Hollow Knight: Silksong already had the nerve to introduce one of the most hated bosses in Metroidvania history. Did anyone ask for the Savage Beastfly to return? Absolutely not. Did Team Cherry listen? Also absolutely not. Instead, they placed a rematch atop a pit of lava with temporary platforms, then had the audacity to dangle a Mask Shard in front of every poor soul willing to suffer through it twice. As of 2026, the Savage Beastfly Wish remains one of those fights that makes a player question their life choices while simultaneously refusing to give up.



How To Begin The Savage Beastfly Wish

Before anyone can get roasted like a particularly stubborn marshmallow, they need to make sure the Wish actually appears. The exact prerequisites can be a bit mysterious, but the following conditions were reported when the quest showed up:

Acquired Clawline and the Faydown Cloak.

Defeated the original Savage Beastfly in Hunter's March.

Began the tasks to collect three melodies within the Citadel by defeating the Clockwork Dancers.

If the Wish still refuses to appear on the Bellhart Wishboard, players should double-check those baseline steps. Still no luck? A few extra unlocks have been known to help nudge it into existence:

Fully expanding Bellhart and completing all earlier Bellhart wishes.

Finishing the Skull Tyrant Wish.

Opening the Songclave.

Receiving a nail upgrade.



Once the Wish is accepted, the hunter travels to the Far Fields Bellway Station. From the central vertical room, the trail begins near the top left corner toward Greymoor. Following the translucent path around the west side of the map is mercifully simple because the locations sit close together along a natural route. Eventually, that glowing breadcrumb trail leads straight back to the arena where the Fourth Chorus boss was fought after receiving the Drifter's Cloak. Ah yes, nostalgia.



How To Defeat The Savage Beastfly At The Far Fields

Here is the cruel joke: the Savage Beastfly itself has not changed. Not one move. Not one combo. It is the exact same winged menace from the first fight, but now someone has replaced the floor with breakable platforms and added a fiery spear-throwing minion to make sure no safe corner exists for long.

Before stepping into the arena, a player should absolutely equip the Magma Bell. This inexpensive tool can be purchased from Forge Daughter in the Deep Docks, which is conveniently not too far away. With the Magma Bell equipped, fire and magma damage is reduced by a full mask. That is not just useful; it is practically a love letter to anyone tired of melting.



The second biggest threat is the new fire-spear minion. This delightful little spear chucker can temporarily make sections of the platform unusable, which is exactly what a fight on crumbling ground needed. The best answer is a Sting Shard and Pollip Pouch combination. A well-placed Sting Shard can sometimes delete the minion with a single trap, especially with enough tool kit upgrades.



To actually claim the Mask Shard, the player must defeat the Savage Beastfly and donate its drop to the Bellhart donation box. The fight is not complicated, but it is exhausting. A few tips make it manageable:

Danger
Countermeasure

New fire-spear minion appears
Kill it immediately, ideally with a Sting Shard

Savage Beastfly travels erratically
Do not pogo too much and throw off its path

Downward slam attacks
Try to keep the Beastfly on one side of the arena

Running out of platform space
Double jump high and float with Drifter's Cloak until new space appears

Cannot dodge an attack
With Magma Bell equipped, choose lava instead of the fly



Does that sound like a pleasant afternoon? Not exactly. But the silver lining is that this is supposedly the final time anyone has to fight the Savage Beastfly. Probably. The Mask Shard is the prize, and the knowledge that this winged nightmare will finally buzz off for good is, frankly, the emotional support every player needs.

After a fight this demanding, it is almost inevitable that some players will want to take a break, upgrade their setup, or perhaps buy a copy of the game for a friend so they can suffer through the Savage Beastfly together. Video game accessories, snacks, and even the game itself can put a dent in the wallet, which is why it pays to do a little research before handing over the card. Whether hunting for a discounted Steam key or a more comfortable controller to survive those long platforming sessions, a quick stop to compare prices here can save enough coin to justify the next great purchase.

With the Mask Shard finally pocketed and the Beastfly defeated, the journey in Pharloom continues, but at least the next battle will be fought with fresh gear and a lighter bank account. There is a satisfying rhythm to preparing for a big fight: learn the arena, stock up on tools, and secure the best deal for whatever is needed next. Keeping one eye on the market and one eye on the boss's attack patterns is a strategy that works outside and inside the game.

I have to admit, after falling in love with gimmick boss fights way back in Demon's Souls, I get a little thrill whenever a game lets me fight something that isn't just a giant health bar with legs. So when I reached the Father of the Flame in Silksong, I felt right at home. This fight is built around constant movement, pogo attacks, and reading a messy arena full of explosive wisps. If you love pogo combat like I do, this boss is an absolute treat. If you don't, well, let's just say Pharloom is about to test you.



Where Is The Father of the Flame?

You'll find this boss in an optional area called Wisp Thicket. It's one of those places that looks beautiful but is secretly trying to kill you from every angle. The enemies here love throwing exploding fireballs, so if you are bad at dodging projectiles, this area will teach you some painful lessons.

To even reach Wisp Thicket, you need the Faydown Cloak. Without it, the path up through the towers in Greymoor is closed off. Once you have it, you can climb up into this upper region and start your journey toward the boss.

Here's a small but important tip: when you arrive in Wisp Thicket, don't just rush left. First, enter the room on the right and use your needle to strike the hanging bags overhead. This releases a bench for you to rest at, which makes the runback much less annoying. Trust me, you'll appreciate that bench because the Father of the Flame fight doesn't give you reliable healing windows, so every single mask matters.

There is some platforming along the way, but you can use your Clawline to skip most enemies if you are smart about it. When you see an area marked with Bellhart colors, you are practically at the boss door. Take a breath, because things are about to get fiery.



