The Toughest Enemy In Silksong Is The Downwards Strike

By Sam Hallahan

Published 7 hours ago

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I was somewhat dreading the dive back into Hollow Knight with the release of Silksong. Not because of the game itself, but because I don’t play many 2D platformers. My first time playing Hollow Knight seven years ago was met with persistent deaths as I learned the fundamentals of traversal and combat, making the smallest mistakes. That’s not to mention the struggles once I stepped foot in a boss room.

Since then, I still haven’t introduced many 2D platformers to my game lineup, setting aside examples like Metroid Dread, and that was four years ago. Once Silksong’s release date was announced, I was worried I’d have to go back to basics once again, with a long road ahead of me just to reach the skill ceiling I used to have.

I’m pleasantly surprised to find that most of the game has come back to me, like muscle memory. That’s what ~~trauma~~ experience can do, I guess. However, despite my familiarity with the fundamentals, there’s one key thing that has changed from the first game. One thing that almost throws off the fundamentals entirely: the downwards attack.

Once Small Change To Throw You Off Entirely

Bell Beast adorably bursts from the ground with a roar in his fight with Hornet in Hollow Knight: Silksong.

In the first game, The Knight had a downwards attack that was exactly that: an attack that was directed downwards. This was used as a means of hitting enemies below you as you jumped over them, as well as using it as a way to bounce on hazardous obstacles, such as spikes or sawblades. In the late game, the downwards attack was a necessary skill to have, as many bosses were harder to beat without it, and some areas of the game were even inaccessible otherwise.

Needless to say, I had this move mastered by the end of my time with Hollow Knight, and if muscle memory was going to kick in for Silksong, I assumed this would be a part of it.

But no. Hornet likes to do things a little differently. When you execute a downwards attack as Hornet, she darts down at a 45-degree angle in whichever direction you were facing. Upon hitting an enemy or obstacle, she’ll bounce back up as The Knight did, though with a bit of flair and a spin. It’s incredibly cool, as I would expect from Hornet, but this 45-degree change is going to lead to 45 hours of relearning everything I know.

I Have To Relearn Hollow Knight, And I Love That

Hornet about to receive an ability in Hollow Knight: Silksong.

I’m trying to use this move as much as possible, so that I can really nail it (pun intended) early in the game. Plus, if Hornet insists on doing a dramatic spin and flip as she fights, then damn it, I’m going to spin and flip. We both deserve it. As of writing, I’m two bosses down, and the move came in extremely useful on the second. In fact, I imagine it would have been a much harder fight without the airtime.

However, I’ve already experienced the swift and harsh downside that can come from bouncing. I came upon a room that had obstacles to bounce across, with no platforms, and a spiky floor below. On the other side of the room? Treasure. Sweet, glorious treasure. Luckily, I managed to make it across the first time and grab the treasure, but then… I needed to get back. I tried, lost health. I tried again, lost more health. I tried once more, and I died. Now I needed to get back there and bounce across again to collect my things, and then bounce back out. Oh man.

It’s such a small change, but a significant one. It’s already led to innumerable deaths and many failed attempts at striking and bouncing over an enemy, where instead, I either hit the enemy with my body and take damage or miss entirely and go flying off a ledge. The game feels familiar. The design feels familiar. The bosses feel like Hollow Knight bosses. But this simple move is the thing that’ll catch me out time and time again, until I can master it once more.