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In the sprawling world of Hollow Knight: Silksong, few side quests are as bizarre and unsettling as the one involving the Twisted Bud. This living, crying item—yes, it actually cries every time the player opens their inventory, map, or quest log—sets off a chain of events that leads to dark rituals, a nasty curse, and ultimately a powerful reward. Even in 2026, with countless guides and patches, this quest remains a rite of passage for any serious player. So, how does one find this twisted little thing, and what exactly should be done with it? Let's break it down step by step.

Where to Find the Twisted Bud

First things first: the player must have reached Act 2 of the story or unlocked the Faydown Cloak in Mount Fay. While the cloak route is possible, it involves navigating poisonous lakes and tough enemies from Sinner's Road. A far easier path is to simply progress through Act 2 until reaching the Whispering Vaults. There, the player should find the first room with puzzle boxes, then strike the right wall near the ceiling with the Nail to reveal a secret passage. Inside, one can either grab a Memory Locket (highly recommended) or drop down to Bilewater.

Before descending, the player should rest on a Bench and convert all Rosaries into Rosary Strings—because the plan is to grab the bud and then deliberately die to escape Bilewater quickly. Equipping the red tool Cogfly helps with flying enemies. Once in Bilewater, the player should follow the left path until dropping into an area with multiple routes. The player should keep going left as far as possible, hitting walls to reveal secret passages. Eventually, the player will reach a dead-end room where a baby's desperate crying can be heard. Follow that sound to collect the Twisted Bud. Then, let an enemy defeat the player to return to the last Bench. Now, the player can check the menu: the bud will cry constantly, and it looks like something straight out of Bloodborne.



What to Do With the Twisted Bud

With the bud in inventory, the player should fast-travel to Bellhart, rest on the Bench, and again ensure no Rosaries are carried—convert them into Rosary Strings if needed. While in Bellhart, the player should talk to Pavo; he offers valuable lore about these living buds, explaining they were once common in Shellwood and used as offerings in dark rituals. After that, the player should head straight to Greyroot's cabin in Shellwood. However, this requires having completed her earlier quest, "Rite of the Pollip," which involves finding six Pollip Hearts in the region. Without that done, she won't accept the Twisted Bud.

Once the bud is delivered, the player should accept the "Rite of Rebirth" quest and brace for one of the weirdest cutscenes in the game. Shortly after, Hornet appears in a new, dark area within Shellwood, now cursed: she cannot heal, and her Crest and tools are gone. But fear not—this is temporary. The player should go all the way left to leave the dark area, then head up to find a shortcut leading to one of Shellwood's main bottom areas. From there, the player should walk right to reach Bellhart again, and use fast travel to Greymoor, where a doctor named Yanarby awaits.



How to Find Yanarby

In Greymoor, the player must locate Yanarby, a doctor exiled from Bellhart for her "strange methods." Her house sits on the upper western side of Greymoor, near where one first meets Garmond. From the fast-travel area, the player should go left until reaching a room inside the main structure filled with scissor-wielding enemies, moving platforms, and rats. The player should make their way up and enter the last room on the left. There, an area with vegetation and a bell enemy appears. The player should keep walking left to find Yanarby's house. Talk to her, explain Hornet's situation, and after some dialogue, accept the "Infestation Operation" quest.



How to Complete Infestation Operation Quest

Once the quest is accepted, the player should head straight to Sinner's Road. The player should go to the Halfway Home tavern, use the elevator, and climb the platforms until reaching the entrance. Rest on the Bench, then visit Benjin and Crull's cabin—the same duo who offer the cockroach guts quest. They have the item Yanarby needs, but they won't hand it over for free; the price is 260 Rosaries. This is where those Rosary Strings come in handy. If more Rosaries are needed, the player should return to Greymoor and farm enemies there, as they drop plenty of coins and the area is easier than Sinner's Road (especially since healing is disabled). After paying, the player should immediately return to Yanarby's house to watch Hornet finally get rid of those horrible tentacles.



