Kinda Funny Gamescast: Hollow Knight Silksong Review (So Far)
Date: September 8, 2025
Host: Tim Gettys
Panel: Andy Cortez, Barrett Courtney, Greg Miller
Overview
In this much-anticipated episode, the Kinda Funny crew dives deep into their early impressions of Hollow Knight: Silksong, one of the most hyped sequels in recent memory. Each host shares their unique experience with the game, their playtime, what surprises them, what frustrates them, and whether Silksong lives up to seismic fan expectations. With perspectives from hardcore fans (Andy), converts (Barrett), skeptics turned believers (Greg), and new players experiencing the franchise’s signature challenge, this is a wide-ranging and passionate review-in-progress.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. How Much Has Everyone Played? [04:53]
- Andy Cortez: ~32 hours; Hollow Knight superfan, only panelist to beat the original.
- Barrett Courtney: 39 hours; nearly 40 due to needing a "bed game," newbie to the original, a Nine Sols convert.
- Greg Miller: 10 hours (~12 on Xbox app), a big surprise addition as someone not drawn to tough metroidvanias.
- Tim Gettys: 13 hours; multiple starts with Hollow Knight 1, but Silksong is clicking more quickly.
2. Does Silksong Live Up to Expectations?
Andy Cortez’s Perspective [05:55]
- "1 million percent. It has surpassed all of the expectations, which is so tough to do." [05:55]
- Andy loves the imaginative boss fights, “weird little dudes,” and the surprising new mechanics—specifically the shift from the charm system to customizable combat loadouts.
- Community engagement noted: players passionately discuss which "charms" and tactics they’re using.
- “It’s just a great time so far with some completely different mechanics that I wasn't expecting.” [06:51]
3. Difficulty and Accessibility
Barrett’s Experience [07:48–10:28]
- Barrett crashed into a brick wall—a nine-hour boss fight!
- “This game’s tough… I’ve bashed my head against a wall for the last nine hours.” [08:03]
- Even post-Nine Sols, Silksong feels punishing, but Barrett is obsessed with discovering every secret and story moment.
- He draws strong parallels between Silksong and Souls games—not just in difficulty, but in subtle world-building and environmental storytelling.
4. Greg Miller’s Silksong Revelation
[10:37–15:58]
- Greg’s entry point was his sick son Ben wanting to watch Andy’s stream:
- “Ben was like, ‘Can we play this game?’… I busted out the ROG [Ally], downloaded it, and passed it to him.” [11:05]
- The storybook-like reading of dialogue to Ben transformed character interactions into “really endearing” moments.
- Silksong scratched a "player-driven exploration itch" for Greg, contrasting it with linear AAA titles.
- “I am living for this game right now, Tim. I really, really love this!” [14:44]
- For Greg, the satisfaction comes from persistent progress and fighting bosses with his son watching.
5. Progression, Structure, & Pacing
The opening hours are friendlier and more guided than Hollow Knight 1:
- Tim Gettys: “For Hollow Knight… it is a dream game for me… But [the first] always felt aimless. This one… I feel like I always know where I’m supposed to go. Hornet feels way more kitted-out.” [16:36]
- "I love the locomotion of this game," Tim notes, with swift dashing, fast movement, and a general sense of constant progress.
- The traditional punishing “run-backs” after death are still an issue for Tim, but early abilities keep the action flowing.
6. Technical Aspects & Platforms
- Andy: Mostly on PC (“120 frames, baby, it’s insane.” [25:10]), some Steam Deck.
- Barrett: Mostly on Switch 2—praising its performance at both 60 and 120 fps.
- Greg: Split between Xbox Series X and ROG Ally, sometimes in bed on handheld.
- Early minor gripes: lack of HDR, some controller input oddities (recommendation for wired play for seamless diagonals), and the importance of input mapping for boss fights.
7. Visuals, Audio, and “Every Frame a Painting”
- Unanimous praise for the art direction and music:
- “It feels like every single room is its own experience. Every frame of painting is true for literally every frame in this game.” — Tim [21:00]
- Barrett: soundtrack is “incredible… gets weird at times” and constantly shifts as you explore.
- Andy notes the influences from Souls/FromSoft titles in deliberate design and lore, down to “missable” moments that only a fraction of players will experience.
Notable Quotes & Standout Moments
On Difficulty & Recommendation for Mods [18:55]
"This is the time right now that if you're liking the game and if you're playing on PC, to download those mods that will help you... because I know how punishing it could be."
— Andy Cortez [19:38]
On Visuals, Handcrafted Feel, & World-Building
“Nothing feels like tiles next to each other. Every single bit feels like it was handcrafted… nothing is quite like this.”
