PHILADELPHIA — Tragedy struck a local gamer this weekend after the location of an obvious wall jump spot had completely faded from memory hours if not days before the wall jump ability was unlocked, sources say.
“It was like saying goodbye to a friend you know you’re not going to see for a while,” said Brooklyn Summers, who picked up the recent Hollow Knight: Silksong under the false impression it wasn’t as BS as other Soulslikes. “I was having a fun time exploring with the bug lady when I came across this sheer vertical wall with a platform way up at the top. Now, I played the first Hollow Knight two presidencies and one transition ago; I know a wall jump spot when I see one. I figure I’ll remember where it is on the backtrack, so I just go back to playing. Cut to nine hours later, I’m balls deep in Hunter’s March with six rosaries to my name and a bench that’s trying to kill me, and the last thing on my mind is a piece of wall in an area I cheaped out buying the map for ages ago. Where is the map lady? Is she even in Pharloom anymore?”
Hampered by a steeper difficulty curve, other players expressed similar frustrations when it came to the game’s opaque sense of progression.
“It’s a lot to juggle,” said Neil Rossum, a 16 year-old gamer who never played the original Hollow Knight on account of it releasing half his life ago. “First, there’s the tighter in-game economy to wrap your head around. I’m talking benches that cost 30 rosaries. I’m talking benches that cost 60 rosaries. I’m talking benches that cost 80 rosaries and a platforming puzzle just so you can have a hard surface to plant your stick bug ass. And that’s to say nothing of the situational awareness Silksong requires you maintain at all times. The tricky platforming, the ambushes, the traps— you need to be paying attention. Every second you spend soaking up the atmosphere and admiring the beautiful art is a second you could have spent hitting every random wall that looks halfway crumbly like you’re a blind truffle pig with a nose for rosaries. So, forgive me if I don’t remember every wall jump, running jump, dash jump, wind current, floaty ring, padlocked door, and spider door location I pass. I’m just trying to survive, baby. This game is the next two months of my life and I couldn’t be happier.”
Though the game received overwhelmingly positive reviews from most outlets, Silksong’s developer Team Cherry took to social media to address some of the community’s sticking points.
“As developers, it’s important we listen to player feedback and ensure no one gets left behind— after all, this community is our family. And right now, our family is being little bitches,” said Team Cherry, who were quick to remind players they are not a multimillion-dollar video game company but rather three dudes in Australia who got their wish granted by a genie. “What, you want to not have to choose between buying map markers and a down payment on your house? You want a pogo jump that doesn’t send you flying into spikes at the speed of light? You want less gank fights in bigger arenas with shorter run-backs? Get your shit together, guys. Sinner’s Road is just ahead and the Bilewater bench costs 90 rosaries.”
“Don’t get us wrong, we’re thrilled with the reception our game has gotten,” continued the developers. “Sure, we may have over-tuned some stuff, and sure, the fact that we’ve been playing this game for the last eight years may mean our perception of what constitutes a reasonable challenge is divorced from reality, but frustration is a choice you make for yourself. The tools are all there for players to carve their own path through Pharloom. Invest in prayer beads. Change your crest to make jumps easier. Separate groups of enemies with the R3 aggro mechanic we forgot to explain or even hint at. Any way players can make the game easier is something we support— even if it does mean you’re less of a gamer for beating Sister Splinter post-patch.”
At press time, Summers had finally unlocked the Cling Grip ability and was looking forward to backtracking in some of the game’s easier areas, searching for fleas, and curb stomping whatever pushover early game boss is waiting at the end of the Chapel of the Beast.
