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Hollow Knight Silksong walkthrough

Our in-progress Silksong walkthrough and tips.

Image credit: Team Cherry
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Guide by Lottie Lynn Guides Editor
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Hollow Knight: Silksong is the long awaited sequel to Team Cherry's original 2017 Metroidvania, Hollow Knight. It's been released on PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch and 2, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X.

Hollow Knight: Silksong sees Hornet, a major character from the original game, take the role of lead protagonist and things have certainly gone awry for her. Kidnapped from Hallownest, Hornet finds herself in the Kingdom of Pharloom. She wants to learn why she's in this mysterious land, she'll need to reach the Citadel and confront the bugs who captured her.

Our in-progress Hollow Knight: Silksong walkthrough will guide you through Hornet's adventure through Pharloom. You'll also find all of our Silksong guides and some helpful tips down below.

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Hollow Knight Silksong walkthrough

Hollow Knight: Silksong begins with Hornet being rescued from her captors before deciding to ascend to the Citadel. There she might learn why she's been brought to the Kingdom of Pharloom… It will be a tough journey though as many enemies and bosses stand in her way. Be warned, while we've done our best, there will be minor spoilers in our walkthrough.

Here's our in-progress Hollow Knight: Silksong walkthrough, divided by Act and the locations you need to explore in order:

Act One: Pharloom

  1. Moss Grotto
  2. The Marrow
  3. Deep Docks
  4. Far Fields
  5. Greymoor
  6. Shellwood
  7. Bellheart

More to come…

Image credit: Team Cherry

Hollow Knight Silksong guides: All our Silksong guides listed

Below you'll find all of our Hollow Knight: Silksong guides so far:

Bosses:

Side Quests (Wishes):

Skills:

Exploration:

Items:

Other:

Image credit: Team Cherry

Hollow Knight Silksong tips

While we've already taken a look at what you need to know before playing Silksong, here are some additional tips to help make Hornet's adventure a little easier:

  • Watch a boss before attacking it. Silksong is full of bosses and, while you might be tempted to start off a fight aggressively, it's always better to wait and watch. This will give you the time to learn a boss's attack pattern; letting you know when's best to dodge, when you can heal and, most importantly, when you can attack. Be prepared though - the attack window might only let you get a couple of hits in. It's also best to retreat and dodge to stay in the fight!
  • Master aerial combat. Hornet's aerial combat can be a bit tricky to learn, but doing so is vital to progressing through the game. There are many enemies, including bosses, who can be attacked from sky rather than the ground so make sure you're deadly in the sky. It's also quite useful for when you're running low on Silk and can't use a skill.
  • Go off the beaten path! While there is a mostly linear path to take through the majority of Silksong, it's worth wondering off it from time to time. Looking down or breaking a wall can lead you to uncovering a useful secret or two! Who knows, you might even find a way to jump ahead in the game's storyline like you could in Hollow Knight…
  • Corrupted pilgrims drop Rosary Beads. Does that bug look like it once had a job? Well killing it will earn you some Rosary Beads! This is incredibly useful since Rosary Beads are Silksong's currency. They can be used to purchase items from vendors and unlock new Benches - all incredibly useful! So, whenever you see an aggressive bug, help it reach the afterlife in return for some cash.
  • String your Rosary Beads! Hornet loses her Rosary Beads upon death and it's only possible to retrieve them from the cocoon she leaves behind if you're not killed before opening it. If that does happen, then those Rosary Beads are gone for good. There is one way to avoid this - have a merchant turn your loose beads into a Rosary String. Sure, you'll have to break it if you want to spend them but at least it will keep them safe.
Image credit: Team Cherry
  • Buy the Quill and Compass to make the map useful. If you haven't played the original Hollow Knight, you might be surprised to find your first map more than a little sparse after purchasing it. If you want to make the map useful, you need to purchase both the Quill and Compass. The Quill actually fills in details with the map (but only after you've sat on a Bench), while the Compass displays Hornet's current location. Thankfully, Hornet doesn't lose these items when she dies.
  • Mark things on your map. You can also purchase markers for your map. These will let you leave little reminders for locations you couldn't reach or mini-bosses you want to return to. Don't worry about marking down Bench or Vendor locations, because you can buy separate markers for these which will be automatically added whenever you sit on a bench.
  • Complete Wishes. Wishes is the term used for side quests in Silksong and they're definitely worth completing thanks to the reward they offer. Whether it's a tool or some Rosary Beads, all of these rewards can help Hornet on her quest. Definitely worth taking a break from the main story!
  • Collect Mask Shards. Similar to Legend of The Zelda, four Mask Shards equals a permanent increase to Hornet's maximum health. Mask Shards are hidden throughout Pharloom, with some being purchasable from merchants and others hidden away in secret locations. Take the time to track them down to ensure Hornet can stay in the fight for longer.
  • Unlock new Benches. Benches are your main save points in Silksong and the last one you sat on is also where Hornet will find herself if she dies. While some Benches are simply waiting for some bug to sit on them, others require you spending some Rosary Beads to unlock. These Benches are also worth unlocking since you'll never know when you'll encounter the next one and nobody likes backtracking.

Best of luck in Silksong!

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