10 Games to Enjoy While Anticipating Silksong DLC

As the one-year mark of Hollow Knight: Silksong’s release draws near, players who have long since completed the game might find themselves missing the thrill of Hornet’s journey. While a free DLC titled Sea of Sorrow is on the horizon for this year, the series’ history suggests we might be waiting a while. Silksong stands out as a unique metroidvania, packed with challenging bosses and punishing environments that would make even the developers at FromSoftware envious. To help fill that Hornet-shaped void, I’ve compiled a list of 10 games that can deliver a similar experience.

First up, let’s address the obvious choice. Silksong is a sequel that enhances the combat and platforming mechanics established in its predecessor, Hollow Knight. Hornet, the main character of Silksong, originally appeared as a boss in Hollow Knight, and both games share a narrative steeped in themes of excess, corruption, and inevitable doom. Playing Hollow Knight after Silksong feels like witnessing a shonen anime character shedding their heavy armor. The sequel’s combat is significantly tougher, and the platforming is far more demanding, making Hollow Knight feel like a leisurely stroll in comparison—though one that’s still worth taking.

Among the titles on this list that don’t include Hollow Knight in their names, Blasphemous and its sequel are the closest in spirit to Silksong. They both feature intense combat, exploration power-ups, and a sprawling world filled with somber religious imagery. Like Silksong, Blasphemous requires players to respect their foes, as carelessness can lead to swift defeat. Both games exude an atmosphere of gilded decay. In Silksong, the world is burdened by a despotic yet revered figure worshipped in a dilapidated temple, a theme echoed in Blasphemous. Developed by a Spanish studio, Blasphemous draws inspiration from Catholic festivals and the artwork of Francisco Goya, creating an experience that feels both physically and spiritually disorienting, with pain evident in every corner.

For a different take on the theme of decaying faith, Dante’s Inferno offers a more lighthearted approach while still exploring similar vibes. This game is EA’s take on the God of War formula, complete with flashy finishing moves. It’s an action-adventure inspired by Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, where a knight journeys through hell to rescue his beloved’s soul. The game leans heavily into the hyper-violent, edgy aesthetic of the late 2000s, transforming into a Divine Comedy that’s more entertaining than serious.

On the other end of the spectrum, Blippo+ has nothing in common with Silksong aside from its timing. Instead of a metroidvania, it’s an immersive narrative experience where the main mechanic involves channel-surfing through late-night TV shows. As you switch between programs reminiscent of The Joy of Painting and public access news, a story unfolds that diverges entirely from Silksong’s narrative. So why include it here? When Silksong’s release date was announced, it reshaped the gaming calendar, prompting many titles to adjust their launch dates to avoid competition. Blippo+, which previously launched on the PlayDate, kept its Switch and PC release on September 23rd, right in the midst of Silksong excitement. If you missed it then, now’s a great time to check it out.

Animal Well, a puzzle platformer published by a well-known YouTuber, captures the atmospheric essence of Silksong. The world of Animal Well is vast, diverse, and often feels haunted, much like Pharloom. This game focuses on puzzles rather than combat, allowing players to explore hidden areas using their parkour skills.

While there are plenty of “dad games,” the genre of “mom games” is surprisingly sparse. Silksong, with its rich narrative and characters like Lace and Grand Mother Silk, fits the bill, as does 1000xResist. In this game, you play as a clone of your mother, whom you kill in the opening moments. Those who have delved into Silksong’s lore may see the connection. Your mission is to sift through your mother’s memories, revisiting a time before she became the progenitor of a world filled with her clones. 1000xResist is a remarkable narrative experience that has garnered numerous accolades, including a Peabody Award for its storytelling.

Super Metroid is the grand matriarch of the metroidvania genre, and it too qualifies as a “mom game.” It’s the origin of the “Metroid” in “metroidvania,” and any list of must-play titles for fans of this genre would be incomplete without it. Super Metroid is a quiet experience; neither Samus nor the bosses speak, and the game communicates through silence, compelling players to navigate its challenges independently. The joy of discovery, like shattering a glass wall with a power bomb to reveal a new area, is sublime. There’s a reason this game inspired an entire genre.

Elden Ring and Silksong are kindred spirits, not just for their shared soulsborne mechanics but also for the vastness of their worlds. Just when you think you’ve reached the limits of Pharloom, Silksong’s second act unveils an entirely new realm that could stand alone as a game. Exploring Elden Ring evokes a similar feeling, with each location brimming with depth and variety. Every enemy is steeped in tragic symbolism—once-human zombies consumed by their roles, zealots twisted by their piety, and more. Silksong also features some of the most frustrating boss runbacks imaginable, rivaling even the toughest encounters in Elden Ring. At least Elden Ring was generous enough to place respawn points right outside its boss arenas.

You might have heard this story before: an indie studio releases a breakout hit, takes time to develop a sequel, faces delays, and ultimately achieves critical acclaim. While Mina the Hollower doesn’t follow Silksong’s exact development path, it shares a similar indie prestige, accomplishing a lot with a smaller budget than its AAA counterparts. While Silksong pays homage to classic Nintendo titles like Metroid, Mina the Hollower does the same for The Legend of Zelda, complete with a Game Boy-inspired soundtrack that’s nothing short of fantastic.

Celeste lacks combat, unless you count the internal struggle of deciding whether to continue the perilous climb up Mount Celeste. If you enjoyed the puzzle platforming elements of Silksong, such as Mount Fay and the Sands of Karak, but prefer to avoid battling monsters, Celeste is the perfect choice. It’s just as narratively rich as Silksong and offers a plethora of optional challenges that ramp up the platforming difficulty.