4.5/5 ★ – FancyFriday18's review of Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Gameplay: 3 Visuals: 2 Story: 1 Music: 1 Enjoyment: 2 Total: 9/10 The wait is finally over. After years of anticipation, we can finally dive into Hollow Knight: Silksong. Was it worth it? Judging by my score, absolutely. Let’s break down why, category by category. Gameplay I usually stick to a two point maximum per category, but Silksong deserves more, it’s just that good. Exploration and combat were both incredibly fun. One of my favorite things about Team Cherry’s design philosophy is how exploration always feels secretive yet intentional. Even when I stumbled into areas I wasn’t “supposed” to reach yet, the game somehow guided me exactly where I needed to go. That sense of discovery reminded me of the original Hollow Knight, and it’s one of the reasons the world feels so alive. I also loved how different my experience was compared to others. Many NPCs that my friends encountered alive were long gone by the time I found them, which added a dynamic, living quality to the world. Combat was equally satisfying. At first, I thought the differences from the first game were small, but once I unlocked more abilities, the pace became fast, fluid, and exhilarating. I can’t help but wonder how slow the original would feel if I went back now. If I had any complaints, they’d be that contact damage shouldn’t hit for two masks, it should be one, and that a couple of boss fights dragged on too long. Even knowing the patterns, the endurance required made a few battles feel more tedious than tense. Still, those were rare exceptions in an otherwise stellar combat system. Visuals This one’s easy. The game is stunning. Every area is beautifully crafted, with incredible variety from zone to zone. The attention to background and foreground details made exploring a treat. It’s simply gorgeous. Story This is the one area where my opinion might change. I have a solid grasp of the main story beats, but I’ll definitely need to watch a few lore breakdowns to piece everything together. Once I do, I might adjust this score, but for now, I’m impressed. Music The soundtrack is good, but it didn’t quite hit me like the first game’s did. That’s not to say it’s bad—there are still great tracks, like the Cogwork Dancers and some Citadel themes—but none matched the emotional highs of Hollow Knight’s final boss theme. Great music, just not as memorable overall. Enjoyment Without question, this is my Game of the Year. I can’t remember the last time I poured over 60 hours into a game that flew by so quickly. I was completely captivated, often losing track of time as I explored every corner. I managed to complete about 80% of the game on my own before finally checking a map for the last few hidden areas. While I’m not a fan of needing outside help for 100% completion, I appreciate that none of it was required for the story. If I had one disappointment, it’d be the finale. The Act 2 boss was surprisingly easy (I beat it on my second try), and while the Act 3 boss was tougher, it didn’t what I was hoping for. I’m optimistic for the future DLC to change that. Here’s hoping for something on par with The Radiance from the first game. Final Thoughts: Silksong is a masterpiece. It exceeded nearly all my expectations, and I can’t wait to see what Team Cherry does next. Whatever it is, I’ll be there day one.