Silksong has finally emerged from its chrysalis after many years of metamorphosis!
Yet, whether you're a very patient Hollow Knight fan or simply want to know what all the fuss is about, there's a few things you should know before playing Silksong. After all, Team Cherry has spent years crafting Hornet's solo adventure, so, while there will be some similarities to the original Hollow Knight, the game is full of surprises and new mechanics.
So look below to find our Silksong tips to help you start your adventure in the Kingdom of Pharloom!
To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settingsBuy all of Shakra's map items.
Like other Metroidvanias, Silksong is all about exploring. But unlike other Metroidvanias, you have to buy the map from Shakra the merchant, along with other items allowing you to see your position on it, fill it out further, or leave markers. Spending some time grinding for Rosaries at the start to buy all these items is recommended to make exploration a lot easier as you progress.
It's also best to buy the Quill and Compass early on too or less the map will be a tad useless…
Image credit: Eurogamer/Team CherryIt's worth turning beads into rosary strings if you're dying all the time.
If Hornet sadly dies at the hands of an enemy bug, she'll return to the last bench you visited without any of the Silk or Rosary Beads you had collected. Very problematic if you were about to buy a new map! Now you can return to the spot where Hornet met her demise and destroy the cocoon to retrieve these lost items, but what happens if you're killed before you reach that point? Well those items are gone forever.
Thankfully, there is a way to protect your Rosary Beads at least. Certain merchants will offer to turn 80 loose beads into Rosary String, which will not be lost when Hornet dies. The downsides are that you do have to break the string if you want to spend your beads and not only merchants, including Shakra, have the Rosary String option. It's still a useful way to protect your currency though.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Team CherryOn hard bosses, go for one or two hits then stop. Don't be hasty.
When fighting a boss, you might be tempted to run in and start hitting them straight away. After all - the quicker you hit, the quicker they're slayed right? Well this isn't actually the best strategy for Silksong. Instead, you'll fare far better by learning the boss's attack pattern first.
Begin a fight by simply watching the boss's movements, so you know when and where to dodge. Doing this will help you figure out the perfect moments to either heal or attack. Ideally, the magic moment is when Hornet can attack without taking any damage. Yet be prepared to only get one or two hits in! Yes, this means certain boss battles may take a while but it's better to win than die.
Attack the Bell Beast just after its finished jumping!Image credit: Eurogamer/Team CherryYou can often hear Fleas and Mask Shards before you see them. Turn that podcast off (or down).
Fleas are Silksong's version of the Grubs in Hollow Knight and you'll meet Fleamaster Mooshka while exploring The Marrows early on in Hornet's adventure. Mooshka will task you with finding the lost Fleas and there are 30 in total! Thankfully, just like in Hollow Knight, you'll be able to hear the Fleas before you see them. The same goes with the Mask Shards, which, if you gather four, will increase Hornet's maximum health.
Pay attention to your surroundings and keep that podcast volume low to find these collectibles!
Image credit: Eurogamer/Team CherryHit every wall!
Just like Hollow Knight before it, Silksong is teeming with hidden pathways and small bonuses that are squirrelled away behind breakable walls. There are two fairly early on in the game: the first is just above the travelling flea circus (to the left and up) that hides 25 Rosaries, and the other is in the upper screen of Bone Bottom, to the left of where you get your first Weaver upgrade.
Sometimes you can tell from visual effects that a wall is breakable, sometimes you can’t: it is generally safer just to hit every little bit of suspicious-looking wall you see to see if you can break on through to the other side. You may even be rewarded with a sequence break (a la the secret path to Deepnest in Hollow Knight).
While these orange rocks do explode, they can lead to secrets... | Image credit: Eurogamer/Team CherryPractice your aerial combos.
Silksong is all about playing as a deft, agile hunter: not the rookish stalwart that took you through all of Hollow Knight. From one of the early bosses (Lace) you’ll realise that the game is trying to teach you something very simple: stay nimble. Yes, you’ve got a side swipe, and that can do basic combos, but the real damage and skill in Silksong comes from being an aerial threat, as well as a land-based one.
At the start, you will have access to an upswing, a dive kick, and a side swipe. Get used to the dive kick early, and learn its angle, because it will be invaluable in keeping on top of enemies (literally) and often out of range of their attacks. If you time it right, you can chain dive kicks; just wait for Hornet’s little somersault in mid-air before hitting the next input. Once you unlock the dash, you will be able to dash mid-air and perform a violent slash whilst dashing - against certain enemies (the birds in Greymoor) this attack is invaluable, so you don’t want to get caught short in an area like this without having every part of your toolkit ingrained in your muscle memory.
Practising against pilgrims in Moss Home is a good place to learn the basics: you can up your skills and earn Rosaries: win-win!
Image credit: Eurogamer/Team CherryPractice Pogoing.
There are certain early game items (like a Mossberry) that can only be collected by using Hornet’s dive kick to pogo off of the head of a flying enemy. The game doesn’t really tell you you can do this, so if you’ve never played the original Hollow Knight before you might not know that this was even an option.
What makes this different from the first game however, is that Hornet dives at a diagonal so it can be rather tricky to hit your target, especially if they are moving. If you keep missing the bounce, or accidentally kill the enemy you were aiming for, you can normally reset its position by leaving the area and returning, although tougher enemies will need a full bench rest before they respawn.
A bit later on in The Marrow section of the game, you will also encounter flower buds on vines that can be bounced from using the drop kick. This is a perfect area to practice your timing and attack angles and, once you’ve nailed it, you’ll be able to use this skill to access a bunch of hard to reach, secret areas! (If you’re struggling, positioning yourself immediately above and to the left of an object is a good failsafe!)
Image credit: Eurogamer/Team CherryLOOK DOWN!
Silksong is full of secrets and some are hidden beneath Hornet's feet! Always take the time to look down even if you're near a ledge as you'll never know what you could find… It could be a room you'll want to visit, a little sparkly object or a bench to sit and save. Even with the map, it's always a good idea to know exactly where you're standing!
Looking down is also basically a requirement for navigation. Especially if you're heading down inside of up! After all, you don't want to jump into the path of an enemy or into nothing at all…
Image credit: Eurogamer/Team CherryUse the D-Pad.
Finally, if you're playing using a controller - be it on console or connected to a PC - we highly recommend using the D-Pad over the analog stick. We've found it far easier to control Hornet using the D-Pad, especially when it comes to sections where accurate up-dashes and pogoing is a must. Compared to the D-Pad, using the analog stick could lead you to under or over shooting the landing in these sections. It may feel a little strange at first, and you may have to readjust your grip on the controller, but it's worth it.
Hope you find these Silksong tips helpful!
