After Hollow Knight: Silksong, Here Are 8 Games That Scratch the Same Itch

Looking for games like Hollow Knight: Silksong, these challenging Metroidvania action-platformers deliver precise combat and haunting exploration.

Like so many players, I spent an agonizingly long time waiting for Hollow Knight: Silksong. Now that it’s finally here in 2026, I can say the wait was worth it. The movement feels faster, the combat is sharper, and somehow it’s even more punishing than the first game—and I love every second of it. But after rolling credits, I found myself asking: what do I even play next? Going back to the original Hollow Knight felt safe, but I wanted something similar yet new. So I put together a list of games that have helped me fill that Hornet-shaped void.

What makes a game feel like Silksong? For me, it’s precise movement, tough but fair bosses, a haunting atmosphere, and that constant itch to explore every corner of a map. So here are the games I keep returning to when I need that same rush.

Animal Well — Survive Using Your Head

Animal Well is not about combat—it’s about wits. You play as a nameless blob exploring a massive, interconnected labyrinth full of secrets and hostile animals. Instead of fighting your way through, you use tools to outsmart enemies and solve layer after layer of puzzles. I’ll admit, it took me a few tries to get hooked, but once the puzzle logic clicked, I couldn’t put it down. If Silksong’s tricky platforming burned you out, this is the mental challenge that still feels rewarding.

Rain World — Curiosity Killed the Slugcat

Rain World originally came from a Kickstarter, just like the first Hollow Knight, and it shares that grim, dangerous streak. You’re a Slugcat dropped into a ruined civilization, and you must find food and shelter while larger predators hunt you. What blows me away is how fluid the world feels: the pixel art seems alive, and the movement has a slippery, weighty quality that makes every jump tense. It’s a survival platformer that never lets you feel safe, and I mean that as a compliment.

Lies of P — A Challenge with No Strings Attached

Need a 3D break from Silksong? Lies of P puts you in the puppet shoes of Pinocchio, but forget the singing cricket. This is a twisted city overrun by murderous mechanical puppets, and you survive through precise blocking, parrying, and dodging. If Soulslikes usually feel too dense, Lies of P stands out because its disturbing fairytale world actually made me care about why I was fighting. It’s tough, but the challenge feels earned.

Cuphead — The Challenging Cartoon Adventure

Don’t let Cuphead’s jazzy soundtrack and cute 1930s cartoon looks fool you. This run-and-gun boss rush is brutally difficult. Instead of a nail or blade, you fire energy shots by snapping your fingers, and the game turns that simple idea into a flying gunship of chaos. Somehow, even when I died dozens of times, I never wanted to quit. And because Cuphead supports online multiplayer, I could call in a friend when a boss got too nasty.

Dark Souls: Remastered — The Pioneer of the Soulslike Genre

Would Hollow Knight even exist without Dark Souls? Maybe, but it wouldn’t feel the same. Dark Souls defined the loop of dying, learning, and trying again that Hollow Knight and Silksong lean on. The Remaster gave it a 60 FPS boost and higher detail, plus the Artorias of the Abyss DLC. But the difficulty remains untouched. So unless you’re a speedrunner, be prepared to die a lot—just like my first weekend with Silksong.

Dead Cells — Make Each Run Count

Here’s a roguelike twist for players who want a bigger challenge. In Dead Cells, death is permanent: your weapons, gold, and items from that run are gone. But the upgrades to your health, gold reserves, runes, and blueprints remain, so you’re always progressing in some way. The levels are procedurally generated, which means no two runs feel the same. That unpredictability kept me coming back just to see what weird build I could create next.

Hades — Welcome to The Underworld

Not every great Metroidvania-adjacent game needs to be a pure Metroidvania. Hades balances satisfying, fast-paced combat with a fully voice-acted story drawn from Greek mythology. You fight through the Underworld as Zagreus, gather gear, and build relationships with a cast of entertaining gods and shades. Even if the isometric view isn’t usually your thing, the dungeon layouts and smooth action make it work. It’s one of those rare games where I actually looked forward to dying just to hear more dialogue.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps — A Metroidvania Masterpiece

Like Silksong, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a sequel that surpasses the original. It delivers gorgeous visuals, a moving story, and a soundtrack that still gives me chills. Movement, melee, and magic all blend together for tight platforming and combat. What surprised me most is how emotional the story gets—maybe the only thing harder than the gameplay is not crying by the end. If you want a Metroidvania masterpiece after Silksong, this is the one.

Final thoughts

Was there ever really a way to replace Hollow Knight: Silksong? Probably not. But these eight games each capture something I love about Hornet’s adventure: the precision, the atmosphere, the challenge, or the sheer thrill of exploring an unknown world. Whether you want 2D or 3D, roguelike or pure Metroidvania, one of these should give you that next great adventure.

Of course, being a fan of these genres often means wanting to try not just one, but several of these adventures back to back. That's why it always pays to keep an eye out for the [best game deals]( before you make your next purchase. A great discount can turn an uncertain try into an easy yes, and leave you with room in the budget for even more hidden gems.

So whether you're diving into Dead Cells for the first time or finally facing the Pantheon in Hollow Knight, remember that the next unforgettable journey often starts with a smart buy. Happy exploring.

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Silksong: How to Get the Curvesickle and Make Flying Enemies Regret Everything

Hollow Knight: Silksong's Curvesickle Tool upgrades the Curveclaw with wider arc and reach; unlock it in Act 3 after claiming the Curveclaw.

Let’s be honest: few things in Hollow Knight: Silksong sting more than a winged nuisance that dive-bombs from off-screen, lands one hit, and flutters away like it just won a tournament. That’s where the Curvesickle comes in. This guide walks through exactly how to hunt down the Curvesickle Tool, what hoops the game makes players jump through first, and why it is absolutely worth the detour.

What Does the Curvesickle Actually Do?

The Curvesickle is an upgraded version of the Curveclaw. It gives Hornet a wider attack arc, better reach, and a much more forgiving hitbox against flying enemies. Unlike a lot of late-game gear, it doesn’t ask for a pile of Rosaries or a brutal platforming gauntlet. Anyone who already runs the Curveclaw and is tired of whiffing against fluttering pests will find it to be a straight upgrade.

Does that mean it solves every combat problem? Not quite, but it does remove one of the most annoying categories of enemies from the threat list.

Step One: Pick Up the Curveclaw

Before the Curvesickle can be acquired, players need to own the Curveclaw Tool. This is found in the Hunter’s March area, but getting there is not exactly a casual stroll.

From the Marrow, head to the top-right section. A path above the spot where Grindle is freed from his cell leads straight to an Ant Guardian. This boss fight can be brutal, especially without the dash ability. With the dash, however, Hornet can dart in, land a few hits, and back out before the Guardian finishes its wind-up. After the fight, continue right to meet Shakra for the map, then go up to find a Bench.

From the Bench, take the passage on the left and look for Mottled Skarr, an NPC who sells a few useful items, including the Curveclaw. But here’s the twist: if players arrive during the second or third act of the game, Mottled Skarr might already be dead. No shop, no purchase, no problem.

When that happens, leave the room, head upward, and find another passage on the left. There, a second Ant Guardian waits alongside a flying enemy. Defeat both, head left, and the Curveclaw will be sitting there for free. It’s almost like the game wants players to feel clever for skipping the price tag.

Step Two: Reach the Third Act

The second requirement is reaching the third act. This is the long part. It involves completing all the wishes, gaining access to Bellhome, and finding all the Fleas. Players who are still deep in exploration should not expect to grab the Curvesickle early; this is a mid-to-late game treat.

Once the third act is active, travel to the Far Fields Bellway Station and take the air stream upward. To the right, there’s a room with a target board out front. Inside, four hanging targets swing from the ceiling, and a non-hostile character instantly vanishes the moment Hornet enters.

This is where the Curveclaw earns its keep. Equip it and position Hornet so that a single use hits all four targets at the same time. If the positioning is off, the NPC stays hidden and the puzzle feels impossible. But line it up correctly, and the mysterious character appears, asks for the Curveclaw, and makes an offer that sounds like a scam but isn’t.

Why hand over a perfectly good tool? Because the game rewards the trade. Give it to him, leave, rest at a bench, and return. The Curvesickle will be lying on the ground, ready for the taking.

Worth the Trip?

The Curvesickle is one of those rare upgrades that feels generous. No Rosaries are required for the final exchange, and there’s no brutal climbing section after the trade. It simply takes the Curveclaw’s concept and makes it wider, meaner, and far more effective.

Feature
Curveclaw
Curvesickle

Attack range
Narrow arc
Wide arc

Cost
Purchase or free pickup
Free after trading

Best against
Ground and weak flyers
Swarming and fast flyers

Platforming required
Moderate
Minimal

The only real cost is time. Players need to reach the third act, solve a target puzzle, and trust a disappearing NPC. But for anyone who has ever screamed at the screen because a flying enemy dodged a fully charged attack, the Curvesickle is a must-have. So go get it, and let the winged pests learn what regret feels like.

The Curvesickle is just one example of how digging deeper into a game’s world can completely change how you play. Taking the time to discover hidden trades or secret paths often rewrites what you thought was possible, turning a frustrating encounter into a total breeze.

This sense of discovery isn't just satisfying in-game—it also translates to how we shop for the things that make gaming even better. Before dropping real money on a new controller, headset, or even the next title on your wishlist, it's always wise to check multiple sources and [find the best deal]( out there. Securing top-tier gear for less is the ultimate real-world side quest.

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Silksong Mask Shard Guide: 20 Locations And Boss Milestone Tips

Find all 20 Hollow Knight: Silksong Mask Shard locations to forge extra health Masks and survive brutal boss fights.

I’ll be honest: in Hollow Knight: Silksong, nothing calms my nerves like spotting a Mask Shard. These little fragments are basically extra heartbeats for Hornet, and let’s be real—extra heartbeats are exactly what you want when a multi-phase boss is breathing down your neck. Across the whole adventure, there are 20 Mask Shards scattered around the map. Every four shards combine into one full Mask, so you can end up with five additional health segments by the time you’ve truly cleaned house.

How Mask Shards Work

Collect any four Mask Shards and they combine into a full Mask, adding another piece of vitality to Hornet’s health bar. Since the hardest bosses in Silksong can chew through two health pieces with a single attack, those extra Masks are not just a luxury. They give you more room to learn patterns, make mistakes, and still walk away from a fight.

There are enough shards to build five additional Masks in total. That might not sound like a mountain of health, but against a boss like The Last Judge, two extra Masks can be the difference between a close victory and bouncing off the same fight for an hour.

Where Mask Shards Hide

I’ll be the first to admit I missed a bunch on my first pass. Mask Shards are scattered all over the massive world map, and the game loves to tuck them into places you’d swear you already checked. Some are sitting in dark, secret corners of rooms I had walked through multiple times. Others are locked behind abilities that only show up later, which means you’ll need to backtrack once your movement kit expands.

Don’t be afraid to retrace your steps. In my experience, a ledge that looked useless at hour ten can suddenly become a trailhead at hour twenty. Some shards are gated by story progression, so you may not be able to reach them until you’ve moved into an entirely different Act. That’s normal. The game is designed to make you feel clever for returning.

Milestone Health Checklist

Based on the game’s major milestones, here are the shard counts I recommend having before those big fights:

Milestone
Recommended Mask Shards
Extra Masks

Fourth Chorus (Act 1 boss)
4
1

Widow (Act 1 boss)
8
2

The Last Judge (Act 1 boss)
8
2

Act 2 Final Boss
12
3

Cogwork Dancers (Act 2 boss)
12
3

Act 3 Final Boss
20
5

The Last Judge is a particularly nasty gatekeeper at the end of Act 1, so having at least four to eight shards before that fight gives you a much friendlier buffer. By Act 2, you’ll want roughly 12 shards in your pocket, and by the final Act, you should be chasing every last one.

Exploration vs. Combat

One thing I appreciate is that exploration itself doesn’t demand a specific number of shards. The hazards in areas like Mount Fay are usually tied to your abilities or resistances rather than raw health. You don’t need 12 shards just to survive the freezing weather, though having more health does give you a little extra time to look around before resting.

That said, for the toughest encounters, Mask Shards become incredibly important. They turn a brutal learning curve into something you can actually survive long enough to understand.

My Practical Advice

Honestly, if I could go back to my first run, I’d tell myself this:

• 🧭 Grab at least 4 shards before Fourth Chorus.

