I still remember the strange mix of excitement and frustration that hung over the first 48 hours of Hollow Knight: Silksong. The sequel launched at 10am EDT on September 4, 2025, without pre-orders, and the resulting surge crashed every major storefront for a few hours. That chaos made history, but once the dust settled, players—myself included—started comparing notes. Is it fair to judge a game by its first two days? Maybe not, but those hours revealed the pressure points that would dominate early discussion. Now, looking back from 2026, I can see that the complaints were real, even if they never ruined the overall experience.

The Rosary Economy Feels Like a Toll Booth

What hit me first was the economy. Rosaries—Silksong’s currency—felt less like a reward and more like a toll. Tools, maps, items, and even benches demanded payment, and the prices added up fast. I quickly understood why so many players said farming rosaries was basically a requirement from the get-go. The bigger problem? Many enemies do not drop rosaries, and exploration rewards often feel minimal. Even the most well-hidden rooms frequently contain little in the way of valuables. That combination can turn curiosity into a chore. Why should a secret room feel like a wasted trip? In a metroidvania, discovery is supposed to be its own reward, but Silksong often asks for a down payment on that pleasure.

Benches, Checkpoints, and the ‘Anti-Homeless’ Joke

Benches became the lightning rod. The cost of unlocking checkpoints invited especially high scrutiny, and some fans started calling them

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