You thought Silksong was tough? A hidden secret cranks the difficulty up to nightmare levels before you’ve even left the menu.

As if Hollow Knight: Silksong wasn’t already enough to turn even the steadiest thumbs clammy, players have unearthed a way to make the game even more punishing before it’s barely begun. Hidden behind an old-school cheat code, Steel Soul Mode: the infamous perma-death option, is available from the very start.

For the uninitiated, Steel Soul Mode is the kind of difficulty setting that laughs in your face. One wrong move, one mistimed dodge, one mist-laden misstep, and it’s game over. Your save file is wiped, branded with “defeated” as a permanent reminder of your shame. In the original Hollow Knight, you had to actually beat the game before unlocking this masochist’s playground. Silksong, however, lets you dive straight into the deep end if you know the right button inputs.

Up, Up, Down, Down… goodbye

Discovered by a Reddit user with the charming handle Buttnugtaster, this series of button inputs is a nod to the legendary Konami Code. Tap Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right on the Extras menu at the title screen, and you’ll hear a distinctive sound alongside a quick flash. No fanfare, no warning, just a subtle confirmation that you’ve voluntarily signed Hornet up for the worst day of her life.

The mode isn’t advertised, but it’s very much real, and it brings with it two trophies. One simply asks you to beat the game without dying, which sounds hard enough. The other demands you 100 percent the game in Steel Soul Mode. Every corner explored, every boss defeated, every challenge met, without so much as a single mistake. To call it cruel feels like an understatement.

A trial only few will survive

Of course, the question remains: why? Silksong’s regular difficulty has already left many players sweating, sighing, and swearing their way through boss arenas. Throwing yourself into Steel Soul from the outset is the gaming equivalent of tying your shoelaces together before running a marathon.

Still, for the bravest (or most reckless) among us, the cheat code is there and waiting. It’s a neat nod to gaming tradition, wrapped in the cruel silk thread of Team Cherry’s uncompromising design philosophy.

So, if you fancy your chances, go ahead and punch in the code. But remember: in Silksong’s Steel Soul Mode, it’s not just Hornet's life that is on the line, but also your pride, your patience, and your entire save file. Good luck. You’ll need it.