Hollow Knight: Silksong - the three best features that make it one of the games of the year

It literally broke the internet. Every digital storefront selling Hollow Knight: Silksong at launch on 4 September encountered some sort of issue due to the sheer number of people trying to download it.

On Steam alone, Silksong reached a peak player count of more than 535,000 at one time. That's off the scale for an indie game.

Fans have been waiting for this game from Team Cherry for years. But does the game really live up to the hype around it?

In short - yes, very much so. For me, so far after playing it for a few hours, it's because of three key features that really stand out.

Hollow Knight: Silksong has controls that are easy pick up but are hard to master / Team Cherry

1. Easy to pick up, hard to master

The controls start out simple enough - you control Hornet who can move left-to-right in this 2D action platformer, attack with a needle and thread in different directions, using thread which is gained by defeating enemies and finding it in the world to restore health and jump from platform to platform. A wider array of moves can be unlocked through exploration as the game goes on.

But Silksong is not easy. Hornet has five hits to begin with before she dies and enemies early on can take two off your hit counter. Even smaller enemies are very aggressive. More hit points are gained as the game goes on.

If you die, you'll be cocooned in silk and respawn at where you last rested on a bench and you have to find where you died and hit it to get all your currency back which is vital for buying things like maps to work out where you're actually going.

Even after you've purchased maps and visited certain areas, they'll only show up on your map after you've rested at a bench. Vital resources can only be equipped at a bench too which makes exploration itself challenging but fun. You've really got to remember and learn sections of the map to know what you're doing and where you are.

Boss battles require patience and working out enemy attacks in order to counter and hit them yourself. I've found myself dying a few times on each one so far and even when I've worked it out, actually executing the plan is a different matter altogether.

But it never got frustrating. I kept finding myself learning what to do and what not to do and it felt so incredibly rewarding overcoming those challenges.

There's loads of side content to bulk out the game too which is fun to do because of how great the world of Pharloom is to explore...

Pharloom is absolutely stunning / Team Cherry

2. Pharloom is stunning

...which brings us nicely on to the next key feature that makes Silksong stand out. Pharloom is stunning. It's so atmospheric and each section of its world that I've come across so far is so unique and brings its own strengths and challenges.

Hornet has a glow around her that reveals certain parts of the world she's traversing and you'll come across varied vistas. Early on, things like the moss just slightly sinking as she makes her way across and small sound effects dotted through the world make it feel so immersive and lived in yet dangerous.

And sound takes us on to the third and final key feature.

The soundtrack in Hollow Knight: Silksong is one that will stay with me for a long time / Team Cherry

3. The Hollow Knight: Silksong soundtrack is one of the best I've heard in gaming

The soundtrack in Hollow Knight: Silksong is simply stunning. It's one of the very best I've heard in gaming because it fits the game so well and only serves to compliment what you play through and isn't at odds in any way.

It sounds so obvious but hugely melancholic symphonies in quieter moments of reflection and when coming across characters feel all the more effective when paired with higher-intensity tracks when fighting bosses or coming across key story beats.

It's achieved through a score that feels other-worldly and just flat out beautiful. It's such a triumph. For me, a strong score can make all the difference in adding to a game's sense of immersion and world-building and Silksong is among the very best at this.

I came into Hollow Knight: Silksong with an open mind after seeing the level of hype for it. But I can see why fans have been looking forward to it for so long. Even when I've not been playing about it, I've been thinking about it. From my experience so far, it completely justifies the hype and I can't wait to play through it and explore Pharloom more.

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