As the sequel to one of the most-beloved modern Metroidvania titles, it's safe to say that Hollow Knight: Silksong has a lot riding on its shoulders. Hollow Knight: Silksong began as a more modest DLC expansion to Hollow Knight but was then transformed into a full-fledged sequel once Team Cherry realized it could expand the scope and scale of the project. Among the things that are likely to be carried over from its predecessor, it's difficult to imagine that the developer wouldn't incorporate a similar combat upgrade system. Particularly, the equippable charms from Hollow Knight need to make a return in the sequel.
The charm mechanic implemented in Hollow Knight gave players the capability to completely transform their play style and approach to combat on the fly, adding an extra layer of depth to what was already an impressively complex combat system. With players assuming the role of Hornet in Hollow Knight: Silksong, the inclusion of charms as well as an expansion of the number of charms available for players to discover will be a must-have feature for Team Cherry to carry over from the original Hollow Knight. Without them, combat would feel hollow.
Silksong Should Include More Charms For Players to Discover Than Hollow Knight
There are 45 charms for players to collect in Hollow Knight. After initially only being able to equip 3 charms, players can eventually unlock the capacity for having 11 charms active at any given time, making them an essential component of the game's action. The combinations and synergies between charms can completely transform Hollow Knight's Soulslike-esque combat and provide what amounts to different "builds" for players to craft. Sure, 45 charms is a lot, but Silksong could and should include more.
Silksong will see players assuming the role of Hornet, one of the best boss battles from the original Hollow Knight. The fights against Hornet in the original game showcase just how much of a threat she is on the battlefield, as well as establishing that she's a much different type of fighter than the Knight. Hornet's speed and silk powers could give way to an entirely new slate of charms alongside returning charm archetypes from the first game. Providing players with not only more charms but also allowing for further expansion of available slots in Silksong would be a welcome addition to the game's meta.
Other Metroidvanias Have Used a Similar Charm System to Great Effect
Perhaps one of the stronger arguments to be made in favor of the charm system returning and being expanded upon in Silksong is that other Metroidvania titles that have released since Hollow Knight have implemented a similar system in their gameplay to great effect. One of the primary titles that comes to mind is Ghost Song, which included a similar system to Hollow Knight with the use of mods. The protagonist of Ghost Song has a suit that can be equipped with mods that significantly transform how one can approach combat based on their combination, and the number that can be equipped is predicated upon the suit's power level.
Ghost Song also carefully tucked away the mods that players were able to discover behind careful exploration of the game's world, giving incentivization to wander off the beaten path. The developers at Team Cherry established its talents in creative world design with Hollow Knight, and the preview footage for Hollow Knight: Silksong drip-fed to fans over the last several years has showcased what look to be incredible biomes for Hornet to explore. By incorporating the charm system and providing more reasons for players to get lost in Hollow Knight: Silksong's world attempting to find them, Team Cherry will be taking one of the best parts of Silksong's predecessor and making it even better.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
