There are few, if any, more highly anticipated indie games currently in development than Hollow Knight: Silksong. Many are hoping that 2024 could be the year that the game gets a firm release date at the very least, but it remains to be seen if this comes to fruition. When Hollow Knight: Silksong does eventually arrive, Team Cherry should look to build on its already rock-solid foundations by introducing two-stage boss fights, perhaps in the spirit of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice's infamous Guardian Ape encounter.
With the hype surrounding FromSoftware's Elden Ring over the last few years, it's easy to forget that the Japanese developer created another original IP which went on to win Game of the Year in 2019. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice kept many of the traditional Soulslike mechanics, but significantly changed others, creating a fresh, memorable experience that some feel is even more challenging than anything else in the developer's library. As is normally the case with FromSoftware, boss fights are a particular highlight of Sekiro, and are both memorable and challenging in equal measure. The imposing Guardian Ape, a compulsory encounter found during the mid-point of the game, is the perfect blueprint for a multi-stage boss encounter.
How Hollow Knight: Silksong is Doubling Down on an Old Promise
With rumors that Hollow Knight: Silksong will be released soon, now is the perfect time to look back on how Team Cherry is fulfilling its promises.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Could Borrow From Sekiro's Bosses
Hollow Knight is often held up as a shining example of how to nail the Metroidvania formula. Gorgeous artwork and design are complemented by razor-sharp gameplay, a huge world to explore, and thrilling boss fights. Borrowing key elements from the Souls series, such as checkpoints that respawn enemies, losing all currency upon death with only one chance to retrieve it, and punishing combat encounters, Hollow Knight manages to merge Metroidvania and Soulslike elements beautifully. Silksong will no doubt be looking to raise the bar in all areas, and boss encounters could provide Team Cherry with an easy way to do this.
While many of Hollow Knight 's bosses have multiple phases, these are usually triggered by draining their health bar by a certain amount, rather than a second, fresh phase beginning once the health bar is depleted entirely.
FromSoftware has shown over the years that two, or even three-stage boss fights, each with a fresh health bar, can prove to be among the most challenging and rewarding encounters if done right. There are many examples of these encounters being done wrong, but bosses like Dark Souls 3's Sister Friede and Sekiro's Guardian Ape are great advocates for this format.
Sekiro's Guardian Ape is a Rewarding Challenge
Sekiro's Guardian Ape boss fight presents a huge challenge for the player. Phase one sees the Ape using its immense size and reach to wildly swing at the player, as well as throw projectiles and regularly smash the ground, dealing devastating damage if it connects. After seemingly killing the Ape by chopping its head off, it then rises for a surprise second phase, picking up its own head and using a huge sword with its other hand. The second phase is equally dangerous, with each hit from the sword doing massive damage, and the Ape will also let out a huge wail every so often, which can also severely damage the player. It's an exhilarating fight, and a great spectacle showcasing what the game still has to offer in the latter half.
Hollow Knight features some incredibly challenging bosses that push the player's skills to their limits, and there's no doubt that the sequel will feature many of its own monstrosities. For such a small development team (only three people), Team Cherry displayed immense talent when creating Hollow Knight's world, so nobody should be surprised if Silksong follows suit when it eventually emerges. Should the game draw from some of FromSoftware's formidable arsenal of multi-phase boss fights for inspiration, it could do much worse than looking to Sekiro's Guardian Ape.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Franchise
- Hollow Knight
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series S , Xbox Series X , PC , macOS , Linux
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Publisher(s)
- Team Cherry
- Genre(s)
- Metroidvania