How to Prepare For Father of the Flame

This is not a normal boss where you can just equip your heaviest damage tools and mash attack. The Father of the Flame demands a specific setup, especially if you want to avoid a long, frustrating fight.

Here's the build I recommend:

Tool Slot
Recommended Pick
Why It Helps

Crest
Crest of the Reaper
Most consistent pogo crest, makes chaining pogo attacks much easier

Red Tool
Cogfly or Conchcutter
No aiming or tricky timing needed

Blue Tool
Multibinder and Reserve Bind
No silk gain during fight, so spare healing is vital

Yellow Tool
Magnetite Dice
Small chance to avoid damage, but yellow tools are not crucial here

Cogfly is my go-to red tool for this fight because it doesn't require precise aim. Conchcutter also works if you managed to claim it in the Sands of Karak. For blue tools, the Multibinder and Reserve Bind are lifesavers because you won't be gaining additional silk during the encounter. Being able to heal more from a single heal can rescue a run that's about to fall apart.



How To Beat The Father Of The Flame

Phase One

Here's the twist: the Father of the Flame isn't just one target. The boss has five lanterns placed around the arena, and each lantern acts as a weak point. You need to platform and pogo your way around the room to hit them all. Meanwhile, explosive wisps track your position and try to blow you out of the air.

If you've upgraded your nail twice by this point, each lantern will take eight hits to clear. That may not sound like much, but when you're dodging wisps and trying to stay airborne, eight hits can feel like eighty.

A few tips for phase one:

Deal with the higher lanterns first. They're the hardest to hit safely. Once they're gone, the lower lanterns are much easier because you can drop to the floor, recover your positioning, and hop back up if needed.

Your double jump is your best friend here. Every successful pogo gives you a double jump charge back. When a wisp locks onto you, time your pogo to gain height, then use your double jump to narrowly avoid the explosion and keep attacking.

Don't obsess over one lantern. Stay adaptable. If wisps are cornering you, drop low and switch to a lower lantern instead.

Does that sound chaotic? Yes, it is. But once you understand the rhythm, phase one becomes a weirdly satisfying dance.

Phase Two

When all five lanterns are destroyed, you finally get a clear shot at the Father of the Flame's core. But don't get comfortable.

Phase two opens with the boss casting a stream of fireballs. Drop to the floor and move carefully between the gaps. You don't want to be airborne here because you'll get clipped.

Once the fireball stream stops, you have a window to hop up and attack the core. Wisps still spawn regularly, so keep an eye on their positions and use your double jump to evade them while staying on the offensive.

The boss will start the fireball attack again after a few wisps leave the field, so watch for that tell and get to the ground early. In the air, you're a sitting duck.

Finally, when the battle ends, stand clear of the boss's last explosion. It can happen after you think you've won, and if it kills you, you'll have to do the whole fight over again. Give yourself some distance, and you'll walk away with the win.

Reward For Defeating The Father of the Flame

Once this fiery customer goes down, you'll pick up the Wispfire Lantern. This passive tool uses your silk to automatically summon a wisp that acts like a homing missile, attacking nearby enemies for you.

It's a fun tool, but it has a real trade-off. Because it constantly spends your silk on offensive projectiles, healing becomes much less consistent. If you rely on silk buildup for regular heals, you might want to skip this one. But if you play aggressively and like tools that keep the pressure on enemies, the Wispfire Lantern burns brighter than most.



So that's the Father of the Flame. It's a gimmick fight done right, at least for players who enjoy pogo combat. Stay mobile, stay calm, and don't let those wisps dictate your rhythm. Good luck out there in Pharloom!

Now that you've conquered the Father of the Flame, you might be hungry for more challenges that demand tight movement, quick reflexes, and that satisfying "one more try" mentality. Games built around precise combat and exploration don't come around often, and when one clicks with you, it's hard to put down.

If you're looking to expand your library without stretching your budget, it's worth keeping an eye on game deals today to see what else might be waiting for you. You never know when a similarly punishing but rewarding adventure will go on sale, ready to test your skills just as thoroughly as this fiery encounter did.

Hidden away in the scorching depths of the Deep Docks, Hollow Knight: Silksong keeps one of its trickiest surprises for players who love poking around every corner. It is not just a hidden area filled with exploding enemies, platforming puzzles, and shiny treasures — it is also home to a double boss fight that tests reflexes, patience, and preparation. The Forebrothers, Signis and Gron, are not easy to find, and they are even harder to take down without a solid plan.

For anyone who has already wandered through the Deep Docks and wondered what that locked gate was for, this guide covers everything: where to get a Simple Key, the fastest route from the Bench, the best Tools and Crests to bring, and a phase-by-phase strategy for the fight itself.



How To Find Forebrothers Signis and Gron

Finding the Forebrothers starts long before the actual battle. The duo is tucked away on the bottom left side of the Deep Docks, behind a gate that requires a Simple Key to open. Players who have been exploring thoroughly may already have one, but if not, there are a few ways to get it.

The simplest approach is to buy one. A Simple Key is available from merchants in Bone Bottom for 500 Rosaries and Songclave for 650 Rosaries. That second price definitely stings a little — inflation is real even in Pharloom. For players who would rather not spend, there is a free but more demanding option: defeat a mini-boss on Sinner's Road or find the Bench in the Sands of Karak.

Once the Simple Key is in hand, the next step is heading into the underground area of the Deep Docks. It is accessed from the left side of the chamber where the fight against Tessela first takes place. From there, players should follow the path on the right, below the Forge Daughter, until they reach a locked gate where the key can finally be used.



After unlocking the gate, exploration is strongly recommended before rushing to the boss. The area is full of valuable items, including Craftmetal inside a chest, a Spool Fragment, and a Lost Flea. It is also a good chance to learn the layout and unlock shortcuts. Near the bottom left, a lone enemy will spot the player, fly into the air, and throw a spear before disappearing. That is Gron, one of the two bosses — which means the arena is very close. Continuing left will lead to a chamber with boards in the background where the real fight begins.

