Like you, I’ve been waiting what feels like years for Hollow Knight: Silksong. I take that back, it HAS been years waiting for Silksong. The Metroidvania sequel was first announced in 2019, and we barely had a sniff of the game for years. Trailers and talk intensified this year, and it culminated with my special hands-on preview of Hollow Knight: Silksong, in the flesh at Gamescom 2025.
Hollow Knight was utterly captivating. Yes, it was another Metroidvania title, focusing on backtracking and acquiring new abilities to further progression. But its sweet and innocent art style, its cutesy main character, and punishing combat are juxtaposed wonderfully. It was celebrated on launch and continues to be heralded all these years later.
Its legacy can only last so long before people want more—cue Silksong.
Sing me a Sweet Silksong
Don’t adjust your TV set, Hollow Knight: Silksong was indeed playable at Gamescom 2025. I endured a savage queue of over 2 hours to get a sniff of Silksong. As I’ve said, I love Hollow Knight, but you won’t see such fevered hype and excessive waiting for an ‘indie’ game like this for a while.
The demo build offers two entry points, with one being the beginning of the game and one much further in. As a Metroidvania master (I wish) and someone well-versed in the genre, I did what I didn’t see many other people do, and that’s jump straight into the deep end—was it ego or stupidity, I’ll let you be the judge.
Within seconds, it felt like Hollow Knight. Ori is possibly the only other game that rivals Hollow Knight in terms of presentation. It’s just breathtaking with stuff happening off-screen, and each mini-scene boasts a rich palette of shades and colors. I’ve played mechanically functional titles that looked dull and washed out, whereas Silksong’s verdict is in its name: Silky.
Crushing Combat Will Question Your Ability
There’s nothing fundamentally different from a movement standpoint. Hornet handles as smoothly as our predecessor, and within minutes, I was slashing away at rocks, piling up my currency, and finding secrets, shortcuts, and nearly drowning in lava-adjacent substances.
It’s not long until I’m thrust into a mini-boss encounter. I’ve had no time to prepare, I’ve quickly familiarized myself with the controls, and I’m met with a gradually building enemy rush of increasing difficulty. Miraculously, I prevail and feel smug—this is likely an encounter you’re not supposed to face until a handful of hours in. I land precise attacks with Hornet and quickly work out the enemy’s attack patterns. Doubt turns to confidence, and I’m ready to take on whatever boss this side of the demo possesses.
The gameplay loop is back. The slick dashes, jumps, and swipes are a key part of Hornet’s arsenal. Tactical jabs and prods, using Hornet’s agility and nimble frame to evade attacks; these are hallmarks of what made the original so special and accessible. I feel unbeatable, and after finding a key and unlocking the path ahead, I come to the boss—Lace.
I’ll cut to the chase: I die multiple times, and my demo session ends abruptly. I could not match the pace of Lace, and like many Hollow Knight bosses, her attack patterns aren’t ludicrously difficult and staggered like in various Soulslikes, but you’ll spam buttons and flail more than a medieval weapon.
Each death brought me closer to a winning effort, and with a few more goes, I think I would’ve overcome the character’s might. But that’s the hook, right? Hollow Knight bosses don’t drag on for 5-10 minutes, but you still feel satiated in your hunger for victory, and you keep going. Ultimately, I walked away from my Silksong Gamescom 2025 preview with a smile.
If you’re a Hollow Knight fan, chances are, you’re going to love Silksong. Team Cherry, a release date, please?
On a scale of 1-10, how much are you looking forward to Hollow Knight: Silksong? Do you think Hollow Knight is an all-time indie great? Can Silksong better it? I’m keen to hear your thoughts through the Insider Gaming forum.
Check out our previews of the incredible G’AIM’E and the not-to-be-slept-on WW1 Gallipoli.
Andy is Insider Gaming's Senior Evergreen Editor and has been in the games journalism sphere in one way or another for over 7 years. His video game taste is as…
More from Andrew Highton
