Hollow Knight: Silksong – 9 Things We Know So Far

by

Summary

  • Play as Hornet in Silksong, offering a unique combat style and abilities.
  • Explore the new world of Pharloom, featuring vertical maps and challenging climbs.
  • Encounter over 165 enemies and exciting boss fights in Silksong, with various non-player characters and collectible items.

2017 saw indie developers Team Cherry launching the captivating game Hollow Knight. It provided countless hours of enjoyable gameplay, elevating the metroidvania genre significantly. The game’s stunning visuals, intricate combat challenges, and the massive subterranean maze of Hallownest were irresistible to players, offering a one-of-a-kind gaming adventure that left them craving for more.

It’s not surprising that the upcoming sequel to Hollow Knight, titled Hollow Knight: Silksong, is generating a lot of excitement, even claiming the number one spot among Steam’s most wished-for games. While many aspects of the game are yet to be revealed, frequent updates from Team Cherry through blog posts, trailers, and gameplay demos have given fans plenty to look forward to. There are several confirmed features that fans should definitely be eager about.

As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but share my excitement over the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct! It was nothing short of thrilling to catch a sneak peek at some gameplay from the highly anticipated title, ‘Silksong’. But here’s what really got me pumped – they unveiled its release date! Yes, you read it right! ‘Silksong’ is slated to drop in the year 2025. Can’t wait that long? Neither can I! Let’s countdown the days together!

1. The Protagonist, Hornet

The Princess-Protector Of Hallownest

In the upcoming game, you’ll take command of Hornet, a powerful sidekick from the original game whose growth and interactions with the player were significant. In several gameplay clips, she can be seen using her needle as a weapon to dart across chasms, cling to ledges, and hurl at enemies, offering a combat style that’s more focused on range compared to the first game.

Her movements are more graceful and agile than those of the Knight, offering maneuvers such as wall jumps, fast running speeds, and long leaps to navigate her environment. With her quick recovery, healing capabilities, and various silk-powered skills at her disposal, Hornet’s enhanced role promises a refreshing update for the franchise.

2. The World, Pharloom

A Vertical World Of Bells And Silk

In this fresh game, you’ll find a thrilling new realm to delve into, a spectral kingdom located beyond Hallownest that has been shrouded in mystery. In promotional videos for the game, viewers have caught glimpses of various beautifully designed and unique zones, although only a few names have officially been revealed. For example, the “Moss Grotto” is adorned with hanging vines and vegetation, while “Greymoor” is enveloped in fog and tall gravestone towers, being touted by Team Cherry as one of the game’s expansive zones.

Although the specific number of accessible regions and their design remain uncertain, the vertical structure of the map and Hornet’s expedition to the “Citadel” at Pharloom’s peak are hinted at in Nintendo demo footage. Therefore, fans can anticipate a tough ascent through these stunning landscapes.

3. The Enemies Of Pharloom

Over 165 Enemies To Encounter

In the style of a classic Metroidvania game, Pharloom’s diverse caverns will be teeming with enemies and chances for thrilling battles. The initial trailer revealed glimpses of numerous powerful adversaries, with more than 165 confirmed in total. Among these enemies are spiders, ants, and snails, each with unique combat behaviors to master or dodge.

Currently, it’s not explicitly stated within the story why the enemies attack Hornet, but their skill-based abilities and steep learning curve suggest they will provide an engaging challenge.

4. The Boss Fights

Warlords, Queens, And Assassins, Oh My

Absolutely, a fantastic sequel to Hollow Knight wouldn’t miss out on an array of thrilling boss battles, and Silksong appears to deliver in abundance. In their blogposts, Team Cherry mention numerous hunters, assassins, queens, and warlords that players will encounter.

Some confirmed leaders encompass characters such as Carmelita, a warrior ant queen who battles before her devoted followers, and Seth, defender of the citadel who charges and twirls towards Hornet in the trailer preview. Particularly noteworthy is Lace, whose initial fight, shown during the gameplay demo, is expected to be one of the first of numerous obstacles you’ll face.

5. The Merchants And Friends

Ready To Offer Help For The Journey

In addition to revealing some delightful characters that Hornet will encounter during her journey, it’s been disclosed that merchants can be found scattered across the map. Examples include Shakra, a nomadic cartographer who offers maps of different regions, and the Forge-Daughter, who serves as the primary means for crafting and enhancing Hornet’s combat tools.

Players have glimpsed characters such as the pilgrim Sherma, the enigmatic Church Caretaker, and the swift-transporting Bell Creature during their grand adventure, based on gameplay previews.

Or simply:
In gameplay previews, players have encountered characters like Sherma the Pilgrim, the cryptic Church Keeper, and the speedy Bell Beast on their adventure journey.

6. The Collectable Items

Silk, Rosaries, Shell Shards, And Fleas

Similar to the initial game, Pharloom is filled with vital items and charming trinkets for players to discover. Notable examples of these include silk, rosary beads, and shell shards. The silk functions similarly to souls in the original game, earning more each time an enemy is struck, thereby empowering the player to execute potent actions and attacks.

In contrast, Rosaries serve as the in-game currency, utilized for purchasing new items, upgrades, and they’re forfeited upon death. Moreover, there’s a fresh inclusion – shell shards – that function to mend Hornet’s latest set of tools. Lastly, fleas can be found scattered throughout Pharloom.

7. The New “Tools” Mechanic

Weapons And Customization To Aid Combat

Rather than showcasing a set of abilities, Silksong invites me as a player to gather and craft useful tools for Hornet. Based on the sneak peeks I’ve caught in trailers and gameplay demos, it appears these tools can be categorized into at least three groups – traps, companions, and health boosts.

As a gamer, I appreciate the variety of “emblems” at my disposal, each capable of storing a unique amount of tools. This additional customization lets me tailor my gaming experience according to my diverse combat and exploration needs.

8. The Quest Board System

Additional Objectives For The Player

It appears that Silksong introduces a more structured side-quest system compared to the original game, potentially extending playtime for thorough players. The footage shows the presence of quest boards, each containing multiple tasks with four confirmed classifications. For instance, “Hunt” and “Grand Hunt” quests will likely involve defeating a specified enemy or particular type of enemy.

The “Gather” and “Wanderer” quests, conversely, appear to encourage and compensate for exploration objectives, implying that players will find additional means, beyond the primary narrative, to enhance Hornet’s abilities.

9. The Main Story

An Adventure With Many Bells And Whistles

There’s still much to learn about the storyline of Silksong, yet Team Cherry has provided plenty of details and gameplay demos that have kept fans informed. The game’s opening scene, which is featured in both the announcement trailer and demo footage, depicts a captive Hornet being transported into Pharloom, only to subsequently plummet into an unending chasm.

The adventure in the Moss Grotto serves as the starting point for players, leading them on an ascension to the Citadel. Along the way, they’ll encounter characters such as the Church Keeper and discussions from Team Cherry about “pilgrimage,” which hint at the spiritual undertones present in the narrative of Silksong. The game title itself suggests ties to both music and silk, and with Hornet’s lineage playing a significant role, fans eagerly anticipate uncovering what lies ahead for them.

Read More

2025-04-02 20:58