Hollow Knight: Silksong - Beginners Tips and Strategies

Hollow Knight: Silksong took the gaming world by storm with its launch this week. And now that gamers everywhere are diving into the latest creation from Team Cherry, some of the excitement has turned into cries of anguish about the game's difficulty.

Don't worry though, the game is worth the steep learning curve and we have a few tips to help you get started on your quest. Check out our beginner tips for getting started in Hollow Knight: Silksong below.

1 Master Hornet’s Movement Hornet’s movement is more acrobatic than the Knight’s in Hollow Knight. Her jumps, diagonal downward attacks, and new abilities like ring swinging and enemy pulling take practice. Spend time in the early areas getting used to her jump distance, attack angles, and how she handles platforming. Mastering these early will make exploration and combat smoother.

2 Learn the Bind Mechanic Healing in Silksong uses the Bind ability, which consumes your entire Silk meter to restore up to three health masks instantly. You can Bind in mid-air, which is safer against ground-based enemies, but it leaves you vulnerable during the animation. Only Bind when you’re in a safe spot or after dodging an enemy attack to avoid interruption.

3 Practice the Pogo Attack Hornet’s downward attack is diagonal, unlike the straight-down pogo in Hollow Knight. Jump, hold down, and attack to bounce off enemies or spikes. This is crucial for reaching high platforms, avoiding attacks, and navigating obstacle courses. Practice on early enemies to get the timing down because you are going to need this for both combat and platforming later.

4 Find Shakra for Maps Maps are essential for navigating Pharloom’s complex regions. Early in the game, find Shakra, the map merchant, in The Marrow to buy maps for the Mosslands and The Marrow (costing 40 and 50 Rosaries, respectively). Also, grab a Quill to fill in explored areas and a Compass to track your position. These tools make exploration less disorienting and help you to always know where you are.

5 Search for Hidden Walls and Secrets Pharloom is full of hidden rooms and breakable walls. From the first screen, test walls by attacking or jumping into them to find secret areas with Rosaries, Mask Fragments, or other rewards. Pay attention to subtle visual cues like cracks or suspicious dead ends. As my Dad always used to say, "If they put it in the game, there has to be a reason why."

6 Use Hit-and-Run Tactics in Combat Enemies in Silksong are aggressive, so combat favors a hit-and-run approach. Strike enemies once or twice, then quickly move away to avoid counterattacks. This tactic helps you stay alive, especially against tougher enemies or bosses, and builds your Silk meter for abilities or healing. In most fights, focus on not taking damage first, and get in your hits as a counterattack, or when there is an opening.

7 Return to Benches Frequently Just like in Hollow Knight, benches are your best friend in Silksong. Once you locate one make sure you return to it often so you can heal Hornet and fill in your maps. Exploring a new area by looping out from a bench and then finding your way back will help you to get the lay of the land quickly, and help to identify holes in your map that you should explore further.

8 Look for Environmental Cues Pharloom’s world is dense with subtle hints. Watch for signs like golden rings, wooden boards, or breakable objects (walls, vines) that point to benches, shortcuts, or secrets. Exploring thoroughly and acting on these cues can lead to valuable items like Mask Fragments or shortcuts to ease backtracking. Also, be on the lookout for traps! There are some areas on the early game that are riddled with traps, if you hear something or see subtle movement in the ground or walls, look out!

9 Manage Rosaries and Cocoons Carefully Rosaries are Silksong’s currency, dropped upon death but recoverable from your Cocoon at your death location. This Cocoon also restores your Silk meter when broken, so consider leaving it intact during tough fights (like bosses) to use as an emergency Silk source. Be cautious, as dying again before recovering loses your Rosaries, and may make you throw your controller in frustration.

10 Don't Give Up It can be frustrating to die to a standard bug enemy when you're just trying to make it out of the first of second area of the game, but stick with it! It's definitely a good idea to take breaks, so you come back to the game fresh, but trust that with enough practice you can clear that tough room, make that difficult jump, or beat down that pesky boss.

Hopefully, these tips will give you a strong start in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Take your time to explore, practice Hornet’s mechanics, and don’t be afraid to experiment! You've got this!