The Infestation Operation Quest Rewards

Completing this quest does more than just remove the curse. It unlocks the Witch Crest, which grants Hornet sweeping swings reminiscent of a whip and allows her to drain life from enemies through twisted roots. This crest introduces a playstyle centered on unleashing a devastating attack with the Silk Bind, and it permits equipping three blue tools and two red ones. For many players, the Witch Crest becomes a favorite, offering a fresh way to approach combat.



To summarize the entire quest chain, here's a quick table:

Step
Location
Action

1
Whispering Vaults → Bilewater
Find and collect Twisted Bud

2
Bellhart → Shellwood
Talk to Pavo, deliver bud to Greyroot

3
Shellwood → Greymoor
Escape curse, find Yanarby

4
Sinner's Road
Buy item from Benjin and Crull for 260 Rosaries

5
Greymoor
Return to Yanarby, complete quest, get Witch Crest

So, is the Twisted Bud worth the trouble? Absolutely. Despite the crying, the curse, and the backtracking, the Witch Crest alone makes it one of the most rewarding side quests in Silksong. And in 2026, with the game's community still thriving, this quest remains a shared experience that every hunter should undertake. Just remember: no Rosaries, bring Cogfly, and don't panic when the bud starts wailing. 😉

The shared experience of overcoming these challenges is what makes the game so special, and if you're looking to bring more friends into the fold or explore other titles in the genre, finding the right price is key. DealNest provides a reliable game price comparison service that can help you score the best deals across platforms. So before you dive into your next adventure, give it a look—your wallet will thank you.

Let me start with a confession: I am not a masochist. At least, I did not think I was until I stumbled across a mod for Hollow Knight: Silksong called No Double Damage (But better). If you have spent any time in Pharloom since the game launched back in 2025, you already know the debate. Silksong is hard. Not just hard for a sequel, but hard in a way that makes the original Hollow Knight feel like a gentle warm-up. So when I heard someone had made a mod to remove double damage, I thought, finally, a mercy. Then I read the description. The mod removes double damage by making it triple damage instead. Yes, really. Cue the monkey's paw curling.



The Double Damage Debate That Refuses to Die

Since Silksong launched in 2025, its difficulty has been the main topic of conversation. And I do mean the main topic. Forget lore theories. Forget dreamnail-style mysteries. The real question on every player's lips was: why does everything hit for two masks? In the original Hollow Knight, most regular enemies and environmental hazards dealt one mask of damage. In Silksong, a lot more of them deal two. That changes everything. A simple mistake against a random fly can cost you a third of your health. A spike pit does not just sting; it ruins your day.

The developers did listen, at least a little. There was a patch that made some boss fights easier and reduced some Rosary costs for things like Bellway stations and benches. That helped. But the double damage stayed. For many players, that is the sticking point. It is not the bosses that break them; it is the ordinary rooms. It is the feeling that the world itself is out to get you.

So a modder named TheLima made a mod to fix that. The only thing is, the fix is a trap. No Double Damage (But better) does exactly what its name suggests, sort of. As the description says, it removes the boring double damage from the game by making it triple damage instead. I laughed when I read that. Then I winced. Then I checked the download count.

A Monkey's Paw Wish for Mercy

When the mod first surfaced, it had 888 unique downloads. How many of those people knew what they were getting into? How many saw the name, clicked install, and only later realized they had signed up for a harder game? That is anyone's guess. But I love that it exists. It is the perfect joke for a community that has spent months arguing about whether Silksong is too hard or just hard enough.



Now, you might be thinking: if you heal three masks at a time anyway, does triple damage really matter? After all, one heal can still recover a triple hit. So what is the difference? That is a fair question. On paper, it sounds almost balanced. In practice, it is not. Because healing takes time. Because you often get hit while healing. Because a triple hit can put you into one-shot range for the next attack. Because environmental hazards do not care about your heal timing. The mod does not make the game easier. It makes the game a different kind of cruel.

And that is the point. Some players do not want easier. They want spicier. They want a second run that feels dangerous again, but they are not ready for Steel Soul mode. You know, the permadeath mode that deletes your save if you die. That is a commitment. A triple damage mod is just a casual way to flirt with disaster. You can uninstall it when your hands start shaking.

