Silksong’s Early Grievances: Benches, Rosaries, and Boss Runbacks
Hollow Knight: Silksong's rosary economy, paid benches, weak boss rewards, and harsh platforming fueled early complaints despite lasting appeal.
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 ‘anti-homeless benches,’ a dark joke about city benches designed to stop people from lying on them. I laughed at the phrase, then winced because it captured the feeling so well. Bench placement also frustrated players. Boss runbacks were boring at best and frustrating at worst, especially when a difficult fight sat far from a safe spot. Is a long walk back really the best way to build tension? For many of us, it just drained momentum.
Bosses, Rewards, and the Metroidvania Loop
The bosses themselves drew criticism for offering minimal rewards. That complaint cuts deeper than it might seem. Classic metroidvania design tends to reward hard-fought victories with useful skills and tools, creating a steady loop of challenge and payoff. When a boss gives little more than a pat on the back, the loop feels broken. I do not need every fight to hand me a new toy, but I do want a reason to feel stronger after a win. Other grievances included a lack of quest variety and useful rewards like tools and crests being locked behind excessive fetch quests. Those are not minor details; they shape how the adventure breathes.
Platforming, Double Damage, and the Difficulty Spike
Then there is the platforming. Silksong’s diagonal pogo is a clever move, but many segments rely on pulling it off in quick succession. When it clicks, it feels brilliant. When it does not, it feels like the game is testing my patience rather than my skill. I also noticed the abundance of enemies doing double damage, something that was a rarity in the original Hollow Knight. Combine that with difficult fights and no nearby benches or checkpoints, and the difficulty can feel less like a curve and more like a wall.
The Grievance Checklist
Grievance
What players said
My take
High bench costs
Checkpoints felt expensive to unlock
It makes safety feel like a luxury item
Minimal exploration rewards
Hidden rooms often lacked valuables
Discovery should not feel like a wasted trip
Weak boss rewards
Victories rarely delivered useful tools
The challenge-payoff loop needs more bite
Diagonal pogo platforming
Too many segments required rapid precision
Brilliant when it works, exhausting when it does not
Double-damage enemies
Common foes hit much harder than expected
The difficulty spike can feel like a wall
Fetch quest locks
Tools and crests sat behind long quest chains
Good rewards should not feel buried
The Overall Verdict
Here is the twist: none of this seems to have significantly damaged the game’s reputation. At the time of that early discussion, Silksong held over 31,000 ‘Very Positive’ user reviews on Steam, along with 4.85- and 4.4-star ratings on the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store, respectively. Many fans discussing the game online said they were enjoying it overall, and I understand why. The movement is sharp, the world is gorgeous, and Hornet is a joy to control. The grievances are real, but they read like friction points rather than fatal flaws.
Would I call Silksong a disappointment? No. Would I call its early economy and bench placement baffling? Absolutely. In 2026, I see those first 48 hours as a lesson in how strong core design can survive rough edges—and how quickly a community can turn a frustrating bench into a running joke. The conversation around Silksong is still evolving, but the early gripes remain a useful map of where the game pushes back hardest.
For anyone curious about Silksong but still weighing the cost against those friction points, timing the purchase can matter as much as reading reviews. Watching for a price drop or a bundle can make the decision easier, especially if you want to try the game without paying full price on a whim.
That is where [steam deal finder]( from DealNest can help: it keeps an eye on current offers so you can decide when the value feels right for you.
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