• 🕷️ Aim for 8 before Widow and The Last Judge.

• 🗺️ Backtrack after every major movement upgrade.

• 🔍 Check dark corners even if a room feels familiar.

• 💪 Shoot for all 20 before the Act 3 finale.

Take a breath. Then go hunt them down.

At the end of the day, Mask Shards are insurance. The game knows exactly where to hide them, but a little patience—and a lot of backtracking—goes a long way. I’d rather walk into a fight with too much health than just barely enough, and in Silksong, every shard is one step closer to that peace of mind.

That same spirit of hunting—scouring every corner, checking every nook—is what makes finding a great deal on your next game feel so rewarding. Just like you’d backtrack for a hidden shard, a few minutes browsing the right marketplace can turn up surprising savings that let you stretch your gaming budget even further. It’s the kind of patience that pays off in both worlds.

Whether you’re picking up a fresh adventure to tide you over between Silksong runs or grabbing a gift for a fellow hunter, keeping an eye on places that aggregate the [best game deals]( can save you from overpaying. A quick check before you hit that buy button is a lot like checking behind one more waterfall—you never know when you’ll find exactly what you were hoping for.

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Hollow Knight vs Silksong: My Honest Verdict After Finishing Both

Hollow Knight: Silksong vs Hollow Knight comparison: both excel in art and soundtrack, Hollow Knight has more content, and Silksong is harder.

I won’t pretend I was calm when Hollow Knight: Silksong finally landed on my PC. After waiting what felt like an eternity, I dove in, and yeah, it rocketed up the Steam charts for a reason. But the question I kept hearing from friends, and the one I kept asking myself, was simple: is it better than Hollow Knight? Now that enough of us have clawed our way through the brutal late-game areas, I can give you my honest, slightly sleep-deprived comparison.

Artwork And Soundtrack: Both

Let’s get this out of the way. Both games are ridiculously pretty. Hollow Knight’s Hallownest is this melancholic, hand-drawn dreamscape that somehow makes a dying kingdom feel cozy and terrifying at the same time. Silksong’s Pharloom flips that energy upward, with silk-covered verticality, brighter highlights, and Hornet’s red cloak slicing through it all.

The animations match the art. Every critter, every massive beast, every little particle feels alive. And the soundtracks? I have lost count of how many times a boss wiped the floor with me while I sat there thinking, 'Well, at least this music is incredible.' In terms of presentation, neither game loses. I’m calling this category a tie.

Content: Hollow Knight

Silksong has a lot going on. It’s a huge climb through Pharloom, and the map does fill in nicely as you progress. But even after I unlocked every area in Hollow Knight, I felt small. The map screen alone was overwhelming, with all those twisting routes, hidden nooks, and mini-dungeons I hadn’t fully cleared.

Then there’s the post-game. I finished the main adventure and thought I was done. I was not done. The free DLCs piled on: Grimm Troupe gave me two brutal new boss fights, Godmaster turned the game into a gauntlet of boss rushes, and Lifeblood and Hidden Dreams added new areas and dream-like opponents. Silksong might get that kind of support later, but right now, Hollow Knight simply has more meat on the bone.

Difficulty: Silksong

Look, Hollow Knight is hard. I know. But Silksong is a different kind of monster, and I say that with love and a stress ball nearby.

The biggest adjustment is Hornet herself. Team Cherry made sure you are not just playing a reskinned Knight. Her hitbox, movement speed, jump, attack range, healing, and skills all feel different. I had to unlearn years of Knight muscle memory, and that alone was a challenge.

Then the enemies got involved. Many of Silksong’s enemies retreat while attacking, which drags you into danger. Others have awkward movement patterns and can deflect Hornet’s blows. The platforming sections? Let me just say the red flowers caused me to question whether I had ever played a platformer before. And the bosses? Fast, aggressive, and way too fond of area-of-effect attacks that punish you for feeling confident.

Hollow Knight is a tough cookie, but biting into Silksong will guarantee you an appointment with the dentist. 🦷

Controls: Hollow Knight

On a technical level, both games are sharp. But feel matters, especially in a soulslike, and Hollow Knight still takes this one for me.

The Knight moves like a precise little machine. Every button press gives an immediate response. His short, precise movements are perfect for split-second decisions. When a new encounter pushes me between fight and flight, the Knight accommodates instantly.

That precision is balanced by your strongest attacks, which force you to slow down and pick the right moment. It’s a rhythm I grew to love. Silksong’s controls are smooth and suit Hornet’s more organic movement, but the Knight’s almost robotic responsiveness remains my preferred way to play.

Story: Silksong

I’ll be honest: after the credits rolled in Hollow Knight, I wasn’t entirely sure what had happened. That vagueness is part of the charm, but Silksong pulled me in harder.

Hornet is the main reason. I wasn’t playing a nameless, voiceless husk anymore. I was a warrior with personality, history, a code of honor, and a clear goal. That alone makes the story feel fuller.

Other characters also have more to say, which enriches Pharloom. This isn’t Hallownest’s dying world; it’s a world under siege by a mysterious force, and Hornet is tied directly to it. The Wishes system—requests from Pharloom’s denizens—adds another layer, revealing bits of lore and clues with every favor.

Hollow Knight tells a compelling story through atmosphere and context, but Silksong’s more direct narrative won me over.

The Winner: A Draw

So, is Silksong better than Hollow Knight? After all that, I honestly can’t pick one. They balance each other out.

Category
Winner

Artwork & Soundtrack
Both 🎨🎵

Content
Hollow Knight 🗺️

Difficulty
Silksong 💀

Controls
Hollow Knight 🎮

Story
Silksong 📖

Both games are worth playing, and because they’re only loosely connected, you can play them in whichever order you like. They’re both gorgeous, engaging, and satisfying in their own ways. For now, it’s a draw. But if Silksong follows Hollow Knight’s path and gets strong DLC support, I could easily see it overtaking its predecessor.

Since both titles offer dozens of hours of unforgettable gameplay, the practical question often shifts to cost—especially if you plan to explore both Hallownest and Pharloom. Retailers run frequent sales, and prices vary widely across platforms, so a little comparison can go a long way. Before you commit, you can [check game prices]( at DealNest to make sure you're getting the strongest deal for your next adventure.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong: Every Ventrica Station Location and Fast Travel Guide

Hollow Knight: Silksong Ventrica stations offer fast travel and efficient Rosary farming in the vast Grand Citadel map.

As players explore the Grand Citadel in Hollow Knight: Silksong during 2026, the sheer scale of the place can sneak up on anyone. There are 9 sub-areas in this one map — and that is if players count the Grand Gate — so getting turned around is pretty much par for the course. Luckily, Team Cherry added Ventrica stations, high-speed tubes that launch Hornet across the Citadel in a flash, much like the Bellway Stations players have already used. The catch? Some of these stations are tucked away, and without enough Rosaries on hand it is easy to walk right past them and forget they exist.

What Makes Ventrica Stations So Useful

Ventrica stations are more than just convenience. They cut down travel time, make Rosary farming routes much faster, and open up shortcuts to merchants and bosses. In a game as sprawling as Silksong, having the right fast-travel point unlocked can be the difference between a smooth run and a long, boring walk.

Below is the full rundown of every Ventrica station in the Grand Citadel, along with the best ways to use each one.

Terminus

Terminus is the central hub of the Ventrica network, and every other station feeds back into it. To be blunt, there is not a ton to do here beyond resting and making the run back to the main Act 2 boss. Still, it is the backbone of fast travel in the Citadel, so players should unlock it as early as possible.

Memorium

The Memorium station sits in the top-left corner of Memorium. It is not the flashiest fast-travel point, because the area itself is fairly small. Its main uses are rescuing a giant flea, grabbing the Materium device, and heading toward the Putrified Ducts. Players who want to fill out the Hunter’s Journal can also grind enemies nearby without much hassle.

High Halls

Found just before the Forum Gauntlet fight and close to the Sentinel boss fight, the High Halls station is a real gem for anyone looking to farm Rosaries. Players can rest at the bench here, sprint down the long corridor, and wipe out tall guards along the way. In Act 2 there are five guards, and when paired with Grindle’s Thief’s Mark, a single run can net 275 Rosaries. Rest at Songclave, then rinse and repeat until the wallet is loaded.

First Shrine

This station is just above Songclave and sees constant use during missions from the Overseer and the Wishboard. It also provides quick access to the Whispering Vaults and Jubilana the merchant, making it a handy pit stop for errands and shopping.

Choral Chambers

Found in the far west of the Citadel, the Choral Chambers station opens up routes to the top of the Grand Gate, Whiteward, and the rest of the Choral Chambers area. Players attempting the Couriers Rasher delivery will pass through here often, so it is worth memorizing. It is also a solid travel point for one of the main Act 3 bosses.

Grand Bellway

Grand Bellway is the workhorse of the Ventrica network. Because it sits right next to the Bellway Station and has a bench, it is perfect for both Trobbio fights and serves as a crossroads. From here players can reach the Whispering Vaults, Choral Chambers, the Underworks, or even the Exhaust Organ in Bilewater. If someone only unlocks one extra station beyond Terminus, this should probably be it.

Underworks

After dropping from Whiteward and grabbing the Clawline ability, the Underworks station is the fastest way back to the surface. It is also the closest fast-travel spot for visiting the Architect, whose shop is just a short stroll to the north-east. Whenever players need new items or upgrades, this station is a huge time-saver.

Quick Reference Table

Station
Location
Best Use

Terminus
Central hub
Resting and Act 2 boss runs

Memorium
Top-left Memorium
Materium device, Putrified Ducts, Hunter’s Journal grinding

High Halls
Before Forum Gauntlet
Rosary farming and Sentinel boss access

First Shrine
Above Songclave
Overseer and Wishboard missions, Whispering Vaults, Jubilana

Choral Chambers
Far west Citadel
Grand Gate, Whiteward, Couriers Rasher route

Grand Bellway
Next to Bellway Station
Crossroads, Trobbio fights, Exhaust Organ route

Underworks
Near Architect
Clawline return, item shopping

Final Tips for Speedrunners

Learning how to get around the Citadel in the shortest amount of time is a major part of Hollow Knight: Silksong, especially for players chasing Speedrun achievements. The Ventrica network is not just about convenience — it is about shaving minutes off every trip. Unlock each station as soon as the Rosaries allow, and if a location feels forgotten, backtrack after unlocking an area ability like the Clawline. A few Rosaries spent on travel now can save a lot of headache later. 🕹️

Mastering the Ventrica network is all about respecting your own time as a player — the less time spent backtracking, the more time you have for boss fights, exploration, and chasing that perfect speedrun. The same mindset applies outside the game too: players who love optimizing routes tend to appreciate getting the best value for their gaming budget.

If you are looking to pick up Hollow Knight: Silksong or expand your library after finishing the Citadel, it is worth checking out the [game deals today]( on DealNest. That way, you can spend less time hunting for savings and more time exploring everything Pharloom has to offer.

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I Tamed the Beast: How I Found and Used Hornet's Life-Stealing Crest in Silksong

Crest of the Beast in Hollow Knight: Silksong unlocks aggressive, high-risk combat and life-steal for daring players.

I had been stuck in a cautious rhythm during my 2026 journey through Hollow Knight: Silksong. My usual setup kept me alive, but it also made every brawl feel slow. Then I read about a tool that would push Hornet into a savage, high-risk, high-reward style: the Crest of the Beast. Instead of polite swordplay, this crest grants feral claw-like attacks, extra damage, and a very tempting life-steal ability in Wild Fury mode. I instantly wanted it, but getting my hands on the crest turned into a tiny expedition through one of the game's most hostile early regions.

Why the Crest of the Beast Fits an Aggressive Playstyle

The crest is not subtle. It transforms Hornet's standard moveset into something predatory. Your attacks hit harder, and the bind mechanic changes completely. Rather than the usual recovery tool, binding with this crest triggers Wild Fury mode. In that state Hornet gains even more offensive power, and every successful strike can restore health. It is a perfect choice for players who love to stay close to danger instead of retreating.

This animalistic combat style also pairs beautifully with Silksong's combat-focused crests system. You are not locked into one identity, so I treated the Crest of the Beast as a situational weapon: a beast-mode switch for fights where aggression matters more than safe positioning.

Early Preparation: Getting the Drifter's Cloak

Before hunting the crest, I needed the Drifter's Cloak. I got it by finishing the Flexile Spines quest in the Far Fields. That reward unlocked the float ability, which is essential for reaching the crest area. If you skip this step, the route to the Chapel of the Beast becomes impossible in places.

