Hollow Knight: Silksong

johnny_ultimate · 05-09-2025 09:22AM #1

Well if any game deserves its own thread…

Enjoying it so far - very much more Hollow Knight, but enjoying the more acrobatic combat. It’s been a while since I finished Hollow Knight, but still working out how useful the parry is - handy to deflect the odd attack, but doesn’t seem quite as consequential as parries / counters in some other games.

I appreciate that the world is more colourful from the off - still dank and dark, but the green and orange highlights make it feel a tad warmer compared to Hollow Knight’s beginning.

CastorTroy · 05-09-2025 11:28AM

Is it more forgiving with pushing down on the controller? Used a 360 controller to play Hollow Knight on PC and died so many times from trying to do downward thrust only for it to seem to detect it as diagonally down and just do a forward slash.

Retr0gamer · 05-09-2025 11:54AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123787718#Comment_123787718

No issues with me but then again I didn't have those issues on the first game. I'm using a Xbox one controller which actually has an ok d-pad, I can imagine the compete PoS that is the 360 controller isn't going to help and doubt the developers changed the controls much to compensate.

johnny_ultimate · 05-09-2025 11:58AM

The downward thrust is actually diagonal this time so seems a bit more forgiving.

Penn · 05-09-2025 11:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123787718#Comment_123787718

So far anyway (about an hour in), there is no downward thrust, and instead it's a diagonal thrust.

Which in a way is good because I had the similar issue in the first, especially when trying to downward thrust, move forward, downward thrust, move forward... Would always either forward slash or not get timing right for the downward thrust. Now certainly for platforming bits, the diagonal thrust gives you that forward momentum. The only issue now is trying to make sure you're properly aligned with what you're trying to bounce off of (both in terms of platforming and combat against moving enemies).

CastorTroy · 05-09-2025 03:44PM

The controller has served me well for many years now. 😀

But with a game that loves its spikes and relying on the downward thrust to bounce off enemies to survive the spikes, it caused problems.

But glad people are enjoying it. I'll play at some point since only played and got frustrated by the first one for the first time fairly recently.

Retr0gamer · 06-09-2025 12:26AM

Hope you like the downward thrust because the third boss pretty much relies on it and the area he guards is downward thrust city.

Penn · 06-09-2025 10:01AM

Good to see they've stuck with the true Hollow Knight formula by making maps/navigation the hardest challenge in the game.

skerry · 06-09-2025 11:03AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123790248#Comment_123790248

The map system of having to find the dude to reveal the area you just spent ages exploring is what turned me off the first game. Same here so?

johnny_ultimate · 06-09-2025 11:13AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123790357#Comment_123790357

Yeah you need to find the merchant in each area (though you know they’re nearby as you can hear them singing) and you need a special equipped item to see where you are at on the map. You also need to buy items to mark merchants etc… or drop pins.

It’s very similar here but I’ve only played 2-3 hours and already have all of the above.

Penn · 06-09-2025 01:16PM

Yeah map system is the same.

Need to see the map? Buy a map. Need to see what areas you've been in? Buy a quill. Need to see where you are? Buy a compass. Need to see where the benches are? Buy those markers. Need to see where vendors are? Buy those markers.

Enter a new area? Still have to traverse the area enough to find the vendor to buy the new map and unlock those markers, and then still have to try figure out where you are on the map considering you're probably deep in that area and are only now seeing a map of it.

I'm being a bit facetious because most of the marker things I mentioned, you buy them pretty early and they're cheap enough. I just think it's needlessly complicated, especially when you're in a new area. Even if the quill meant it would still populate the areas of the map you've been in, and then buying the map fills out the rest of that area, it'd be a lot better. In one area I finally found the vendor, but I'd died and lost my beads on the way there and then couldn't afford the map, so had to try find more enemies to kill, then try track backwards to get the map (through a difficult enough platforming-type area).

johnny_ultimate · 07-09-2025 01:02PM

There’s a nasty platforming and combat gauntlet around two hours in, that requires quite a run before a shortcut / rest spot.

But the game really opens up after that - got some abilities that open up both platforming and combat in a really fun way. Took maybe a little longer than I’d like to get going but definitely more on its wavelength now. Some great epic boss fights too.

Tip for downward thrust bouncing (lol): you can be a lot more accurate if you wait til you’re right on top of the next bounce spot before aiming your thrust. It can be difficult to aim properly / string a bounce combo together if you’re high up given how much ground Hornet can cover with a diagonal slash.

Penn · 07-09-2025 01:08PM

I hate flying enemies. I hate flying enemies. I hate flying enemies. I hate flying enemies. I hate flying enemies. I hate flying enemies. I hate flying enemies. I hate flying enemies. I hate flying enemies. I hate flying enemies. I hate flying enemies.

Mr E · 08-09-2025 11:57AM

Minor spoiler about the diagonal pogo-ing….

You can get a crest in the first act that makes it more like Hollow Knight (straight down).

johnny_ultimate · 08-09-2025 11:59AM

Widow was a fantastic boss fight, really enjoyed that. The rush / boost transforms combat.

Penn · 08-09-2025 12:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123795730#Comment_123795730

Just reached it last night but after one attempt I decided to end there for the night anyway.

I've enjoyed most of the boss fights so far. Some are a bit of a pain and some can rely too much on adds, but a lot of really enjoyable fights too.

johnny_ultimate · 08-09-2025 12:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123795750#Comment_123795750

Yeah the adds annoyed me a lot on Sister Splinter - liked the boss fight otherwise but the unpredictable aerial spinning attack from two adds at a time was a pain to dodge.

