Silksong is difficult, so a beginner’s guide to help you get started couldn’t hurt. I don’t think it’s a hugely controversial statement to say that it’s difficult – for some it’s an enjoyable challenge, for others it’s a nightmare of work, but either way it’s certainly a difficult game. Hornet’s journey through Pharloom starts out punishing and becomes increasingly vicious over time, and for many, the brutality of the experience eventually turns them off.
Which is a shame! Hollow Knight Silksong is a beautiful game with lots of beautiful artwork, fun characters, exciting boss fights, and much more. As someone who played it from the start, I didn’t have much help getting through the rougher parts, so here I’ll go over everything a new player will likely need to know if they’re picking up their needle for the first time – after all, the fact that we have Silksong on Game Pass means many will be trying it out over the winter break. And no, it will never be an easy game, but I can at least make the experience a little easier for you…
The basics
The final act
Did you know that Silksong Act 3 is not only optional, but rather difficult to achieve? If you don’t meet certain conditions, the game ends after Act 2 and a third of the game is missed!
As a metroidvania, half the time in Pharloom the danger isn’t so much getting jumped by beetles, but simply getting lost. More than once, I found myself in a maze of winding tunnels, wandering in circles as traps and minor enemies eroded my health, unable to escape. The full Silksong map will do a lot to alleviate this problem, so even if you haven’t unlocked it in-game, you still have a point of reference for where you are.
So now that you know where to go, you need to know what to do! Our general Silksong tips page covers all the gameplay nuances that would normally require a few respawns, but we also have some solid ideas on where to go first in Silksong, so you know what the best options are once you explore the initial tunnels.
Here are some of the first challenges you will encounter:
- Moss Berries: These collectibles are used to get an early buff from a potion-brewing ally, but you’ll need to find a few of them.
- Bell beast: A first major boss fight that blocks the ability to fast travel.
- Bullets: They’re part of a larger side quest that runs throughout the game, but if you manage to find a few chips and return them to their families, you’ll find a unique item!
- Hokers and spinal cores: At some point, you’ll be trapped until you can complete this particular side quest – but what is a Hoker anyway, and how do you harvest Spine Cores from them?
Basic Abilities and Powers
Of course, you’ll be limited to one corner of this huge map until you start gaining new powers that allow you to explore and travel around it. The full list of Silksong’s abilities and where you should get them is presented here, but you can find specific guides on some of the most important ones below:
But more than that, you will also have to give the best of yourself. The Silksong and Pale Oil needle upgrades are an important part of the game that allows you to improve your base damage, while the Mask Fragments improve your maximum health and prevent you from dying in a few hits.
And of course you don’t want to be a poor bug. There are two types of currency in Silksong, and they are both essential at different times and for different things. Shell Shards are used for certain structural projects, quests, and as ammunition for your tools. Meanwhile, Rosaries are used to purchase in-game items, upgrades, checkpoints, and more, acting as a universal currency. For this reason, our Silksong Rosary farming guide will ensure that you never run out of money.
Where to go (and how to get there)
Once you start to get used to the game, you can go explore all sorts of places, with most of the map itself being optional! Here are some key locations, optional and not, and what you need to know about them.
Test your skills by exploring:
- The hunter’s walk: This deadly fire ant-infested early game zone is technically optional, but there’s some really good loot here that’s worth exploring, including an incredibly user-friendly new moveset.
- Bellhart: A small insect town afflicted by a curse when you first encounter it, the liberation of Bellhart makes it a vital hub area.
- The Slab and the Apostate Key: You can actually be kidnapped and dragged against your will into this prison zone, after which you will have to arrange a jailbreak and escape! There are also significant rewards if you can find the Apostate Key that unlocks certain cells, and we can help.
- Lightning-struck steps: This platforming area requires you to climb up to a final boss, facing armored enemies and horrific desert winds. Unfortunately, this area is mandatory – in fact, completing the stages is how you get to the end of Act 1.
- Bile water: This is one of the most punishing spaces in the game, with players constantly struggling and failing to figure out where to find the map for this area.
- The mist: A dark realm where space is meaningless and your map fails you, this area is actually a puzzle you must solve to escape with your life.
Patterns
Silksong revolves around bosses and there are almost 50 in total. While I’m not going to help you with all of them, here are six of the biggest early game problems that you’ll likely need help with in the first act of the game.
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