Why Hollow Knight: Silksong's Path of Pain Could Be a Cut…

Hollow Knight: Silksong is set to be a game that will test people's skills more than its predecessor, and the best way it can do that is by having more complex obstacles. Based on the videos and information about it, there should be enough challenges to make it a new, more difficult but also exciting experience. However, it would still feel lacking unless Team Cherry makes a new version of the Path of Pain for Silksong, one of the most difficult trials of the previous game. The developer should strongly consider creating one for the sequel, as the game's new features offer chances for improvement.

In the original Hollow Knight, the Path of Pain was an optional area hidden within the White Palace. Once there, players are placed under a rigorous platforming challenge that tests their mastery over the game's mechanics. While it doesn't give much in terms of rewards for completing the trial, the satisfaction gained from beating something so difficult with one's own skill is perhaps more valuable than any new weapon or item. Hollow Knight: Silksong has the opportunity to provide the same with a Path of Pain of its own, and perhaps it can do it even better than that of its predecessor, considering what the sequel plans to add.

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By Jake McMichael

How Silksong Can Make Its Path of Pain Better Than That of Hollow Knight’s

Arguably, Silksong would not be complete without its own Path of Pain, but even if it did have one, the question is how Team Cherry would make a Path of Pain that's better than the memorable version provided by its predecessor. While there can be different answers to that, there are a few clear areas for improvement:

Challenges that force players to use Hornet's unique tools, allowing for interesting new kinds of level designs
New types of traversal challenges that make use of the slanted environments teased for Silksong, making players manipulate Hornet's momentum to clear obstacles
A longer runtime than Hollow Knight's Path of Pain, adjusting the difficulty to further push players to develop consistent mastery over the game's controls
More combat trials that spotlight some of the new enemies in Silksong, providing a challenge that tests more than just players' platforming skills

While these might be considered some of the best ways to ensure Silksong's own version of the Path of Pain is better, there are still other things Team Cherry can do to help ensure it is. Hopefully, the developer at least thinks about them, as their implementation could create one of the greatest challenges in gaming.

Why Silksong’s Path of Pain Must Be Harder Than Hollow Knight’s

Hollow Knight is known as one of those hard but fair games, and the absurd challenge of its Path of Pain going against the balanced difficulty helped immortalize it as an experience worth trying despite how rough it can get. Silksong can gain the same level of recognition by having its own, but only if its version is harder. Hollow Knight is already known for its difficulty, so it's up to Silksong to up the ante in a fun way. Making the new Path of Pain more challenging with new mechanics and features can be seen as a natural evolution of the quality and design principles established by the previous game. So, if Team Cherry plans on making a new iteration of the trial, it might be best for it to be much harder to ensure that players are getting the experience they deserve.

Although there's no confirmation that the kingdom of Pharloom will be getting its own Path of Pain, there is at least hope that it will happen, given how well-received the previous game's iteration was. Should it be implemented, it has everything necessary to be the best version with the time, effort, and content Team Cherry has been putting into Hollow Knight: Silksong.

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