Do I need to play Hollow Knight before Silksong?

With the game launching on Xbox Game Pass, it's the perfect opportunity to give it a go if you haven't already, of if you wish to revisit it.

But, if you're wondering if playing Hollow Knight first in necessary to enjoy Silksong, read on for what you need to know.

Do I need to play Hollow Knight before Silksong?

To put it simply, you don't need to play Hollow Knight before Silksong, but you should play Hollow Knight before Silksong.

Silksong is a direct sequel to Hollow Knight. Though it introduces a brand-new protagonist, Hornet, as the central character, the gameplay will likely be easier to get to grips with if you've already played the original.

Worry not, however, as the game will feature tutorial elements to help new players familiarise themselves with all the jumping and swinging.

So, should you want to skip Hollow Knight, you certainly can.

On the other hand, the main reason why you should play Hollow Knight before Silksong is that Hollow Knight's world is full of rich lore.

In fact, Hornet, the protagonist of Silksong, is initially introduced in Hollow Knight as a side character with a fairly significant role in the story.

As such, not only will playing the original provide you with a more comprehensive understanding of the world and its lore, it will also give you a better appreciation of Hornet as a character and her role in that world.

So, there are really two questions at play here.

Do you need to play Hollow Knight before Silksong? No, you can start with Silksong without any trouble.

Should you play Hollow Knight before Silksong? Absolutely! If you can avoid the FOMO of not playing Silksong on launch, you will likely enjoy it far more with the context you gain from playing the original first.

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