Summary
- Hollow Knight: Silksong promises a larger kingdom and a focus on Hornet's story in Pharloom.
- The game should handle navigation differently than the original, avoiding paywalls and tedious map acquisition.
- Silksong could benefit from a single, easily accessible map feature to improve exploration for players.
Team Cherry's Hollow Knight: Silksong promises many things that fans should look forward to. The new kingdom of Pharloom is planned to be much bigger than the previous game's locations, meaning there will be a lot of new and possibly returning content to discover and enjoy. Large areas mean the sequel title will need a feature from to the original Hollow Knight, but it should handle that element differently.
Hollow Knight: Silksong will focus on Hornet, a returning character from the previous game, and her story throughout Pharloom. The new kingdom promises to match or even surpass the world of Hallownest in scale, meaning players will need something to help them navigate their way around. Hollow Knight had a map that would aid in pointing out where one is, but how it was handled could be seen as obnoxious. Players of the previous game had to locate the NPC who sold the different maps of each area, requiring them to devote an unnecessary amount of money to a necessity. Team Cherry should strongly consider not reusing the same method for Silksong's navigational tool as it could lead to similar issues to the previous game.
When Hollow Knight: Silksong Returns, It Can’t Come Empty-Handed
After many years, Hollow Knight: Silksong has to bring something to the table to appease its dedicated, supportive, and patient fans.
Why Silksong Should Deviate From How the Previous Game Handled Its Maps
The predecessor to Silksong may have had interesting environments to traverse, but players could often get lost due to how difficult they were to navigate. Games with large areas require proper maps to ensure that people avoid wasting time and getting where they need to be whenever they please. Locking such an important tool behind a paywall feels counterproductive to a title that encourages exploration. Silksong shouldn't copy the handling of obtaining every map in the original Hollow Knight for a few reasons:
- The requirement of having to pay for maps means players need money with them at all times, which is difficult in a game where dying means potentially losing it all
- The previous game sold maps at different prices with no means of knowing where or how much they were, adding an unnecessary layer of risk
- Hollow Knight punished players for not obtaining maps at missable locations and then selling them at a higher price, possibly deterring them from obtaining an essential item
If Silksong is going to hit the ground running upon release, it needs to make sure its world is awe-inspiring while easy for players to explore. The sequel must consider removing the need to search for and purchase an important navigational tool and instead make it something players can obtain naturally. Such a change opens up possibilities for better world design.
How Silksong’s Map Feature Can Differ From Hollow Knight’s
Hollow Knight: Silksong's possible size could benefit from having a single map that contains all the features the previous title required players to hunt for. A single navigational tool is better than one broken up into different, hidden pieces as it makes larger areas feel less tedious to traverse. If the developers still feel it needs to be purchased, then its price should not be high. An item essential for exploration should not require the player to grind a large amount of currency to obtain. It's also beneficial for the game to introduce its map naturally instead of having players find it through sheer coincidence or stubborn searching.
While Silksong is still stewing in silence, the developers can continue to work on modifying or improving the game's important features. Hollow Knight' s maps gave players more to do, but it felt unnecessarily tedious. Team Cherry has the opportunity to change how mapping works in the sequel, updating it in ways that make exploration easier for both new and returning players.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Released
- September 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Become the Princess Knight
As the lethal hunter Hornet, adventure through a kingdom ruled by silk and song! Captured and taken to this unfamiliar world, prepare to battle mighty foes and solve ancient mysteries as you ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to the kingdom’s peak.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure. Journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover secrets tied to your nature and your past.
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Publisher(s)
- Team Cherry
- Franchise
- Hollow Knight
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