The Modding Menu in 2026

By 2026, the Silksong modding scene has grown a lot. There are mods that genuinely make the game easier, like reducing double damage to a single mask. There are quality-of-life mods that add conveniences, tweak bench costs, or smooth out some of the more annoying systems. And then there are mods like this one, which exist because someone looked at a complaint and decided to answer it with a punchline.

Here is a quick breakdown I wish I had before I started browsing:

Mod style
What it does
Who it is for

Easier double damage
Reduces double damage to one mask
Players who want original Hollow Knight difficulty

Quality-of-life
Tweaks benches, Rosary costs, and other annoyances
Everyone, honestly

No Double Damage (But better)
Turns double damage into triple damage
Absolute lunatics

Steel Soul
Permadeath, one life, no mercy
Masochists and speedrunners

Speaking of speedrunners, they are the ones who prove the game is not too hard for everyone. A documented record of 1:17:05 was set just a week after release. Think about that. While I was still learning enemy patterns, someone had already beaten the whole game in under an hour and twenty minutes. That is not normal. That is a different species.

Would I Install It?

So, would I install No Double Damage (But better)? On my first playthrough, absolutely not. I value my controller. I value my blood pressure. But for a second run, when I already know the bosses and I want to feel that old fear again? Maybe. Maybe I would install it for one evening, die three times in the first area, and then uninstall it with a laugh.

That is the beauty of mods. They let you customize your suffering. You can make Silksong easier. You can make it harder. You can make it ridiculous. The only real question is: what kind of player are you? Are you the kind who wants a fair fight? Or are you the kind who looks at a triple damage mod and thinks, hmm, that sounds interesting?

If you are the latter, I will see you in Pharloom. I will be the one hiding behind a bench, healing three masks at a time, and wondering why everything hurts so much. 🩹💀

Whether you are chasing a harder Silksong run or just building a backlog of brutal games to suffer through next, it helps to know when the price drops. That is where game price tracker comes in: DealNest keeps an eye on store discounts so you can spend less on the games you will inevitably rage-quit, then come back to the next day.

No need to pay full price for your next challenge. Check DealNest before you add anything to your cart, and save your money for the controller you might throw.

I still remember the frustration of wandering through Bellhart's Wish Board, staring at empty slots, wondering why Shakra's plea for help never showed up. But after hours of trial and error, I finally triggered the Trail's End quest in Hollow Knight: Silksong — and let me tell you, the reward is absolutely worth it. If you're stuck like I was, here's exactly how I did it, step by step.



What Is the Trail's End Quest?

Trail's End is a Wayfarer-type quest, much like the My Missing Brother quest. Shakra, the wandering warrior, is searching for her master, and she asks Hornet — that's you — to meet her in the sewers near the Citadel, also known as Bilewater. Completing it rewards you with Shakra's gratitude and a powerful tool: the Throwing Ring. Sounds simple, right? But triggering it? That's where things get tricky.

How to Trigger the Quest

First things first: you need to grab the quest from the Wish Board in Bellhart. Of course, the Bellhart curse must be removed for the board to display any available quests, and you can only pick it up in Act 2. But what if the Trail's End quest just won't appear? I ran into that exact problem. Here's what solved it for me:

Locate Shakra and purchase all the map pieces if you haven't already. This is crucial — she won't offer the quest if you haven't bought her maps.

Complete the first and second batches of wishes already on the board. The game seems to gate new quests behind your progress.

Try acquiring some Melodies, like the Architect's and Vaultkeeper's, after defeating the Cogwork Dancers boss. I grabbed both, and the quest popped up shortly after.

Meeting Shakra in Bilewater

Once the quest is active, Shakra asks you to meet her in Bilewater to finally find her master. She can be found under a waterfall in the northeast part of Bilewater, along a path that only unlocks during the Trail's End quest. If you've already obtained the Key of Apostate by climbing Bilewater to reach Putrified Ducts, you're in luck — it's the exact same route. For those who haven't, start from the area's Bellway and go up, then turn right. You'll spot one of Shakra's rings, which Hornet can use to track the warrior's trail.