— Tim Gettys [21:00]
On Playing with His Son
"Playing it, I was like, holy shit, this is so much fun. And the fact that Ben was enjoying it… it became this weird thing where he went to bed and I just kept playing it."
— Greg Miller [12:10]
On Character and Boss Fights
"That feel of the world just constantly kind of evolving and changing around you... This game feels like it’s actually kind of living alongside me and not just like an interactive thing."
— Barrett Courtney [38:00]
Most Impactful Criticisms
Difficulty Curve, Early Game "Chunking" [43:35]
- Andy: Wishes the early game was a bit less punishing, especially for environmental traps taking two health ticks.
- Some environmental hazards and bosses seem overtuned in the initial hours.
- Both Andy and Barrett want tweaks to small things like the compass taking up a crest slot (they’d prefer quality-of-life improvements here).
Crest & Customization System [46:50]
- Barrett and Tim feel limited by the new combat loadout system, often wanting to do more than their current kit allows.
- Tim: “I always feel like I want to be able to do more than I'm given in one kit. And I get that that's the design… but the system you were talking about in Hollow Knight 1 of having different costs... I kind of feel like I would prefer that...” [54:48]
Small Annoyances
- No HDR support at launch.
- Annoyance with run-backs, certain iframes/damage interactions, and getting hurt by downed enemies.
Favorite Features & Standout Elements
- Unique “weird little dudes”: Regularly cited as a personality-defining trait of Silksong’s world.
- Boss battles: Consistently thrilling, diverse, and fair (if sometimes brutal).
- Art and animation: “Every frame a painting,” “gorgeous and unique” on all platforms.
- Optional tools and player agency: Echoes of FromSoft and Elden Ring; “there's a lot of tools to be used, and it’s up to you to utilize them.” — Andy [57:33]
- Soundtrack: Shifting, atmospheric, and referenced repeatedly as phenomenal.
Memorable Moments
- Greg’s son Ben delivers passionate color commentary as Greg dies repeatedly:
- “I don’t think we can beat them, Dad.” [35:20]
- “I’m sad because you keep dying, Daddy.” [35:44]
- Andy’s custom watercolor art giveaway tied to marathon stream subs. [41:07–42:55]
- Barrett’s 9-hour boss roadblock, still wanting to play.
- Community discussion of hidden content, secrets, and “conditionals” — the thrill of finding unique NPC lines, bosses, and events others may miss.
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [04:53]: Playtime stats & panel’s background with the series
- [05:55]: Andy’s verdict as hardcore fan
- [07:48]: Barrett on difficulty, falling for the Silksong world
- [10:37]: Greg’s entry story — playing with his son, discovering his love for the game
- [16:16]: Tim on the approachability of Silksong versus Hollow Knight 1
- [25:10]: Technical praise for framerate, visual performance
- [38:00]: Barrett on how the world feels responsive and dynamic
- [43:35]: Critique segment — early-game difficulty and system nitpicks
- [54:48]: Discussion of accessibility and crest/charm customization
Final Thoughts
All panelists are deeply impressed with Silksong’s ambition, polish, and artistry. The game is harder and more punishing than Hollow Knight’s opening hours, but more onboarding-friendly in world/map design and progression. Technical performance is broadly excellent. The difficulty curve, some design “old school-isms,” and limited quality-of-life options are the biggest criticisms. Modding is encouraged on PC to mitigate spikes.
Silksong is celebrated for its dreamy audiovisual style, unique "weird little guys," deep boss design, and the sense of discovery reminiscent of Souls games. Even those new or previously indifferent to the franchise (Greg, Tim, Barrett) are finding themselves hooked.
“God damn, this game is so special. Like, art being so unique and every single thing... It really feels like every frame of painting…”
— Tim Gettys [21:00]
The panel will continue their journey and likely return to discuss Silksong on future Game of the Year episodes.
Super Chats & Fan Q&A Highlights
[56:18]–[61:46]:
- Players call out favorite bosses, crests, characters (“Reaper rules… less confusing down pogo”), and tools—praising the game’s breadth of build variety.
- Ongoing appreciation for “weird little guys” and the adaptive, rewarding world.
- Andy, in particular, shouts out the conditionals — emergent sequences and secrets that feel just for you.
Closing: The Ultimate Showdown — HK or KH?
- At the top of the show, Andy is put on the spot: Which is better, Hollow Knight or Kingdom Hearts?
- He concludes, "Honky Kong" and "Harry Potter" — the recurring Kinda Funny in-joke, sidestepping real comparison, underlining how both franchises inspire deep love and silly debate.
Summary by: Kinda Funny Gamescast Expert
Episode delivered: September 8, 2025