Once the cloak was mine, I traveled to Hunter's March. My goal was the bottom-right corner of the region, where a cave mouth sits almost like a hidden invitation.

Entering the Chapel of the Beast

The cave led me to the Chapel of the Beast entrance, and I immediately felt the area's angry personality. Red orchids, thorns, and air currents filled the space. At first the left gate was closed, so I moved right and used the air current to float to a higher platform. That is where the real platforming test began.

I pogoed off the red orchids on the right, floated upward, and then let Hornet descend slowly while avoiding the red thorns on the left. The Drifter's Cloak made this feel less like a leap of faith and more like a controlled glide. Eventually I landed on the other side of the locked gate.

A quick switch opened the gate permanently, so I could move left without repeating the whole sequence. That quality-of-life unlock was a relief, because the next room was not peaceful.

Facing the Savage Beastfly

Just beyond the gate, the Savage Beastfly boss was waiting. This fight felt like the crest's philosophy in enemy form: fast, relentless, and punishing if you hesitate. I kept my aggression short and focused on avoiding its swooping attacks rather than trying to trade hits. After it fell, the path to the left opened into a quiet chamber with a statue.

I interacted with the statue, triggered the binding, and finally received the Crest of the Beast.

How the Crest Feels in Combat

The first thing I noticed was the new claw-like attack moveset. Hornet's strikes felt shorter, sharper, and more brutal. Basic enemies that previously required multiple hits started melting under the increased damage. The real joy came from Wild Fury mode. When I used the bind during combat, I stopped relying on a safe heal and instead leaned into the beast state. Every hit I landed returned a bit of health, which encouraged constant pressure.

This fits a simple but dangerous rule: the crest rewards you for staying in the fight. If you are confident enough to keep attacking, the life steal can keep you alive through encounters that would normally force defensive play.

The Downsides of the Crest of the Beast

It is not a perfect crest. After testing it across several zones, I found two big weaknesses.

First, Hornet's downward strike becomes much more angled than normal. In a game full of pogo challenges, that angled strike can make platforming sections feel awkward. The same move that helps in combat can hurt you when you are bouncing off mushrooms, spikes, or enemies over a bottomless drop.

Second, the bind change can throw off your instincts. The wild mode does not immediately heal you like a standard bind. If you are used to hitting bind as an emergency heal, you will need to unlearn that habit. Otherwise you may activate Wild Fury at low health and fail to recover because you stopped attacking.

The table below shows how I felt about the tradeoff:

Situation
Crest of the Beast performance

Dense enemy rooms
Excellent due to damage and life steal

Boss fights
Great as long as you stay aggressive

Precision platforming
Risky because the downward strike is angled

Emergency healing
Weak because bind does not instantly heal

When to Use the Crest of the Beast

My best recommendation is to switch to the Crest of the Beast right before a fight-heavy section. If a room is packed with enemies or a boss gate is ahead, equipping this crest gives you a serious offensive advantage. Once the battle is over and the path turns into a careful platforming sequence, I switch back to a more balanced tool like the Crest of the Wanderer.

That rotation helped me keep the best of both worlds: brutal damage when I needed it, and reliable movement when I did not. The Crest of the Beast became my favorite pocket weapon in Silksong, not my permanent identity. In a game that rewards flexibility, that kind of setup feels very natural.

Charm loadouts are such a personal part of the Silksong experience that half the fun is testing new arrangements between every bench. If you are planning a full run with the Crest of the Beast, it helps to know that the game itself is well worth the purchase for anyone who loves this kind of precise combat and movement. Since you will likely spend hours experimenting with these builds, snagging a good deal on the game leaves more room to enjoy every well-crafted zone without stressing over the cost.

Before you dive into Hornet's journey and start hunting down your favorite crests, it is worth checking which retailer offers the best rate for your region. You can [compare prices here]( to make sure you get the most value out of your next adventure.

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Silksong Courier's Rasher Guide: Delivering Tipp and Pill's Greasy Nightmare

Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Courier's Rasher delivery quest is a notoriously difficult, timed challenge in Pharloom.

Let me tell you about the run that nearly made me throw my controller into Pharloom's nearest bottomless pit: delivering the Courier's Rasher from Bellhart to Choral Chambers. As of 2026, this remains one of the most gloriously awful errands in Hollow Knight: Silksong. On paper, it sounds like a charming leg of the Great Taste of Pharloom quest. In practice, it is a timed, no-fast-travel, fragility-filled escort mission for a piece of cooked meat. Hornet can leap over acid pools and duel gods, but apparently one hot breakfast is enough to humble her.

Before I started sprinting, I had to actually pick up the rasher. Head to Bellhart and speak with Tipp and Pill on top of Frey's shop. If those two are not there, do not panic; it just means Hornet has not rescued them yet. Finish 'My Missing Courier' and 'My Missing Brother Wayfarer' from Bellhart's Wishwall, then return. Easy enough, right? Well, the moment they hand over that greasy slab, reality sets in.

Why This Delivery Is So Cruel

Unlike Tipp and Pill's other deliveries, Courier's Rasher comes with a timer. You also cannot use fast travel, and taking heavy damage can ruin the attempt. That combination turns a simple hike into a precision parkour marathon through some of Silksong's angriest real estate. Planning matters more than reflexes here, though reflexes definitely help.

The safest route I found runs from Bellhart through Shellwood, up the punishing climbs of Blasted Steps, and finally into Choral Chambers to reach Loyal Mergwin. Even saying 'safest' feels generous. Every road in this region wants to introduce Hornet to a pit or a pointy enemy.

Tools and Skills That Saved My Sanity

I strongly recommend equipping three tools before leaving:

• Ascendant's Grip for wall-sticking, because slipping is death.

• Silkspeed Anklets to boost running speed.

• Weavelight, because this run burns Silk like a campfire.

Also grab the Clawline Skill for quick hook dashes and the Faydown Cloak for double jumps. Opening every shortcut ahead of time is non-negotiable. My sneaky pro tip: open the menu map instead of using the mini-map during the run. The menu map pauses the game, giving you unlimited time to plan your next jump without the timer laughing at you. If you want to clear enemies beforehand, go for it, but do not rest at a bench after doing so unless you enjoy re-clearing everything.

The Actual Run, Step By Step

From Tipp and Pill, move right to the elevator leading to Bellhart's second floor. Exit toward Shellwood through the first exit on the second floor. In Shellwood, watch for the Gahlia flower enemy above and slash the blocking vines as you climb upward. Then it is mostly leftward running until Blasted Steps.

Blasted Steps is where the difficulty spikes harder than a nail bounce on a bell. You cannot simply avoid all threats; Hornet has to push through enemies and cage-jumping puzzles. Climb the first hole, reach the bench area, then use the shortcut platform on the right to skip the lower parkour. Leap from ledge to ledge, use the hanging bell, and when two shielded Judge enemies block the path, either jump-attack the shielded one or leap over them toward the rock on the left for a safer bell route.

Keep hopping through cages, targeting bells, and bouncing onto walls. The farther you climb, the closer you get to Grand Gate. Inside Grand Gate, parkour straight up into a shortcut that dumps you directly into Choral Chambers, completely avoiding the Underworks detour. In Choral Chambers, aim for the Ventrica chamber above, but do not enter from the right side. That route is enemy soup with a side of awful platforming. Go left instead, where a hidden shortcut makes life much less miserable.

After the Ventrica chamber, push through the exit that leads toward the Slab, keep moving right, and finally reach Loyal Mergwin's chamber. Hand over the rasher, let out the breath you have been holding since Bellhart, and collect your reward before any stray enemy dares interrupt.

Final Verdict

Courier's Rasher is not the hardest boss in Silksong, but it might be the most nerve-wracking errand. With the right tools, shortcuts opened, and a route that avoids the most hostile detours, the run changes from impossible to merely sweat-inducing. Just remember: the menu map is your best friend, and patience beats panic every time.

Much like scouting a route through Bellhart before committing to the run, a little homework goes a long way before you even boot up a new adventure. Hornet's quest tests your reflexes, but the real takeaway is that forethought turns chaos into a manageable path—both in Silksong and in choosing your next gaming investment. Players who appreciate that level of meticulous preparation often find themselves hunting for the next intricate Metroidvania or precision platformer before the credits even finish rolling.

When that itch strikes, stretching your coin pouch further lets you take more chances on hidden gems that deliver the same nail-biting payoff. Checking the [DealNest game deals]( is a smart stop along that route, giving you access to solid discounts across a range of titles so your next challenge is ready to go the moment Hornet's journey wraps up.

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I Claimed the Heart of the Woods in Silksong: Here's How

Hollow Knight Silksong Heart of the Woods route guide: master spike gauntlets, hidden levers, and boss strategies for the Pollen Heart.

After finally pushing into Act 3 of Hollow Knight: Silksong, I made the Heart of the Woods my first target. Even in 2026, with the community having mapped most of Act 3, this route still punishes careless players. The game is clear that the three hearts can be collected in any order, but anyone who has tried will tell you that 'any order' does not mean 'without preparation.' This route is a dense knot of hidden levers, narrow tunnels, spike gauntlets, and two demanding boss encounters. Here is how I finally grabbed the Pollen Heart, including every step that saved my run.

I started from the Grand Gate, which is the most reliable access point if you are arriving from the Blasted Steps Bellway or Choral Chambers Station. At the Grand Shrine, I kept getting drawn toward the large glowing entrance, but the correct route is the lower door on the right. Once inside that vertical room, use Silk Soar to climb and then push right through the narrow tunnels. At the end of those tunnels is a lever, and I am embarrassed to admit how much time I wasted backtracking before I pulled it. That lever opens the path forward, so do not miss it.

After the lever, glide down and break the obstacle to open a leftward route. Then drop again and slash the veins blocking the way. The path is not obvious, and the game gives you very little visual fanfare. This is where a careful player separates from a frustrated one, because if you miss a vein, you will be stuck wondering why the map will not open up.

At the end of that path, turn right into the Underworks. There is a bench behind a gate, and it costs 15 Rosaries to unlock. I almost skipped it because I wanted to push ahead, but that would have been a huge mistake. The upcoming fight against Nyleth is long, and the previous bench is far enough away that a death would feel terrible. Pay the fee, rest, and reset your tools. While resting, I made two loadout choices that carried me through the shrine: Ascendant's Grip and Cogfly. The Grip is not just a nice-to-have; it becomes essential during the second phase of the Nyleth fight when the floor disappears. Cogfly, or any tool that attacks automatically, lets you deal chip damage while you stay mobile. A touch of extra damage can be the difference between a clean kill and a panic-filled last few seconds.

From the bench, head left and use Silk Soar to reach the hanging block. Destroy the ropes so the block falls, and a path down appears. This next section is a spike gauntlet, and I died more times than I care to admit by rushing it. Move carefully from platform to platform, and look for the white flowers that give you extra height. Use those to land on the top platform. Slash the veins there, jump up, and then turn left. That is when Shrine Guardian Seth blocks the way.

Seth is not a pushover. He throws his shield and teleports to its location, which can catch you off guard if you try to heal at the wrong moment. He also has a nasty area-of-effect attack where yellow particles swirl around him before exploding. The real trouble starts in his second phase, when the same moves come much faster. The key for me was staying just far enough away to react to the teleport, then closing in for a few hits before retreating. Once he goes down, continue left and enter the shrine.

Inside, play the Elegy of the Past near the fountain to face Nyleth. The fight has two distinct phases. At first, Hornet can stand on a platform and fight off ranged attacks while evading the AoE explosions. This phase feels manageable if you keep your spacing. But do not get comfortable. In the second phase, the platform disappears entirely, and you can only jump on the wall opposite Nyleth. That is exactly why Ascendant's Grip matters, because it lets you cling and reposition safely. Whenever I saw an opening, I approached and used a careful plunge attack to deal damage. It took several cycles, but eventually Nyleth fell.

After the fight, I was transported outside, and the Pollen Heart was waiting for me. That single moment made the entire detour worth it. If you are still hunting the other two hearts, I would honestly recommend starting with this one. It forces you to learn Silksong's vertical movement, automatic tool synergy, and patient boss rhythm, all of which make the rest of Act 3 much less intimidating.