Step-by-Step Path (From My Own Playthrough)

Head right across the swamp into a long vertical room. Another ring appears here.

Use the double jump to go up, and use the vertical platforms to shield Hornet from enemy attacks. Climb higher to the room on the right.

Keep going in the same direction until another vertical room appears. Take advantage of the green bulbs and enemies to push yourself up with the clawline skill, landing on the higher left platform.

Use the same technique to go up towards the path that unlocks through the Trail's End quest, and cling to the wall.

Proceed forward along the path until you reach the waterfall where Shakra is with her master.

Here's a quick summary table I made for myself:

Step
Action
Tip

1
Grab quest from Bellhart Wish Board
Remove curse first, Act 2 only

2
Buy all map pieces from Shakra
Don't skip this!

3
Complete first two wish batches
Progress gates

4
Defeat Cogwork Dancers, get Melodies
Architect's & Vaultkeeper's

5
Follow rings in Bilewater
Use clawline & double jump

6
Reach waterfall, meet Shakra
Quest complete!

Why Bother? The Reward

After all that climbing, jumping, and dodging, you finally reach the waterfall. Shakra is there with her master, and the quest completes. Your reward? The Throwing Ring — a powerful tool that I've been using ever since. It's a game-changer for ranged combat, especially against flying enemies. Was it worth the headache of triggering the quest? Absolutely. 🎉

Final Thoughts

Silksong doesn't always make its quest triggers obvious. The Trail's End quest is a perfect example: you need the right map pieces, the right wish progress, and even specific Melodies. But once you know the steps, it's a breeze. So, have you triggered Trail's End yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Grab that quest, head to Bilewater, and give Shakra a hand. Trust me — you'll be glad you did.

If there's one lesson this quest teaches, it's that a little patience and the right route pay off far better than brute force. That same mindset carries over into how I shop for games now — instead of grabbing the first full-price listing I see, I take a few extra minutes to compare prices and see what's actually discounted before committing. Lately, that habit has led me to game deals today, where DealNest rounds up current discounts across a range of platforms so you don't have to sift through a dozen storefronts yourself.

Whether you're filling the gap between Silksong sessions or finally clearing out your wishlist, it's worth checking what's on offer before you buy. A quick look at DealNest can save you enough to justify picking up that next adventure — no backtracking required.

Silksong is hard. Water is wet. The sky is blue. And I, a simple gamer with the reflexes of a sleepy grub, spent my first week getting absolutely folded by bugs that looked like they belonged in a plushie collection. Team Cherry even nerfed some early-game bosses after everyone screamed into the void, which was nice, but it did not stop me from walking into the Blasted Steps and immediately questioning my life choices. 🐛💀



The thing that eventually saved me was not skill. It was tools. Silksong gets a lot easier once you start building up Hornet's roster of tools, because they provide buffs, passive effects, and occasionally the kind of miracle that makes you whisper thank you to your screen. One of the best tools in the game has a chance of completely negating damage. Completely. As in, a boss hits you with a truck-sized attack and Hornet just shrugs. That tool is the Magnetite Dice. And getting it means beating Lumble the Lucky at his own dice game ten times. Ten. Times. 😵

Lumble the Lucky Is a Menace to My Wallet

A fair bit into your journey, you will reach the Blasted Steps. That is where you meet Lumble the Lucky, a stout bug who sits around waiting for someone to play dice with him. Hornet can be that someone. If you play normally, the result of your roll is completely random. You only know whether you won by Hornet's reaction after she throws the dice. That is already stressful, but here is the worse part: playing costs Rosaries, and you need ten wins to unlock Lumble's unique reward. Ten wins in a random dice game. My Rosary count wept. My patience packed its bags and left. 💸