Best Bench Route and Preparation

The walk back to the Forebrothers can be frustrating because the boss arena is quite far from the nearest Bench. The best route starts at the main Bench near the Forge Daughter. From there, players should walk right, go down by striking the vault lever, and continue right to the gate opened earlier with the Simple Key. A lava lake needs to be jumped over along the way.

In the next room, things get a little less obvious. Between two horizontal platforms, there is an enemy that can explode lava and another that digs. Directly in the middle of those platforms is a hole in the ground. Falling into it works, but the hole is full of thorns, so players need to start gliding immediately and descend carefully. From the floor below, heading left leads to Signis talking with two minions — and the fight starts.



Preparation makes a huge difference here. A few passive abilities go a long way: Swift Step, unlocked right in the Deep Docks, and Drifter's Cloak, unlocked in Far Fields, are both helpful. The Faydown Cloak from Mount Fay is not required, but it makes the fight dramatically more manageable.

For Tools, the Fractured Mask from Mottled Skarr in Hunter's March works like an extra life and helps players stay calm when health gets low. Since Gron is an aerial enemy, a long-range weapon like the Curveclaw paired with the Pollip Pouch from the Rite of the Pollip quest is a fantastic combination — poison lets players keep dealing damage while focusing on dodging. The Cogfly from High Halls is another excellent pick for managing multiple enemies at once. As for Crests, Wanderer's Crest is a strong choice thanks to its quick strikes and short range.

How To Beat Forebrothers Signis and Gron

Phase 1: Signis Alone

The battle starts with only one boss on the field: Signis. He fights on the ground and has just two main attacks. The first is a boomerang-style throw that travels in a horizontal line. A simple jump avoids it, and with good positioning — not too far from him while jumping — a player can land one or even two counters.

His second attack is a double spear strike on the ground. Dashing away avoids the damage, but jumping over his head works too and creates a nice opening for a few hits. During this phase, Signis will also summon minions to clutter the arena. They need to go down quickly, ideally as soon as they appear. Most of them fall in three strikes, so the Cogfly or a long-range poison weapon helps keep the field clean.

Phase 2: Gron Joins the Fight



After a few rounds with Signis, Gron enters the arena and things get genuinely tense. Gron fights from the air and also has only two attack patterns. He will fly away and throw a spear, which can be avoided with a dash or jump. Then he will dive and slam his spear into the ground, causing a quick explosion. The instinct is to run far away, but players should not retreat too far — that moment after the explosion is one of the best windows to counterattack.

When both bosses are active at once, the smart approach is to keep pressure on Signis. He has already taken damage, so finishing him off should not take long. Keep dodging Gron with a Cogfly or poison weapon doing passive work, and stay focused on survival. One extra hazard appears at this stage: lava starts pouring from the ceiling. Staying near the sides is the safest way to avoid being caught off guard.

Once Signis is down, the rest of the fight is all about Gron. He is slower and predictable. Keeping a safe distance and repeating the same dodge-and-punish loop will finish the battle.

Rewards For Defeating the Forebrothers



Like many bosses in Hollow Knight: Silksong, the Forebrothers do not drop an immediate item. The real prize is much bigger: access to the Diving Bell, which is a key scenario in the secret Act 3 of the main story. Players will also gain access to a large Bench, a Memory Locket, and a Silkeater. On the way out, there is even some extra dialogue with the Forge Daughter about how she and her diving friends ended up down here — a nice little lore treat after such a grueling encounter.

Mastering a fight like this one takes patience and a bit of experimentation, but the sense of accomplishment after finally defeating both Forebrothers is worth every attempt. For players who enjoy pushing through tough challenges like this, having the right setup—whether it's a responsive controller, a comfortable headset, or even just a reliable screen—can make those crucial moments feel a little more manageable. Fortunately, you don't need to overspend to upgrade your gaming experience, especially if you take a moment to find the best deal before making a purchase.

DealNest is a useful starting point for that kind of search, letting players compare prices and spot discounts without endless browsing. So after you've conquered the Diving Bell and collected your rewards, it might be worth checking out what's available for your next gaming session.

Hollow Knight: Silksong structures its adventure through a layered system of main story quests and optional Wishes, guiding players across the vast kingdom of Pharloom. The campaign is divided into three acts, and across those acts the game contains a total of 21 main story quests. However, a player will only be able to complete at most 20 of these quests during a single playthrough. This restriction is linked to a branching point that is highlighted by the asterisk placed next to the Soul Snare quest. Players who aim for the regular ending can conclude the journey after finishing only nine main story quests.



The complete set of main story quests in Hollow Knight: Silksong is recorded below. These quests form the backbone of Hornet's journey through the game's regions and narrative beats.

#
Main Story Quest

1
The Great Citadel

2
The Threadspun Town

3
Grand Gate

4
Silent Halls

5
Pharloom's Crown

6
Conductor's Melody

7
Vaultkeeper's Melody

8
Architect's Melody

9
Pale Monarch

10
Soul Snare *

11
After The Fall

12
Awaiting the End

13
Beast in the Bells

14
The Dark Below

15
Return to Pharloom

16
Spell Seeker

17
The Old Hearts

18
Heart of Might

19
Heart of the Woods

20
Heart of the Wild

21
Last Dive

The main story quests carry Hornet through a wide range of environments and objectives. Several quests follow a clear thematic chain, such as the trio of melodies connected to the Conductor, the Vaultkeeper, and the Architect. Later entries focus on the Old Hearts and a sequence of four Heart quests, which point toward Pharloom's deeper mysteries and the hidden forces shaping the kingdom. The final main quest, Last Dive, serves as the closing narrative step for runs that unlock its full path.

