With Hollow Knight: Silksong’s huge launch in full swing, community debate about its qualities and flaws has gone back and forth, with some players insisting their criticisms about things like the game's difficulty are valid and shouldn’t be instantly dismissed as "hate."
I like the game, but I definitely think it deserves some criticism. I really don’t get the thinking behind not placing a bench directly in front of every boss arena. The run-backs don’t make the game harder, just more frustrating. It’s also something I disliked in older Souls games, but thankfully they realized the problem and fixed it in Elden Ring. And some mechanics are just baffling, like benches that are locked behind a paywall, which you have to pay every time you want to access the bench. Why on earth would they do this, with currency already being as sparse as it is?
I have been running around the citadel, and with more fast travel options there I’ve gotten in the habit of constantly going back to belhart and making rosary necklaces. Sekiro had a similar mechanic with gold pouches. Also in this stage of game I’m finding a lot of silkeaters, so if I take a wrong turn at alburquerque and don’t want to get locked into a fight or weird platforming area I can just recover my beads. It gets better kids. Keep playing.
like benches that are locked behind a paywall, which you have to pay every time you want to access the bench
I found this in one small area, which was probably done for the flavor, since it makes thematic sense there, but otherwise it’s always been permanent unlocks.
First is in a house, that you need to pay to enter, with a bench and vendor inside.
The ones I originally meant are below the Citadel, there are a few rooms, with two or three benches each, but you have to pay 15 every time to use the bench for a short time.
Dunno which one of those you mean, that can be made permanently free, or if there’s even others I forgot or haven’t found myself.
The paid one time bench thing etc is for a narrative reason, the main point of the story as far as I played is about the church scamming people on every occasion. Money won’t be an issue once you reach act 2, I always have more money then I can spend even after buying out all merchants I’ve seen.
As for no benches in front of bosses it’s to discourage throwing yourself at the boss without reflecting on where to improve. The long runs I saw people complain about also were mostly like 2 screens. Worst bossrun so far was probably the judge which was only like 2 screens when you think about it.
I really enjoy the game so far, I’m about half way through act 2 I’d say so maybe it gets super hard later, but right now I think it’s very balanced between a bit challenging but not frustrating. I do feel that the game was created with players like me in mind, someone who did all pantheon, steal soul mode as well as all achievements in hk but is a little bit rusty from the long wait.
Worst bossrun so far was probably the judge which was only like 2 screens when you think about it.
I think you can theoretically get the fleas to move in right before the boss room, but I don’t know how many of them you need to find for that to happen. Maybe killing the boss is also a trigger, so in that case this won’t work.
I do feel that the game was created with players like me in mind, someone who did all pantheon, steal soul mode as well as all achievements in hk but is a little bit rusty from the long wait.
I feared they might do something like this, but don’t think they did. I finished Hollow Knight twice, last time was almost six years ago, never did any Pantheon or challenge stuff, same with other Metroidvanias. The game is difficult, but don’t think it’s unreasonable (I’m also in Act 2, maybe the beginning).
Oh wow I didn’t know the fleas moved there. Mine are still in greymore, maybe I should talk to them again sometime. I did get an achievement that I have half the fleas so I’m still missing a lot.
Ye I also don’t think it’s unreasonable, like I said I’m super rusty from not playing hk for quite a while. I do feel like a lot of people just forgot how hk played. I’m having a blast with the game so far, it’s lovely.
Worst bossrun so far was probably the judge which was only like 2 screens when you think about it.
I found that run back to be infuriating at first, but it quickly stopped mattering once I realized that you don’t need to kill everything on the path over and are for the most part better off just running past the enemies.
I like the game, but I definitely think it deserves some criticism. I really don’t get the thinking behind not placing a bench directly in front of every boss arena. The run-backs don’t make the game harder, just more frustrating. It’s also something I disliked in older Souls games, but thankfully they realized the problem and fixed it in Elden Ring. And some mechanics are just baffling, like benches that are locked behind a paywall, which you have to pay every time you want to access the bench. Why on earth would they do this, with currency already being as sparse as it is?
I have been running around the citadel, and with more fast travel options there I’ve gotten in the habit of constantly going back to belhart and making rosary necklaces. Sekiro had a similar mechanic with gold pouches. Also in this stage of game I’m finding a lot of silkeaters, so if I take a wrong turn at alburquerque and don’t want to get locked into a fight or weird platforming area I can just recover my beads. It gets better kids. Keep playing.
I found this in one small area, which was probably done for the flavor, since it makes thematic sense there, but otherwise it’s always been permanent unlocks.
Even there it can be made permanent if you pay attention, (and don’t mind doing a little light property damage)
So looks like I forgot about at least one bench.
spoiler
First is in a house, that you need to pay to enter, with a bench and vendor inside.
The ones I originally meant are below the Citadel, there are a few rooms, with two or three benches each, but you have to pay 15 every time to use the bench for a short time.
Dunno which one of those you mean, that can be made permanently free, or if there’s even others I forgot or haven’t found myself.
Ah, I haven’t gotten into the citadel yet; I’ve just beat the Weaver
The paid one time bench thing etc is for a narrative reason, the main point of the story as far as I played is about the church scamming people on every occasion. Money won’t be an issue once you reach act 2, I always have more money then I can spend even after buying out all merchants I’ve seen.
As for no benches in front of bosses it’s to discourage throwing yourself at the boss without reflecting on where to improve. The long runs I saw people complain about also were mostly like 2 screens. Worst bossrun so far was probably the judge which was only like 2 screens when you think about it.
I really enjoy the game so far, I’m about half way through act 2 I’d say so maybe it gets super hard later, but right now I think it’s very balanced between a bit challenging but not frustrating. I do feel that the game was created with players like me in mind, someone who did all pantheon, steal soul mode as well as all achievements in hk but is a little bit rusty from the long wait.
I think you can theoretically get the fleas to move in right before the boss room, but I don’t know how many of them you need to find for that to happen. Maybe killing the boss is also a trigger, so in that case this won’t work.
I feared they might do something like this, but don’t think they did. I finished Hollow Knight twice, last time was almost six years ago, never did any Pantheon or challenge stuff, same with other Metroidvanias. The game is difficult, but don’t think it’s unreasonable (I’m also in Act 2, maybe the beginning).
Oh wow I didn’t know the fleas moved there. Mine are still in greymore, maybe I should talk to them again sometime. I did get an achievement that I have half the fleas so I’m still missing a lot.
Ye I also don’t think it’s unreasonable, like I said I’m super rusty from not playing hk for quite a while. I do feel like a lot of people just forgot how hk played. I’m having a blast with the game so far, it’s lovely.
I found that run back to be infuriating at first, but it quickly stopped mattering once I realized that you don’t need to kill everything on the path over and are for the most part better off just running past the enemies.
I like self reflection, especially when I died 10th time from the same boss… Self reflection like why I am torturing myself with this shit?
No way ? I haven’t seen this so far. Paywalled benches ??
Not actual cash, but they require in game currency.
yes, that’s what I heard. phew, actual cash would shatter the internet lol. “Beloved indie team falls to predatory microtransactions”
I found one so far, pilgrims rest costs 30 rosarios everytime you want to enter, there is also a merchant inside
There is a way to make Pilgrims Rest free :)
Good to know :)