Hollow Knight: Silksong is a tough game. Even fans who’ve beaten the original Hollow Knight are surprised at how difficult this sequel is going to be. Team Cherry is actually going to nerf some early areas to try and make parts of it easier, but we’re sure the main game will still frustrate players everywhere. I literally got killed by one of those basic scrub enemies while exploring, because this game is relentless.
Like most gamers, I tend to take breaks when frustrated by playing something else that can calm my nerves. Sometimes it’s a simple beat-em-up that lets me live out my power fantasies, other times it's a turn-based RPG with relaxing music and cute character designs. We all relax differently, that's what I’m saying.
So if you’re looking to take a break from Silksong and want something lighter to play before waking up Hornet from her comfy save bench and having her face hell bugs again, this list is for you.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3
Because my copy of Silksong is on the Switch, it’s fairly easy for me to exit Team Cherry’s punishing Metroidvania and take my frustrations out on Sentinels or Hydra goons in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3.
With Silksong being a quiet, difficult, and dark experience, Ultimate Alliance 3 feels like the perfect chaser. Instead of muted colors and timely attacks, this Marvel RPG is all about the colorful superheroes and button-mashing. Death in Silksong means starting from the nearest save bench, while falling in Ultimate Alliance 3 takes longer because you’re a party of four and it’s fairly easy to revive other heroes.
If your copy of Hollow Knight: Silksong is on a Nintendo platform, Ultimate Alliance 3 is the perfect in-between game to pick up when Lace is kicking you while you’re down.
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (or any other Warriors game)
Another Switch pick, though one I’m willing to be more dynamic with. I know a lot of people are playing the Hollow Knight sequel on Steam or PS5, so think of Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition as another Musou title, like Dynasty Warriors: Origins or Samurai Warriors 4 DX.
Like Ultimate Alliance 3, this is another button-mashing experience that will release some tension after a brutal beating from Silksong. This takes the power fantasy from MUA3 and turns that up to a million, as players are now slashing down thousands of enemies with simple sword swipes. Because Hyrule Warriors lets me use Link, I chose his game, but if you’d rather beat up these armies as Monkey D. Luffey or Zhao Yun, One Piece: Pirate Warriors and Dynasty Warriors are more than viable options.
Honestly, the Warriors games are just great palette cleansers in general. Frustrated with Dark Souls? Play a Warriors game. Stuck in a Resident Evil puzzle? Try out a Warriors game. Is Silksong giving you hell? Stop what you’re doing and put on a Warriors game.
Chrono Trigger
If there’s any art style that’s more charming than Hollow Knight’s, it’s the one created by the late great Akira Toriyama. Just seeing his iconic character designs in Chrono Trigger should get any fan out of their Silksong rut, but they should play the game anyway; it’s also one of the best RPGs ever made.
Square Enix’s Chrono Trigger is just a perfect JRPG; nothing else really needs to be said. The ATB (Active Time Battle) system from Final Fantasy feels perfect here, with fast and clean attack animations that feel good to execute. You also have those iconic team-up attacks like Fire Twirl that can take out multiple enemies if the timing is right. The Super Nintendo pixels have also aged incredibly well, with detailed character designs and fun expressions that make this simple story worth finishing.
You don’t have to finish Chrono Trigger when taking a break from Silksong, but we won’t blame anyone if they do. Relaxing and exciting, this game is just too darn good.
Metal Slug (Any of them)
SNK’s beautiful arcade shooter is a phenomenal chaser to Silksong’s punishing difficulty. Metal Slug is a really fun side-scrolling shooter, and killing mobs of enemies with a machine gun should calm down anyone going through Silksong depression.
The only thing these two games have in common is that they’re 2D games with good art styles. Outside of that, Metal Slug is simple arcade-y goodness where you feel like a monster, while Silksong makes you feel like the main course for said monster. Granted, Metal Slug can get frantic, and the one-hit kills will annoy many, but modern ports give you unlimited quarters, so there’s no reason to give up.
Get Metal Slug, throw a couple of grenades, kill your enemies, and feel inspired to kick butt in Silksong again.
Stardew Valley? (Farming Games)
I’ll be real with you, I’m not a big farming game guy. But they always dominate Nintendo Directs, and everyone tells me these games are so cozy. Considering the lack of violence in most of these titles, we imagine planting cabbage and flirting with randos is a nice escape from Hollow Knight; maybe even our own cruel world.
Since I’m not a farming game guy, don’t take my recommendations seriously. Fans seem to like Stardew Valley for its constant updates and solid gameplay, so maybe pick that one up. The sprite work is also pretty brilliant. Maybe I’ll play that game one day.
Those are the games you should play in between Silksong giving you a hard time. Resting is important, as is variety in gaming, so take some time to breathe, drink some coffee, and go kick some bug butt.
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