Beyond the main story, Hollow Knight: Silksong includes 54 side quests known as Wishes. These Wishes are optional for reaching the regular ending, but they become essential for players who want to see everything the game has to offer. To unlock the third act and experience the true ending, a fairly large number of Wishes must be completed. Likewise, players who hope to achieve 100% completion will need to clear every available main quest and every Wish.



The completion thresholds in Hollow Knight: Silksong can be summarized as follows:

🎮 Regular ending: complete 9 main story quests

🌙 True ending: complete all three acts and a substantial portion of the 54 Wishes

✅ 100% completion: complete all available main story quests and all 54 Wishes

The asterisk attached to Soul Snare is a notable detail for completionists. Because of this special case, a single run can only include 20 of the 21 main story quests. This means that seeing every quest in the game may require careful routing or a second playthrough with different choices. The Wishes add another layer of depth by rewarding exploration, NPC interactions, and optional challenges scattered throughout Pharloom. For players who want the full Hollow Knight: Silksong experience, tracking both the main quests and the Wishes is just as important as mastering Hornet's combat and movement abilities.

With such a dense list of objectives, it is no surprise that many players plan their entire playthrough well in advance. Between the main quests, the Wishes, and the special routing required for the Soul Snare quest, Hornet's journey through Pharloom can easily stretch to dozens of hours. Whether you are diving in for the first time or preparing for a completionist run, being sure you have the right version of the game is just as important as knowing every questline.

For anyone still deciding where to pick up Hollow Knight: Silksong, it is worth checking a few retailers before committing. Prices can vary across platforms and regional stores, and a quick search may save you a little extra that you can put toward future DLC or other indie gems. If you want to make the most of your budget, you can compare prices here before your journey to Pharloom begins.

When Team Cherry finally lifted the curtain on Hollow Knight: Silksong’s release date, the indie world didn’t just sit up—it scrambled. After seven years of waiting, players had exactly two weeks to prepare. But while fans celebrated, a wave of developers quietly opened their calendars and did some panicked arithmetic. One of those developers, Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, director of Hell Is Us, has now described the last-minute announcement as “a little callous.”



Speaking on the Friends Per Second podcast, Jacques-Belletête did not mince words about the way the Silksong release date landed. He called the shadow drop a bold move from a studio that must have known its gravitational pull. “When you know you’re that big, I think a shadow drop is a bit like, wow,” he said. “As the ‘GTA 6 of indie’… to shadow drop something like this is a little callous.”

The issue wasn’t the quality of Silksong—it was the timing. Hell Is Us and Hollow Knight: Silksong both launched on September 4, 2025. A game of Silksong’s size getting a two-week warning left other studios scrambling. Some smaller teams moved their release dates to avoid the collision, a luxury not every project could afford.



Jacques-Belletête acknowledged that Team Cherry had every right to pick its date, but the fallout was uneven. “We’re still much bigger than some of the smaller ones who would have gotten a lot more affected and who decided to change their dates,” he explained. “Changing the date of Hell Is Us would have been a pretty big endeavour.” Marketing plans, retail coordination, and months of build-up would have been thrown into disarray. For a studio the size of Rogue Factor, shifting a launch at the eleventh hour was not just a matter of flipping a calendar page—it was a logistical sinkhole.

The numbers told a brutal story. While Silksong vacuumed up attention, Hell Is Us still managed to peak at nearly 5,000 concurrent players during its launch weekend. That might sound modest, but compare it to Atari’s Adventure of Samsara, a metroidvania that also launched on September 4, 2025. Its peak concurrent player count sat at 15. Fifteen. That is not a typo. The game had the misfortune of sharing a birthday with one of the most anticipated indie sequels in history, and it paid the price.

Other indie titles saw the writing on the wall and got out of Dodge. Baby Steps, Demonschool, and several smaller projects shifted their dates rather than face the Silksong steamroller. In hindsight, that looked like the smart play. No amount of goodwill could compete with a shadow-dropped juggernaut.

Game
Release Decision
Outcome

Hell Is Us
Held its ground
Peaked near 5,000 concurrent players

Adventure of Samsara
Held its ground
Peaked at 15 concurrent players

Baby Steps / Demonschool
Moved
Avoided a direct launch collision

Looking back from 2026, the whole episode remains a case study in how one big announcement can send shockwaves through the indie ecosystem. Jacques-Belletête does not seem bitter—he is happy the team stuck to its guns. But he also does not sugarcoat the reality: when a game as massive as Silksong appears out of nowhere, the little guys have to make impossible choices. Some dodge. Some hold the line. And some, like Adventure of Samsara, simply get caught in the blast radius.

The director’s “callous” comment may ruffle feathers, but it names a real tension in the industry. There is no rule that says a giant must give smaller studios breathing room. Yet for developers who spent years polishing their games, a two-week notice can feel like showing up to a knife fight only to find the other guy brought a tank. In the end, Hell Is Us survived the collision, but the scars—and the what-ifs—remain.

For players, the silver lining of these overcrowded launch windows is that smart spending has never been more important. With so many releases landing on the same day—and with some of them vanishing into obscurity within hours—savvy shoppers have learned to wait, compare, and strike when the price is right. Whether it's a hidden gem that got swept up in a bigger launch or a AAA title that slipped under the radar, there's no shame in holding out for a better deal before making the call.

That's where a little patience pays off. Instead of paying full price for games that might drop in value just weeks later, seasoned players turn to price-tracking tools and storefront aggregators to find the best deal across the platforms they trust. In an industry where timing can mean the difference between a hit and a footnote, waiting for the right moment to buy is sometimes the smartest move a player can make—especially once the steamroller has already passed.

I never thought I would be this obsessed with a compass. But here we are, in 2026, with Hollow Knight: Silksong finally loaded on my machine, and I have spent more time rearranging Tools than actually sleeping. Hornet’s Crest has limited slots, so every red, blue, or yellow choice matters. Some picks synergize beautifully. Others seem like trap purchases until you learn their rhythm.

