Even Hollow Knight Veterans Are Stunned — Silksong’s Early Enemies Deal Double Damage
Players who played Hollow Knight are reporting that Hollow Knight: Silksong feels more punishing in its early hours, and they point to specific changes in damage, healing, and movement as reasons why.
Damage and healing differences
Players report that many enemies in Silksong hit Hornet for the equivalent of two masks of health early in the game, whereas typical enemies in Hollow Knight usually dealt one mask of damage. Consequently, getting hit can remove a larger portion of Hornet’s health bar right away.
Additionally, Hornet’s healing mechanics differ from the Knight’s. Team Cherry has described Hornet’s healing in their systems update, writing that “Hornet’s healing ability matches her Hunter identity, flipping battles from moments of near defeat to empowered strength in an instant!” They also added, “It’s a tense, lethal flow.” You can read that passage on Team Cherry’s blog from 2019.
Movement and combat feel
Players note that Hornet moves and attacks differently than the Knight. For example, Hornet is often described as more nimble, and some players highlight that her down attack connects at a different angle. As a result, combat timing and platforming can feel unfamiliar to Hollow Knight veterans until they adapt.
Reports also indicate that Hornet’s heal focus charges and recovery are presented differently: Hornet typically has one heal charge and restores health faster when she uses it, which changes how players manage risk during fights.
Player quotes and speedrunners
Several threads and posts have circulated online where players compare the two games. For instance, one popular Reddit thread includes the line: “Taking damage is more punishing, movement is more precise and feels a little clunky until you get the hang of it,” which some users attribute to early impressions of Silksong. Read that discussion on this Reddit thread.
Meanwhile, a viral post on X reads: “bro Silksong is like Endgame Hollow Knight difficulty FROM THE START,” and you can see that post on X.
— Siga @academiadgamers (@acervo_ADG) September 5, 2025
In addition, outlets covering the game note that speedrunners are finding movement tricks and skips. For example, Eurogamer reports that runners have discovered faster movement techniques and sequence breaks in Silksong.
Origins and related notes
Silksong began its development as DLC for Hollow Knight before becoming a standalone title. Also, there are known design moments and mechanics in the Hollow Knight series that affect player experience; one write-up discussing such design choices can be found at this page.
To summarize: players are reporting concrete differences in enemy damage, Hornet’s healing, and movement feel. Meanwhile, speedrunners are already finding new routes, and Team Cherry has described Hornet’s healing as part of a deliberate, faster-paced combat design.
