Hollow Knight, the best Metroidvania game ever made, is getting a sequel nobody expected

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Silksong is a full-fat sequel, and it is one to watch

In a sea of brilliant 2D Metroidvania games, Team Cherry's Hollow Knight stands out as a game for the ages. It's a dark, challenging, inventive adventure through a beautifully drawn insect world, and it is bar-none the best Metroidvania game ever made. And as Team Cherry announced today, it's getting a sequel. It's called Hollow Knight: Silksong, and on top of being a total surprise, it looks every bit as promising as the original. 

Hollow Knight: Silksong stars Hornet, an estranged partner character (and part-time antagonist) from Hollow Knight. Hornet's story was originally going to be DLC - specifically, a stretch goal for the Kickstarter of the original game -  but Team Cherry says "it quickly became too large and too unique to stay a DLC," so the studio decided to expand it into a proper sequel instead. Fans have been hungry for more Hornet for months, but the sheer scope of Silksong means it's still a ways away. That said, speaking as a fan, I'm willing to wait. 

Silksong is set in a new insect kingdom totally divorced from Hollow Knight's Hallownest, Team Cherry explained in a blog post. The studio says this strange new land contains new biomes, more structured quests tied to new allies, and more than 150 new enemies and bosses. Just as excitingly, Silksong looks to introduce yet more speed and rhythm to Hollow Knight's combat, with Hornet's trademark needle and silk fueling acrobatic maneuvers and attacks, to say nothing of her suite of traps, which Team Cherry described as distinct from but parallel to Hollow Knight's equippable charms.  

Hollow Knight: Silksong is currently scheduled to release on PC and Switch. It could come to PS4 and Xbox One, but Team Cherry says nothing is decided yet. It will also be free to Hollow Knight's Kickstarter backers, who can choose to play it on PC or Switch as long as they kicked in $10 or more.  

You'd better believe Hollow Knight is on our list of the best Switch games you can play right now.  

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.