Summary
Hollow Knight: Silksongmay be compared to a Soulslike, but its future lies more in the Metroidvania roots of the original game. The amount of anticipation built up forHollow Knight: Silksongis understandable, considering how much time has passed without much further news regarding the game or its development. The best way for this to end would be forSilksongto be a bigger and better version of the firstHollow Knight, which should be achievable by expanding on what made the first game great. That also means that the spirit of the game needs to remain intact.
There has been along wait sinceHollow Knight: Silksong’s reveal, but a look at the firstHollow Knightcan give players an idea of what may be expected. InHollow Knight, players controlled a tiny insectoid wielding a nail exploring the land of Hallownest. The deeper they delve into their adventure, the more bizarre discoveries they make about both Hallownest and their own existence. The sequel,Silksong, will instead have players playing as Hornet, a prominent recurring character from the first game.Hollow Knightis a tough game that combines skillful combat with exploration, andSilksongwill hopefully follow suit.
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Hollow Knight: Silksong Can’t Lose Touch With Its Metroidvania Inspirations
On several occasions,Hollow Knighthas been compared to theinfamously difficultDark Soulsgames. Admittedly, there are a fair amount of similarities.Hollow Knight’s largely ominous setting crafts a similar mood toDark Souls, althoughHollow Knight’s cute art style softens it. Likewise, both games are known for having remarkably difficult boss battles that players must find.Hollow Knight’s way of handling deaths is similar toDark Souls, with players having to go back to where they last died in order to recover lost resources. While the games are very different,Hollow Knightdefinitely has some Soulslike inspiration in its design.
Still, it’s clear thatHollow Knightis a Metroidvania gamefirst and foremost. The game features a large, nonlinear map that the player needs to find their way through by gaining new abilities and solving puzzles to access previously off-limits areas. The gameplay in general also has a major focus on mobility. Exploring and finding new paths is a massive part ofHollow Knight, and every new perk gained is a reason to backtrack and discover what it makes accessible. Similar toMetroid’s own Samus Aran, the Knight is just as much an adventurer as they are a warrior.
Hollow Knightbalanced its inspirations well to create a challenging and rewarding experience, and it is agreat game for newcomers to Soulslikes. A change in formula forSilksongthat pushes it away from the game’s Metroidvania core could lead to a letdown for fans of the first game. Hornet is a skilled fighter similar to the Knight, so seeing her pull off feats like parrying enemy blows or taking down bosses several times her size is expected. However, tilting too hard into playing like other Soulslike games rather than a platformer carries the risk of taking away some charm of the original’s gameplay.
Hollow Knight: Silksongshould follow in the footsteps of the first game by remaining both a Metroidvania and a Soulslike in certain ways. ButwhenHollow Knight: Silksongcomes out, the game’s quality comes first and foremost. The firstHollow Knightwas a winning formula, andSilksongneeds to expand on what made that game good. While the Soulslike aspects of the game were a big help in its success, the game is primarily a Metroidvania with some Soulslike elements. For that reason,Hollow Knight: Silksongneeds to ensure that its exploration and platforming still show off its Metroidvania stylings.
Hollow Knight: Silksongis in development.
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