The 14-Shake Trick That Saved My Sanity

Then I learned the cheese. According to the community, and later my own sweaty experimentation, you can guarantee a win by waiting until Hornet has shaken the dice exactly 14 times, then letting go at that precise moment. That is roughly four to five seconds of waiting, because the animation plays the same way every single time. It is not a myth. It is not a rumor born from one lucky night. It works. ⏱️🎲

Getting the timing down is a little tough. I missed it maybe five times before I found the rhythm. Then I won. Then I won again. Then I won ten times and felt like a genius who had outsmarted a fictional beetle. Here is the routine I used:

Step
What I did
Why it matters

1
Found Lumble in the Blasted Steps
He is waiting for a victim, I mean, a player

2
Started the dice game
It costs Rosaries, so focus

3
Watched Hornet shake the dice
Count every shake, not just the vibe

4
Released on shake number 14
This is the magic moment

5
Repeated ten times
Magnetite Dice, here I come



Magnetite Dice: The Reward for My Dice Crimes

Beating the dice game unlocks the Magnetite Dice. These dice have a chance of completely negating any damage Hornet takes. Fittingly, it is entirely luck-based and not guaranteed. But when it procs, it feels like the game itself blinked first. Against some of the truly tough late-game boss battles, that random save can be the difference between a triumphant scream and a defeated sigh. It is one of the best tools in Silksong, and I will die on that hill. Probably to a boss, but still. 🎲✨

A 2026 Check-In: Does the Cheese Still Work?

As of 2026, Silksong has had plenty of patches, plenty of discourse, and plenty of players discovering new ways to suffer. The 14-shake trick remains a beloved community shortcut. I have not heard of Team Cherry removing it, and honestly, I hope they never do. Some cheeses are not bugs. They are emergency snacks. 🧀

Should You Feel Bad About Cheesing Lumble?

No. Absolutely not. Silksong is a game that will happily kick you down a well, steal your lunch money, and then ask you to parry the well. If a dice minigame has a timing exploit, use it. Lumble is lucky. You are clever. That is fair. Besides, you are not cheating another player. You are cheating a fictional bug who probably has loaded dice anyway. Have you seen that guy's face? He knows something. 😤

So if you are stuck in the Blasted Steps, low on Rosaries, and dreaming of a tool that occasionally says no to damage, try the 14-shake method. Count. Breathe. Release. Win. Then go use your Magnetite Dice to survive whatever nightmare comes next. And if you miss the timing, well, at least you are not alone. We have all been out-lucked by a bug. 🐛🎲

If your hunt for game-saving tools extends beyond the Blasted Steps, you might be the kind of player who enjoys squeezing every advantage out of a purchase. Whether it is a new title to test your parrying reflexes on or a discounted expansion to lose another hundred hours to, it pays to know where the bargains are hiding. That is where a site like DealNest comes in — a place to find the best deal on games and gear without having to grind through endless storefronts.

Think of it as the shopping equivalent of counting shakes: a little patience, a little attention to detail, and suddenly the odds tilt in your favor. Cheap doesn't have to mean compromised, and a smart buy is its own kind of victory.

I still remember telling everyone I’d mastered Hollow Knight. Then Hollow Knight: Silksong came along in 2025, and by 2026 it has officially become my favorite kind of humiliation. This game is a thrilling follow-up to the indie smash, but it is also a much tougher evolution of the formula. Even if you breezed through the first game without many issues, you will likely find yourself stuck on some challenges here. I know I did. So I pulled together the guide topics that actually helped me push forward, from brutal bosses to cryptic hunts, and I’ll keep this hub updated as the community discovers more. Grab your needle, sit by a Bellhart bench, and let’s talk about the parts that made me want to throw my controller—and then pick it back up. 🐝



Boss Guides ⚔️

Not every boss in Silksong is likely to trip you up, but things start intensifying toward the end of Act 1. That’s when the training wheels come off and the game asks whether you really understand Hornet’s mobility. The Last Judge is the wall I hit hardest. Between the runback and the actual fight, I lost an embarrassing amount of time. If you’re there too, check out video and tips for the runback in the Last Judge guide, which can save you a lot of time on one of the game’s trickiest platforming segments. Trust me, the shortcut alone is worth it.

