Hollow Knight is an indie platformer (Metroidvania) game that needs no introduction at this point. And neither should Hollow Knight: Silksong, as it is easily one of the most highly anticipated games of 2025. But, after six long years, it's finally here. And one thing is for sure, Team Cherry has clearly outdone themselves with this one.

Hollow Knight Silksong: Pricing and availability

Hollow Knight: Silksong launched on September 4th, 2025, for all major platforms, including PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch 2. Hollow Knight: Silksong costs $20 at launch on all digital storefronts or is available for free on Xbox Game Pass.

The world of Hollow Knight

From Hallownest to Pharloom

Hollow Knight is set in the forgotten kingdom of Hallownest, which was once a thriving civilization of bugs. But the kingdom suddenly fell to ruin, after a mysterious infection started to spread. You play as the Knight, a courageous warrior who ventures to the depths of the ruined kingdom in search of answers. The Knight was a silent protagonist, leaving most of the story to be told by the world and its inhabitants.

Hollow Knight: Silksong follows a new protagonist in a brand-new kingdom, Pharloom. These new lands also seem to be plagued by the same infection as Hollownest. And mystery swirls as bugs start climbing the citadel to reach the top of the world. The art style may be similar, but the world design is completely different between these two games. Pharloom contrasts Hallownest’s gloomy underground caverns with more vivid and lively environments. The world is still Metroidvania-style, but Silksong focuses much more on verticality in this game.

A new hero emerges

With a new story to tell

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, you don’t actually play as the Knight. Instead, our new hero is Hornet, the Princess-Protector of Hallownest. Unlike the Knight, Hornet can speak, leading to a more defined personality and a more fluid storyline. Her story begins after being captured and taken to foreign lands. After escaping, she must: find safety, explore these new lands, and find out why she was brought here.

The first thing you will notice playing as Hornet is just how much faster and more elegant she is than the Knight. Combat feels more like a dance than a fight. If you played the original, then you will instantly feel the difference. But to a newcomer, the movement may still feel slower than other modern platformers. But this is by design.

A big change coming from Hollow Knight is that you no longer get charms; Hornet uses tools instead. This leaves players with less freedom when trying to make different builds, but it does help a lot to streamline the progression of the game.

Combat & difficulty

Hornet jumps higher, moves faster, and stings harder

If you thought Hollow Knight was difficult, boy, are you in for a treat. Hollow Knight: Silksong demands even more pinpoint precision. Hornet’s fighting style is built around speed and agility rather than brute force, and while there’s no dedicated shield or block button, she does have tools that make evading and attacking easier.

Hornet’s signature weapon, her needle and thread, changes the feel of combat significantly. You’ll rely heavily on diagonal lunges and upward slashes to control Hornet midair. Fast dashes, wall grabs, and aerial strikes make Silksong feel more fluid, but also leaves less room for mistakes. Layered on top of this is a flexible loadout system. Tools, which act like active abilities, can be slotted into Crests that define your build.

Healing has also been completely reworked. Instead of slowly focusing souls, Hornet uses a Silk gauge that fills as you land attacks. Once full, you can trigger Bind, a near-instant heal that restores multiple masks at once. Hollow Knight: Silksong pushes players toward mastering its rhythm: stay mobile, learn enemy patterns, strike decisively, and keep the pressure high to build up your silk gauge to unleash your powers.

A Metroidvania masterpiece

Silksong doesn't reinvent the wheel as a game, but it does do a lot to refine the Hollow Knight formula and experiment with new mechanics. Although we waited for 6 years for this game to finally release, Team Cherry held to their promise that they'd make a game worth remembering, and they did. Hollow Knight: Silksong definitely lived up to the hype that surrounded it for so long and has quickly become one of my favorite games of the year.