Hollow Knightis a Metroidvania that provides a tough challenge for players, and it looks as ifHollow Knight: Silksongis set to do the same. Team Cherry’s original hit title was a hard but fair game, making many consider it theDark Soulsof its genre. AlthoughSilksongshould be more of a Metroidvania than a Soulslike, its upcoming features and mechanics seem like it’s going the route of its predecessor. However, the sequel seems to have a certain quality that makes it more similar toSekiro: Shadows Die Twicerather than anything from theDark Soulsseries.
Hollow Knight: Silksongwas originally planned as DLC instead of being its own game, but its sheer size and amount of content made Team Cherry reconsider. This means its core gameplay is essentially the same as that of its predecessor, wherein players are expected to take on challenging foes and use whatever they have to their advantage. The key difference between the two is thatSilksong’s main protagonist can speak. Having a protagonist who can talk to other NPCs and express themselves verbally givesSilksongopportunities thatHollow Knightdidn’t, and in doing so it may be far more story-driven.
How Hornet Being Able to Speak Makes Silksong a More Story-Driven Title Like Sekiro
TheDark Soulsseries features mute protagonists who go through the motions of the story without explicitly reacting to anything that happens. On the contrary,Sekiro’s main character, Wolf, is highly involved in the plot, interacting with anyone involved. The difficulty andstory ofHollow Knight, along with its mute protagonist, is why many compare it to theDark Soulsgames. But, inSilksong’s case, the sequel seems more in line withSekiroas Hornet’s ability to talk gives her a more active role in the story for a few reasons:
One of the biggestwaysSilksongcan earn more goodwillis by followingSekiro’s path in producing a deep and compelling narrative. If it manages to do so well, then it may just surpass its predecessor in terms of the quality of its plot.
What Silksong Should Consider Borrowing From Sekiro
WithSilksongfollowing similar steps toSekiroin terms of story, the sequel toHollow Knightshould consider taking a page from FromSoftware’s creation. In some stories, a rival is introduced to go against the ideals of the main protagonist, enhancing the plot and character development.
ForSekirothis is Genichiro Ashina, andSilksong’s Hornet deserves her own rivallike him as she could benefit from it the same way Wolf did. While characters such as Lace and Steel Assassin Sharpe have the potential to be engaging and charming recurring adversaries, there’s no guarantee that they will.
Hollow Knight: Silksongcould hit the ground running upon release, but only if it delivers. So long as Team Cherry executes everything well with the adaptation of a voiced protagonist in itsHollow Knightsequel, then it’s likely thatSilksongwill come into its own uniquely that doesn’t need to compare one-to-one with the original.
