{"id":347044,"date":"2025-08-20T03:26:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T08:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/20\/hollow-knight-silksong-yes-weve-finally-played-it\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T03:26:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T08:26:11","slug":"hollow-knight-silksong-yes-weve-finally-played-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/20\/hollow-knight-silksong-yes-weve-finally-played-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Hollow Knight: Silksong \u2013 Yes, We\u2019ve Finally Played It\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Moss Grotto<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>Beginning with a cutscene showing a captured Hornet (the NPC\/boss from the first game, who is now our playable character) escaping into the mysterious new world of Pharloom, the verdant Moss Grotto is an immediate reminder of the key pleasures of the original <em>Hollow Knight<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Even with this much distance from the first game, the first minutes of <em>Silksong<\/em> feel blissfully familiar \u2013 and reveal how right Team Cherry got things the first time around. This is still an immaculately drawn and animated world \u2013 its weaponized insects shudder gorgeously through lush environments, always darkened and inviting at the corners. <\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/Hollow-Knight-1-0f3ac1f8681f2a7ee427.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-fullsize&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-210819&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-fullsize wp-lightbox-container\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/Hollow-Knight-1-0f3ac1f8681f2a7ee427-1900x1080.jpg\" alt=\"Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-210819\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"context.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"context.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>It still offers a maze of tunnels, beckoning you to explore in new directions, few of them truly signposted. And, crucially, it still feels unerringly good at reacting to exactly what you want to do \u2013 every button press rewarded with snappy, precisely judged reactions, from platforming to combat.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But, having returned to the original game to prepare for this demo, Moss Grotto also gives us a hint of what Hornet offers as a main character that the first game\u2019s silent protagonist did not \u2013 namely, speed. Hornet attacks more precisely, can mantle obstacles, and even uses a new Bind ability to instantly regain health. But don\u2019t take this as a notoriously difficult game getting easier for its second outing \u2013 Deep Docks disavowed me of that notion very quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Deep Docks<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>Set further into the game, this second area is clearly designed to challenge you. More labyrinthine, and often very<em> <\/em>dark, this warren of an area immediately pits me against flying enemies able to pelt me with magma, enemies who block, and a boss who mercilessly takes me down, time and time again (more on her later).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It serves as a reminder of quite how challenging <em>Hollow Knight <\/em>could be, but also an introduction to the ways this game will enliven that. Yes, Hornet is a swifter fighter than the original protagonist \u2013 so Team Cherry has simply applied to the same logic to her enemies. The result is a combat system that feels less like a slugfest and more like a swordfight \u2013 you\u2019ll need to evade, attack, and parry with more purpose. And when you get into the flow, it feels superb.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/Hollow-Knight-3-2b6c3e32b71ab2265ee7.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-fullsize&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-210820&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-fullsize wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/Hollow-Knight-3-2b6c3e32b71ab2265ee7-1900x1080.jpg\" alt=\"Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-210820\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"context.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"context.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>Also introduced in the Deep Docks are your Tools \u2013 perhaps the biggest change to how <em>Silksong<\/em> works compared to <em>Hollow Knight<\/em>. As part of a new crafting system, Hornet can equip Tools to add abilities to her repertoire. I\u2019m able to use the Straight Pin \u2013 a ranged attack that functions like a throwing knife \u2013 and Silkspear, a much more powerful attack that only recharges through combat, forcing me into the fray in order to activate it. Even with a limited number on offer, it\u2019s clear how much my choice of Tools will affect how I play through the full game.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s clearest when I meet Lace, the boss guarding the end of the demo. Another swordfighter, she\u2019s as fast \u2013 perhaps faster \u2013 than Hornet, able to parry, and with shifting attack patterns that feel as though they\u2019re responding to how I\u2019m choosing to fight. It\u2019s here that I realise quite how far Team Cherry is pushing speed as a defining factor in <em>Silksong <\/em>\u2013<em> <\/em>after many, many failed attempts, it\u2019s only by using my own maneuvrability (and some well-thrown Tools) that I\u2019m able to take her down. I\u2019m not simply learning attack patterns, or spamming moves, I\u2019m reacting. It might look like <em>Hollow Knight<\/em>, but it feels like I\u2019m playing on some hidden Turbo Mode at times.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>And Beyond\u2026<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/Hollow-Knight-4-d4c39437fa85ef660493.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-fullsize&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-210821&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-fullsize wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/Hollow-Knight-4-d4c39437fa85ef660493-1900x1080.jpg\" alt=\"Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-210821\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Hollow Knight Silksong Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"context.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"context.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>There\u2019s much still to be discovered, only hinted at in the demo. I\u2019m able to collect both currency (called Rosaries) and crafting materials (called Shell Shards) in the demo, but I\u2019m unable to spend either. Entire fundamental abilities \u2013 like wall grabbing \u2013 aren\u2019t shown as part of my playthrough, either. And, beyond a brief chat with Lace, I don\u2019t see much of Hornet\u2019s own character \u2013 lest we forget, she can speak, unlike our original hero \u2013 meaning the story is still fairly unknown. Like any good demo, it leaves me excited to see more, rather than a feeling of knowing everything there is to know.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But what is on show here is a clear message \u2013 the core of this game is about fast, muscular, precise platforming and combat, taking what <em>Hollow Knight<\/em> achieved, but augmented with years more experience, years more thought, and years more confidence for Team Cherry as developers. I feel pretty good about saying, yes, this is the game you\u2019ve hoped for during all those years.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<div id=\"msp1755592698924\" class=\"\">\n<div class=\"ms-product-badge mspb-large\" data-product-id=\"9n116v0599hb\">\n<div class=\"mspb-primary-image\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/store\/apps\/9n116v0599hb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/store-images.s-microsoft.com\/image\/apps.21346.13915115277924383.ab2daab8-cb71-4e1a-ad73-9e4a3e87c3f3.508fc374-c9ac-44bf-b71a-9d4b29515e2f?w=400&amp;h=600\" alt=\"Hollow Knight: Silksong\" class=\"skip-lazy\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"mspb-details\">\n<h2>Hollow Knight: Silksong<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mspb-secondary-details\">\n<div class=\"mspb-left-container\">\n<p>Team Cherry<\/p>\n<div class=\"mspb-rating\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span>&#13;\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span>&#13;\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mspb-right-container\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\tAscend to the peak of a vast, haunted kingdom in Hollow Knight: Silksong! The sequel to the award-winning action-adventure, Hollow Knight. Explore, fight and survive as Hornet, princess-protector of Hallownest, as she discovers a land ruled by silk and song.\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/08\/20\/hollow-knight-silksong-hands-on-demo-preview\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Moss Grotto\u00a0 Beginning with a cutscene showing a captured Hornet (the NPC\/boss from the first game, who is now our playable character) escaping into<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":347045,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/347044"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=347044"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/347044\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/347045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=347044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=347044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=347044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}