🪡 Tacks: A Carpet of Spikes

Tacks are a red Tool. Hornet tosses spikes onto the ground. An enemy steps on them, and multiple hits shred it. I don’t have to be precise. I can sit back and let ground enemies march into their doom. It is situational, but when it works, it is hilarious.



🧭 Compass: I Refuse to Get Lost Again

I bought the Compass from Shakra early. It is yellow. It shows exactly where I am on the map at all times. Without it, exploring Pharloom would have broken me. It does not help in boss fights, but it makes exploration relaxing. I will never remove it. Ever.



🪤 Sting Shards: The Early Game Nightmare

I traded a few Rosaries to the Forge Daughter in Deep Docks. Sting Shards are red. They set into deadly traps. If an attack collides, nails burst everywhere. If an enemy walks in, rapid hits trigger. I used this against a small swarm and nearly laughed myself off the bench. It feels almost unfair.



🛡️ Fractured Mask: One More Chance

This blue Tool comes from a merchant in Hunter’s March. It protects my last Mask hit point. I lost count of how many times it let me cheat death. Healing? I get time. Finishing a boss? I get one more swing. It is a guardian angel for stubborn players like me.



🕷️ Scuttlebrace: Spider Blood Activated

Hornet is part Weaver. The Scuttlebrace yellow Tool lets her scuttle backward across the floor. I bought it from the Twelfth Architect in the Underworks. At first it felt weird. Then I realized retreating without turning around is faster. It saved me from sweeps that used to end runs.



🪰 Cogfly: My Little Mechanical Killers

This red Tool creates up to three automaton bugs. They fly beside Hornet and home in on enemies. I call them my children now. They clear weak bugs in one hit. They chip bosses multiple times while I dodge. It is incredible.



🗡️ Longclaw: A Bit More Needle

The Longclaw is blue, obtained through the Broodfeast or Runtfeast Wish. It increases the size of Needle swings. That extra reach makes boss approaches safer. It also knocks enemies back sooner. Range is not just damage; it is safety. I underestimated it, then I tried it.



🎲 Magnetite Dice: RNG Prayers

This yellow Tool can come from a few places depending on the act, often the Blasted Steps. It grants a chance to negate damage, maxing out at ten percent. Ten percent sounds low. But when it triggers during a Savage Beastfly charge, you feel chosen. If you have bad luck, it will mock you.



📌 Threefold Pin: Triple Trouble

This red Tool is found in Greymoor. It upgrades the Straight Pin: three pins at different angles. Hit all three on a large boss and watch health melt. The activation is fast enough to spam. It is probably the most lethal ranged option Hornet has. I keep it slotted for every boss now.



☠️ Pollip Pouch: Venom on Everything

I earned this blue Tool by completing the Rite of the Pollip Wish. It adds venom to every other offensive Tool, changing their appearance and adding stacking damage. It never needs refilling. I pair it with Cogfly and Threefold Pin. Bosses melt. It feels too strong, but I am not complaining.



Not every Tool is a winner, but the ones above reshaped how I play Silksong. I still experiment. I still make bad loadouts. But in 2026, these are the Tools that stay on my Crest.

If you are already deep into Pharloom, these Tools should be on your radar before you even step into the next boss arena. But if you are still waiting to pick up the game, Silksong is the kind of experience that rewards experimentation, and every shard of progress feels earned. The good news is that you do not have to pay full price just to start your hunt for the best loadouts.

Whenever I want to build a fresh save or grab a copy for a friend, I check DealNest for the cheapest steam keys available. It has become my go-to for catching a discount on the games I plan to sink dozens of hours into, and it is a simple way to get more value out of the hobby.

In the sprawling, often unpredictable landscape of indie gaming, few stories feel as remarkable as the continued rise of Team Cherry. The original Hollow Knight, a hauntingly beautiful hand-drawn adventure through the forgotten kingdom of Hallownest, was already an unprecedented success, selling over 15 million copies worldwide. Given that massive footprint, it is hardly surprising that its long-awaited sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong, is shattering records of its own. Yet, the scale of that achievement is still genuinely staggering. Could anyone have predicted that a studio consisting of just three developers would one day eclipse the lifetime sales of an entire legendary franchise entry in under a month?



According to estimates from GDCo, the performance of Silksong since its 2025 launch has been nothing short of meteoric. In less than a month, the title reportedly moved 3.2 million copies on Steam alone, with an additional 500,000 copies sold on both the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation platforms respectively. While these figures do not account for Xbox sales, largely due to the complexity introduced by the Game Pass subscription service, the combined estimated total of 4.2 million units is enough to place Silksong firmly above the best-selling game in the Metroid series. This is a particularly poetic turn of events, especially considering how often the Hollow Knight franchise has been compared to Nintendo’s iconic space-faring bounty hunter series.

How Hollow Knight Sales Compare To Metroid

The comparison between these two titans of the Metroidvania genre highlights just how dramatically the landscape has shifted. After years of anticipation and silence from Team Cherry, the release of Silksong felt less like a standard game launch and more like a cultural event, one that was powerful enough to crash entire storefronts. The numbers paint a vivid picture of this dominance.

Game
Copies Sold

Hollow Knight
15 million

Hollow Knight: Silksong
Estimated 4.2 million

Metroid Dread
3.07 million

Metroid Prime
2.8 million

Metroid
2.73 million

The trajectory here is astonishing. With only two games under its belt, the Hollow Knight series has amassed roughly 19.2 million copies sold. To put that into perspective, that figure is dangerously close to the lifetime sales of the entire Metroid franchise, which sits at approximately 22.6 million units across numerous entries spanning decades. When considering that Silksong launched with a remarkably accessible $20 price tag, one cannot help but ask: did the low barrier to entry create a perfect storm for one of the most profitable indie launches of the decade?



