With Hole Knight: Silksong’s big launch in full swing, group debate about its qualities and flaws has gone forwards and backwards, with some gamers insisting their criticisms about issues like the sport’s problem are legitimate and shouldn’t be immediately dismissed as “hate.”
Silksong launched over six years after it was introduced amid big pleasure, and early indications are that it’s a crucial and business success. On the time of this text’s publication, the Steam concurrent participant rely was over half 1,000,000, with English language person evaluations sat on a ‘Very Optimistic’ score.
Nevertheless, as extra gamers work their approach via the sport, some are expressing criticism throughout social media, subreddits, Discords, and Steam evaluations. Most of this criticism revolves round Silksong’s problem scaling, which is inflicting gamers issues, and brutal runbacks. There’s even one very early miniboss inflicting plenty of gamers an entire heap of hassle, too.
“Is it simply me, or are among the issues that make Silksong ‘troublesome’ simply merciless?” puzzled redditor Machi-Ato.
“The sport has artificially inflated problem and playtime because of overtuned numbers and menial duties/runback,” reads a publish on Steam.
It’s the response to those types of criticisms that has sparked a debate inside the gaming group. Take that Steam publish, for instance. “Perhaps you simply obtained older and your expertise have declined,” is the primary response.
I really like studying the unfavorable evaluations of Silksong as a result of its simply individuals complaining the sport is simply too arduous and does not child them pic.twitter.com/65Fv9lBtAx
— Johann (@LookAtMyMeat1) September 6, 2025
“It’s okay that Silksong is difficult,” declared redditor jacked-deMamp in a thread upvoted 1,400 occasions. “It’s already getting previous seeing that each different publish on-line about this sport is somebody complaining in regards to the problem, particularly when there are such a lot of unbelievable issues to speak about like the search system and the brand new mechanics.
“The quantity of affection Workforce Cherry put into this sport is insane and you may really feel it whenever you play, I want individuals would recover from the truth that it’s difficult as a result of there’s nothing you are able to do about it aside from get higher. The sport is lastly out, and it’s arduous – identical to the unique. I personally love that the mechanics are so totally different and require plenty of studying once more, as a result of after enjoying a whole lot of hours of HK I didn’t wish to simply breeze via Silksong.
“I feel we simply want to appreciate the sport is the best way it’s and cherish these early days with a really particular piece of artwork. It’s okay to get annoyed however don’t make these emotions overshadow how nice of an expertise this sport is.”
This sentiment has pushed the talk even additional, with some gamers pushing again towards the “git gud” and “talent challenge” feedback to insist it is completely positive to level out flaws in Silksong, nevertheless, beloved and vital a launch it might be.
“Criticism is not hate,” countered redditor bboy2812 in a thread upvoted 5,200 occasions. “Many of the criticism I’ve seen on right here and the Steam discussions is persistently dismissed as hate. Unhealthy rosary economic system, insane problem scaling, only a few significant unlocks/upgrades, runbacks, locked into preventing bosses, contact harm stacking with regular hits, and so on.
“The one ‘hate’ I’ve seen are from individuals who spam ‘git gud’ and ‘talent challenge’ each time they encounter legitimate complaints towards their good little sport that can’t probably have something unsuitable with it.”
If this sounds acquainted, it’s maybe as a result of we’ve been via this form of debate a number of occasions earlier than with FromSoftware’s Souls video games. The standard ‘Souls Cycle’ normally kicks off with adulation, adopted by complaints the sport is simply too arduous, then extra perception into why they’re too arduous, then the ‘git gud’ accusations. Silksong, it appears, is following the identical path.
In the meantime, the talk about Silksong’s problem exhibits no signal of slowing down, which you’d count on for a sport so widespread. Fortunately, IGN is right here to assist. This is learn how to unlock and use the map, learn how to get Rosary Beads, Achievements and Trophies record, and our ever increasing Silksong Interactive Map. Additionally, it’s possible you’ll want the Bell Beast boss battle information. It is a arduous one!
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You may attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
