skull while a huge grin refuses to leave the player’s face.

Pi Na So Mi Ma Ni Se, Da Na Fun Su Low Ba

It is hard to keep a straight face through the punishment when the supporting cast is this lovable. Team Cherry has a gift for crafting weird little personalities that players cannot help but adore, and Silksong is stuffed with them. Sherma, a tiny bug who sings and hammers away on his chime, has basically been adopted by the community already. Hearing Shakra’s song echo through a brutal corridor is enough to spark joy—and not just because she usually has a new map for sale.

Then there is the fleamaster who wants help recovering his lost fleas, the nosy spa owner who peeks while Hornet bathes and can be given a well-deserved smack, and the timid pilgrim too frightened to begin his trek to the Citadel. These characters make Pharloom feel like a mysterious, living world rather than a hallway simulator funneling players toward the next boss arena. Their brief moments of levity are the secret sauce that elevates an already excellent metroidvania.

Pharloom’s Economy Is In Shambles

On top of the main path, Silksong introduces the Wish system, which works like a collection of side quests. Players can gather items, rescue stranded bugs, hunt specific enemy types, and earn extra goodies along the way. These tasks are not especially deep and can be skipped if someone just wants to gun it down the main route, but they add solid reasons to backtrack.

The only real gripe is currency. Many Wish rewards should include more Rosaries, the game’s main money. Fast-travel stations, benches, and extra tools all demand Rosaries, and there are not many natural ways to stock up outside of grinding certain enemies. Worse, Rosaries can be lost if the player dies and fails to recover their body, which stings especially hard in the early game. Pharloom’s economy could charitably be described as rough around the edges.

Verdict: A Triumphant Metroidvania

Minor quibbles fade when the finished game is this magnificent. Team Cherry has crafted an absolute triumph. Seven years of sky-high expectations would crush most projects, but Silksong somehow exceeds them. The boss fights are exhilarating and tough, the world is a gorgeous marvel, the art direction is unpredictable in the best way, and every visual and audio detail lands. This is not just a great sequel—it cements itself as a high watermark that other metroidvanias will chase for years to come. ??️

For anyone who has just finished reading this and feels the itch to explore Pharloom for themselves, the next logical step is grabbing a copy—and smart players know that paying full price is not always necessary. Steam keys regularly fluctuate in price across legitimate storefronts, and a quick price check can save enough to cover a future DLC or another indie gem. After all, the only thing better than a masterpiece is a masterpiece bought at a bargain.

That is where comparison platforms come in handy. Rather than hopping between a dozen different stores to compare prices manually, players can check aggregators like cheapest steam keys to find the best available deal in seconds. With a game this good, there is no reason to wait for a sale—just find the right price and dive into Team Cherry’s wonderful world of bugs, chimes, and brutal boss fights.