I played Hollow Knight Silksong, and it might just be worth the 8-year wait

Let's put the conspiracies to bed once and for all: Hollow Knight: Silksong is real. At least, a 15-minute demo of it is. I just went hands on with Steam's most wishlisted game while testing out the new Xbox Ally X at Gamescom, and the long-awaited Metroidvania doesn't disappoint. Does it do anything unexpected or widly different from its beloved predecessor? Not from what I saw. But does it deliver top-tier platforming, engaging exploration, a mysterious world, and tricky boss fights? Oh yes.

My introduction to Hollow Knight: Silksong is picturesque and serene - Hornet wakes up in a stunning forest and wastes little time getting acquainted with her sword. Scything down vines to access new areas and slashing at small grub enemies all seems as you'd expect. But to be regarded as one of the best PC games alongside its older sibling, it doesn't just need to dazzle you with beautiful backdrops; it needs to make you grit your teeth.

Platforming is super slick, much like the original; however, a new diagonal slash jump may take some getting used to if you're trying to land on an unsuspecting enemy. In my time with the game, I struggled to attune to the angle of Hornet's dive, but I'm sure it'll become ingrained once you spend an hour or two with it.

The combat again feels fine-tuned. The upwards jumping slash attack is dynamic, allowing you to hit floating enemies a little easier. This was, admittedly, not the most challenging of levels, but the new addition certainly came in useful for the final boss fight against the Moss Mother. Navigating falling rocks, rank-and-file grub enemies, and the Moss Mother's initially hard-to-read swooping attacks, it required me to absolutely lock in. I avoided any deaths, but there were some incredibly close calls there. Given this encounter comes early in Silksong, I imagine later bosses won't go quite so easy on us. For now, though, this first big bad makes for a frenetic battle that wakes you up from serene exploration with a slap around the face.

I only managed to get a couple of minutes into the second level on offer during the demo session before being rushed out the door. The demand, as you can imagine, is exceptionally high. But judging by the furious mashing of buttons from the gentlemen next to me, some more frantic fights lie ahead. Either that or he really wanted to skip a cutscene…

In short, Hollow Knight: Silksong feels exactly like we hoped it would. Beautiful yet brutal. Charming yet challenging. It doesn't seem like a massive departure from the original, but with a few tweaked and rebalanced techniques, it still freshens up the formula. To be honest, I think that's exactly what was needed. If you wanted something radically different in the gameplay department, then maybe the eight-year wait won't feel as worth it. For those who just want more adventures with Hornet, Silksong will not disappoint.

You can tune into the Hollow Knight: Silksong special announcement for a deep dive, or head on over to our community Discord to chat all things Team Cherry. We've also got a Hollow Knight: Silksong release date guide with everything you need to know.