Hollow Knight: Silksong still feels far away, but hopefully its recent delay is its last. The game sparks excitement for many Soulslike fans, as its predecessor delivered the genre's epic adventures through a post-apocalyptic world in a stylized, two-dimensional package. Set in partially subterranean kingdoms populated by bugs, Hollow Knight and Hollow Knight: Silksong present a fascinating and unique setting that players can't wait to revisit in the shoes of Hornet, the first game’s princess-protector of Hallownest.
Upon arriving at Silksong's land of Pharloom, there should be plenty of new things to do. Hornet is equipped with greater agility and more tools than the first game's Knight, as well as the ability to speak with other characters. Opportunities for dialogue and a potentially higher NPC count now present themselves, and there should be plenty of intrigue and lore in those interactions. The original Hollow Knight had a strong cast of bugs with unique designs and different roles, and recapturing the impact of some of their stories should be a goal for Silksong.
Leg Eater Had One of Hollow Knight's Most Shocking Conclusions
Hollow Knight is a lot more optimistic than most Soulslikes, permitting happy outcomes for many of its characters. It's a far cry from Dark Souls sidequests that often end with the questgiver dying, often in ironic circumstances. Hollow Knight does partake in pathos from time-to-time, but one of the places where it appears is very unexpected. In the Fungal Wastes, players can find a merchant who sells breakable Charms named Leg Eater. This termite is clearly a rip-off artist, but the Fragile Charms he sells are exceptionally powerful and can be repaired for a price.
That was Leg Eater's entire role until the Grimm Troupe DLC added a second termite named Divine. She charged exorbitant prices to reforge Fragile Charms into permanent Unbreakable ones, but seemed to also do so out of interest in said Charms. Spending the enormous sum of Geo necessary to reforge everything and then talking to Leg Eater will cause him to leave, pursuing the new scent on the player's Charms. Returning to Divine reveals Leg Eater's arms discarded in the corner of the room, but Divine's Dream Nail dialogue indicates that she's keeping them as a cherished memento. For what seemed like a throwaway shopkeeper in the base game, this outcome was a huge surprise.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Should Recreate the Complexities of Leg Eater's Tale
However, it may not be the senseless tragedy it first appears. The most common theory is that Leg Eater and Divine bonded over their mutual love of Geo and slept together, briefly becoming king and queen like Leg Eater always wanted, before Divine ate her mate. Players who have finished the Grub questline will know of Hollow Knight's willingness to reference this real insect trait, casting Leg Eater's story into a bittersweet light. It's a complicated emotional rollercoaster, but got a strong reaction from everyone who found it.
With the potential to have even greater NPC involvement in Hollow Knight: Silksong, Team Cherry should try to recapture the ups and downs of Leg Eater's story. The opportunity to help a merchant fulfill their dreams while dying in the process is a simple but effective method to present a memorable situation with conflicting emotions. Such a quest can also encourage players to backtrack to NPCs they met earlier in Silksong, looking for any developments or potential quests. Hollow Knight took the time to give an interesting storyline to a random, somewhat unlikable shopkeeper, and Silksong should strive to work in more surprises like it.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is in development for PC. PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.