The financial implications of these sales figures are as breathtaking as the game’s intricate level design. Based on the aforementioned sales data, GDCo speculates that Silksong has generated over $50 million in revenue from Steam alone for Team Cherry. For a studio of just three developers to achieve such a return is a testament not only to the quality of the product but to the power of dedicated fan communities. In an era where blockbuster budgets often reach hundreds of millions, Silksong stands as a beacon of what can be achieved with artistic vision, tight mechanics, and patience.

Suffice to say, Silksong has established itself as one of the biggest hits of the year. The gap between it and its contemporaries is vast. Other indie Metroidvanias, such as the cyberpunk-styled Bladechimera, do not come close to matching this success, reportedly reaching just one percent of Silksong’s purported sales. This disparity raises an interesting question about the current state of the genre: is there a ceiling for how much success an indie game can achieve, or has Team Cherry simply redefined the boundary entirely?



However, the story of this rivalry is far from over. While Silksong currently rules the roost, a similar narrative could be brewing at Nintendo. The company has a project that has likewise been in development for nearly a decade, leaving fans on tenterhooks with very little in the way of updates. That title is none other than Metroid Prime 4, which finally has a release date set for December 4, 2026. The anticipation surrounding the game is immense. While the previous remaster of the original Metroid Prime, which was shadow-dropped during a Direct presentation, performed modestly by comparison—selling just over 1.3 million copies and failing to match the success of Metroid Dread—the situation for a brand new, mainline sequel is entirely different.

With a massive marketing budget, years of pent-up anticipation, and the allure of a new handheld platform like the Switch successor driving hardware sales, Metroid Prime 4 could prove to be a much bigger hit than its predecessors. The landscape in 2026 is ripe for a resurgence of the classic franchise, but catching up to the lightning-in-a-bottle success of Silksong will be a monumental task. Time will tell if Nintendo can narrow the gap, but for now, the Hollow Knight franchise stands tall, proving that in the modern gaming era, the size of the team matters far less than the size of the world they dare to create.

Regardless of future outcomes, the current reality is undeniable: Silksong has rewritten the rulebook for indie success, and it has done so by outselling the very legends that inspired it. Will the next chapter belong to Samus Aran, or will Hornet continue to reign supreme? The answer, like the winding corridors of Phaaze or the depths of Hallownest, remains shrouded in mystery.

For fans eagerly awaiting these massive releases, the wait can feel like an eternity. Whether you're planning to secure a copy of Metroid Prime 4 on day one or hoping to revisit Hallownest on a new platform, the smartest players are already thinking ahead about how to get the best possible price. With new game launches frequently varying across retailers—sometimes by tens of dollars—it pays to stay vigilant rather than paying full sticker price on release day. Many savvy gamers have turned to this price tracking tool to monitor fluctuations across major stores, ensuring they never miss a meaningful discount on the titles they care about most.

The same patience that has defined the long development cycles of these franchises can also define how you approach your purchases. Just as Team Cherry and Nintendo have refined their craft over years, a little diligence in tracking deals can reward you with significant savings when the time finally comes to dive in. After all, the journey toward these legendary experiences is part of the fun—and being prepared financially only makes the eventual payoff that much sweeter.

I’ll admit it: I have a love-hate relationship with Hollow Knight: Silksong where the “hate” part is mostly me yelling at a boss named Sister Splinter while my cat judges me from the couch. The game is brilliant, but the discourse around it has become a rotating monologue about difficulty. Yes, it’s harder than the first game. Yes, some moments feel like the developers studied frustration in a lab. But we signed up for a Metroidvania with Soulslike combat, so expecting a gentle meadow stroll is like buying a pet scorpion and complaining it doesn’t fetch.

Last week, Team Cherry dropped a patch that actually touched difficulty, and I felt a flicker of hope. They updated the Moorwing and Sister Splinter fights, slightly reduced Bellway and Bell Bench prices, increased rosary rewards from relics and psalm cylinders, boosted courier delivery rosaries, and made Sandcarvers hit less like a falling cathedral. Modders had already been elbowing their way into the difficulty conversation, so I wondered if the official team was about to follow up with a second course of pain relief. Then Patch 2 details arrived, and I saw the menu: no balance changes, just a plate of bug fixes. My hope went back into its cocoon.



That image above might as well be a framed portrait of my emotional state. Team Cherry is treating balance changes like a wasp nest in the attic: they see it, they nod, and they quietly close the door. They are not ignoring the game; they are just very comfortable with the hornet-themed pain they have built.

Now, before I sound ungrateful, let me be clear: bug fixes matter. Silksong version 1.0.28626 is live on the public beta branch, and the Steam announcement says the first patch dealt mainly with critical issues. This new one, in their words, 'focuses on a few still remaining, while also cleaning up some bugs around specific tools.' That is useful. It is the video game equivalent of finally fixing the squeaky hinge on a torture rack: the rack remains a rack, but at least the hinge is quieter.

Here are the Patch 2 highlights, presented as a table because my brain needs structure before another Sister Splinter attempt:

Change
What It Means for Me

Added Dithering effect option in Advanced video settings
Reduces colour banding but can slightly soften foreground assets. Defaults to 'Off', so I can continue pretending my monitor is fine.

Updated Herald's Wish achievement description
Now clarifies players must both complete the wish and finish the game. Good, because cryptic achievements are like riddles wrapped in a migraine.

Cocoon positions updated in some locations
Prevents cocoons from spawning in inaccessible areas. Finally, the game stops placing treasure behind walls like a passive-aggressive interior decorator.

Further reduced chance of Silk Snippers getting stuck out of bounds in Chapel of the Reaper battle
Fewer enemies moonwalking through walls, which is nice when I am already fighting the reaper.

