Hollow Knight: Silksong – A Complete Beginner’s Guide

Silksong is a difficult game, so a beginner’s guide would be helpful. I don’t think that’s debatable: for some, its difficulty is a welcome challenge, for others, a dreadful chore, but either way, it’s a truly difficult game. Hornet’s journey through Pharlum begins harshly and only becomes more merciless as time goes on, and for many, the brutality of this experience becomes an insurmountable barrier.

That’s a shame! Hollow Knight: Silksong is a gorgeous game with stunning graphics, fun characters, exciting boss battles, and so much more. As someone who started playing it right from the start, I didn’t have much help getting through the tough parts. So here I’ll cover everything a newbie needs to know before picking up a needle for the first time—after all, the fact that Silksong is available on Game Pass means plenty of people will be giving it a try over the holidays. No, it’s never going to be easy, but I can at least smooth things out for you…

Basics

The Final Act

Did you know that Silksong’s third act is not only optional but also actively difficult to achieve? If you don’t meet certain conditions, the game will end after the second act, and you’ll miss out on a full third of the content!

Like any Metroidvania, half the danger in Pharloom isn’t so much bug attacks as it is simply getting lost. More than once, I found myself trapped in a maze of twisting tunnels, wandering in circles as traps and smaller enemies slowly chipped away at my health, leaving no way to escape. The full Silksong map will greatly help mitigate this problem, so even if you haven’t unlocked it in-game yet, you’ll have a reference point for understanding your location.

Now that you know where to go, you need to figure out what to do! Our general Silksong tips page covers all the gameplay nuances that typically require multiple restarts, but we also have clear ideas about where to go first so you know the best course of action when exploring the initial tunnels.

Some early challenges you’ll face:

• Mossberries : These collectibles are used to get an early buff from a Potion Master ally, but you’ll need to find several.
• Bell Beast : An important early boss that unlocks fast travel when defeated.
• Fleas : They’re part of a larger side quest that runs throughout the game. Finding a few fleas and returning them to their family will reward you with a unique reward!

Hawkers and Spinal Cores : At some point, you’ll find yourself trapped until you complete this strange side quest. But what exactly is a hawker, and how do you harvest its spinal cores?

Key abilities and powers

Of course, you’ll be limited to one corner of this vast map until you start gaining new powers that allow you to explore it. A full list of abilities in Silksong and where to find them is outlined here, but below you’ll find specific guides for some of the most important ones:

• Jump-bounce
• Wall jump
• Double jump

But beyond that, you’ll also need to become the best version of yourself. Needle Upgrades and Pale Oil are essential for increasing your base damage, while Mask Shards increase your maximum health and keep you from dying in just a few hits.

And, of course, you don’t want to be a poor bug. Silksong has two types of currency, both of which are needed at different times and for different purposes. Shell Shards are used for specific building projects, quests, and as ammunition for tools. Meanwhile, Prayer Beads are used to purchase items, upgrades, checkpoints, and much more throughout the game, serving as a universal currency. For this reason, our guide to farming Prayer Beads in Silksong will ensure you never run out of money.

Where to go (and how to get there)

Once you get the hang of the game, you’ll have plenty of places to explore, and much of the map itself is optional! Here are a few key locations, both required and optional, and what you need to know about them.

Test your skills while exploring:

• Hunter’s March: This deadly, red ant-infested early region is technically optional, but it offers some very good loot that’s worth the terror of exploring, including a new moveset that’s incredibly easy to use.
• Bellhart: A small bug town cursed upon first encounter. Bellhart’s liberation transforms it into a vital hub.
• Apostate’s Slab and Key: You can be kidnapped and forcibly brought to this prison zone, after which you’ll have to stage an escape! There are also serious rewards if you can find the Apostate’s Key, which opens certain cells.
• Scorched Steps: This platforming zone forces you to ascend to the final boss, navigating armored enemies and terrifying desert winds. Unfortunately, this region is mandatory—passing the Steps is what brings you to the end of Act I.
• Gallbladder: One of the harshest locations in the game, with players constantly struggling and failing to find a map of the area.
• The Fog: A shadowy world where space loses meaning and the map fails you. This area is actually a puzzle you must solve to escape alive.

Bosses

Silksong is all about bosses, and there are nearly 50 of them in total. While I won’t help you with all of them, here are six of the biggest early challenges you’ll likely want help with in the game’s first act.

Silksong Moorwing
Silksong Skull Ant boss
Silksong Savage Beastfly
Silksong Sister Splinter

Silksong Widow
Silksong Last Judge

The game also offers numerous other challenges, from small mini-bosses to epic battles that determine the fate of entire regions. The key is to never give up. Every defeat is a lesson in recognizing attack patterns and identifying your opponent’s vulnerabilities. Use all the tools, upgrades, and traps at your disposal to gain an advantage.

Journeying through Pharlum is a test of fortitude, wit, and perseverance. I hope these tips will help you navigate it with less wear and tear and discover the beauty hidden beneath the apparent brutality of Hollow Knight: Silksong . Good luck, wanderer. Your adventure is just beginning.