Hollow Knight: Silksong Patch 1.0.28470 is Giving the Wrong Boss a Nerf

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The game titled “Hollow Knight: Silksong” is sparking debates among gamers about its level of challenge, with some finding it well-balanced while others find it too hard or easy relative to other games. Despite this, the high anticipation for the game has not waned, although some players may feel disappointed if they were expecting more from a game they’ve been eagerly awaiting for seven years.

I really love Hollow Knight, but I understand that there’s a significant skill gap that makes it difficult for me to fully appreciate it compared to others. I have great respect for how challenging Hollow Knight is, especially the nightmarish ‘pogo’ platforming sequences which I could never quite get the hang of. It was also reassuring to know that the hardest content in Hollow Knight was optional.

On the other hand, during my first playthrough of Hollow Knight: Silksong, I find myself with a complex mix of feelings. As for the upcoming patch for Hollow Knight: Silksong, I don’t think the boss nerfs are particularly necessary.

Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Recent Patch Misses the Forest for the Trees

In a sequence of updates designed for player enhancement, the game has been slightly adjusted to align more closely with Team Cherry’s original vision. Notably, two bosses in the upcoming game “Hollow Knight: Silksong” have experienced minor adjustments or “tweaks.” According to the patch notes on Steam.

  • Slight difficulty reduction in early game bosses Moorwing and Sister Splinter.

In nearly any challenging game, particularly those that share similar tough gameplay mechanics as Soulslike games, the Hollow Knight community has varying opinions on whether the adjustments made to Moorwing or Sister Splinter are necessary. This debate will be even more intense among players who have accomplished 112% in Hollow Knight and view any level of difficulty in the sequel as a matter of skill that should be improved upon, rather than expecting a boss they find tedious (let alone anything between precarious platforming and grueling re-attempts) to be weakened through a developer-approved nerf.

It’s reassuring to note that while there may be some ardent Soulslike/Hollow Knight players who criticize others for not meeting their specific level of challenge or have opinions about the game design, especially since they find it enjoyable, they represent a vocal yet minor group. In essence, they are not representative of the majority of gamers.

For certain players, defeating Moorwing in Greymoor within Hollow Knight: Silksong won’t pose much of a challenge when they first encounter it. Similarly, some players might display exceptional aptitude against airborne adversaries such as Splinterbarks, demonstrating quick reflexes to navigate environmental hazards meticulously crafted by Sister Splinter, while also maintaining a keen awareness of the boss’ massive hitboxes.

Even though others might find both bosses in Hollow Knight: Silksong Act 1 challenging to a high degree, and Team Cherry seems to share this view due to their perceived punishing nature, I don’t think either Moorwing or Sister Splinter warranted any nerfs. Here’s why:

Even though some players may find the bosses in Hollow Knight: Silksong Act 1 very tough, Team Cherry seems to agree as they seem to consider them too harsh. However, I don’t believe that either Moorwing or Sister Splinter needed to be made easier (nerfed). Here are my reasons:

  • Moorwing is a wholly optional boss that players aren’t locked into an arena with, ensuring that players never have to battle it if they don’t want to.
  • Progressing the Flea Caravan wish/quest can ‘skip’ Moorwing, though Moorwing does return to the area, only this time it appears near the Greymoor Bellway.
  • Players can cheese Moorwing incredibly easily, if they so choose, by ascending to the top of the area and downward-attacking from the safety of a ledge that the beast can’t circumvent.
  • Garmond and Zaza can be requested to aid players in battling Moorwing (in my experience, however, Garmond and Zaza did not appear after requesting them when I had transitioned Moorwing to the Bellway-adjacent area and pursued the Flea quest).
  • As for Sister Splinter, I found the only obstacle in the boss fight to be the Splinterbarks (a pattern, I wager, with me disliking many bosses that revolve around ads).

Hollow Knight: Silksong is Rife with Divisive Design Choices

I strongly believe that opponents who fly are incredibly annoying nuisances, the challenging arenas called gank gauntlets in the game seem to overly rely on the Colosseums from the original game by being overtuned and excessive, and the economy system in Hollow Knight: Silksong previously left players impoverished, though luckily this has been improved somewhat in the latest update. However, I don’t think the game is overly difficult; instead, I need to practice more patience when navigating rooms.

The Hollow Knight community is divided, with many members expressing their views on whether they believe the changes made to Moorwing and Sister Splinter were necessary.

Silksong. However, I acknowledge Team Cherry’s intention to maintain a certain level of challenge, even though I might disagree with some design decisions that seem to hinder or frustrate me excessively.

I am quite aware of my abilities and the challenges involved, so I can confidently say that I may struggle with the Pale Oil delivery mission from Bellhart to the Citadel, which is reminiscent of the Delicate Flower quest in Hollow Knight.

As a dedicated gamer diving into the world of Hollow Knight: Silksong, I can’t help but notice the exciting news about Team Cherry working on their second patch. This means they’re tinkering with more tweaks, either nerfs or buffs, based on player feedback and what catches their interest since the game launched. Each new update they roll out will undoubtedly spark debate among players about what they deem unnecessary or valuable.

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2025-09-11 03:53