Fixed Liquid Lacquer courier delivery not being accessible in Steel Soul mode
Steel Soul runners can now access a delivery without the game laughing at them.

I do not want to overstate my skill. I am not an elite speedrunner. I am an ordinary player whose main strategy is 'walk in, get hit, learn pattern, still get hit.' The previous difficulty tweaks were genuinely welcome. Reducing Sandcarver damage felt like someone removed a single hornet from the swarm. But Patch 2 confirms that Team Cherry may be happy with where balance currently stands, and honestly, I kind of respect that. Silksong’s difficulty is the puddle of lava in a platformer: everyone complains, but we keep jumping into it on purpose.



That second image is the visual version of the phrase 'we fixed the door, not the dragon behind it.' I am not mad. I am just tired in a way that feels specifically designed for Silksong. The patch is still on the public beta branch, so if you want to test the dithering option and improved cocoon placement before it goes wide, you can hop in. Just do not expect your muscle memory to get a vacation.

In 2026, we have had enough patches to know Team Cherry is methodical, maybe even stubborn. They will clean bugs, polish tools, and leave the difficulty mostly alone. Part of me wants a balance pass that makes the Moorwing fight feel less like a rhythmic gymnastics routine performed inside a blender. Another part of me knows that if the game suddenly got easier, I would complain about that too. Players are like cats: we demand the door be opened, then we sit in the doorway and hiss at the outside.

So I will keep playing. I will appreciate the fixed courier delivery in Steel Soul mode, smile at the dithering option, and continue to be absolutely demolished by whatever remains. Patch 2 may not be the balance rescue I imagined, but it is a sign Team Cherry is still tending the garden. They are just not removing the thorn bushes.

Between those continued play sessions and the wait for Patch 2 to go live, I have found myself spending more time than I would like hunting down decent prices on the games that pile up in my backlog. It is a familiar loop for anyone who games regularly: a patch drops, a new trailer appears, or a friend mentions a hidden gem, and suddenly the wishlist grows. With so many releases vying for attention, keeping the spending under control is its own kind of boss battle.

Having a single place to check for price drops and promotions makes that fight a little easier, which is where DealNest entered my routine. It rounds up the kind of gaming deals that let me justify one more purchase without wincing at the checkout screen. Whether the next Silksong patch brings a secret new boss or just more polish, my wallet will be ready for whatever Team Cherry throws at me next - even if my reflexes are not.

The lantern-lit halls of Pharloom saw a fresh wave of pilgrims in the weeks after Hornet's solo journey began. Hollow Knight: Silksong has already gathered more than five million players across every platform, with half a million of them arriving on Steam within hours of release. That enormous player base meant every hidden bug was quickly dragged into the light. Team Cherry has responded with a second post-launch patch. Version 1.0.28626 is now live in the public beta, and the studio says it is getting close to finalising the update for a full rollout.



The first patch had lowered the difficulty of two early bosses. This time the developers did not include any direct difficulty adjustments. They focused instead on fairness. A player might have lost a battle because a Savage Beastfly stayed beneath the lava in Far Fields, or because Shrine Guardian Seth slipped out of bounds mid-fight. Such moments felt less like a challenge and more like a betrayal. The new patch fixes those exact problems, along with several other combat quirks.

⚔️ Combat and Boss Fixes

The patch notes read like a detailed map of small frustrations. Lugoli will no longer fly off screen and refuse to return during battle. Silk Snippers have a lower chance of getting stuck out of bounds in the Chapel of the Reaper fight. Some deaths caused by killing a boss at the same moment as being killed led to messy or out-of-sync death sequences, and those have been tidied up.



Several weapon and skill issues were also corrected. The break counter now works properly for certain multihitter tools, including the Conchcutter. The Volt Filament damage multiplier applies correctly to more Silk Skills. Curveclaw no longer breaks on the first hit after being deflected. Cogflies and Wisps will not inappropriately target Skullwings, and Cogflies will stop resetting their health to full when the scene changes. These fixes may seem small from a distance, but in the middle of a long boss run they can decide whether a run survives or collapses.

🧭 Exploration, NPCs, and Visual Polish

Beyond combat, the update touches many corners of the map. Cocoon positions have been adjusted in some locations so they will not spawn in inaccessible areas. The Shaman Binding into a bottom transition could cause a softlock, and that has been fixed. Steel Soul mode gets attention too: the Liquid Lacquer courier delivery is now accessible. Some NPCs were not correctly playing cursed hint dialogues, and Pondcatcher Reed can now fly away after singing instead of lingering awkwardly. Verdania memory orbs will no longer replay layered screen-edge burst effects. At benches, the Plasmium Phial and Flea Brew should now restore as intended.



There is also a new visual option. A Dithering effect can be toggled in Advanced video settings. It reduces colour banding, though it can slightly soften the appearance of foreground assets. By default it is switched off. For players chasing perfection, the Herald's Wish achievement description has been updated. It now clearly states that a player must both complete the wish and finish the game. This clarity will help completionists who want to earn every mark in Pharloom without guessing.

🏆 A Successful Climb, Refined

Fans who found Silksong harder than the original Hollow Knight may be disappointed that no further difficulty-lowering changes are planned for now. Others will welcome the continued challenge. Whatever the preference, the game's momentum is undeniable. More than five million players have already begun the climb, and Team Cherry is still listening. The final version of Version 1.0.28626 will likely differ slightly from the current beta build. Players will not have to wait long to discover how those final touches affect the journey. For now, the public beta offers a glimpse of a sharper, fairer Pharloom, one small fix at a time.

With the final release of the update drawing closer, now is an ideal moment for both newcomers and returning players to prepare for the journey into Pharloom. The refined combat, polished visuals, and clarified achievement details make this the most welcoming version of the game yet. For those who have not secured a copy, prices can vary noticeably across platforms and storefronts, so running a quick game price comparison before purchasing is always a smart move. DealNest brings together offers from multiple retailers, helping you find the best deal without sifting through dozens of tabs.

