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At first glance, Hollow Knight: Silksong still wears the same hand-drawn charm that made its predecessor look like a cozy little adventure. But once players actually get their hands on it, the sequel reveals itself as a far more punishing beast. Team Cherry did not simply repeat the original formula; the studio doubled down on the challenge, and by 2026 the debate around Silksong’s difficulty remains a hot topic among Metroidvania fans. The game is objectively strong, yet it is also a rough ride that asks for patience, precision, and a healthy tolerance for frustration.

🪑 Benches Are No Longer a Free Reprieve

Finding a bench in the original Hollow Knight felt like a small victory. It was a quiet moment of safety before the next stretch of enemies and traps. In Silksong, benches still offer that relief, but many of them demand payment. If Hornet does not have enough Rosaries, the main currency, players are simply out of luck. The problem gets nastier in The Citadel, where most benches cost Rosaries and some are only temporary. That is a tough pill to swallow when a player is low on health and desperate for a save point.

🔔 Fast Travel Comes With a Fight

Both games use similar fast-travel systems, but Silksong makes the first step more demanding. In Hollow Knight, players meet a talking Stag Beetle who carts The Knight around once a gateway is unlocked. In Silksong, the carrier is the Bell Beast, and players must fight it before using its stations. The battle only happens once, but it immediately raises the difficulty curve. Worse, most Bell Beast stations do not include benches, which feels wild compared with the Stag stations in the original game.

💰 Two Currencies Mean Twice the Headache

Hollow Knight kept things simple with Geo. Silksong introduces Rosaries and Shell Shards, and only Rosaries drop when players die. That part is a small mercy. Shell Shards are mainly used as ammo, but they also function as currency, which means players may need to farm both resources for quests and shop runs. Some enemies only carry Rosaries while others only carry Shell Shards, so gathering enough of each can become a tedious chore. It is not impossible, but it is another layer of taxation on an already demanding adventure.

⚔️ Small Enemies Hit Like Trucks

Enemy damage is one of the clearest signs that Silksong means business. Random small enemies can take off two health points from Hornet, and since she starts with only five, that is a staggering amount of punishment. Some boss attacks do not even deal that much damage, which makes ordinary encounters feel dangerously sharp. Hornet begins with the same health count as The Knight, so there is no early cushion to soften the blow. Players who wander in expecting a gentle opening are in for a rude awakening.

💉 Healing Is All or Nothing

The healing system has divided fans. In Hollow Knight, players could spend a bit of Soul to restore one health shard, and healing three shards used the full Soul meter. Silksong changes the rhythm by consuming an entire bar of Silk to heal three health shards at once. On paper, the math looks similar. In practice, the risk feels different. A player who needs only one shard may hesitate to drain the whole Silk bar, because there is no flexible middle ground. That hesitation can turn a small mistake into a full-blown disaster.

🧪 Plasmium Phial Is Useful but Late

Health upgrades still come through Mask Shards, with four needed to increase Hornet’s maximum health. The original game also had Lifeblood Cocoons for temporary health charges, and finding one before a boss could be a lifesaver. Silksong removes those cocoons and replaces them with the Plasmium Phial. The item is technically better, but it takes a while to unlock, and recharging it between uses can be costly and time-consuming. Reaching the alchemist Zylotol is no quick errand, so the safety net often feels out of reach.

🌀 The Downward Strike Changes Platforming

Hornet’s starting downward strike is another bold choice. It mimics attacks she uses in the original Hollow Knight, and watching her diagonal pogo onto targets is undeniably cool. The catch is that platforming becomes much harder with this angled move. Players can change the attack through Crests such as the Reaper Crest or Wanderer Crest, but those unlocks take time. For the first three or four hours, the game can feel absolutely brutal from the jump, especially for anyone who expects the straightforward downward pogo of The Knight.

🏃 Boss Runs Test Patience

Hollow Knight had some taxing runs between benches and bosses, but Silksong cranks things up to the next level. The trip to the Savage Beastfly or the Last Judge can make players want to tear their hair out. Both bosses are tough on their own, but the journey there can be even more disheartening. The Savage Beastfly is optional, at least, but the Last Judge is mandatory. Those are just two examples, and they show how Team Cherry deliberately makes the sequel a more taxing experience.

🎭 A Good Game With a Sharp Edge

Silksong is not a case of style over substance. It is a well-crafted sequel with speed, atmosphere, and boss design that often hit the mark. The division among fans comes from the way the game stacks its obstacles: paid benches, costly healing, late safety nets, dual currencies, and punishing boss runs. For veterans who want a challenge, that combination can be exhilarating. For players who hoped the sequel would smooth over the original’s rough edges, it is a hard sell. In 2026, Silksong remains a brilliant but bruising adventure — one that rewards persistence, punishes carelessness, and never apologizes for being a beast.

If you’re weighing whether to dive into Silksong now or hold off for a better moment, the cost of entry is worth considering alongside the challenge itself. A game price tracker can help you keep an eye on discounts and compare prices without relying on guesswork, making it easier to decide when the investment feels right.

DealNest brings that kind of comparison into one place, so you can spend less time hunting for deals and more time playing. Whether you’re planning your next punishing adventure or simply stocking up on games for later, it’s a practical stop before checkout.