Silksong’s Biggest Boss Might Not Be a Bug

Given its predecessor, Hollow Knight: Silksong is set to be a difficult game. Team Cherry has teased people about what they could expect from the sequel title, and with what has been shown, it seems that it’s bound to provide a challenging experience. However, it may not be the known bosses of Silksong or its bug-based enemies that will make it as hard as everyone believes it’s going to be, as there is another factor that many may not have considered that affects the game’s difficulty aspect.

During a segment of the April 2025 Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, Hollow Knight: Silksong was briefly shown, reminding people that the game is coming and renewing interest. Because of that, people have likely gone back to look at past media made for the sequel title, showcasing what should be looked forward to. Seeing as to how it’s set to be challenging, probably even more so than its predecessor, one cannot help but wonder if the most difficult thing about the game will be its enemies. When considering certain factors, it is possible that the greatest obstacle may not be the bugs that inhabit its world, but rather, its level design and how movement will be handled within the game.

June 8 Could Be a Big Day for Hollow Knight: Silksong

There’s a chance that Sunday, June 8 will be a big day for those looking forward to the long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Why Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Level Traversal Might Be the Toughest Challenge Players Could Face

Again, the announcement trailer showing Silksong‘s gameplay and other information provided about it in the past has helped in emphasizing that the game will likely be a difficult experience, and while many believe it will be due to its enemies, that may not be the case. The toughest challenge could come from how Hornet will be controlled and the areas she’s meant to traverse, as Team Cherry has shown things and opened up possibilities that could make it so:

Given how Hornet is more acrobatic than the protagonist of Hollow Knight, each area could be made in a way that takes advantage of that, which could result in designs that require more precision and skill from players.
With all the new tools Hornet is bound to use to get around, Team Cherry could create numerous environments that require mastery of each one and movement to progress, which will be tough for players who may have difficulty or refuse to use those they don’t like.
Using enemies in certain ways other than killing them could be a part of the level design, and coupling that with all the other things mentioned may lead to some intentionally or unintentionally frustrating segments.

Making Hornet the protagonist of Silksong could make things inherently more tragic for those who were hoping for the sequel to be easier than its predecessor, simply because of all the possible ways she can move around and how the level design will be influenced because of it. Still, whether they end up becoming harder than the enemies being faced, players are likely to enjoy what the game will offer once it’s finally released.

How Silksong Can Further Emphasize Its Level Design and Movement as the Most Difficult Things About the Game

If Silksong really wants to show that bosses won’t be the biggest thing players should worry about, then one way to do so is by creating its version of the Path of Pain. It is the hardest platforming challenge in Hollow Knight that has become famous, or infamous, within its community, and the sequel has the opportunity to have something just like it. However, instead of making it optional, Silksong‘s own Path of Pain could be a part of the main storyline instead, requiring players to master handling Hornet and the different mechanics the game introduces via its level designs. It could become the greatest obstacle in the sequel, one that’s possibly harder than any of the bosses and could make everyone appreciate the playthrough experience more than they may have already had, assuming it’s executed well.

Hollow Knight: Silksong‘s change in protagonist from The Knight to Hornet will certainly mean that the game’s movement and level design will be different from its predecessor, but players will have to wait and see if they end up being the biggest challenges to overcome. Even if they aren’t, so long as they’re properly made and handled by Team Cherry, they will have the capability of bringing the sequel to great heights of success.