Once you have the Pollen Heart in hand, the rest of Act 3 opens up in a way that feels earned. I found myself revisiting earlier areas with the new tool combo, and it completely changed how I approached some familiar fights. For anyone who wants to experience this whole journey on their own schedule, it is always nice to grab the game at a fair price before diving in. I usually check a [game price tracker]( before picking up new releases, and DealNest is where I compare store prices without the headache of jumping between different pages.

Whether you are just entering the shrine for the first time or you are already planning your next run, the right price on the game means you can focus on mastering Nyleth instead of worrying about your wallet. With so many tools, upgrades, and secret paths to explore in Silksong, knowing the deal is solid makes the whole detour feel even better. And hey, if you end up stuck on a later boss, at least you will have gotten into the game for less.

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Silksong: Wispfire Lantern Location and Father of the Flame Guide

Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Wispfire Lantern offers powerful auto-fireball combat but at the cost of Silk and mobility trade-offs.

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, players who enjoy letting their tools do the heavy lifting should keep an eye out for the Wispfire Lantern. This hidden piece of gear is a real game-changer in combat, but getting it is no walk in the park. It sits in a tucked-away area that many players might miss on a first playthrough. Here is a full breakdown of what the Wispfire Lantern does, where to find it, and how to take down the boss that guards it.

What Makes the Wispfire Lantern Special

The Wispfire Lantern is not your average tool. Once equipped, its passive effect constantly summons fireballs that automatically track nearby enemies. That means Hornet can keep moving and dodging while the lantern chips away at whatever is trying to ruin her day. It is especially handy against swarms of smaller bugs or enemies that like to keep their distance.

Of course, every silver lining has a cloud. The big downside is the tool's heavy Silk consumption. Using the Wispfire Lantern means Hornet will have fewer hooks available for exploration. Those grappling hooks are crucial for platforming and reaching hidden ledges, so players have to ask themselves whether the extra firepower is worth the mobility hit. It is a bit of a double-edged sword, and different playstyles will feel that trade-off differently.

How to Reach the Wisp Thicket

The Wispfire Lantern is tucked away in a small zone called the Wisp Thicket. This little connector area links Underworks with Greymoor, giving Hornet a shortcut that skips the Blasted Steps entirely. That shortcut alone can save a lot of backtracking for anyone who finds it.

To get there, players should travel to Greymoor and climb the tower above the Halfway Home Inn. From there, head left into the area filled with balloons between the two towers. It sounds simple enough, but the actual entrance is easy to overlook.

At that spot, players need to keep their eyes peeled for a hidden passage in the ceiling. Once inside, there is a small wooden staircase tucked into a corner. The passage is so dark that the staircase is barely visible, so it pays to slow down and look carefully. Missing it is a real pain in the neck, especially after a long trek through Greymoor.

Once players make it inside the Wisp Thicket, a bench is immediately available to the right. Sitting down is a smart move because nobody wants to repeat the whole run if Hornet falls during the upcoming fight.

Defeating the Father of the Flame

After resting, players should keep heading west until they hit a dead end. That is where the Father of the Flame appears. This boss might look intimidating, but its pattern is manageable once players know what to focus on.

The Father of the Flame does not move around the arena. Instead, it relies on four Lanterns positioned around it to rain fireballs on Hornet. In the first phase, the goal is to jump and attack those Lanterns. Destroying them stops the boss from summoning more fireballs and brings the first phase to a close. It is a good idea to keep moving and strike between volleys, because standing still is a surefire way to get burned.

In the second phase, a large furnace emerges from the boss's chest. This furnace cranks up the number of fireballs the boss can summon, making the arena much more chaotic. The strategy does not change too much, though: players need to attack the furnace on the boss's chest until it is destroyed. Once that furnace goes down, the Father of the Flame is finished, and the Wispfire Lantern is finally up for grabs.

Is the Wispfire Lantern Worth It?

For players who love passive damage and do not mind trading some mobility, the Wispfire Lantern is worth its weight in gold. It shines in combat-heavy sections where extra fireballs can clear out enemies without Hornet needing to stop and swing her needle every two seconds. On the flip side, anyone who depends heavily on hooks for exploration might find the Silk drain more trouble than it is worth.

A quick summary:

Pros
Cons

Automatic homing fireballs
Heavy Silk consumption

Great for crowd control
Fewer hooks for exploration

Helps while dodging
Requires defeating a boss

Saves time in combat
Hidden location is easy to miss

At the end of the day, the Wispfire Lantern is one of those tools that rewards players who take the time to sniff out hidden corners of the map. The fight against the Father of the Flame can be a bit frantic, but the payoff is a unique passive ability that can change how combat feels. With the right approach, getting this lantern is less of a headache and more of a satisfying detour.

For players who enjoy the type of meticulous exploration that uncovers treasures like the Wispfire Lantern, the adventure doesn't have to end when the credits roll. There are plenty of titles on Steam that deliver that same mix of tight combat and rewarding discovery. Before grabbing your next purchase, though, it pays to do a little digging — a reliable [steam deal finder]( can surface discounts you might otherwise overlook, making it easier to fill your wishlist without emptying your wallet. Just like timing your strikes against the Father of the Flame, waiting for the right sale can make all the difference.

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How to Reach Sinner's Road and Get Its Map in Silksong

Conquer Hollow Knight: Silksong's roach-infested Sinner’s Road map with exact wall-jump and pogo routes from Halfway Inn to Shakra.

From the moment I first poked around above Halfway Inn, I knew Sinner’s Road would be trouble. The narrow platforms, the grab-happy roaches, and the general gloom all scream one thing: turn back. But if you want that map, you have to keep moving. The route is not as confusing as it looks once you break it down. One missed pogo, though, can send you tumbling into a pool of something you do not want to identify. Here is how I finally made it to Shakra and picked up the Sinner’s Road map.

Sinner’s Road sits high above Greymoor. It is not the kind of place you stumble into by accident. You need to find a specific lift, complete a platforming gauntlet, and deal with some really annoying enemies. The area feels desolate in the best worst way possible, with roaches skittering around and maggot-infested pools tucked into the corners. Exploring is tense, and finding the map makes the whole thing much more manageable.

Quick checklist before you leave

Before you start climbing, make sure you are ready.

• 🧗 Wall jump is required. Several sections are nearly impossible without it.

• 🦋 Double jump via Faydown Cloak speeds up one specific room, but it is optional.

• ❤️ Extra masks help. The roaches hit harder than they look.

• ⏳ Patience is non-negotiable. Pogo jumps around cages and saw blades punish panic.

• 🗺️ If you have not reached Greymoor yet, work through Far Fields first.

Step 1: Start at Halfway Inn

Travel to Greymoor and locate Halfway Inn. The lift you need sits just to the left of the inn. It is easy to miss if you are focused on the building itself, so hug the left side. Ride the lift up to the upper platforms.

Once the lift stops, head right. You will see several inflated objects floating near the edge. They look playful. They are not. Pogo off them with controlled inputs. Give yourself a second between bounces. I learned the hard way that trying to chain them too quickly sends Hornet flying in the wrong direction.

High above, there is a wall on the right side. Use wall jump to scale it. At the top, look for a cave opening on the right. This cave is your entrance into Sinner’s Road. Once you slip inside, the atmosphere shifts instantly.

Surviving the entry stretch

Inside Sinner’s Road, keep moving right. The ground is absolutely crawling with roaches. They do not wait for you to get close; they pounce. Hornet can get caught mid-move if you are not careful, and the grab attack eats health fast. My advice is simple. Stay off the floor whenever possible. Climb onto the hanging cages and hop from one to the next. The spacing feels awkward at first, but the rhythm becomes familiar. Trust the cages over the ground.

Continue right until you spot a sign marked with the bench symbol. That sign is your cue to climb higher. Use wall climb and enter the next pathway on the right. This leads into a larger room with a vertical challenge.

Two ways up in the cage room

This room can slow you down if you are not prepared. There are two ways to reach the upper platforms. One is a shortcut, and one is the longer route.

Method
Requirement
Difficulty

Wall and double-jump shortcut
Faydown Cloak ability
Easy

Saw-blade pogo route
No special ability required
Moderate

If you have double jump, life is good. Right above the entrance, grab the wall and climb to the hanging cage. From the cage, jump left to gain a little height, then double jump right onto the platform. It sounds precise, but the window is generous. Once you land, breathe.

If you do not have double jump, do not worry. Head to the rightmost part of the room. You will see hanging saw blades. These are your pogo points. Bounce from blade to blade until you reach the top. Treat each bounce as its own tiny decision. The moment I started thinking two bounces ahead, I fell. Focus on the current bounce only.

Whichever method you choose, drop to the left side once you are high enough. Hit the switch to unlock the gate. If you hear the gate open, you are on the right track.

Reaching Shakra and the map

Go through the unlocked gate. Beyond it, jump over two hanging cages. Watch your spacing here, because a miss means falling back into roach territory. You will see a doorway marked with the bench symbol. Enter that doorway.

After a short platforming section, you will meet Shakra. This merchant sells the Sinner’s Road map. Buy it immediately. Having the map changes everything because the area stops feeling like a maze. You can finally see where the pathways connect and where the dangerous rooms sit.

There is also a bench near Shakra. If it is inactive or damaged, you may need to fix it before resting. Either way, this is a major checkpoint. Rest if you can, then plan your next route through Sinner’s Road with the map open instead of guessing.

Final tips before you go

Roaches are the biggest early threat. Stay high and keep moving. Do not fight fair on the ground. The saw-blade route is entirely doable without double jump, but it wants patience more than skill. If you fall, do not tilt. The route is shorter than it feels. Buying the map first makes every return trip far less stressful. Honestly, reaching Shakra felt like a small festival of relief. And in a place as hostile as Sinner’s Road, any relief is worth chasing.

That covers the path to Sinner’s Road and its map. Get the lift, climb the walls, choose your route carefully, and let Shakra sell you the one thing that makes the fog lift. Good luck up there.

Getting through a place like Sinner’s Road is a small victory, but it is also a reminder of how much planning can smooth out an otherwise punishing experience. The same logic applies outside the game itself. Before you commit to your next sprawling adventure, it is worth putting a little of that careful strategy into where you buy your titles. A quick [game price comparison]( can save you enough to justify adding that extra DLC you have been eyeing, or to pick up another indie hidden gem on the side. Smart explorers check their route ahead of time; smart players check their storefronts too.

So after you finally rest at that bench and let the name of Sinner’s Road fade into just another mark on your map, take a moment to enjoy the win. Then, when the next journey calls, let DealNest help you decide which world is worth entering next. Fewer coins spent getting in means more time spent mastering what waits inside — and that is the kind of advantage every player can appreciate.

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How I Got Hollow Knight: Silksong's Cursed Ending While Bearing the Twisted Bud Curse

Our Hollow Knight: Silksong Cursed ending guide reveals the Rite of Rebirth steps and Act 2 restrictions required to unlock this dark secret.

Now that Silksong is out and I've had time to dig into it, I finally went after the Cursed ending. I had no idea what I was about to unlock, but after seeing a normal playthrough I decided to chase an obscure secret. It sounded exactly like the kind of weird, specific ending I wanted to see for myself. There is one brutal rule: if you have already entered Act 3, there is no way to get this ending without starting another save file. I was still in Act 2 and had not finished the Rite of Rebirth, so I had a chance.

The Setup I Almost Messed Up

Before I even began the Rite of Rebirth, I made sure I had these done. I would strongly advise doing all of this before you accept the curse, because after that you cannot heal, cannot change crests, and lose your tools.

• Open the Bellway in the Citadel.

• Open the Ventrica Station to the Bellway.

• Obtain the Three-Part Melody to unlock the elevator.

• Finish the second fight with Lace to unlock the final boss route.

• Open the shortcut in the Cradle that leads to the Terminus.

• Have at least seven masks total; I went in with eight, which felt just barely enough.

Whispering Vaults and a Long Descent

I started the Rite of Rebirth by heading into the Whispering Vaults. Below the Vaultkeeper's room there is a large area with shifting boxes on the right. I climbed the top right wall, found an open vault door, and stepped inside. The platforming wasn't too bad at first: wall jump up, head right, grapple a ring to open the floor. Then it turned into a downward gauntlet with Path of Pain-esque gears, spike dodging, and careful floating. Eventually I fell into Bilewater.

The murky maggot mixture was exactly as unpleasant as it sounds. I swam right beneath the cavern walls, jumped up, dropped into another hole, and ended up in even more worm water. I moved left, slipped under some platforms, and pushed through a mess of twisty, gnarly vines. Exploding critters and spike jumps tried to end me there, but I made it through.

