A significant part of the excitement surrounding Hollow Knight: Silksong's upcoming release is due to the game's promise to expand and improve upon the beloved aspects of its predecessor, Hollow Knight. In the original game, players heavily relied on the collectible Charms as a key component of their approach. However, Hollow Knight: Silksong takes a different direction by introducing a new crafting mechanic and the ability to create and repair Tools, replacing the Charm system.
Hollow Knight: Silksong distinguishes itself from its predecessor by featuring a new protagonist, Hornet, who brings unique differences in both the story and gameplay. From what has been revealed about the game so far, players will need to collect various currencies and materials, which adds a new incentive to explore the map of Pharloom on foot, defeating enemies and gathering resources to strengthen Hornet. The introduction of the crafting system in Hollow Knight: Silksong completely changes how players interact with the game compared to its predecessor.
Silksong's Tools Could Be a Significant Improvement Over Charms
Charms in Hollow Knight were largely optional, with some of the best ones obtained through exploring or defeating optional bosses. These Charms served as rewarding incentives for players who invested time into thoroughly exploring Hallownest. However, it was entirely possible to complete the game with only a fraction of the available Charms.
In Hollow Knight: Silksong, the introduction of the new Tool system marks a significant shift in how players customize their character and the importance of these Tools themselves. One known feature is the inclusion of a Tool in Hornet's kit that allows her to travel at incredible speed. With Hornet being faster and more agile than the Knight, this tool is expected to become a key traversal mechanic in navigating Pharloom.
Furthermore, players will need to find materials to craft these tools and regularly repair them using in-game currencies, emphasizing their crucial role in gameplay. Although there may be fewer available Tools compared to Charms, each one is anticipated to have a significant impact on gameplay, similar to Samus' suit upgrades in Super Metroid.
New Crafting Materials and Currencies Shake Up the Flow of Silksong's Gameplay
In the original game, players had to defeat enemies, open chests, and destroy objects to collect Hollow Knight's currency called Geo. It served a similar purpose as Souls in the Dark Souls series. With Geo, players could purchase items from merchants, upgrade the Nail, and pay tolls for Benches and the Stag. In Silksong, there is a new comprehensive crafting system that introduces new in-game currencies and crafting materials. These materials and currencies must be regularly collected by defeating enemies in order to create items.
Team Cherry aims to discourage excessive use of fast-travel in Silksong while promoting exploration on foot. To achieve this, they have limited the amount of materials and currency that players can carry at one time. These currencies and materials are essential for crafting and repairing tools, as well as using Hollow Knight's Benches for saving. Since players can only hold a limited amount, they must regularly engage in the activities necessary to acquire these resources. Apart from enhancing combat and traversal options, the crafting system appears to encourage players to fully immerse themselves in Silksong's gameplay.
The New Silk Abilities May Be Enhanced Through Crafting
In the initial installment of Hollow Knight, players had access to both light and void magic abilities, which provided additional attack options and improved traversal throughout Hallownest. These abilities played a significant role in shaping the gameplay experience and were intricately connected to the game's lore. In Silksong, the upcoming sequel, Team Cherry is once again introducing a new ability system centered around silk. Given the title's focus on silk, it is likely that Hornet's utilization of these abilities will have a crucial and meaningful connection to the storyline.
Considering the emphasis that Team Cherry is placing on the new systems in Silksong, such as the crafting system, it is plausible that players will have the opportunity to enhance and strengthen their silk abilities using resources found within the game. Alternatively, it is also possible that the silk abilities themselves are entirely reliant on discovering crafting recipes or blueprints for tools. Regardless, the end result is a seamless integration of the various mechanics in Silksong, all interconnecting with each other to form a cohesive and organic system.
The new crafting system in Hollow Knight: Silksong has been largely speculated by fans through analyzing screen grabs and watching reveal trailers. As a result, concrete details about these new systems are scarce. However, the introduction of a crafting system not only pushes the Hollow Knight franchise further into RPG territory but also provides players with definite incentives to fully explore the game's map. The inclusion of features like the crafting system demonstrates Team Cherry's commitment to expanding on their previous work and adding new elements to Hollow Knight: Silksong. This sequel, which is currently in development, will be available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.