Summary
Though solid information aboutHollow Knight: Silksongis still as uncertain as when the sequel was announced, it seems that player progression through the game will be directly opposite to that of its predecessor,Hollow Knight. During Team Cherry’s initial Kickstarter campaign forHollow Knight, it appeared that the physical scale of the game was a key factor, especially when considering that its loftier stretch goals teased an expansion to “The Abyss.” Knowing now that this area would be at the furthest depths of a vast world, it’s possible to look back in hindsight and recognize the ideasTeam Cherry had in mind forHollow Knight.
The attention to detail that was given toHollow Knighthas inevitably led many to anticipate the same forHollow Knight: Silksong, meaning that what little is known so far about the upcoming sequel has been heavily scrutinized for potential clues aboutwhat players should expect fromSilksong.Silksong’s new kingdom, Pharloom, and its map system have not escaped this scrutiny thanks to the few details Team Cherry has so far revealed. It seems then that unlikeHollow Knight, which saw players descending into Hallownest’s depths to unearth its tragic tale,Silksongwill head in the opposite direction as a mirror to its predecessor.
Hollow Knight’s Descent Versus Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Ascent
Hollow Knight: Silksong May Go Where Hollow Knight Couldn’t
Another ofHollow Knight’s original stretch goals which it did meet was to provide a second playable character, though this was ultimately never implemented into the final game. Due to the ever-increasing scope of Hornet’s plans as a second character during development, Team Cherry decided she would instead lead in a sequel. This is interesting, as it seems that many ideas for enemies, areas, and potentially even stories werecut fromHollow Knightto be used instead forSilksong. In particular, content from Hallownest’s farthest area like Deepnest’s Spiders, Weavers, and the Forest of Bones have been speculated to now be part ofSilksong.
Given that Team Cherry had already gone to the lengths of creating four DLC expansions forHollow Knight, the fact thatHornet’s planned protagonist roleexceeded becoming one more DLC suggests that her story wouldn’t fit within the game’s narrative. With the added context of content from areas of the game that were likely the last to be developed, much like The Abyss as per its unfulfilled stretch goal, it seems thatSilksongwill be exploring ideas thatHollow Knightcould not. As a result, the two games' maps and the player’s journey through these worlds seem to be antithetical to one another.
The Potential Theme of Ascension in Hollow Knight: Silksong
During a live demonstration ofHollow Knight: Silksongat E3 in 2019, Team Cherry commented that players would start the game at the bottom, with Hornet’s journey seeing her progress upwards to the top. Though specific details about either weren’t provided, it is a stark contrast toHollow Knight’s progression, which begins with players traveling downwards into Hallownest.Hollow Knight’s overall themes and narratives surrounded descent, buried pasts, and inner darkness, andSilksongseems to invert this approach.
The physical progression upwards through Pharloom, unlike the descent into Hallownest, could relate to existing ideas around Hornet about her lineage as Herrah’s daughter and her potential relationship with the Weavers, who allegedly all come from Pharloom. Hornet’s literal ascension through the kingdom may parallel her ascension to the throne, something that may have been teased with lines from Pharloom’s Folly and why Hornet was kidnapped at the start of the game. Ultimately, whileHollow Knight’s progression reflects its story of descent into darkness and madness,Silksongmirrors this with Hornet’s ascent todiscover the secret truth in Pharloom.
