Hollow Knight Silksong Should Include an Obvious Feature The Original Skipped

Summary

Hollow Knight Silksongis one of modern gaming’s most bittersweet projects. Though it looks promising,Hollow Knightfans have been disappointedby its numerous delays and lack of updates, with some even leaning into the pessimistic belief that it will never see the light of day.

Hopefully, this won’t be the case, and players will get their hands onSilksongsooner rather than later. That said, when it does eventually come out, it will have some pretty sizable shoes to fill. The firstHollow Knightis one of the best games of 2017 and is generally considered one of the strongest breakout hits to come out of the indie scene. It is a rare instance of a game’s disparate elements working in perfect harmony with one another:Hollow Knight’s combat, exploration, art design, music, and lore all come together to form a cohesive and unforgettable experience. ForSilksongto live up to this sterling reputation, it will need to further refine these already strong elements, but also add new, valuable features, helping it stand apart from its predecessor.

Hollow Knight: Silksong Tag Page Cover Art

Hollow Knight Silksong Could Benefit From Customization Options

Although there aresome greatHollow Knightmodsthat allow character customization, such features are conspicuously absent in the vanilla game. This isn’t necessarily a mark against the game, but it does feel like a missed opportunity;Hollow Knight’s world is one of modern gaming’s most visually striking, and it’s somewhat disappointing that players can’t have an impact on it.

Hollow Knightis often described as a blend of two genres: Metroidvania and Soulslike. While the former isn’t known for its wealth of customization options, the latter is, as some ofthe best Soulslike gamesare renowned for their stunning cosmetics and armor options.

Hollow Knight Silksong Ought to Take a Swing at Customization

Hollow Knight’s protagonist, the Knight, doesn’t have much in the way of a clearly defined personality—they are a genderless, mute vessel with amnesia, and thus don’t have much reason or opportunity for self-expression. This may help the lack of customization in the first game easier to swallow. However,Silksonghero Hornet is a much different sort of characterwho, while still mysterious, has a more well-defined presence.

This may carve out some room for customization, as it seems a bit more sensible within the context ofSilksong’s story. Hornet already stands out much more than the Knight, both visually and through her ability to speak, so it would make a bit more sense for her to have different cloaks, accessories, or other cosmetic embellishments. More than anything, though, adding customization options would simply makeHollow Knight Silksongmore fun.

Alternatives to Character Customization in Hollow Knight Silksong

Character customization is a great feature, and it’s hard to imagine any player objecting to its inclusion inSilksong, but it could be difficult to implement. One of the reasons whyHollow Knight’s world is so stunning is its hand-drawn animation, which lends each character and location a sense of soul and charm. The downside of hand-drawn animation is that it can be difficult to incorporate major character customization options. The animation of Hornet’s cloak flapping in the wind, for instance, would need to be reworked for each new outfit, unless they were simply palette swaps (which would not be unreasonable). Even if Team Cherry worked around possible technical limitations, there may be a desire to retainHornet’s iconic character design, which may mean limited customization.

But there could be other avenues for in-game customization, like a hub area or base that can be expanded with various collectibles and personalization options. The firstHollow Knightfeatures different menu themes which, while not the most exciting personalization feature, is still nice, as it serves as an extra reward for completing certain objectives. PerhapsSilksongcould offer a similar feature. Essentially, more customization, no matter how it manifests, means more player expression, which can only be a good thing.