Hollow Knight: Silksong is a 2D metroidvania that I have been looking forward to for nearly a decade and the sequel to one of the games I hold most dear. Expectations were riding high when it was finally announced that, yes Virgina, Silksong does indeed exist. I am beyond thrilled to report that it exceeded my expectations.

Hornet is the player character this time around but instead of delving into the realm of Hollownest, you are ascending into the kingdom of Pharloom. Where the Knight from the prior game had incredibly standard movement and attacks, Hornet is far more dynamic out of the gate. She starts the game with excellent mobility and over the course of the game gains access to skills (similar to spells from the prior game), passive buffs (in the form of tools similar to the charm system from the prior game) and additional weaponry (also via tools). By mid to end game, with the proper build, Hornet has damage and utility of which the Knight could only dream. So, what's the catch?

Much like the Knight from the prior game, Hornet starts off the game with five masks to indicate her health. While most enemy attacks from the first game would deal a single unit of damage with attacks hitting for two damage in the late game, a large number of enemies hit for two masks very early on in Silksong. I have never felt so ambivalent about gaining additional health in a metroidvania as when I went from five to six masks of health as I felt I was dying to [insert boss here] in three hits anyways so what did it matter if I had six or five masks? On the flipside, healing is a great deal more dynamic makes up for the overall squishiness of Hornet- it is fast, can be done midair and heals a whopping 3 masks at base. The end result is that combat feels much more frantic and high energy. And I love it.

The biomes of Pharloom are beautiful and varied. Never thought I would have my breath taken away from a game environment after City of Tears, but by golly Choral Chambers did it. You go from lava to caves to swamps to coral reefs and it all feels natural and like a lived in world. Christopher Larkin's soundtrack hits all the high peaks from the prior game and exceeds it in others. Again, Choral Chambers does it again. By golly.

The bosses are a highlight of this game though I do admit, though I admit that there is a bit of a dichotomy where boss feel like fighting a well choreographed fellow swordsbug where the battle feels like a dance by the end of it (Cogwork Dancers, Phantom, the Last Judge) or fighting a gelatinous blob that lumbers around the arena (Savage Beastfly, among many others). However, my frustration of the latter never outweigh my love of the former. So hats off, Team Cherry, you've done it again.

One word of caution, though. Without diminishing my love of this game, it needs to be stated that this is a difficult game. There are no options for accessibility (which is a whole topic in and of itself). While it is definitely my cup of tea, I recognize it would not be for everyone. For anyone else still here, this game is a steal at $20. Pick up and play it immediately.