Hollow Knight Silksong Length: How Long to Beat

Hollow Knight: Silksong is an action-adventure game where you play as Hornet, exploring the vast kingdom of Pharloom. The time to beat the game varies widely depending on your playstyle, ranging from roughly 20 hours for a focused main-story run to over 40 hours for completionists. This article breaks down the expected playtimes, what affects them, and answers common questions about the game’s length.

What Affects Your Playtime

Silksong is a Metroidvania, meaning exploration, backtracking, and optional content are core to the experience. Your total time will depend heavily on how you approach these elements. A player who rushes from objective to objective will finish much faster than one who explores every nook and cranny. The game’s difficulty also plays a role; tougher boss fights can add hours if you get stuck.

Main Story vs. Completionist Runs

Based on typical Metroidvania patterns and pre-release information, here are the general time estimates:

• Main Story (Focused): 20-25 hours. This involves following the critical path, beating required bosses, and doing minimal side content.
• Main + Extras: 30-35 hours. This includes exploring most areas, finding a good number of upgrades, and completing several side quests.
• Completionist: 40+ hours. This means finding every upgrade, completing all side quests, defeating all optional bosses, and uncovering all secrets.

Comparing to Hollow Knight

The original Hollow Knight took most players 25-35 hours for the main story and 40-50+ for 100% completion. Silksong is expected to be similar in scope, though it features a larger, more interconnected world. The game’s structure with distinct “gates” and a more linear early game might make the main path slightly shorter for some, but the sheer amount of content suggests comparable overall length.

How to Estimate Your Own Time

Your personal playtime will depend on several factors:

• Experience with Metroidvanias: Veterans will navigate faster and die less to bosses.
• Exploration style: Do you check every corner or follow the main path?
• Difficulty: Silksong is challenging; expect to retry bosses multiple times.
• Side content: Silksong has many optional challenges, like the Weavers’ Den and the Colosseum of Fools equivalent.

Common Misconceptions

One common misconception is that Silksong is a short expansion to Hollow Knight. It is a full sequel with its own map, mechanics, and story. Another is that the game is purely linear. While the early game is more guided, it opens up significantly, offering multiple paths and secrets. The game’s length is comparable to, if not longer than, the original.

Tips for a Faster or Longer Run

If you want to adjust your playtime:

• For a faster run: Focus on the main objective markers, skip optional bosses, and avoid exploring dead ends.
• For a longer run: Talk to every NPC, complete all side quests, hunt for all Grubs and other collectibles, and challenge every optional boss.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Silksong longer than Hollow Knight?

Based on available information, Silksong is roughly the same length or slightly longer. The world is larger, but the main path might be a bit more direct. Completionists will likely find a similar amount of content to the original.

How many hours does it take to 100% Silksong?

Expect 40-50 hours for a true 100% run, which includes all upgrades, all side quests, and all endings. This is a rough estimate and can vary based on skill and familiarity with the genre.

Does Silksong have a New Game+ mode?

There is no official confirmation of a New Game+ mode. However, the original Hollow Knight did not have one, so it’s possible Silksong will follow suit. The game’s challenge is designed around a single playthrough.

Is Silksong harder than Hollow Knight?

Team Cherry has stated that Silksong’s difficulty is more balanced, with a gradual curve. The game introduces new mechanics like crafting and a larger moveset, which might make it feel different, but not necessarily harder overall. Boss fights are still challenging.

Can I play Silksong without playing Hollow Knight?

Yes, you can. Silksong is a standalone story. While it shares the same universe and protagonist, the narrative is self-contained. Playing Hollow Knight first will enhance your appreciation of the lore, but it’s not required.

What is the fastest way to beat Silksong?

The fastest way is to follow the main objective markers, avoid all optional content, and use a guide to know exactly where to go. Speedrunners will likely finish in under 10 hours, but a casual player focusing on the main path can expect around 20-25 hours.

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in t | Playtime (hours) | h | 25 | 1 | 500
out pace | Estimated completion | % | min(100, (t / 30) * 100) | 0
out note | Note | - | 0 | 0