Best Time to Play (or Replay) Hollow Knight
▼ Summary
– The author eagerly anticipated Hollow Knight: Silksong after buying a Switch 2, skipping other Nintendo games due to rumors about the sequel’s reveal.
– Silksong was confirmed during the Xbox Game Showcase, with a 2025 release planned for all major platforms and day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass.
– Despite multiple attempts, the author never finished the original Hollow Knight, struggling with its difficulty and Soulslike mechanics.
– Hollow Knight’s minimalist narrative and challenging gameplay, including scarce checkpoints and tough bosses, initially overwhelmed the author.
– After years of playing FromSoftware games and developing patience, the author now feels prepared to tackle Hollow Knight’s challenges with a more resilient mindset.
The perfect moment to dive into Hollow Knight might be right now, especially with the long-awaited sequel Silksong finally on the horizon. For years, fans have clung to fleeting glimpses of the follow-up to Team Cherry’s masterpiece, and the recent Xbox showcase offered just enough to reignite excitement. While 2025’s release date gives players plenty of time to prepare, there’s no better opportunity to revisit, or finally conquer, the haunting depths of Hallownest.
Many, like myself, have struggled with Hollow Knight’s unforgiving world. The game demands patience, precision, and resilience, qualities that don’t always come easily. When it first launched in 2017, I bounced off its brutal difficulty despite being mesmerized by its eerie atmosphere and intricate world-building. Back then, my experience with Soulslikes was limited, and Hollow Knight’s unrelenting challenges felt insurmountable.
What makes Hollow Knight stand out isn’t just its difficulty but the way it weaves mystery into every corner of its world. Unlike traditional RPGs, the game offers little exposition. Instead, it drops cryptic hints through crumbling ruins and sparse dialogue, leaving players to piece together the tragic history of a fallen kingdom. The protagonist’s motives remain ambiguous, and even allies like Hornet, a swift, enigmatic warrior, view you with suspicion. Every encounter feels weighted with unspoken dread, reinforcing the sense that you’re an intruder in a place that’s better left undisturbed.
Combat, too, is deceptively simple yet punishing. Death isn’t just a setback, it spawns a vengeful shadow that must be defeated to reclaim lost currency. Boss fights demand memorization and adaptability, with some battles halting progress for days. Early on, I found myself retracing steps more often than advancing, my frustration mounting with each failed attempt.
But time changes perspective. Years later, after enduring the trials of Elden Ring and other punishing titles, I returned to Hollow Knight with fresh determination. The skills honed in those games, studying attack patterns, embracing incremental progress, and persisting through failure, transformed the experience. What once felt impossible now feels like a test of discipline. The scarcity of checkpoints still stings, but the satisfaction of overcoming a relentless foe outweighs the struggle.
Hollow Knight isn’t just a game; it’s a lesson in perseverance. Its world may be bleak, but the sense of accomplishment it delivers is unmatched. Whether you’re a newcomer or a lapsed player, the buildup to Silksong makes this the ideal time to lose yourself in its haunting beauty. The challenges haven’t gotten easier, but with the right mindset, they become part of the journey rather than obstacles to fear.
This time around, I’m not just playing to finish. I’m playing to understand, to explore, and to savor every hard-fought victory. And when Silksong arrives, I’ll be ready.
(Source: Polygon)
