Hollow Knight Silksong difficulty has become gaming’s hottest debate since the highly anticipated sequel launched on September 4, 2025. After seven years of development and millions of eager fans, Team Cherry’s latest masterpiece has players either praising its challenging design or questioning whether it’s gone too far.
The indie gaming community exploded with discussions about punishing boss fights, brutal damage scaling, and lengthy runbacks that leave players frustrated. But now, for the first time since release, Team Cherry has addressed the controversy directly.
Team Cherry Breaks Silence on Steep Difficulty
Speaking at Australia’s ACMI Game Worlds exhibition, Team Cherry co-director Ari Gibson finally addressed the elephant in the room. “Silksong has some moments of steep difficulty,” Gibson admitted, “but part of allowing a higher level of freedom within the world means that you have choices all the time about where you’re going and what you’re doing.”
The developers explained that this challenging design philosophy stems from Hornet’s enhanced abilities. Unlike the silent Knight from the original game, Hornet is “inherently faster and more skillful,” which meant enemies had to be redesigned from the ground up. “Even the base level enemy had to be more complicated, more intelligent,” Gibson noted.
Why Hollow Knight Silksong Difficulty Feels Different
The sequel’s difficulty spikes aren’t accidental – they’re carefully crafted responses to Hornet’s expanded moveset. Co-director William Pellen revealed that “the basic ant warrior is built from the same move-set as the original Hornet boss.” This design philosophy means players face boss-level intelligence in regular encounters.
Players have reported several specific challenges that make Silksong feel harder than its predecessor:
- Regular enemies dealing 2 HP damage when Hornet starts with only 5
- Bosses requiring significantly more hits to defeat
- Longer runbacks to boss encounters after death
- More complex enemy attack patterns throughout the game
- Reduced upgrade availability in early game sections
The Freedom Philosophy Behind Challenging Design
Team Cherry’s approach to difficulty centers on player choice rather than artificial barriers. “The important thing for us is that we allow you to go way off the path,” Gibson explained. “One player may choose to follow it directly to its conclusion, and then another may choose to constantly divert from it and find all the other things that are waiting.”
This design means players have “ways to mitigate the difficulty via exploration, or learning, or even circumventing the challenge entirely, rather than getting stonewalled.” The developers believe this freedom prevents the frustrating wall-hitting that plagued some players in the original Hollow Knight.
Community Response to Difficulty Changes
The gaming community remains split on Silksong’s challenging approach. Steam reviews show a mix of praise for the game’s uncompromising vision and criticism about specific design choices. Many players have turned to difficulty-reducing mods, which dominated early modding communities.
Some players argue the difficulty feels “artificially inflated” with “overtuned numbers and menial tasks.” Others appreciate Team Cherry’s commitment to their vision, viewing the challenge as integral to the Silksong experience.
Updates and Developer Response
Team Cherry hasn’t ignored player feedback entirely. The studio released two post-launch patches, with the first focusing on “critical issues” and making early game encounters more manageable. However, the core difficulty philosophy remains unchanged.
The developers emphasize that Silksong’s design encourages exploration over brute force attempts. When players hit a wall, the intended solution isn’t repeatedly attempting the same challenge, but discovering alternative paths, upgrades, or approaches through the game’s interconnected world.
What This Means for Players
For players struggling with Hollow Knight Silksong difficulty, Team Cherry’s message is clear: embrace exploration. The game’s Metroidvania design offers multiple paths forward, hidden upgrades, and alternative routes that can make seemingly impossible challenges manageable.
Rather than viewing difficult encounters as roadblocks, players should treat them as signals to explore other areas, find new abilities, or discover secrets that provide advantages. This approach aligns with the developers’ vision of player agency and choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hollow Knight Silksong harder than the original?
Yes, Silksong is intentionally more challenging than Hollow Knight. Team Cherry designed enemies to be more intelligent and complex to match Hornet’s enhanced abilities.
Will Team Cherry make Silksong easier in future updates?
While Team Cherry has released patches addressing some early game balance issues, they remain committed to their core difficulty philosophy. Major changes to the game’s challenging nature seem unlikely.
Are there ways to make Silksong easier without mods?
Yes, the game encourages exploration to find upgrades, alternative paths, and tools that can make difficult encounters more manageable. The key is embracing the game’s non-linear design.
Why did Team Cherry make Silksong so difficult?
The difficulty stems from Hornet’s enhanced abilities compared to the original Knight. To maintain challenge, enemies needed to become more sophisticated and intelligent.
Should new players start with the original Hollow Knight first?
While Silksong can be played independently, starting with the original Hollow Knight helps players understand the series’ design philosophy and builds the skills needed for Silksong’s challenges.
What’s the best approach for handling Silksong’s difficult sections?
Team Cherry recommends exploration over repeated attempts. If you’re stuck, try finding new areas, upgrades, or alternative routes rather than forcing your way through challenging encounters.
Are the boss runbacks in Silksong intentionally long?
The runbacks are part of Silksong’s design philosophy, encouraging players to master encounters and consider alternative approaches rather than rushing back into failed attempts.
Conclusion
Hollow Knight Silksong difficulty represents Team Cherry’s uncompromising artistic vision. Rather than designing for mass appeal, the developers created a game that challenges players to engage with its systems fully. While this approach may frustrate some players, it also delivers an experience that respects player intelligence and rewards dedication.
The key to enjoying Silksong lies in understanding its design philosophy. Instead of viewing difficulty as a barrier, players should embrace it as an invitation to explore, experiment, and discover the many paths the game offers. For those willing to engage with Team Cherry’s vision, Silksong delivers one of gaming’s most rewarding challenges.