The continued lack of any concrete updates regardingHollow Knight: Silksong’s development or release window has resulted in some wild speculation regarding the state of the game in 2024. In the 5 years since the initial reveal and announcement ofHollow Knight: Silksongas a full-fledged sequel to the original, fans have been grasping at straws to figure out not just when they’ll be able to playSilksongbut how it will differentiate itself from its predecessor. The originalHollow Knightintroduced a healthy challenge to players through both its combat and its platforming, andSilksonghas a golden opportunity to iterate on the latter as much as it does the former.
It’s no secret thatHollow Knight’s runaway success and near-universal acclaim have given way to an entirely new wave of Metroidvania titles looking to cash in on its appeal, with most of the games in the popular action platformer subgenre placing a heavy emphasis on combat and the “Vania” side of the Metroidvania portmanteau. However, there are a select few newer titles in theMetroidvaniasubgenre that place just as much importance on challenging platforming and fluid traversal as their combat, andSilksongcould stand to take a page or two from their playbooks.
Aeterna Noctis Provides a Compelling Template for Silksong’s Platforming Challenge
Hollow Knight’s brilliantly designed Hallownest mapcontained all manner of challenging platforming sections as players made their way through its various biomes. Still, the most platforming-focused sections of the game were relegated to extreme gauntlets like the notorious Path of Pain.Silksongis already set to build upon and expand the combat sandbox of its predecessor, so it follows that theHollow Knightsequel should look to do the same with its platforming. In this case, one of the best exemplars to draw from is arguably Aeterna Game Studio S.L.‘sAeterna Noctis.
As a Metroidvania,Aeterna Noctisis a competent entry into the subgenre with a captivating art style and some interesting progression mechanics. But it’s the title’s emphasis on platforming and the way that its platforming challenges are ingrained into every aspect of the gameplay (including its boss fights) that separates it from other games in a crowded genre.
Hollow Knight: Silksongis set to feature Hornetas the main protagonist, and her speed and agility should correlate to the game having a greater emphasis on platforming that is organically intertwined with the moment-to-moment gameplay like inAeterna Noctis.
Hornet’s Grapple Should Take Center Stage in Hollow Knight: Silksong
As evidenced by fighting against her inHollow Knightor watching the trailers revealed so far forSilksong, Hornet has plenty of tricks up her sleeve that help distinguish playing the character from controlling The Knight. Hornet’s needle also doubles as a grappling hook of sorts, allowing her to attach it to hooks and swing across chasms a la Simon Belmont inSuper Castlevania 4orSamus Aran inSuper Metroid.WithSilksong’s Pharloom cleverly flipping the first game’s descent into Hallownest into an ascension-like escape, Hornet’s grappling hook will seemingly play a huge role in traversal as much as it likely will in combat.
Here again,Silksonghas an exemplar to pull from in last year’sRusted Moss, aplatforming-heavy Metroidvaniabuilt entirely around its signature grapple mechanic and encouraging players to sequence-break the title through mastering it. Even if the regular moment-to-moment traversal throughSilksong’s map doesn’t incorporate challenging platforming, there’s a strong likelihood that the sequel will incorporate a new take onHollow Knight’s Path of Pain. By focusing on using Hornet’s grapple ability during such a section,Silksongcould potentially outdo its predecessor by pulling from a game it inspired.