At the end of that tunnel I found a Twisted Bud in a strange cradle. It went into my inventory and cried every time I opened it. I wanted it out, so I headed down to Shellwood.

Accepting the Curse

I had already finished the Rite of the Pollip quest, so I grabbed my poison pouch and returned to the hut where Greyroot was. The Twisted Bud bore a keen resemblance to what Greyroot had going on, so its involvement wasn't surprising. I interacted with Greyroot, accepted the Rite of Rebirth, and the crying parasite was placed inside Hornet. That cursed me.

I broke out of the trapped room and immediately noticed the restrictions: no tools, no crest changes, and no healing. I did not finish the quest to remove the curse yet. Instead, I climbed all the way back up to the Citadel.

Fighting Grand Mother Silk with No Healing

This was the hardest part. I fought Grand Mother Silk with no healing and no tools. I had eight masks, which let me survive maybe three or four hits. My best tool was the dive kick. It hits twice when it connects and launches me high enough to dodge her needle projectiles.

I had to play extremely patiently. Every time she committed to an attack, I went for upward slashes. The moment I saw a claw strike coming across the screen, I backed off. I only dealt damage when it was completely safe.

Phase 2 didn't change the strategy much, but the lack of healing made stage hazards terrifying. Spikes and boulders could finish me if I stood in the wrong place. Pogoing off Grand Mother Silk's body became my best escape tool. The upward force plus Hornet's wings and cape let me dodge attacks and drift into a safer zone for a moment. After dozens of careful strikes, she went down. The binding cutscene was different: Hornet released the parasite from her body.

The Cursed Ending

Then it happened. As I bound to Grand Mother Silk, the parasite made its presence known. It seemed to absorb both Hornet and the higher being at once. Their bodies took on that same wooden-like appearance I had seen on Greyroot earlier. The parasite spread its roots through the entire kingdom and took over every living being within it.

That was the Cursed ending. I didn't just bear a curse to get there. I cursed the entire world.

Experiencing that dark conclusion made me want to see every other ending Silksong has to offer, but unlocking them all takes serious time and patience. Between the grueling boss fights and the cryptic quest lines that branch into different outcomes, there's a lot of replay value hiding beneath the surface. For players who want to dive into the full range of Hollow Knight adventures or pick up similar metroidvania gems without stretching their budget, keeping an eye on game deals today can make building that collection much easier.

Whether you're chasing alternative endings, hunting down every collectible, or simply exploring new indie titles that scratch the same itch, being smart about when you buy is part of the fun. I've learned that waiting for the right moment to grab a game can open doors to experiences I might have otherwise missed. If you are looking to expand your library without overspending, checking out [game deals today]( might just lead you to your next obsession.

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My Courier Nightmares and Triumphs in Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight Silksong courier quests challenge Hornet’s movement mastery and offer repeatable Rosary farming for Tipp and Pill deliveries.

I still remember unlocking Courier Tipp and Courier Pill after the Bellhart Quest Board. I thought I was signing up for a few gentle fetch tasks. Instead, I got a crash course in fear, momentum, and fragile cargo.

The delivery quests in Hollow Knight: Silksong are not just side activities. They are a test of how well you understand Hornet's movement. The moment I took my first bundle of supplies, the game removed fast travel and added an item health bar. One hit? Lose a segment. A bad fall? Lose a segment. Slam into a wall without stopping? Lose another. I learned very quickly that fighting was not the answer. There is no easy way to cheat by clearing enemies ahead of time either; the game wants you to move, not fight.

The Delivery Economy

Most of the deliveries you see from Tipp and Pill are repeatable. They are essentially a non-combat way to farm Rosaries 💰. That sounds nice at first because you can run them as often as you want for spending money. But after my third trip through hostile bug territory with a bundle of supplies, I realized these are far from the most efficient Rosary farm available. Still, they taught me Hornet's faster movement better than most boss fights.

The standard supply runs also give you a rough idea of difficulty based on their reward. I started with the easier ones near Bone Bottom and Pilgrim's Rest, using the Drifter's cloak to hug the walls and jet streams. It was not glamorous, but it kept the cargo safe.

The One-Time Runs That Matter

Beyond the repeatable deliveries, Tipp and Pill offer two serious one-time missions. The first, 'Queen's Egg,' unlocks after you complete any single delivery beforehand. They ask you to carry one Queen Silkeater grub egg to Styx at the far end of the Sinner's Road. I made the mistake of trying this early. The journey was long, but the reward changed my playthrough: 120 Rosaries and a permanent upgrade to my Silkeater farm. After that, every visit to Hornet's well-meaning ally gave me double the usual amount. In the long run, that was more valuable than any single payout.

The other one-time mission is tied to 'Great Taste of Pharloom.' This one asks you to bring perishable ingredients to Loyal Mergwin in the Citadel under a set time limit ⏱️. The item itself then leads into the wish for Hornet's second nail upgrade. If you care about combat, you need this run. If you hate timed cargo, you will still do it for that nail.

Courier's Rasher Is No Joke

The most infamous delivery is 'Courier's Rasher.' I would not wish it on anyone unprepared. Unlike the standard supply quests, this one has a unique time limit. It requires equal parts speed and safety. I tried it before I had the Clawline and Feydown Cloak abilities, and I failed spectacularly. The moment I returned with those two movement tools, the run felt possible, though still brutal.

The key for 'Courier's Rasher' is knowing the Choral Chambers layout before you even accept the quest. I ran the route several times without the delivery, just learning the map. That saved me from so many timer-related heartbreaks later.

Tools, Movement, and the Routes I Learned to Trust

For almost every delivery, my philosophy was: avoid enemies at all costs. For the harder runs, I relied on a few specific tools.

• Clawline and Feydown Cloak – Essential for 'Courier's Rasher' and any route with long gaps or vertical climbs.

• Flea Brew offensive tool – Gave Hornet extra speed when I needed to burst past enemies.

• Silkspeed Anklets – Another speed boost that made a surprising difference on long deliveries.

• Compass 🧭 – Not optional for me. It helped me check route progression without opening the full map.

• Wanderer's Crest – If you have memory lockets to spare, the downward pogo from this crest is much more consistent for avoiding both enemies and hazards.

• Curveclaw – When I did have to fight, ranged damage kept annoying flying enemies from ruining the item health bar.

For the Sinner's Road delivery to Styx, stealth was the answer. The Muckmaggots can be almost entirely avoided if you run along paths without them. I also abused area transitions to despawn aggressive flying enemies. It felt like cheating, but the game allowed it, so I called it strategy.

For 'Courier's Rasher,' I ran the Choral Chambers route multiple times before the real attempt. I recommend that more than any charm or tool. Knowing where the vertical shortcuts are and which platforms are safe at speed is the real reward.

Final Delivery Report

Looking back, the courier quests in Silksong are a strange mix of frustration and satisfaction. They are not the most efficient way to farm Rosaries, and some of them will make you question your sanity. But they force you to master Hornet's movement in a way that combat alone never does. The Queen's Egg upgrade alone makes the courier chain worthwhile, and the second nail upgrade from 'Great Taste of Pharloom' is too good to ignore.

If you are starting these quests now in 2026, my advice is simple. Do the easy standard deliveries first. Learn to avoid enemies instead of fighting them. Do not touch 'Courier's Rasher' until you have Clawline and Feydown Cloak. And for the love of Pharloom, learn the Choral Chambers before the timer starts. Tipp and Pill may act like friendly couriers, but their requests are a trial by fragile cargo.

Whether you are diving into Hornet's adventure for the first time or returning for another punishing playthrough, having the right game at the right price makes the experience all the sweeter. If Silksong is still sitting in your backlog—or if you want to grab a fresh copy for a friend so they can suffer through the courier trials with you—it pays to hunt around for the [best game deals]( before you commit to a full-price purchase. A little patience on the shopping side can free up budget for future titles, letting you focus on mastering those fragile deliveries without any buyer's remorse lingering in the background.

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Forget Silksong: These Retro Torture Devices Make It Look Like a Spa Day

Hollow Knight: Silksong's brutal difficulty pales next to retro gaming classics like The Lion King and Ghosts 'N Goblins, where unfair design ruled.

In 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong has finally clawed its way out of development purgatory, only to be met with a chorus of anguished howls about its difficulty. Three hits to death from the very first screen, enemies packing double damage as standard, and boss patterns that demand the reaction time of a caffeinated mantis shrimp—yes, it is brutal. But here is the uncomfortable truth: Silksong's pain is a paper cut next to the industrial meat grinder of retro gaming. Anyone who thinks Silksong is hard has clearly never spent a Saturday afternoon being eviscerated by a Disney lion cub.

Completing The Lion King On SNES: I Just Can't Wait To Be... Obliterated

Nothing about the box art for The Lion King on Super Nintendo screams “soul-crushing gauntlet.” A cute cartoon cub, sweeping savanna vistas, songs about growing up—it looks like a warm hug for children. In reality, it was a precision platformer wearing the skin of a family film. Disney and Westwood deliberately cranked up the difficulty during the rental era so that players could not breeze through it over a weekend. This was not game design; it was corporate hostage-taking disguised as entertainment.

Before reaching anything resembling a checkpoint, players had to work out the controls with zero explanation. Key mechanics were discovered through trial, error, and the sudden death of Simba. Even after mastering the controls, the game still dealt unfair deaths like a croupier dealing cards from a rigged deck. Falls through platforms that absolutely looked solid, leaps that required pixel-perfect timing, and roars that did nothing to enemies—it was all part of the package. Many a player has wandered away from this game muttering about giraffes and waterfalls, their childhood shattered like a cracked CRT screen.

Playing Ghosts 'N Goblins On NES Without Losing Your Armor: My Experience Was Pants, Arthur's Pants

The NES original of Ghosts 'N Goblins did not care about fairness. It cared about making sure Arthur spent most of his afterlife sprinting around in his underwear. The two-hit system is legendary: the first hit strips Arthur of his armor, leaving him in nothing but a pair of red underpants; the second hit reduces him to a small pile of bones. The game is so relentless that players rarely remember what Arthur's armor looked like, but can sketch every crease in his skivvies from memory.

Enemy spawns were randomized, meaning a demon could materialize directly onto Arthur's helmetless head with no warning. Background objects occasionally obscured the very hazards that were about to end the run. Bosses required rote memorization of attack patterns, level layouts, and spawn timings. Even then, luck remained the final arbiter—like trying to cross a minefield while blindfolded and juggling live grenades. Anyone who has finished this without save states deserves a medal, a therapy session, or both.

Working Out That The Spectrum Version Of Gauntlet Doesn't End: Why Do Only NES Players Get An Ending?

The Sinclair ZX Spectrum was a distinctly British console, complete with rubber keys and a tape deck that took roughly seven business days to load a game. Among its many oddities was a port of Gauntlet that promised adventure but delivered an infinite limbo. Players knew the arcade original was endless, and they had heard that the NES version offered a proper ending after level 100. So naturally, Spectrum owners assumed their version would eventually conclude as well.

It did not. After level 100, the game simply shuffled previous levels, mirror-flipped them, and served them up in random order. There was no on-screen level indicator, no congratulatory message, no final boss—just an endless corridor of recycled dungeons. Discovering this was not a failure of skill but a failure of expectations, like climbing a mountain only to find the summit is actually a treadmill set to maximum incline. The hardest part of Gauntlet on Spectrum was not the ghosts or the traps; it was accepting that the game would never, ever let the player go.

Getting A Popular Game To Work At Launch: The Secret First Boss

Even the most hardened retro warriors agree on one thing: the true final boss of gaming has never been a demon king, a rogue AI, or a giant ape. It is the Launch Day Boss. This multi-stage monstrosity requires cunning, patience, and a luck stat that would make a gacha puller weep. The RNG begins the moment a player attempts to secure a game code without the storefront collapsing into a heap of error messages.

Pre-orders help, functioning as a kind of cheat code for the first phase. But unless a player possesses the sacred relic of a pre-launch download, the next stage is pure agony. Thousands of people try to download the same game at the exact same moment, turning the process into a slowness effect that can stretch for hours. The storefront crashes, the payment processor hiccups, and the server queue becomes a waiting room for a doctor who will never call your name.

