Hollow Knight Silksong Should Include an Obvious Feature The Original Skipped (2024)

Hollow Knight Silksong is one of modern gaming's most bittersweet projects. Though it looks promising, Hollow Knight fans have been disappointed by its numerous delays and lack of updates, with some even leaning into the pessimistic belief that it will never see the light of day.

Hopefully, this won't be the case, and players will get their hands on Silksong sooner rather than later. That said, when it does eventually come out, it will have some pretty sizable shoes to fill. The first Hollow Knight is one of the best games of 2017 and is generally considered one of the strongest breakout hits to come out of the indie scene. It is a rare instance of a game's disparate elements working in perfect harmony with one another: Hollow Knight's combat, exploration, art design, music, and lore all come together to form a cohesive and unforgettable experience. For Silksong to live up to this sterling reputation, it will need to further refine these already strong elements, but also add new, valuable features, helping it stand apart from its predecessor.

Hollow Knight Silksong Could Benefit From Customization Options

Although there are some great Hollow Knight mods that allow character customization, such features are conspicuously absent in the vanilla game. This isn't necessarily a mark against the game, but it does feel like a missed opportunity; Hollow Knight's world is one of modern gaming's most visually striking, and it's somewhat disappointing that players can't have an impact on it.

Hollow Knight Silksong Ought to Take a Swing at Customization

Hollow Knight's protagonist, the Knight, doesn't have much in the way of a clearly defined personality—they are a genderless, mute vessel with amnesia, and thus don't have much reason or opportunity for self-expression. This may help the lack of customization in the first game easier to swallow. However, Silksong hero Hornet is a much different sort of character who, while still mysterious, has a more well-defined presence.

This may carve out some room for customization, as it seems a bit more sensible within the context of Silksong's story. Hornet already stands out much more than the Knight, both visually and through her ability to speak, so it would make a bit more sense for her to have different cloaks, accessories, or other cosmetic embellishments. More than anything, though, adding customization options would simply make Hollow Knight Silksong more fun.

Alternatives to Character Customization in Hollow Knight Silksong

Character customization is a great feature, and it's hard to imagine any player objecting to its inclusion in Silksong, but it could be difficult to implement. One of the reasons why Hollow Knight's world is so stunning is its hand-drawn animation, which lends each character and location a sense of soul and charm. The downside of hand-drawn animation is that it can be difficult to incorporate major character customization options. The animation of Hornet's cloak flapping in the wind, for instance, would need to be reworked for each new outfit, unless they were simply palette swaps (which would not be unreasonable). Even if Team Cherry worked around possible technical limitations, there may be a desire to retain Hornet's iconic character design, which may mean limited customization.

But there could be other avenues for in-game customization, like a hub area or base that can be expanded with various collectibles and personalization options. The first Hollow Knight features different menu themes which, while not the most exciting personalization feature, is still nice, as it serves as an extra reward for completing certain objectives. Perhaps Silksong could offer a similar feature. Essentially, more customization, no matter how it manifests, means more player expression, which can only be a good thing.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Franchise

Hollow Knight

Platform(s)

PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series S , Xbox Series X , PC , macOS , Linux

Developer(s)

Team Cherry

Publisher(s)

Team Cherry

Genre(s)

Metroidvania

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