Hollow Knight: Silksong: Overview & Critic Reception

How this overview works: it sums up what the game is, which facts are verified, and how critics received it. It is not a hands-on diary, and it does not claim playtime or personal experiences we cannot show. For critic aggregates, see Metacritic and OpenCritic below.

What Silksong is

Hollow Knight: Silksong is Team Cherry's sequel to Hollow Knight. It was released on 4 September 2025 for PC (Windows, macOS, Linux), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, and was on Game Pass from day one. You play Hornet, the princess-protector from the first game. She is captured and taken to the kingdom of Pharloom, where pilgrims climb towards the shining Citadel at its peak. The story runs across Acts and has multiple endings.

Combat and healing

Hornet's needle play is quicker and more acrobatic than the Knight's nail. Her down-attack depends on the equipped Crest: the default is a diagonal dive rather than a straight pogo. Hitting enemies builds silk. Bind spends a full spool to heal three masks and can be used in mid-air. If Hornet is hit during the bind, the silk is wasted; Team Cherry describes the mechanic as all-or-nothing. A well-timed strike can parry some enemy attacks, and the Cross Stitch Silk Skill is a dedicated parry-and-counter.

Crests, tools and progression

Crests change Hornet's attack speed and range, her tool slots, and add a unique mechanic each. Tools replace the first game's charms. Red tools are offensive and have limited charges, restocked with Shell Shards at benches; blue and yellow tools are passive or support. Rosaries are the currency. Side quests are called Wishes and come from NPCs and quest boards in hub towns such as Bone Bottom, Bellhart and Songclave. Team Cherry's launch trailer advertised more than 40 bosses and about 200 enemies.

How critics received it

Reviews were very strong. On Metacritic it scores 90 on PC, 92 on PS5, 90 on Xbox Series X|S and 91 on Switch 2. The Switch 1 version's 94 comes from only five reviews. On OpenCritic, 97% of critics recommend it. Silksong won Best Action/Adventure Game at The Game Awards 2025 and was nominated for Game of the Year, Best Art Direction, Best Score & Music and Best Independent Game. It also won Game of the Year at the 2025 Steam Awards.

The most common criticisms were enemies dealing more damage than in Hollow Knight, long runbacks to bosses, scarce currency early on, and no difficulty options. Team Cherry's first patch (11 September 2025) made two early bosses slightly easier, made a mid-game fast-travel purchase cheaper, and increased some rosary rewards.

Length

HowLongToBeat players report about 28 hours for the main story, about 48 hours with extras, and about 66 hours to complete everything. Expect more if you get stuck on bosses.

After launch

Team Cherry has announced a free expansion, Sea of Sorrow, for 2026. No exact release date had been confirmed when this page was checked. Team Cherry reported more than 7 million copies sold by December 2025, with millions more players on Game Pass.

Who should play it

Play it if you enjoyed Hollow Knight's exploration and boss fights and want a faster, harder follow-up. If you are new to the series or want adjustable difficulty, consider starting with Hollow Knight, and read our Silksong beginner's guide first.

Verdict

On the verified evidence, Silksong is one of the best-received games of 2025 and a worthy sequel. Its difficulty is the main reason some players bounce off it.

Pros & Cons