Then comes the final stage: connection. Most modern games demand an internet connection, and server capacity is finite. MMOs, battle royales, and even single-player titles with always-online check-ins are vulnerable to the dreaded server error ability. This move negates all player abilities and leaves them staring at a login screen like a knight whose sword has just been replaced with a wet noodle. Beating the Launch Day Boss is harder than anything in Silksong—it is a battle against infrastructure, entropy, and the collective impatience of the entire gaming population.

The Verdict

Silksong may demand precision, adaptability, and a tolerance for repeated failure. But it does not force players to fight randomized spawns in their underwear, to accept an endless treadmill of mirrored levels, or to defeat a hidden boss made entirely of server errors and download queues. Those who gripe about Silksong's difficulty should be forced to play The Lion King on SNES for one hour as a corrective measure. They would return with a new appreciation for fair, modern game design—and perhaps a mild fear of cartoon lions. 🎮💀

Perhaps the wisest strategy is not to buy into the hype cycle at all. Avoiding the Launch Day Boss is simple: don't show up for the fight. Instead of paying a premium to be an unpaid beta tester, the seasoned player knows that patience is the ultimate level-up mechanic. Leting the hype die down, letting the first few patches smooth out the rough edges, and waiting until the price drops to a fraction of the original cost opens the door to a smarter, calmer gaming experience. The victory screen tastes much sweeter when it isn't stained with buyer's remorse.

That is why a smart player's real endgame involves tracking the perfect moment to strike. Rather than refreshing storefronts like a slot machine addict, they scan the marketplace for signs of a price drop. Using a dedicated [steam sale tracker]( allows gamers to monitor the peaks and troughs of a game's price history, ensuring they never pay full price for a title that will be discounted before the next major patch. After that, buying the game becomes a matter of clean, instant gratification without repeated server failure. That sounds like a much nicer difficulty curve. The outcome is being able to play an excellent game on their own terms, with none of the stress of release day chaos. Just compare this to your own experience of hunting for a bargain, and you will see how it offers a far better level of gameplay. And it is for that reason that this feels like completing a secret quest for the first time. Going from fighting enemies for the best price to playing games at your own pace is a smooth transition. The real reward is a library of games calmly waiting to be played.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Crowns Xbox Game Pass's Unstoppable 2025 Hot Streak

Hollow Knight: Silksong headlines Xbox Game Pass's standout 2025 lineup, earning a 91 OpenCritic score after a seven-year wait.

The arrival of Hollow Knight: Silksong on Xbox Game Pass felt less like a routine catalog update and more like a long-awaited coronation in the depths of Pharloom. For subscribers, the moment carried the weight of a seven-year held breath finally released. The value of a subscription service often ebbs and flows, but through 2025, Xbox Game Pass had been moving like a river in full flood, carrying each new release past expectations with an almost gravitational pull.

That momentum began at the end of January with Citizen Sleeper 2, a quiet but brilliant narrative sequel that earned glowing reviews. From there, the floodgates opened. Avowed, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Abiotic Factor each arrived as day-one additions, turning the service into a rolling showcase of critical and commercial hits. Other recent winners like Gears of War: Reloaded and The Alters kept the streak alive through the middle of the year.

Game Pass 2025 Standout
What It Brought

Citizen Sleeper 2
Emotional sci-fi storytelling

Avowed
Expansive fantasy role-playing

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Striking turn-based adventure

Blue Prince
Inventive puzzle design

Doom: The Dark Ages
Brutal, fast-paced shooting

Abiotic Factor
Co-op survival chaos

Gears of War: Reloaded
High-impact action

The Alters
Bold sci-fi decision-making

Then came Hollow Knight: Silksong. Available from day one to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers, it was not simply another title; it was the needle finally threading its way through the silk, a project whose long development had become the stuff of genre legend. Critics praised its engrossing atmosphere, precise platforming, and tough battles that demanded every ounce of patience.

At the time of its launch, Silksong carried an average review score of 91 on OpenCritic, making it one of the highest-rated releases of the year. The only game ahead of it in the day-one Game Pass class was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Silksong shared its 91 with Donkey Kong Bananza and Split Fiction, placing it in rarefied company. But the number was not static. Because Team Cherry did not distribute review copies, critics started their journeys at the same moment as everyone else. The score moved like a kite in a shifting wind, briefly rising toward a perfect 100 before settling lower as more voices rolled in.

That volatility only added to the drama. For a short window, Silksong stood as the highest-rated game of all time, a title that carried as much irony as honor. Then the average slipped to 98, then 94, then to its early resting point of 91. Even so, the game remained a lock for the upper tier of the year, and its success deepened the perceived value of Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscriptions.

For players exploring Pharloom, the world felt both intimate and hostile, a labyrinth stitched together with light and shadow. Each dash through thorny passages and each duel with a towering guardian felt like a conversation between the game and the person holding the controller. That kind of connection is not easily manufactured, which is why Silksong became the crown jewel of an already extraordinary year.

As the calendar turns toward 2026, the question is not whether Xbox Game Pass can remain relevant, but whether any future lineup can match a year when the service seemed to operate with the inevitability of a comet that refuses to dim. The library has grown richer, and the bar has risen. Hollow Knight: Silksong did not simply join the catalog; it stitched itself into the fabric of why the subscription mattered in the first place.

Of course, the very nature of a subscription library is that it breathes and shifts. Titles rotate, and even a celebrated masterpiece like Silksong will eventually cede the front page to something new. For many players, that quiet moment of farewell is also the moment their attention turns elsewhere — toward the wider ecosystem of PC gaming, where permanent ownership and frequent sales offer a different kind of satisfaction.

Keeping track of which prices have genuinely dropped and whether a worthwhile discount is actually on the table can quickly turn into a full-time chore, though. Rather than refreshing store pages by hand, more and more players are turning to a dedicated [steam deal finder]( like the one featured at DealNest, a practical way to surface the best promotions across Steam and keep a healthy backlog without overspending. It is a small companion that quietly complements the binge-driven rhythm of Game Pass — when the subscription catalog moves on, the hunt for hidden gems continues, and the savings only make the discovery feel sweeter.

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How I Beat Trobbio in Hollow Knight: Silksong Act 2

Master this Hollow Knight: Silksong Trobbio boss guide for Act 2: read pyrotechnic tells, use pogo and Reaper crest, claim the Claw Mirror.

I have been diving back into Hollow Knight: Silksong in 2026, and the Act 2 encounter with Trobbio still feels like a high-stakes stage performance. The fight is not the hardest in the Citadel, but it demands patience, spacing, and a good read on pyrotechnic tells. In this guide, I will share how I located Trobbio's arena, prepared my loadout, avoided his most dangerous attacks, and claimed the Claw Mirror reward without relying on risky maneuvers.

Finding Trobbio's Stage and Preparing

The first time I reached Trobbio's stage, I entered from the Whispering Vaults at the bottom right of the Citadel. That route is dramatic, but it makes the runback unnecessarily long. Before starting the fight, I explored to the left and unblocked the return passage to the Choral Chambers. From there, I jumped down to the Bench area in the Grand Bellway and rested. This gives you a much shorter return route and also lets you use the Bellway if you need to grab anything else before Act 2.

For equipment, I tested a few crests and ended up preferring the Reaper crest. A slow and steady approach works well against Trobbio, because many of his attacks are designed to punish aggressive players. The Reaper crest helped me regenerate Silk more quickly and gave some extra range on my attacks, which made it easier to strike from safer positions. There are no mandatory Tools for this fight, so take whatever you enjoy using most. The key is not your loadout, but your ability to stay calm while the stage itself seems to explode around you.

Trobbio's Attack Patterns and How I Avoided Them

The tricky part of Trobbio is that his attacks grow more intense as the fight continues, even though the core patterns stay consistent. The move I respect the most is his tornado spin. Whenever Trobbio starts spinning, I immediately leap into the air and use a pogo attack on his head. I usually land one hit and then dash away, because the follow-up can send a tornado out from each side. If I stay above him during that follow-up, I can sometimes squeeze in one or two more hits, but I never get greedy.

When Trobbio dips beneath the stage, I follow his movements and try to get a single strike when he emerges. However, if the center of the stage starts trembling, he may throw out exploding projectiles instead of popping up. In that situation, I stick to a pogo if I am attempting any attack near the center. Along other parts of the stage, I can reliably expect Trobbio himself to emerge, which creates a safer opening.

While on stage, Trobbio also throws bombs. These are usually easy to avoid once I pay attention to where they land. The explosions can spread in vertical or horizontal lines, so I avoid standing on those lines. I can hit the bombs away with my needle, but I rarely bother because it is not necessary. His firework attack places five fireworks around the stage. These look intimidating, but they are also easy to avoid if I keep an eye on the floor. Later in the fight, Trobbio introduces a series of pyrotechnic blasts from beneath the stage. I simply move or dash away from any spouts I see rumbling. The damage radius is slightly larger than it looks, so I give those blasts extra space.

I also learned not to fear contact damage too much. Trobbio's special attacks deal two masks of damage, but running into Trobbio himself only costs one mask. That is important because a single accidental touch is not a run-ending mistake. The real danger is the tornado and the overlapping pyrotechnics, which can snowball into a bad situation quickly.

A Safe, Patient Strategy

The best way I found to beat Trobbio is to keep my focus on his attacks and only strike when I have a clear opportunity. This is slower than playing aggressively, but it is reliable. I treat the fight like a recital: let Trobbio perform, watch the stage, and answer only when safe.

For healing, I wait to see what attack he is doing and then look for a clear window. Healing in the air on either far side of the stage is usually my safest bet. Those corners give me a little distance from the center-stage pyrotechnics and make it easier to react if Trobbio begins his spin. I also try to heal after dodging the tornado follow-up, because that is one of the moments when Trobbio has the longest recovery.

Reward: Claw Mirror and Tragedian Achievement

After I finally upstaged Trobbio, I received the Claw Mirror. This reward lets Hornet deal damage while Binding to heal, which opens up a more aggressive healing rhythm for later fights. It also creates a more convenient path to parts of the Whispering Vaults and unlocks the Tragedian achievement. The Claw Mirror is not mandatory for Act 2, but it is a nice boon if you enjoy using Bind. Even if Trobbio is not your first objective, the fight is worth doing for the utility and the shorter route.

Final Thoughts

Trobbio's boss fight is theatrical, but it is not unfair. The stage hazards can feel overwhelming at first, especially when fireworks, bombs, and tornadoes appear close together. Once I slowed down and focused on positioning, the encounter became much more manageable. Use the Grand Bellway Bench to shorten your return, equip the Reaper crest if you want extra Silk regeneration and range, and avoid the tornado above all else. With patience, Hornet can definitely steal the spotlight and walk away with the Claw Mirror.

Like the best Hollow Knight fights, Trobbio is a reminder of how rewarding it is when a game respects your patience and rewards your awareness. That same sense of discovery is what keeps me hunting for other titles with polished, intense encounters and memorable boss design.

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I Stumbled Into Silksong's Secret Plasmium Phial Trick That Makes Hornet Nearly Unkillable

Hollow Knight: Silksong and Plasmium Phial offer a brutal challenge; mastering Lifeblood Hearts transforms survival in Pharloom.

Let me set the record straight: I did not discover this. I am just the traveller who spent a dozen hours in Pharloom getting carved into ribbons by common mobs because Hornet's health bar refuses to cooperate. In 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong has already earned a reputation as a brutal sequel, much harder than anyone expected. Diagonal-bounce platforming feels like trying to fold a fitted sheet while juggling, and the bosses make the Lost Kin look like a friendly tutorial. Then I saw WikiWitIT's video about the Plasmium Phial, and my entire approach changed.

The Phial That Looked Like a Novelty

The Plasmium Phial is rewarded after you finish a side quest called Alchemist's Assistant for Alchemist Zylotol in Wormways. You collect three pieces of Plasmium and receive the tool. On the surface, it lets Hornet stack Lifeblood Hearts, which are bonus health slots that last until you rest at a Bench or lose them by getting hit. My first impression was not generous. Compared to tools that deal damage or open paths, a health-stacking phial felt about as exciting as a sundial in a lightless cave. But Silksong punishes health management far more than Hollow Knight ever did. Regular enemies frequently deal double damage, so every extra Lifeblood Heart feels like a small miracle.

The Bench Trap and the Architect's Crest

The catch is that resting at a Bench refills your tools, but it also strips away the Lifeblood Hearts you stacked. At first, the phial seems capped by the bench cycle. You stack a few hearts, use the phial's charges, sit down, lose them all. It felt like trying to carry moonlight in a basket. Then WikiWitIT showed the workaround. Find and equip the Architect's Crest, a trinket that lets you replenish tools without using a Bench. From there, keep stacking Lifeblood Hearts. Do it enough, and you trigger a hidden state that nobody had documented until now.