I do mostly enjoy the silk balancing act of healing versus special attacks. The latter can really rip through adds but you can be pummelled quickly while trying to build up healing energy. I did get a silk upgrade (plus an amazing special attack) before I finished last night so hopefully that’ll make things a bit easier.

Penn · 08-09-2025 12:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123795787#Comment_123795787

Yeah I liked the Sister Splinter fight once I started only using my special attack for the adds pretty much as soon as they appeared. The boss itself was easy enough to avoid their attacks without needing to heal too much. Was still tough if you got trapped or jumped too high, but the adds easily killed me a lot more than the actual boss.

johnny_ultimate · 08-09-2025 12:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123795801#Comment_123795801

Yeah same, it was the adds that got me virtually every time on that fight. Sister Splinter herself I think only has a handful of attacks - the three slam claw attack (easy to dodge with dash), summoning adds, summoning one or two vines, or summoning a screenful of vibes.

Retr0gamer · 08-09-2025 02:31PM

Just one warning to PC players, the frame limiter and v sync are totally broken on this game and lead to screen tearing. The only way to play without screen tearing is to turn vsync off which basically runs your PC at its maximum power.

Penn · 08-09-2025 02:50PM

There's a secret Permadeath mode for the game.

https://twitter.com/GamesRadar/status/1965037473526149508

Anyone who does this needs their f*cking head examined…

PeterMM · 08-09-2025 02:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123796297#Comment_123796297

Yeh.

Penn · 08-09-2025 07:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123795730#Comment_123795730

Yeah that was a damn good boss fight, best in the game yet. Took a good few tries but always felt fair and most deaths were my fault.

Going back through the earlier areas rather than going further, just to access a few areas I couldn't before. Found a few mini-bosses along the way, and picking up some new items and charms.

TitianGerm · 08-09-2025 07:17PM

Finally got a bit of time with this today and I'm loving it. Managed to kill the first boss, find the map seller and buy everything they had and unlock a new attack. Also completed a side quest where I had to give moss to someone.

Penn · 08-09-2025 09:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123795716#Comment_123795716

Just got that.

Probably going to stick with the diagonal now that I've gotten used to it. Some of the platforming seems like it just needs that extra bit of horizontal movement. I'm sure if I was swapping between the two (vertical for combat, diagonal for platforming) I'd end up failing with both.

johnny_ultimate · 09-09-2025 10:42AM

Had quite the scripted event.

Was just minding my business doing some shopping in Bone Bottom

when Skull Tyrant (who I’d just beaten a few minutes earlier) rushed through and **** wrecked the place. Wasn’t tough to take down but always a shock when you have an abrupt boss battle.

Very entertaining if quite panicky encounter!

super_furry · 09-09-2025 02:25PM

Those. Fcuking. Birds.

Mr E · 09-09-2025 03:59PM

Patch coming next week.

- Fixed situation where players could remain cloakless after Slab escape sequence.

- Fixed wish Infestation Operation often not being completable during the late game.

- Fixed wish Beast in the Bells not being completable when Bell Beast is summoned at the Bilewater Bellway during the late game.

- Fixed getting stuck floating after down-bouncing on certain projectiles.

- Fixed courier deliveries sometimes being inaccessible in Act 3.

- Fixed craft bind behaving incorrectly when in memories.

- Fixed Lace tool deflect soft-lock at start of battle in Deep Docks.

- Fixed Silk Snippers in Chapel of the Reaper sometimes getting stuck out of bounds

- Fixed Claw Mirrors leaving Hornet inverted if taking damage during a specific moment while binding.

- Fixed Snitch Pick not giving rosaries and shell shards as intended.

- Removed float override input (down + jump, after player has Faydown Cloak).

- Slight difficulty reduction in early game bosses Moorwing and Sister Splinter.

- Reduction in damage from Sandcarvers.

- Slight increase in pea pod collider scale.

- Slight reduction in mid-game Bellway and Bell Bench prices.

- Slight increase in rosary rewards from relics and psalm cylinders.

- Increase in rosary rewards for courier deliveries.

- Various additional fixes and tweaks.

Penn · 09-09-2025 09:24PM

I've been really enjoying Silksong. And I'm also f*cking fed up of it.

The flying enemies are just f*cking ridiculous. Ultra evasive, throwing projectiles or quickly diving in, in tight or hazardous spaces, often more than one, and sometimes doing 2 points of damage in one hit. Then just random bullsh*t like the lack of benches, having to pay to open some benches, and I even just had a bench where not only did you have to pay for it, but it then wouldn't actually unlock until I found a secret passage and did a platforming section to fix a gear to actually open it. The backtracking can also be ridiculous

I'll keep playing for a while, but I'm finding myself having to play for shorter bursts of time because it's starting to aggravate me.

johnny_ultimate · 11-09-2025 01:07AM

Onto Act 2 but bloody hell it’s a tough fight to get there. A good boss but a pretty insane amount of HP so it’s a long, tense battle where a few seconds off guard could mess up everything.

keane2097 · 11-09-2025 08:28AM

I'm not very far into the game yet but I'd probably echo Penn's sentiments. There's no doubt that it's very good but it's also a bit annoying, probably more than the original was. I find the diagonal dash a bit of a pain. I saw a video on Youtube last night with an upgrade called [spoiler]the reaper crest[/spoiler] which looks like it might make movement/combat a bit more approachable. Anybody have good experiences with this or is it wishful thinking on my part?

Hollow Knight: Silksong

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