Since its release, gamers heralded Hollow Knight as one of the greatest indie games and Metroidvania titles. Not long after, Team Cherry announced a sequel for the game, Silksong. The developers promised the game would live up to the original and build upon its impressive gameplay and story.
However, nearly six years after the original game’s announcement, the news regarding the sequel has gone quiet. This is especially disappointing to many, given the impressive test footage of the game. Here is a breakdown of Hollow Knight: Silksong, its development, and its troubled production.
The Original Hollow Knight
In 2017, Australian indie developers Team Cherry released Hollow Knight. The game was a “Metroidvania” that followed a silent knight as he traversed a derelict, underground kingdom in a world inhabited by sentient bugs. The game also heavily influenced the Dark Souls series with its obtuse story, hidden lore, and rewarding difficulty. Despite its cartoonish art style, the game captured all of the darkness of its inspirations.
Immediately after its release, the game became a classic. Critics praised the game for its fluid combat, intricately designed world, and surprisingly deep story. The game’s presentation was praised for its hand-drawn artwork and Christopher Larkin’s bombastic score. By the end, The Knight joined the pantheon of iconic indie mascots. As a result of the game’s success, a sequel was inevitable.
What Silksong Would Add
Barely two years after the original game’s launch, Team Cherry confirmed they were developing a sequel, Silksong. The game was originally intended as a DLC before evolving into a self-contained story. The biggest change from the original is that Hornet, the aloof ally to the Knight from the first game, would be the main player character during this sequel. She would explore a faraway land called “Pharloom” and ascend a high tower.
On virtually every front, Team Cherry boasts that Silksong will vastly improve the original game, especially in scale. As reported by Nintendo Everything, the game’s map will feature 100 benches (compared to only 40 from the original), a larger soundtrack, quests, and hundreds of enemies. Furthermore, Hornet will use a unique array of skills from the Knight with new tools. Given Hornet’s incredible prowess from the first game, this will naturally be a step up from the original.
The First Looks
While no release date was yet, players were given an impressive trailer. The opening cinematic establishes Hornet’s capture and escort to the distant land of Pharloom. Within minutes, the trailer showcased dozens of new enemies, maps unique from the original, and Hornet’s mechanics. Instead of “SOUL,” she now uses thread as ammunition for abilities, which fits her character. Furthermore, many boss battles were a step up in scale from Hollow Knight.
Furthermore, during 2019’s E3, Team Cherry prepared a phenomenal demo that gave eager fans a treasure trove of new info. The game features heavy religious imagery, with Pharloom being a ” pilgrimage ” site and Hornet collecting Rosaries as currency. While brief, the tour through the map left many hints about Hornet’s journey and the secrets of Pharloom.
Development Hell
Of course, whenever gamers hear the name “Silksong,” they inevitably think of the game’s lengthy development. While the game received steady information through 2019, updates slowed to a crawl afterward. The obvious cause is likely the pandemic, which put most of the entertainment industry on hold and laid the grounds for the mass layoffs in 2023. However, Team Cherry remained silent as years and several prominent gaming events passed.
While Silksong is a massive undertaking from its dedicated team, development hell has never been a good omen within gaming. One recent example is the hero shooter Concord, which took eight years to develop before shutting down weeks after launch. With nearly a decade of expectations resting on the game, Team Cherry will hopefully reward their loyal fans for their patience and support.
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