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Well, here we are. From DLC to a successful Kickstarter campaign, to a sequel of an indie darling, to probably the most anticipated indie game of all time. Hollow Knight: Silksong went through quite a journey, and as more time passed after its 2019 announcement, avoiding discussion surrounding Silksong news (more precisely, lack of news) became an impossibility for those invested in upcoming games. It had become, for many, the proverbial white whale.

Never mind the fact that a 6-year development cycle for such a game is perfectly reasonable—to many, Silksong joined the likes of Half-Life 3 as a game that will "never come out." To say the community's response to this conclusion was unusual is an understatement. But alas, here we are. Silksong is out. One of the most celebrated modern Metroidvanias has finally received its follow-up. Does it live up to the impossible expectations that it has garnered? Well, yeah, sort of.

Perhaps the most important aspect of whether Silksong would succeed as a worthy follow-up to Hollow Knight is how it handled Hornet. And if there's one thing it deserves credit for over anything, it's how the game makes you feel like an agile, seasoned hunter. Hornet's movement is utterly fantastic—slick and responsive, with the aesthetics to match. You don't even have to be doing anything special for her to look stylish and sleek; her animations alone add a fantastic layer of character and detail.

Her variety in movement is complemented by the increased emphasis on platforming in Pharloom—a welcome change—that will have you feel like you are pushing her techniques to their limits. And yet beyond her significantly increased arsenal, there are 7 different crests to use, each with the capacity to completely change your combat and movement potential. And with the abundance of tools and weapons at her disposal, Silksong's Hornet is a perfectly crafted hunter, endlessly adaptable to any challenge, ready for any situation.

This perhaps makes Silksong one of the greatest subversions of the "boss when you unlock them" trope; Hornet feels truly unleashed. And you're going to need it; this did, after all, begin life as a DLC for Hollow Knight. You are certainly expected to have played it, and even if you have, some of the game's more difficult bosses might be a wake-up call for you. It feels odd to say Silksong has many of the best boss fights in the series, but its late game especially has some truly inspired designs that test both your skills and your grasp of the game's techniques. A particular trio of endgame bosses represent Silksong at its very best—adaptable, fast-paced, and frantic.

A large portion of discussion surrounding the game has been based on difficulty, and while Silksong is relatively difficult, perhaps a more appropriate term would be "frustrating." With Hornet's assortment of abilities, the game rarely throws anything at you that you are unable to handle. What it does instead is make failure that much more harsh—the increased prevalence of two-mask damage and flying enemies can often make for a more punishing experience. It's a double-edged sword; it certainly keeps you on your toes, but it can often drift into annoyance, and it's a factor that unfortunately puts a damper on the desire to explore. And with such a vast and impressively detailed kingdom, it would be a shame for players to feel weary about seeing it all.

In an interview just prior to Silksong's release, it was mentioned that the length of development was due in part to the team's vast amount of new ideas and their desire to implement them. It's a goal that, sadly, has a noticeable effect on the end product. Silksong can suffer quite a bit from scope creep, and there are distinct sections of the game that feel at best unrefined or at worst deliberately dragging out the game's length.

It's more complicated than Hollow Knight in almost every way, but beyond Hornet's movement and combat tools, many of its additions feel tacked on or unnecessary. Farming for currency is not why people want to play Silksong, after all. There are times when it feels like you are in a purposely constructed lull, awaiting that next great moment. And it always comes, but sometimes slower than players would hope for.

In a way, Silksong is everything Hollow Knight isn't. It's infinitely more ambitious. It's technical in a way that makes HK look amateurish. Its peaks represent the Metroidvania at its very best. But it's also more unfocused, more monotonous, and contains plenty of moments that culminate with relief instead of satisfaction. Even after its 2019 announcement, it often feels distinctly like an expansion in execution. But it's a sequel to one of the genre's greats, and its life has just begun. It will inevitably receive some future updates that may go on to help define its legacy, just as Hollow Knight did. For now? It's a great game and a worthy follow-up, simultaneously grander and clumsier, vastly superior and oddly inadequate.

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