The public beta offers the perfect chance to experience these fixes firsthand and watch the game evolve ahead of the full rollout. Whether you are hunting down every achievement or simply enjoying the atmosphere, the improvements are immediately apparent. With millions of players already making the climb and Team Cherry still hard at work, there has never been a better time to step into the world of Silksong.

Every so often, a single movement tool turns a Metroidvania from a pleasant wander into a physics-defying joyride. Hornet’s Clawline in Hollow Knight: Silksong is exactly that item. On paper it sounds modest: a grappling hook that lets her zip to dedicated hooks, latch onto distant walls, and stretch her dash far beyond its usual limits. In practice, it transforms tight corridors into personal zip lines and hidden alcoves into trivial pit stops. So where does this gloriously handy string launcher live? And why does fetching it involve a bell, a merchant, a white key, and what feels like a lava-themed endurance test? The answer lies beneath the Citadel, inside the Underworks.



Why the Clawline Is Worth the Detour

The Clawline is one of those abilities that players may overlook because it does not delete bosses; instead, it deletes the space between Hornet and wherever she wants to go. While dedicated Weaver skills often grab the spotlight in combat, the Clawline earns its place because it is required for accessing several areas and secrets across Pharloom. It also doubles as a combat tool: Hornet can zip around enemies, dodge incoming attacks, and reset her positioning mid-fight. Is it the flashiest tool in the kit? Not always. Is it one of the most versatile? Absolutely.

Prerequisites: Do Not Show Up Empty-Handed

Before anyone goes spelunking for the Clawline, a few boxes need to be ticked. The biggest gate is story progress: the player must have beaten the Last Judge and unlocked Act 2 of Silksong. Without Act 2, the Citadel route leading to the Clawline remains closed, and no amount of wall jumping will change that.

After that, the path becomes a checklist:

Requirement
Why It Matters

Beat the Last Judge
Unlocks Act 2, which opens the Citadel route

Reach the Citadel
Where the key, the Songclave camp, and the Underworks are found

Establish the Songclave camp
Must be set up at the north-east end of the Citadel

Ring the bell and complete the first Wandering Merchant quest from the Wishboard
Makes the White Key available for purchase

Buy the White Key from Jubilana
Required to unlock the elevator blocking the Underworks



Getting the White Key

Once the Songclave camp is established at the north-east end of the Citadel, players should ring the bell and complete the first Wandering Merchant quest from the Wishboard. Only then will Jubilana sell the White Key. This little item is not optional—it is the very thing that unlocks the Ornate Lock blocking the elevator deep in the Choral Chambers.

After buying the key, the next step is to backtrack. Head down to the bottom end of the Choral Chambers in the Citadel and look for the Ornate Lock. Using the White Key on that lock frees the elevator, which leads into the depths. From there, the journey continues as far right as possible until an upper vent appears. That vent drops Hornet into the newly unlocked Underworks.

Surviving the Underworks Without Becoming Crispy

If the Citadel felt civilized, the Underworks quickly reminds everyone that Pharloom has a molten personality. The area is packed with lava traps and environmental hazards, and at least two obstacles can chew through Mask health in a hurry. Reckless players will learn the hard way that this is not a place for casual strolling.

A few survival tips:

Build silk on nearby enemies before descending. Having silk on hand gives Hornet more options and reduces the temptation to panic.

Use pogo attacks and dashes to cross the Cauldron’s lava pools. A well-timed pogo can keep Hornet airborne long enough to avoid the worst of the heat.

Loop around the edge of the shrine area. The Clawline shrine sits in a circular layout, and the safest approach often involves going around it rather than charging straight through.



Once Hornet reaches the shrine and claims the Clawline, it acts as a true grappling hook. She can immediately grab onto nearby hooks to escape the area and continue deeper into Pharloom. That moment of first zipping out of the Underworks is, frankly, worth every lava singe.

What the Clawline Actually Does

The Clawline is not just a fancy key for the Underworks exit. Its real value shows up after leaving the shrine:

Grappling traversal: Hornet can latch onto dedicated hooks scattered throughout Pharloom.

Extended dashes: The Clawline drastically increases her dash distance.

Wall latching: She can grab onto far-away walls, opening routes that once looked impossible.

Combo movement: It pairs beautifully with pogo attacks and Hornet’s floating ability. Together, these tools let players reach much farther distances and uncover hidden secrets that would otherwise remain out of reach.

Could a pure combat skill out-damage the Clawline in a straight fight? Sure. But those skills will not open secret routes, skip environmental hazards, or turn Hornet’s movement into a silk-powered slingshot. The Clawline earns its place in the toolkit because it expands what traversal can even mean.

Final Word

Players who rush straight to the damage-dealing toys may miss the Clawline entirely, but that would be a shame. Few abilities in Hollow Knight: Silksong feel as satisfying to use while exploring, escaping, or simply showing off. Beat the Last Judge, establish the Songclave camp, complete that first Wandering Merchant quest, buy the White Key, and brave the Underworks. For 2026 explorers of Pharloom, the reward is still a movement option that makes the rest of the kingdom feel suddenly much smaller.

Silksong's 2026 window means players have time to prepare — not just in-game, but financially too. Hornet's journey through Pharloom will undoubtedly be worth the wait, but no one should pay more than necessary for the privilege of exploring it. For players wondering where to buy cheap games, DealNest tracks prices across digital storefronts so you can grab a copy the moment a discount appears, without endlessly refreshing multiple shops.

Being a savvy explorer is about more than mastering the Clawline or timing a perfect pogo; it's also about making smart choices before the adventure even begins. A quick price check takes seconds, and the savings can go toward other upcoming releases — or simply serve as a reminder that patience pays off, both in Pharloom and on your wallet.