What the Hidden Overdose State Feels Like

Once the secret effect kicks in, Hornet's ordinary health is effectively replaced by Lifeblood Hearts. The bar no longer behaves like a finite resource. Instead, it trickles back over time, as if the hearts are refilling themselves from some unseen reservoir. In combat, this feels less like standard Silksong survival and more like fighting with a suit of armor that quietly sews its own wounds. I took a triple-damage swipe from a heavily armored sentinel, waited a few seconds, and watched the red edge creep back. That was the moment I understood the hype.

Here is the short version for anyone who wants to replicate it:

• Complete the side quest Alchemist's Assistant for Alchemist Zylotol in Wormways.

• Collect three Plasmium to earn the Plasmium Phial.

• Find and equip the Architect's Crest so you can refill tools without resting at a Bench.

• Keep stacking Lifeblood Hearts past the normal limit.

• Trigger the hidden effect and enjoy passive health regeneration.

Situation
Normal Plasmium Phial
Overdosed with Architect's Crest

Health type
Temporary Lifeblood Hearts
Lifeblood Hearts replace main health

Regeneration
None, only refill at Bench
Passive regeneration over time

Survivability
Helps, but fragile
Dramatically harder to kill

Known duration
Until rest or hit
Unconfirmed, possibly story-gated

Right now, no one has pinned down exactly how long the passive regeneration lasts, or whether there is a hidden cost. Some players suspect the effect may fade when you reach certain story thresholds or after a fixed number of hits, but nothing is confirmed. Abusing the Plasmium Phial like this does not seem to disable achievements or soft-lock a save, but treat it as an exploit-adjacent trick until Team Cherry decides whether to patch it.

For anyone still getting shredded by double-damage mobs, the sequence is simple: finish Alchemist's Assistant, grab the Plasmium Phial, find the Architect's Crest, and stack Lifeblood Hearts until the game stops counting. It changes Hornet from a fragile needle-dancer into something much closer to unkillable. Just be ready for the conversation to shift again when the inevitable balance patch arrives.

If you are planning to test this hidden Lifeblood state before Team Cherry rolls out a fix, it is worth keeping tabs on the broader Silksong conversation. Patch notes and community discoveries land fast, and a trick like this one can vanish overnight. Between hunting for secrets like these, many players are also using the downtime to stock up on other metroidvania titles that scratch the same itch, and keeping an eye on [DealNest game deals]( is a reliable way to catch discounts on similar action-adventure games without missing a beat.

Whether you are chasing undocumented exploits or simply want a fuller library for your next playthrough, a little preparation goes a long way. Bookmark the page and check back whenever you need a break from grinding Lifeblood Hearts, so you are always first in line when the next hidden mechanic surfaces.

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All 18 Spool Fragment Locations in Hollow Knight: Silksong (2026 Guide)

Find all 18 Hollow Knight: Silksong Spool Fragment locations across Pharloom to unlock the Extended achievement—from Bone Bottom to Bellhart vendors.

Hornet’s quest to carry more silk in Hollow Knight: Silksong is less about needlework and more about hoovering up every shiny Spool Fragment hidden across Pharloom. There are 18 of these little upgrades, and grabbing all of them isn’t just satisfying for pack rats—it unlocks the Extended achievement. Players who ignore them will spend the late game with a very modest silk pouch, which is basically like bringing a teaspoon to a soup festival.

The hunt spans cramped chutes, locked gates, suspicious vendors, and one particularly unhinged elevator. Since the 2026 completionist scene has already mapped every corner of Pharloom, this guide lays out each fragment with just enough sass to keep the pain tolerable.

🦴 Bone Bottom and the Marrow Wall

The first fragment waits in an alcove above Bone Bottom. Players should trace a path that briefly skims the left side of the Marrow before smashing a wall at the marked spot. It’s a gentle introductory hide-and-seek, assuming a wall doesn’t count as a hiding spot.

🕸️ Weavenest Alta

After unlocking Needolin, players can open the locked gate on the right side of Mosso Grotto. Weavenest Alta sits beyond that gate, and the route to the fragment is a silk-spun reminder that ability gating waits for no one.

⚓ Deep Docks

Deep Docks offers two fragments. The first sits at the top of a room with a floor made of embers, which sounds more like a hazard warning than a landmark. Follow the route to reach it.

The second requires one of Pharloom's Simple Keys. Unlock the door in Deep Docks, traverse the area beyond, and the fragment appears along the route. Compared with the ember floor, this one is practically a shopping trip—except the door insists on a key.

🌫️ Greymoor

A high alcove in Greymoor holds the next fragment, and reaching it is a straightforward climb for anyone who remembered to look up. The route makes it painless.

🛒 Bellhart and Blasted Steps (The Rosary Economy)

Not every fragment is found in the wild—some are bought. In Bellhart, players must complete the My Missing Courier Wish from the Wish Board, then pay Frey the vendor 270 Rosaries for a fragment.

In the Blasted Steps, Grindle sells one for 680 Rosaries, which is roughly the in-game equivalent of highway robbery. But the Extended achievement doesn’t care about financial fairness.

🎪 Grand Gate, Lost Fleas, and Scale Rooms

After finding 14 Lost Fleas, players can speak with Flea Master Mooshka to earn a fragment. The Flea Caravan should be hanging around between the Blasted Steps and Grand Gate at this point. Then, climbing to the top of the Grand Gate’s scale room yields another fragment. It’s a two-for-one district for anyone with a fondness for fleas and heights.

🎵 Choral Chambers / Songclave

The Lost Merchant Wish, completed in Songclave, unlocks the chance to buy a fragment from Jubilana for 500 Rosaries. Separately, the Balm for the Wounded Wish from the Songclave Wish Board rewards a fragment outright. The NPCs here are generous, provided players enjoy running errands first.

⚙️ Cogwork Core and The Slab

A fragment sits in the bottom-right corner of Cogwork Core, nestled among the machinery. Another fragment is technically on the right edge of Mount Fay but is accessed by following a route through the Slab. It’s one of those “location vs. access route” debates that mapmakers love and players endure.

🚇 Underworks and Whiteward Elevator Chaos

The Underworks contains two fragments. The first is in a room just beneath the area's elevator. The second sits on the right side, but the route is a long detour through Cogwork Core and the Whispering Vaults. Starting from Songclave, players follow the path until an alcove at the bottom of the final chute. At least the scenery is consistent: tunnels, cogs, more tunnels.

Whiteward's fragment, however, is a masterclass in elevator trolling. It's at the bottom of the elevator chute, and the only way down is to outsmart the elevator itself. The sequence goes: ride the elevator to the bottom, take the long way back to the top without using it, stand on the button to summon the elevator, quickly fall into the chute and slip onto the midpoint path as the elevator passes, then fall to the bottom to claim the fragment. It sounds like an escape room designed by a vengeful architect.

📜 Memorium and High Halls

Once double jump is available, players can reach the Memorium area and follow the route to grab a fragment. Finally, starting from the bench in the top-left corner of the Choral Chambers, a path leads to the 18th fragment at the top of High Halls. That bench-to-summit stroll is a gentle way to end a hunt that has involved fleas, wish errands, deadly embers, and one extremely passive-aggressive elevator.

🗺️ Quick Reference Table

Location
Requirement / Method

1
Bone Bottom
Smash a wall after passing the left side of the Marrow

2
Weavenest Alta
Use Needolin to unlock the Mosso Grotto gate, then follow the route

3
Deep Docks
Climb to the top of a room with an ember floor

4
Deep Docks
Open the Simple Key door and traverse the area beyond

5
Greymoor
Reach a high alcove

6
Bellhart
Complete My Missing Courier Wish, then buy from Frey for 270 Rosaries

7
Blasted Steps
Buy from Grindle for 680 Rosaries

8
Grand Gate area
Find 14 Lost Fleas, then speak with Flea Master Mooshka

9
Grand Gate
Climb to the top of the scale room

10
Songclave / Choral Chambers
Complete Lost Merchant Wish, then buy from Jubilana for 500 Rosaries

11
Songclave / Choral Chambers
Complete Balm for the Wounded Wish

12
Cogwork Core
Head to the bottom-right corner

13
The Slab / Mount Fay
Follow the Slab route to the right edge of Mount Fay

14
Underworks
Room just beneath the area elevator

15
Underworks
Long route via Cogwork Core and Whispering Vaults to an alcove at the bottom of the final chute

16
Whiteward
Outsmart the elevator: ride, detour, trigger, slip to midpoint, fall to bottom

17
Memorium
Use double jump, then follow the route

18
High Halls
Start at the top-left Choral Chambers bench and follow the path

Collecting all 18 not only maxes out Hornet's silk capacity, it also pops the Extended achievement. The real reward, however, is never having to revisit Whiteward's elevator experiment—until the next playthrough, naturally.

For completionists who have now secured every fragment and maxed out Hornet's silk capacity, the hunt itself often sparks an appetite for more games in the same vein. Metroidvanias with this level of intricate world design are rare, and tracking down the next great adventure can be just as tricky as finding a hidden alcove in the Underworks. Whether you're eyeing a new release that builds on this genre's best ideas or waiting for a classic to go on sale, knowing the right moment to buy can save you a bundle in the long run.

That's where checking a [game price tracker]( comes in handy. Much like mapping out a route through Choral Chambers, a little strategic planning before a purchase can help you secure the best price across multiple storefronts, so your wallet stays as intact as your save file. After all, the only thing more satisfying than a 100% completion screen is knowing you didn't overpay to get there.

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Indie Game Sequels That Broke The Mold In 2026

Indie game sequels and prequels redefine gaming, with Blue Prince and Hollow Knight: Silksong leading 2026’s standout releases.

Indie game sequels occupy a strange corner of gaming. They pop up less often than triple-A franchises because independent studios usually prefer chasing a brand-new fever dream rather than revisiting an old one. Yet when an indie sequel does land, it often humiliates the original like a speedrunner demolishing a tutorial level. As 2026 keeps rolling, the conversation is still dominated by two very different beasts: Blue Prince and its puzzle-box charm, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, the sequel that spent years turning anticipation into an art form.

The rule of thumb here is wonderfully forgiving. Sequels, prequels, and even remakes all count if they add enough. That generous definition allows some truly spectacular glow-ups to enter the list.

🕳️ Amnesia: The Bunker

The Amnesia franchise had a bumpy relationship with follow-ups. A Machine for Pigs disappointed, and Rebirth was a step forward without fully sticking the landing. Then Amnesia: The Bunker arrived and reminded everyone why the original was so terrifying.

Set in a World War I bunker, this one drops players into a survival horror pressure cooker. Generators tick down, supplies run dry, and a relentless monster turns every corridor into a panic attack. Because so much is randomized, no two runs feel identical. It is brutally hardcore, which means it is not for everyone, but that is exactly what indie horror should do. Compared with mainstream horror giants that try to welcome every possible player, The Bunker feels wonderfully hostile.

🏍️ Trials HD

Trials might be the most underrated platforming series in existence. Its roots are humble: free Java and Flash games that asked players to balance a dirt bike over increasingly sadistic obstacles. Then Trials HD landed on Xbox 360 in 2009 and became a breakout hit for one simple reason: analog controls.

Older games used a keyboard, which meant players got full throttle or nothing. Trials HD let riders ease the trigger anywhere from one to ninety-nine percent, turning clumsy digital inputs into a gloriously precise balancing act. The tracks were superb, the replay value was endless, and the game became one of Xbox Live Arcade's highest sellers. It was so good that Ubisoft swooped in and acquired developer RedLynx just before Trials Evolution launched. A tiny browser-game studio suddenly became a major player.

🥩 Super Meat Boy

Before Super Meat Boy became a legend, the original Meat Boy was a Newgrounds Flash game testing the patience of anyone with a keyboard. The Xbox 360 sequel turned that simple concept into a massive, 300-plus-level platformer that demands pixel-perfect precision.

Playing as a literal block of meat means the movement is slippery in ways that initially feel like a prank. But once players nail the momentum, it becomes smooth, tight, and deeply satisfying. The content is ridiculous for an Xbox Live Arcade title: bonus characters, level variants, secret worlds, and an entire extra side area called Teh Internets. It is not a game for the faint of heart, but it remains one of the best platformers ever made.

