Cover artwork I generate from the game data. I do not use publisher artwork.
Game profile
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Playing as Hornet, you explore a new kingdom shaped by silk and song, with an even faster combat system than its predecessor. After years of waiting, the sequel shifts its focus from sheer power to agility.
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What kind of game this is
At its core this is Metroidvania / Platformer, set in a fantasy world. Visually it is deliberately stylised rather than photorealistic, and the overall tone stays dark throughout. The structure is guided rather than open, so you are moved along instead of dropped into a map. It rewards long uninterrupted stretches more than quick check-ins.
It is genuinely demanding, and repeated failure is part of how it is designed. The story matters and gives the mechanics a frame, without taking over. It is a single player experience from start to finish. It is available broadly, on 4 platforms. It sits in the mid price bracket.
What stands out
- New protagonist Hornet
- Faster combat pace
- Huge new world
This fits you if
- exploring for its own sake is the point for you
- you are after a proper adrenaline rush
- you can sit down for a proper long stretch without interruptions
- you want real resistance and are fine with dying a lot
- you play alone and want a complete experience without other people
- you prefer a darker, heavier tone
Look elsewhere if
- you want to relax and not be punished for mistakes
- you only ever get short bursts of play time
- you want something light and easy going
- you specifically want an open world to roam
What it costs you in time
About 50 hours in total. At three evenings a week and two hours each, you will be busy for roughly 8 weeks, or 25 sessions.
How the rating ranks
Critics settled on 90 out of 100, which puts it above 85 percent of the 1206 games here and at rank 144 overall. That is a strong score, comfortably above what most releases manage.
For comparison, Metroidvania averages 86 points across the database, so this one sits 4 points above its own genre. The figure rests on 480 collected ratings.
Released in 2025, so it is current. Expect it to run well on modern hardware and still get patches.
The facts
- Release year
- 2025
- Genres
- Metroidvania, Platformer, Action
- Playtime
- approx. 50 hrs.
- Difficulty
- Demanding, punishing
- Story weight
- Present and relevant
- Play with
- Solo
- Setting
- Fantasy
- Visual style
- Stylised
- Price bracket
- Mid price
- Platforms
- PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
- Critic rating
- 90 / 100
Direct comparison
| Genres | Release year | Playtime | Critic rating | Price bracket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollow Knight: Silksong | 2025 | approx. 50 hrs. | 90 | Mid price |
| Hollow Knight | 2017 | approx. 45 hrs. | 91 | Budget |
| Shinobi: Art of Vengeance | 2025 | approx. 10 hrs. | 87 | Mid price |
| Constance | 2025 | approx. 15 hrs. | 76 | Mid price |
If you liked this, try these
- Hollow Knight Shared: Metroidvania, Platformer, Fantasy, rated higher
- Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Shared: Metroidvania, Platformer, Fantasy, shorter
- Constance Shared: Metroidvania, Platformer, Fantasy, shorter
- Guacamelee! Shared: Metroidvania, Platformer, Fantasy, shorter
- Metroid Dread Shared: Metroidvania, Platformer, shorter
- Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Shared: Metroidvania, Platformer, Fantasy, shorter