E3 2019: Hornet Returns With Excellent Platforming In ‘Hollow Knight: Silksong’

Hollow Knight quickly developed a reputation among gamers as a beautiful, modern take on 2D action platformers. Oh, and it was excruciatingly hard. It’s only natural that fans of the first game would want to be punished even more, so Team Cherry obliged with Silksong, the upcoming sequel to the cult hit. The new game was on display at Nintendo’s booth at E3, so we jumped on the chance to check it out.

Emulating games in the “Metroidvania” sub-genre, Silksong shares many of the hallmarks that made the first game so memorable. The visuals have a dark, creepy vibe to them while being simultaneously vibrant. Each section of the grid based map confronts the player with various challenges. Be it hard to reach platforms, deadly enemies or hidden objects, searching thoroughly will always be beneficial towards advancing.

Armed with only a needle, controlling Hornet is fast and responsive. This is especially noticeable when up against the game’s deadly bosses. Using dodge rolls, slashes and air dives, Silksong follows the tried and true formula of memorizing boss patterns and attacking when it’s safe. Charging in head-first will lead to death and the frustration that comes with it, but coming out victorious is a rewarding feeling.

So far, Hollow Knight: Silksong is picking up where the first game left off and is delivering excellent platforming combat in the process. Its unique style and noticeable challenge are intact, all with new environments to explore. Check back for future updates as the game approaches release on PC and Switch.