Hollow Knight Vs. Silksong: Which Is The Better Game?

by

Released in 2017, Hollow Knight rapidly gained popularity as a standout Metroidvania game. Its success came down to several key features: a gorgeous, hand-drawn art style, compelling characters that expanded the game’s story, and a difficulty level that was challenging without feeling unfair.

Everyone was incredibly excited for the sequel, and after a long wait, *Hollow Knight: Silksong* is finally here. But does it actually improve upon the original *Hollow Knight*, or was the first game simply better balanced? Let’s compare what each game excels at to find out.

Silksong: The Gameplay Is Smoother

From Dashes To Jabs

Hollow Knight: Silksong appears fantastic, and early gameplay feels amazing. Hornet is much more nimble than the previous character, with improvements to movement and combat. New features like Crests and Tools allow for a more personalized playstyle. While the original Hollow Knight had a nice charm system and enjoyable fights, The Knight felt a bit slow and lacked the smooth, stylish movement that Hornet has.

Hollow Knight: The Knight’s Downward Thrust

The Bouncer

One of the best features of *Hollow Knight* is its downward strike attack. The NES game *DuckTales* was one of the first to let players bounce off things—obstacles and enemies alike—to move around. Games like *Shovel Knight* and *Hollow Knight* have built on this concept, and it’s incredibly satisfying to execute.

The downward attack in *Hollow Knight: Silksong* is angled, making it very difficult to control. While the game includes Crests that can modify this attack, even the ones that allow downward strikes don’t feel as accurate or refined as the downward attacks in the original *Hollow Knight*.

Silksong: More NPCs And Branching Paths

Have It Your Way

Some fans of *Hollow Knight* might not be thrilled with the larger world in *Hollow Knight: Silksong*. However, the game does a great job of making each area feel populated and vibrant with lots of interesting characters. There are so many memorable NPCs, and the mapmaker, Shakra, is particularly well-designed and stands out among them.

Honestly, I’m already expecting to fall in love with a bunch of the NPCs in *Hollow Knight: Silksong*. The first *Hollow Knight* had some really great characters, but from what I’ve seen, *Silksong* is going to have even *more* memorable ones, and they’re all looking super well-developed. It’s not often you get both a bigger roster *and* better quality, so I’m really hyped about that!

Hollow Knight: The Difficulty Balance

Hits The Nail On The Head

The original *Hollow Knight* featured challenging gameplay similar to the ‘Souls’ series, with tough bosses and a penalty for dying – losing your collected currency. While difficult, it was beatable by learning enemy attacks and improving your character. *Hollow Knight: Silksong* initially offered a similar level of challenge that could be managed by upgrading equipment and playing carefully. However, due to things like enemies dealing significantly more damage, *Silksong* quickly gained a reputation for being excessively difficult, and not in a good way.

Silksong: Hornet As A Character

She Can Talk!

A lot of what makes *Hollow Knight* interesting is open to the player’s own understanding, largely because the main character, The Knight, never speaks. While you can find clues and talk to other characters, figuring out the story is a big part of the enjoyment. However, because The Knight is completely silent and doesn’t show much personality, it can be difficult to truly connect with them as the hero of the game.

I’m so excited about *Silksong* because Hornet actually *talks*! It’s a huge deal – she has her own personality, thoughts, and can chat with other characters, which is going to make the world feel so much more alive. Even though it’s tough to be truly charming with just text, I already find her way more relatable and likable than The Knight!

Hollow Knight: A More Concise Map

Tight And Refined

Even before the recent additions, *Hollow Knight* was a fairly long game. But despite its length, it felt easy to navigate thanks to a well-designed map that guided you smoothly from place to place.

Silksong features a much larger and more varied world than its predecessor, which is a positive. However, the game’s sheer size might become a problem; after a certain point in Act 2, it’s easy to feel lost. This could lead to player frustration and potentially cause some to stop playing.

Silksong: The Graphics

Time Is A Factor

Both *Hollow Knight* and *Hollow Knight: Silksong* have a beautiful, hand-drawn art style. However, if you play them one after the other, you’ll notice *Silksong* is a significant step forward visually. The colors are much brighter and more vivid, and the character designs are more detailed. Hornet’s red cloak, in particular, looks stunning, and the overall color scheme is much more lively than the darker blues, grays, and blacks of the original *Hollow Knight*.

The Verdict

Hollow Knight: Silksong All The Way

Think of *Hollow Knight* as preparation for *Silksong*. It’s best to play *Hollow Knight* first to fully understand and appreciate the story and world of the sequel. *Silksong* improves on the original with better graphics and controls, and features a strong female protagonist. While *Hollow Knight* has a more balanced difficulty and better starting abilities, *Silksong*’s increased challenge is rewarding, and it’s expected to be one of the top games of 2025.

Read More

2025-10-14 15:07