Hollow Knight: Silksonghas a lot to live up to. Not only mustSilksongbe able to live up to the critical and commercial success that the originalHollow Knightachieved, but the game will be a crucial moment for developer Team Cherry to prove it can continue to deliver the same incredible, mesmerizing gameplay experience that it demonstrated with its debut title. Thankfully, the few trailers and previews shown ofSilksongduring its long developmenthave been very promising, andanticipation for the indie gamehas only continued to grow.
Since its initial reveal in 2019, Team Cherry has repeatedly demonstrated the level of ambition and creativity that’s being put intoSilksong. From the wealth of new enemy encounters, to the more acrobatic, versatile moveset of protagonist Hornet,Silksongintends to expand onHollow Knight’s gameplay and presentation in exciting and ambitious ways. That being said,one confirmed change toSilksongcould result in the game losing one of the originalHollow Knight’s best attributes.
Silksong Will Reportedly Have 100 Different Save Points
This Is Almost Double The Number Found In The Original Hollow Knight
One ofSilksong’s biggest changes compared to its predecessor will be the game’s number of available save points, which take the form of benches. In an interview withEdge Magazinein 2020 (via Reddit useroneofthejoneses28),Silksongdesigner Ari Gibson confirmed thatthe development team had included “100 different benches” for the game. To put this into perspective, the originalHollow Knighthad a grand total of 51 benches, meaning thatSilksongwill be almost doubling that number.
After 5 Years, I’m Done Waiting For Hollow Knight: Silksong
Over five years after Hollow Knight: Silksong was announced, I think it’s time to stop building up the expectations around its eventual release.
Silksong’s higher number of benches will certainly be a helpful boost for players as they traverse through the game’s world.Benches inHollow Knightwere not only save points for the game, but they allowed for health to be regained, while also granting the player the ability to swap out charms, which gave various different boosts to the Knight. And, with the benches serving a similar purpose inSilksongwith Hornet’s variety of tools, the higher number of benches will grant the player more flexibility in how they want to approach exploration and combat, with more opportunities to swap abilities.
Why More Benches Could Hurt Silksong’s Gameplay Challenge
Hollow Knight’s Challenging Gameplay Was One Of Its Strongest Aspects
That being said, the large number of benches available inSilksongcould diminish one ofHollow Knight’s strongest aspects: its challenge. The much lower quantity of benches inHollow Knightand their scarcity put players at high risk of losing tons of progress at any given moment.This additional level of challenge added to the tension and suspense players would experience, reflecting the sense of danger that could be felt throughout Hallownest. Benches were not only a handy tool for players, but a moment of much-needed relief from the many dangerous enemies that surround them.
By saturating its world with numerous benches,Silksongrisks losing the added level of immersion thatHollow Knightachieved with its challenging gameplay. Not only would players feel less tension as they no longer have as much to lose, butSilksong’s own world could feel far less intimidating and dangerous than what Team Cherry may want to convey. Even if the increase in benches is to accommodate for a bigger world,Silksong’s current bench total still feels too high and could be a hindrance to giving the game the same addictive challenge that its predecessor delivered on.
It’s hard to tell howSilksong’s myriad of benches will affect the game’s overall difficulty. Moreover, with theEdgeinterview occurring a little over four years ago, there’s always the possibility that this number could have changed during development. Regardless,Hollow Knight’s challenge remains one of its strongest aspects, and ifHollow Knight:Silksongis unable to balance its higher number of benches to maintain that level of difficulty, then the game could lose a part of what made the original so special.
Source:oneofthejoneses28/Reddit
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hollow Knight: Silksong is the long-anticipated sequel to Hollow Knight, the 2017 indie action-adventure Metroidvania hit. In Silksong, players will take on the role of Princess Hornet, a far more agile and combat-ready hero than the Knight in the previous title, with a stronger emphasis on aerial combos and gameplay. Stuck in a new strange land, Hornet will battle her way through all-new environments outside of Hollownest to find her way back while saving this new kingdom.
