The long-awaited sequel to 2017’s indie hit Hollow Knight has arrived to broad praise, with critics calling Hollow Knight: Silksong a rare improvement on its predecessor after an eight-year wait. Released as a surprise a few weeks ago, the game was developed by a very small team and is available on PlayStation, Xbox, PC and Nintendo Switch, priced at £16.75 and included with Xbox Game Pass.
Reviewers highlighted the game’s craftsmanship, saying the years spent on development are evident in a product described as elegant, deep and fun. Players assume the role of Hornet, armed with a needle, who has fallen into Pharloom, a decaying subterranean kingdom she must climb out of. The sequel preserves the challenging platforming and boss encounters that defined the original while addressing aspects of navigation and flow that some players found rough in Hollow Knight.
Silksong’s difficulty remains substantial: the game demands precise platforming and punishing boss fights that will send players back repeatedly. Critics noted, however, that the difficulty is not unfair. Hornet is equipped with a growing suite of skills and tools that offer multiple approaches to obstacles and encounters, encouraging experimentation rather than rote repetition. The game also drew praise for its atmosphere, animation and music, with reviewers calling Pharloom both gloomy and breathtakingly beautiful.
The original Hollow Knight, released in 2017, was a breakout indie success and one of the best-selling indie games of its era. Silksong’s arrival was notable not only for its quality but for the small scale of its production, reportedly completed by a core team of three people, underscoring the scope of the achievement.
By contrast, Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots, the latest entry in a long-running sports franchise, takes a more conservative path. Released for PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC at £44.99, the game is the first full instalment since a 2019 VR version and the first developed by Japanese studio Hyde. The series is known for a straightforward, three-step swing mechanic—start power, set power, set accuracy—and Hot Shots retains that familiar control scheme.
Reviewers described Hot Shots as competent but cautious. It preserves the series’ cutesy anime visual style and arcade-leaning special shots—one example being a homing drive when timing is precise—but introduces few fundamental changes to the core gameplay. Hyde has added a range of modes, including a story mode that intersperses cutscenes between holes, yet critics wrote that the different modes still revolve around the same underlying mechanics.
Both releases illustrate different approaches to contemporary game design. Silksong demonstrates how an extended development period and tight, focused design can yield a sequel that refines and expands on its predecessor while maintaining a demanding but fair challenge. Hot Shots shows the risks and limitations of handing a long-running franchise to a new developer: fidelity to an established formula can preserve what fans expect, but it may also limit opportunities for reinvention.
Industry observers noted the broader context in which both titles landed. The indie scene continues to deliver surprises and critical darlings, while established series face pressure to innovate to attract new players without alienating longtime fans. For many players, Silksong’s surprise release and its critical reception may serve as a reminder of the creative potential of small teams; Hot Shots’ cautious evolution may appeal to those seeking a familiar, approachable golf experience rather than a radical reimagining.
Early reactions suggest Silksong will be discussed alongside other landmark indie titles for its design precision and atmospheric world-building, while Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots will likely be judged by players according to how much novelty they expect from the series’ next chapter.