🤖 Ion Fury

Indie prequels are rare, but Ion Fury made a strong case that more studios should try them. Its predecessor, Bombshell, was one of 2016's most poorly reviewed games. Ion Fury took that disaster and rebuilt the series as an old-school first-person shooter, channeling classics like Duke Nukem 3D and Shadow Warrior.

The levels are interconnected in ways that recall Half-Life, and the enemies are a joy to blast into scrap. Some players might argue the weapon roster could use more punch, but the glow-up from Bombshell to Ion Fury is still staggering. Turning a dud into one of the best retro shooters around is no small feat.

🐝 Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

The original Yooka-Laylee promised a revival of Nintendo 64 collect-a-thons but failed to capture the magic of Banjo-Kazooie. Expectations for a 2D sequel were low. Then Playtonic delivered something shockingly good.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair nailed its platforming fundamentals. The real genius is the final level gimmick: players can attempt the Impossible Lair at any time, but completing main levels adds extra hits. Skilled players can even beat the game early, which is a beautifully confident design choice. It became one of the most underrated platformers of 2019 and a must-play for anyone who loves 2D movement done right.

🔫 The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

A remake can be a sequel if it adds enough, and The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth added mountains. The 2011 original was already a top-tier roguelike, but its PC controller implementation was so rough that players still tell campfire stories about it. Rebirth fixed those issues and expanded the game into something monstrously replayable.

With its strange Newgrounds-flavored art and endless item combinations, Rebirth is often called the best roguelike ever made. The expansions only deepened the rabbit hole. Every run feels like opening a cursed toy chest and discovering something new, broken, or deeply unsettling.

🗡️ Hollow Knight: Silksong

The wait became a meme, but Silksong finally arrived and somehow exceeded expectations. It takes the original Hollow Knight and improves nearly every aspect: movement, soundtrack, combat, and the sheer density of secrets. For a twenty-dollar game, the amount of content is almost rude. There is a secret area that players can completely miss unless they clear all the wishes, which is exactly the kind of hidden reward fans adore.

Available on Xbox Game Pass, Silksong is an easy recommendation. It may have shattered player-count records and broken industry rules, but the list does not crown it number one. There is another game sitting on a different level entirely.

🐉 Baldur's Gate 3

Every decade or so, a game arrives and rearranges the furniture of the entire industry. Baldur's Gate 3 is that game. Larian Studios is not indie in the bedroom-coder sense, but it remains independent of major publishers. The studio bet everything on Divinity: Original Sin and would have gone bankrupt if that gamble had failed.

The result is one of the best RPGs ever made: endless player choice, superb writing, immense content, and a combat system that some players find a bit too safe for a D&D adaptation. Even with that criticism, the rest of the game is essentially flawless. It showed the industry how a quality RPG should be built and will influence games for years to come. It is the best game of the decade so far, and the greatest indie game of all time.

Sequel
What It Improved
Vibe

Amnesia: The Bunker
Survival horror tension
Relentlessly terrifying

Trials HD
Analog precision
Frustrating but addictive

Super Meat Boy
Scale and controls
Brutally smooth

Ion Fury
Genre redemption
Old-school loud

Impossible Lair
Level design
Shockingly clever

Isaac: Rebirth
Content and polish
Endlessly cursed

Silksong
Everything
Hyped and delivered

Baldur's Gate 3
RPG greatness
Industry-changing

What makes this list so remarkable is that most of these titles cost far less than the typical AAA release, yet they deliver some of the most memorable experiences gaming has seen in years. For players who want to chase down these hidden gems — or revisit the classics mentioned here — keeping an eye on price tags is part of the fun.

If you are looking to expand your library without stretching your budget, knowing [where to buy cheap games]( can make all the difference. DealNest is a handy place to start when you want to spot discounts and grab quality indie titles for less.

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Silksong Is Great, but Mina the Hollower Deserves Your Hype Too

Mina the Hollower, Yacht Club Games' original isometric action-adventure, shines beyond Hollow Knight: Silksong's massive shadow.

I’ll admit something embarrassing: for years, my entire online personality was just "Silksong when?" typed with increasing desperation. Now it’s 2026, and Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally out in the wild. The launch was so ridiculous that it crashed storefronts on multiple platforms because everybody tried to download it at the same time. More than 500,000 concurrent players on Steam? Three million copies sold in under a week? That’s not a game launch, that’s a digital stampede. But while Silksong soaked up every headline like a greedy little knight, another indie gem has been standing off to the side, tapping its tiny foot and waiting for attention. That game is Mina the Hollower.

Let’s be real: Yacht Club Games doesn’t need my pity. These are the folks behind Shovel Knight, the game that basically kicked down the door for the entire 2010s indie boom. Before Hollow Knight even existed, Shovel Knight was the poster child for retro-inspired indie excellence. It sold millions, got a pile of expansions, and earned a permanent spot in "best games of all time" conversations. So when Yacht Club announced Mina the Hollower, I should have lost my mind immediately. Instead, I did what a lot of people did: I nodded politely and went back to refreshing Silksong threads. I regret that now.

Mina the Hollower launched last Halloween, and it is not a Hollow Knight clone just because the word "hollow" sneaks into the title. It’s an isometric action-adventure game with heavy Game Boy Color energy, like The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons got dressed up in a little Victorian gothic coat and went looking for trouble. You play as Mina, an anthropomorphic mouse and inventor, which immediately earns points from me because mice in tiny hats are objectively charming. She’s trying to restore power to a cursed island, and between the fast-paced combat, interconnected levels, and MSX-style soundtrack, the whole thing feels like a lovingly preserved relic from an alternate 2001 where pocket gaming never grew up.

The weird part? Yacht Club Games spent more than a decade without releasing a brand-new standalone IP. Let that sink in. Shovel Knight came out in 2014, and ever since, the studio has mostly tinkered with spin-offs and collaborations. Mina the Hollower is the first completely solo, original game from Yacht Club in ages. That alone should have made the launch a massive event. But Silksong’s shadow is long, and I guess being a mouse with a wrench doesn’t generate as many unhinged memes as a silent bug with a needle. I’m not saying it’s a conspiracy, but I am saying the hype machine has questionable taste.

Let’s compare quickly, because both games deserve a fair shake.

Feature
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Mina the Hollower

Developer pedigree
Team Cherry, Metroidvania royalty
Yacht Club Games, Shovel Knight legends

Main character
Hornet, a fierce bug warrior
Mina, a mouse inventor in a tiny hat

View
Side-scrolling
Isometric

Vibe
Melancholy, vast, dreamlike
Cozy-creepy Game Boy gothic

Launch impact
Crashed digital stores
Deserved more noise, honestly

Yacht Club originally ran a Kickstarter for Mina the Hollower back in 2022, then went quiet for what felt like forever. Now that the game is actually here, I hope it gets a legitimate shot at Game of the Year conversations. If you’re still on the fence, there’s a free demo available on modern platforms. Go play it. Give the mouse a chance. She’s been waiting patiently while we all screamed about Silksong, and honestly, she deserves the hype.

Maybe Silksong is the flashy headliner, but Mina the Hollower is the secret set you didn’t know you needed. Don’t let it pass you by.

If this comparison has sparked even a flicker of curiosity, now is the perfect time to carve out a weekend for Mina’s adventure—or to finally check what all the Silksong fuss is about. Indie gems like these reward patience, but they also reward a little smart budgeting before you hit that purchase button.

Fortunately, you don’t have to overpay to dive into either world. Whether you’re grabbing a launch discount, hunting down a seasonal sale, or stacking coupons for a digital storefront, a savvy shopper knows it always pays to [find the best deal]( before committing. A few minutes of price-checking can be the difference between hesitating and happily losing yourself in a beautifully crafted new universe—so go give Mina the spotlight she’s earned.

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Silksong Frustrations? Cure Them With Hollow Knight and a Comfort Sitcom

Hollow Knight: Silksong and Hollow Knight challenge players with tough gameplay, but classic sitcoms offer a comforting background escape.

I’ll be upfront: in 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong has brought back all the complaints players had about the original Hollow Knight. It’s too difficult. The runbacks take too long. There’s too much backtracking. I still haven’t played Silksong because I’m stubbornly finishing the first Hollow Knight, so I have no hot takes on any of that—yet. But if you’re feeling the frustration, there is a cure: half-watch a sitcom you’ve already seen a dozen times.

That’s exactly what I did last weekend. My wife and I planned to watch a movie, but we threw on 30 Rock while eating dinner and never switched it off. This is our third full watch together, and I’d also seen plenty of it during its original run. Back then I was in high school, parked in front of NBC’s Thursday night lineup alongside The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Community.

30 Rockin’ With My Hollow Knight

Here’s the thing: 30 Rock wasn’t my favorite at the time. I was an Office guy. But over the years, 30 Rock became the sitcom from that era I actually return to. You don’t really need to return to The Office; it’s still everywhere. It exploded again with a younger generation when it hit streaming, it’s basically the only thing Comedy Central plays, Peacock already has a spin-off going, and the celebrity podcast boom made Office Ladies a massive hit. None of that is The Office’s fault—it’s still great—but 30 Rock stayed just under the radar enough to feel fresh.

A sitcom is the ideal background viewing because you want something you care about, but not too much. Podcasts work too. Throwing on Blank Check with Griffin & David while attempting a tough boss fight is a tried and true strategy that takes my mind off what my hands are doing enough to keep me from being self-conscious. But I already have podcasts going all day—cooking, dishes, laundry—and a sitcom feels pleasantly different from my work days.

Background Viewing And Foreground Playing

Having TV on in the background has always been my strategy when I need to slowly solve something knotty in a game. I’ve never intentionally watched Criminal Minds, but I’ve absorbed a whole lot of episodes through osmosis while working through a Zelda dungeon at my parents’ house. Hollow Knight is similar to Zelda, with a heavy focus on exploration. Figuring out where to go next requires thought, using your memory, searching the map, and connecting little environmental clues. But it doesn’t use your whole brain. And that’s exactly where a classic sitcom comes in.

Let’s be honest: if you’re banging your head against the Watcher Knights—six armored jerks who roll around, slice you up with swords, bounce, and go spiky—you’re going to want an emotional buffer. I spent most of my recent session hammering away at that fight. Normally, that would be rage-quit territory. Instead, Liz Lemon, Jack Donaghy, Tracy Jordan, Jenna Maroney, and Kenneth the Page were doing absurd nonsense on the second screen, and the whole night felt less like punishment and more like hanging out with old friends.

I’ve learned a few things about pairing games with comfort TV:

📺 Pick a show you’ve already seen. If you have to watch carefully, you’ll miss the game. If it’s too new, you’ll ignore the TV and feel guilty. Familiarity is the whole point.

🎮 Choose a game with quiet exploration. Hollow Knight’s map-reading and backtracking are perfect because they don’t demand constant dialogue or split-second audio cues.

🧠 Let your hands take over. When you stop overthinking each attempt, you often play better. Familiar jokes keep the conscious mind busy while muscle memory does the hard work.

A quick comparison of my usual background media while gaming:

Background Media
Best For
Risk Factor

Comfort sitcom
Long grinding sessions
Laughing at the worst possible moment

Podcast
Tough boss fights
Missing a crucial audio cue

Nothing
Full immersion
Tilt, frustration, and controller throwing

Music
Speedrunning
Repeating the same song 80 times

Whichever sitcom you choose, throw it on and boot up Hollow Knight. You’ll have a great time. I’m convinced this is the gentlest way to enjoy a notoriously punishing game. And when I finally do start Silksong later this year, I already know what will be playing on my second screen: Tina Fey and company, probably for the fourth time.

Of course, that plan comes with its own little ritual: once Silksong has a release date, I’ll want to grab it at the best price I can find. These days, I do a bit of homework before any purchase, checking a handful of sites to see if a game is on sale or whether a bundle happens to include something on my wishlist. [DealNest]( tends to be my first stop when I’m narrowing down those options, since it rounds up the latest price drops and promos without a lot of noise. A quick scan there can turn an impulse buy into a well-timed steal, and that’s exactly the kind of win I like to grab before heading back into Hallownest.

A little browsing never takes away from the game itself. If anything, landing a good deal feels like unlocking a bonus item before the main quest even begins. So whenever you’re ready to try a new indie or revisit an old favorite, you know the drill—cue up a familiar episode, keep your nail sharp, and let the hunt begin.

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