I Was Stuck on an Easy Hollow Knight: Silksong Mini Boss Just Like Everyone Else, and I Think Dark Souls is To Blame

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Silksong, with its highly anticipated Metroidvania-style battles, was particularly high.

At the start, the initial hours of playing “Hollow Knight: Silksong” provided a soothing unveiling of the kingdom of Pharloom. However, I was eagerly anticipating encounters with the game’s first boss. The Bell Beast served as the ideal early-game challenge for me, sparking my enthusiasm for more battles to come. Yet, my excitement guided me towards a worrying path, eventually leading to an encounter with “Hollow Knight: Silksong‘s notorious Skull Ant – a mini boss fight that made me ponder over the last ten years of my gaming journey.

By Hook or By Crook, I Was Going to Defeat Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Skull Ant

Upon reaching the end of The Marrow within Hollow Knight: Silksong, I encountered the Skull Ant mini boss much like anyone else might. This towering, bone club-swinging adversary swiftly defeated me in a matter of seconds. Laughing at how effortlessly they managed to snatch the Rosary Beads from my tiny insect hands, I was determined to face them again.

On my second try, I perished even faster. Yet, amidst the mishap, I managed to find a hint of amusement. Unfortunately, death repeated itself – over and over again. Each time their bone club collided with Hornet’s visage, I gained a clearer picture of my errors. “It’s the jump attack,” I murmured to myself and my understanding, patient wife who was crocheting nearby on the couch, “That’s where I mess up.

Instead of always running under their feet when they jumped, I’d sprint ahead and dart beneath their legs as they took flight in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Mastering this small section of the map became second nature to me. Charging towards my latest arthropod adversary, I leaped off the bench and scampered up the cobblestone pathway to confront them. As they launched into the air, I’d swiftly dodge underneath their legs before striking back with my own attacks. However, a crafty one-two punch combo from them left me flat on my back.

The Definition of Insanity Is What Again?

It was evident at this stage that Team Cherry, the developers, were attempting to impart a traditional Metroidvania lesson: sometimes it’s wiser to proceed to a different area. There might be an upgrade or skill that could aid you in defeating this boss. However, I wasn’t willing to move on. After investing nearly half an hour, I was determined not to abandon my efforts against the Skull Ant, even though I knew it would be advantageous.

In about a half an hour, my beloved partner, who is always wise, tenderly proposes that we follow the game’s clear instructions and proceed to the next area. She was correct, as she often is. However, I couldn’t help but feel that this past hour wasn’t entirely wasted. It simply required understanding Ant’s attack patterns, mastering the right moments for parries, and taking advantage of opportunities as they presented themselves. Given the boss’ movements are quite predictable, it was just a matter of learning to read them properly.

Thirty minutes on, I eventually chose to heed my wife’s guidance. Navigating swiftly through the Deep Docks, I secured the Swift Step skill, raced back to the Skull Ant, and dispatched them within five minutes. The ordeal was then concluded.

Instead of feeling a sense of relief, all I felt was shame. In the end, it took me twice as long – two hours – to conquer a boss that could’ve been defeated in mere minutes if I’d followed my gut in Metroidvania from the start (and heeded my wife’s advice). The only person responsible for this predicament was none other than myself and my own obstinacy.

But where did this stubbornness come from? That’s when it hit me. This was all Dark Souls‘ fault.

It appears that many gamers have managed to defeat the Skull Ant in Hollow Knight: Silksong before acquiring the Swift Step skill. To those individuals, I must express my genuine admiration for your skills and talent.

Why My Hollow Knight: Silksong Shortcomings Are Absolutely, Definitely, 100% Dark Souls’ Fault

In the year 2011, playing FromSoftware’s game Dark Souls marked a significant milestone in my gaming journey. As a teenager, I yearned to explore darker and more mature titles as a way of demonstrating my maturity. However, financial constraints meant that I could usually afford only one or two new games each year. Fortunately, Dark Souls was released at a time when I had saved up for it.

Regardless of the challenging learning curve that felt like a daunting horror for someone more accustomed to games like Pokemon, licensed titles, or easier modes of Halo, I found myself firmly committed to the game Dark Souls.

Playing Dark Souls taught me the importance of persistence and determination, especially when it comes to challenging video games. Whenever I died during combat, I realized that it wasn’t a flaw with the game, but rather my own shortcomings. These deaths served as valuable learning experiences for me. The Capra Demon, Gaping Dragon, Smough, and Ornstein were particularly tough bosses, but they taught me that conquering an apparently insurmountable challenge requires memorizing the enemy’s attack patterns, finding their weaknesses, and practicing patience. These lessons have proved invaluable in helping me conquer difficult boss battles throughout my gaming experience.

However, those teachings weren’t universally effective in this case of the mini boss from Hollow Knight: Silksong, as my typical approach of persisting, persisting, and persisting until I found a solution didn’t yield results. The reason being, I lacked the skill required to succeed. Regrettably, despite recognizing that I needed that ability, I couldn’t suppress the habits instilled in me by Dark Souls.

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2025-09-06 20:09