Hollow Knight: Silksong Can't Have Its Cake And Eat It Too

Hollow Knight: Silksong is earning a ton of praise right now, and rightfully so. The long-awaited sequel is absolutely gorgeous, buttery smooth to play, and there's more content than fans were ever expecting. But I'd be lying if I said I was truly loving my time with Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Objectively speaking, there's so much that Hollow Knight: Silksong gets right. There have been countless occasions where I've stopped dead in my tracks while playing just to marvel at the environment I find myself in, and I've cracked many a smile when meeting Pharloom's assortment of colorful residents. But there's one big thing that's severely hampering my first Hollow Knight: Silksong playthrough. And while it's directly related to the game's high level of difficulty, my main issue with the game is a little more specific.

Hollow Knight: Silksong's Bosses Are Trying to Have Their Cake and Eat it Too, And We Don't Even Get The Crumbs

Silksong What To Do After Bell Beast Silkspear Boss Lace

You Don't Need Me To Tell You That Silksong's Bosses Are Hard

The internet is currently abuzz with Hollow Knight: Silksong talk, and one of the main points of conversation is the leap in difficulty between the first Hollow Knight and its shiny new sequel. While the game's platforming can be finicky and its standard enemies hit surprisingly hard, it's Hollow Knight: Silksong's bosses that are the talk of the town.

From the Bell Beast onward, the vast majority of Hollow Knight: Silksong boss fights will strip the player of two chunks of health per hit. When players start with just five Masks, that's a pretty daunting concept, and a significant leap in difficulty compared to the early game of its 2017 predecessor.

Fighting Skull Ant boss in Hollow Knight Silksong

This higher level of difficulty is causing some players to get stuck on some bosses for hours at a time. Some of the most notorious early game fiends are Moorwing, Sister Splinter, Last Judge, and the Savage Beast Fly. Many players have reported spending upwards of three hours trying to defeat just one of these bosses, investing a good chunk of their precious free time memorizing attack patterns, learning when to counter, and adapting to the challenge. And that's not even mentioning the rigorous runbacks that occur after losing to many of these bosses.

Standing in the Cogwork Dancers boss room in Hollow Knight Silksong

I Don't Think The Rewards Justify The Grind

After spending hours ramming their head against the wall, players might finally beat their new nemesis. They'll likely be flooded with a wave of relief and excitement that they've finally managed to overcome the challenge. But after the adrenaline wears off, and players take a look at the battlefield around them, they might suddenly realize they've been given nothing for their effort.

Defeating most bosses in Hollow Knight: Silksong will reward the player with absolutely nothing. They don't drop Rosary Beads. They don't even drop Shards. Often, the only reward players get is the ability to progress to the next area, and in some rare instances, the chance to access a pathway that eventually leads to a new item or skill. Very few bosses in Silksong actually give the player a tangible reward upon defeat.

Fighting Savage Beastfly in Hollow Knight Silksong

In my opinion, that makes Hollow Knight: Silksong's victories feel a bit hollow. Growing up playing Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro, it's been gradually ingrained into me that boss fights are always worth the effort. You may spend hours getting speared into the floor by the Nameless King, but you know that a wealth of Souls, a boss weapon, and potentially some great loot is waiting for you upon his defeat, all of which significantly impacts your character progression. This knowledge is vital for encouraging players to stick with any challenging video game.

Silksong Moorwing Boss Guide Moves Slashing Attack 2

With Hollow Knight: Silksong, I'm starting to wonder why I'm putting in the effort at all. Moorwing took me around two hours to defeat, and Sister Splinter around an hour and a half. I enjoyed both of those fights well enough, but seeing their bodies drop to the ground didn't feel nearly as satisfying as I expected it to, as it quickly dawned on me that all I was earning was access to the next part of the game.

In fact, in both cases I had actually lost far more than I had gained, with both Moorwing and Sister Splinter claiming at least 200 Rosary Beads from me each during the course of our extensive battles. This sense of loss is exacerbated by Hollow Knight: Silksong's controversial economy, which currently sees players being asked to fork out far more Rosary Beads than they're earning.

Silksong Sister Splinter Boss Guide Roar

Even 2017's Hollow Knight rewarded players with new abilities or at least some Shards the moment they defeated a boss.

To be clear, I'm not saying Hollow Knight: Silksong's bosses should be easier. Aside from a few frustrating attacks and an overreliance on RNG in some fights, I've been enjoying most of the game's boss battles. But the lack of any rewards upon their defeat is starting to make me feel like I'm not really making any proper progress.

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