Retrospective hands-on preview, based on a short Gamescom demo session reported in August 2025. Hollow Knight: Silksong has since launched, on September 4, 2025.
The Gamescom demo offered a brief look at Hornet’s faster, more aggressive style: acrobatic movement, decisive attacks and a healing mechanic tied to combat. In a reported 30 minutes, the GamesRadar writer explored parts of two areas, Moss Grotto and Deep Docks. That is a useful snapshot of how the sequel felt in play, not a full review of the released game.
What was playable at Gamescom 2025?
Xbox announced that Gamescom attendees could try a new Silksong demo on PC or ROG Xbox Ally X. Gamescom ran in Cologne, Germany, from August 20–24, 2025. Xbox said its booth would feature more than 20 games across more than 120 gaming stations; those were booth-planning figures, not attendance or sales numbers. Xbox’s Gamescom announcement described the demo as available “on PC or ROG Xbox Ally X.”
What did the 30-minute demo show?
In its August 20, 2025 account, a GamesRadar writer reported spending 30 minutes with the demo—the first new demo since 2019, according to the publication. The session covered portions of Moss Grotto, a verdant introductory area, and Deep Docks, a later mechanical area. The writer’s impressions are specific to that limited session and should not be read as a complete assessment of the final game.
#1 Best Overall
![Hollow Knight: Silksong Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51mOgOC8xEL._SL160_.jpg)
- Discover the fallen insect kingdom of Pharloom! Explore mossy grottos, gilded cities and misted moors as you ascend to the shining citadel at the top of the world.
- Engage in lethal acrobatic action! Wield a huge suite of deadly moves as you dance between foes in swift, beautiful combat.
- Craft powerful tools! Master an ever-expanding arsenal of weapons, traps, and mechanisms to vanquish your enemies and explore new heights.
- Solve shocking quests! Hunt down rare beasts and solve ancient mysteries to grant the wishes of the downtrodden and restore the kingdom’s hope.
- Face over 200 ferocious foes! Beasts and hunters, monsters and knights. Defeat them all with bravery and skill!
Moss Grotto: agile movement and active combat
The preview portrays Hornet as more agile and acrobatic than the original Hollow Knight’s protagonist. Lunges and diagonal thrusts let her weave through projectiles, and the writer found that combat rewarded aggression and decisive movement rather than passivity. That is an impression from the demo, not a measured consensus.
The GamesRadar account highlights two tools. Straight Pin is described as a limited-use ranged attack; Silkspear hits harder but can leave Hornet open to a counterattack. The writer also describes Bind as an almost immediate heal that restores three hit points when the silk gauge is full, making engagement in combat relevant to recovery. These mechanics are reported observations from the preview rather than independently tested findings.
Rank #2
- The Infect Edition includes the full game, an exclusive sleeve and 3 character cards
- A complete remake (visuals, sound, gameplay mechanics) of the iconic arcade shooter game released in 1998
- Play alone or with a partner, using the joysticks and enjoy optimised handling for more precise aiming
- Non-stop action to relive the thrill of arcade games
- Several routes to explore and several endings to be discovered depending on how you play (solo or co-op mode, number of continues, etc.)
Deep Docks: a sharper difficulty spike
Deep Docks shifted the feel of the session. The preview describes faster, more aggressive enemies alongside lifts and fire pillars that made traversal more dangerous and resets punishing. Certain bell-helmet enemies, the writer reports, shut down aerial attacks, putting pressure on Hornet to change approach instead of relying on the same move.
The session ended before the writer had fully learned the healing changes or defeated the Lace mid-boss. That boundary matters: the account conveys the feel of selected encounters, but cannot establish how the full game balances its systems or bosses.
Rank #3
- Play 2 beloved and critically acclaimed masterpieces
- Experience the complete journey of Ori
- Master new skills and face larger-than-life bosses
- Get bonus physical items: set of art cards and digital soundtracks
How to read those impressions now
The GamesRadar writer’s overall impression was that movement felt smooth and that the sequel built on Hollow Knight with more emphasis on aggression and proactive decisions. Deep Docks supplied the counterweight: speed and confidence alone were not enough when enemies and environmental hazards narrowed the margin for error. Those judgments describe one reporter’s short 2025 demo session, not a review of the released game.
Team Cherry’s current Games page lists the game for PC, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The September 4, 2025 release announcement said the game was available on all platforms and day one on Xbox Game Pass; Steam lists the same full release date. Check the official storefront for the platform you use. The sources cited here do not establish that performance, edition features or save transfers are identical across platforms.
Rank #4
- READY, SET, WARP! Race across 24 tracks and warp to 15 CrossWorlds with Travel Rings, a unique gameplay mechanic that transports the iconic characters from the Sonic and SEGA universes into new dimensions. Use unpredictability to your advantage as you change the landscape of each race!
- RACE WITH THE BEST! Choose from 23 iconic Sonic characters, the largest roster of any Sonic racing game!
- MAKE IT YOURS: Mix and match between 45 unique original vehicles and 70 different gadgets to trick out your ride, level up your kart, and create the ultimate machine to match your racing style.
- GAIN THE ADVANTAGE WITH POWERFUL ITEMS! Dominate your opponents with 23 different items including returning favorites and all-new items like the Monster Truck!
- MULTIPLE WAYS TO PLAY: Gather with friends and play local split-screen in Grand Prix and the new party mode Race Park, compete against a community of players from around the world with up to 12 players online in World Match, or test your driving skills in Time Trials.
Steam describes Silksong as a single-player action-adventure in which players control Hornet in Pharloom. Its store listing claims more than 200 foes, more than 40 bosses, quests, tools, acrobatic combat and Steel Soul mode. These are publisher-provided feature descriptions, not independently verified counts or performance findings. See the Steam listing for its current product details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Physical edition: contents and availability
Team Cherry links a physical-editions option from its Games page to Fangamer. The Fangamer listing names editions for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and describes a 32-page manual and a 9-by-12-inch poster. It says the Switch 2 edition includes the Switch game plus a Switch 2 upgrade pack. When the listing was accessed on October 5, 2026, it showed an out-of-stock notice and said the preorder item would not ship until October 16, 2026. Stock and shipping details can change, so consult the Fangamer listing for its current status. This is a Fangamer retailer listing, not confirmation of an Amazon listing or Amazon availability.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- Tightly tuned 2D controls. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
- Explore a vast interconnected world of forgotten highways, overgrown wilds and ruined cities.
- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!.Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favourites and make your journey unique!.An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation..
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