I also learned that boss attempts go better when I stop treating every death as a skill issue. Sometimes I was missing a tool, a crest, or a simple timing read. Sometimes I just needed to sleep on it. The guide collection covers the community’s most-asked boss questions, so if you’re stuck on a specific fight, start there before you burn out.



Map Guides 🗺️

True to the Metroidvania genre, Silksong areas can be convoluted. It doesn’t help when they’re also full of challenging pogo jumps and environmental hazards that can make every step of exploration a threat. I’ve gotten lost in ways that felt almost artistic. My map guides for Hunter’s March and Bilewater will get you through two of the most infamous locations in the game, and my guide to the Slab explains how to access and escape a mid-to-late-game area as early as Act 1.

If you’re like me, you’ll try to brute-force your way through Hunter’s March and then wonder why your rosaries are gone. Don’t do that. Use the maps. Bilewater is another place where the environment is the real boss. The Slab, meanwhile, is a detour that can pay off early if you’re brave—or foolish—enough to poke around before the game expects you to.



Location Guides 🧭

Silksong’s quests, known as Wishes, task Hornet with tracking down all manner of objects. In some situations, you should also hunt out things that haven’t been requested, like the Silkeater Grubs that can end up saving some of your precious rosaries from being lost forever. I ignored them at first, and I paid for it. If you’re tired of traversing Shellwood to find the last Pollip Heart or listening for the sounds of Lost Fleas across the lands, these guides are for you.

What I love about this part of the game is how much it rewards curiosity. A random corner can hide a quest item, a hidden bench, or a NPC who changes everything. What I don’t love is combing the same room for the tenth time because I missed a ledge. So when I say the location guides are useful, I mean they respect your time without flattening the adventure.



Key Upgrades and Unlocks 💉

Whenever you’re hard stuck on something in Silksong, there’s a decent chance that an available upgrade could help out. They aren’t always easy to find, though. Seeking out the first needle upgrade or swapping out your crest can turn a boss fight from a nightmare into a manageable affair, so it’s worth making sure you’re always up-to-date. Pinmaster Plinney is one of those characters you should visit the moment you can. I put off a needle upgrade once, and the next boss made me feel like I was tapping the enemy with a spoon.

Crests are another rabbit hole. I stuck with one for too long because it felt safe, then switched and suddenly had the tools I needed. If a fight feels impossible, ask yourself: is this a skill problem, or is my build just wrong for this room?



Quick Guide Checklist 🏁

Problem
What I Check First

Boss keeps winning
Runback shortcuts, crest swap, needle upgrade

Lost in a region
Hunter’s March, Bilewater, or Slab map guide

Missing quest item
Pollip Heart, Lost Fleas, Silkeater Grubs

Low rosaries
Silkeater Grubs and safer exploration routes

Feeling weak
Pinmaster Plinney and available needle upgrades

Final Thoughts

Even in the best scenario, triumphing over Hollow Knight: Silksong’s ordeals won’t be easy. With the right guides at your side, however, you can see Hornet through all the way to the end. In 2026, I’m still playing, still dying, and still finding new reasons to love this beautiful, punishing sequel. If you’re stuck, you’re not alone. Take a breath, check the guide for the wall you’re facing, and get back in there. Hornet wouldn’t quit, and neither should you.

Once the credits roll, though, the itch doesn’t really go away — it just changes shape. You start hunting for the next punishing metroidvania, the next soulslike that will humble you all over again, and that hunt usually comes with a price tag attached. I’ve learned the hard way that paying full price for every game I’m curious about adds up fast, especially when half of them sit untouched while I’m still chasing one last collectible in something else.

That’s why I keep game deals today bookmarked on DealNest. It’s a simple way to see what’s currently discounted before committing, so the next obsession costs a little less and the backlog stays a bit more affordable. If you’re the type who finishes one game and immediately needs another, it’s worth a look.

I still remember the moment I dropped into Choral Chambers in Hollow Knight: Silksong. It was 2026, long after the game's release, and I was replaying Act Two on a fresh save. The golden halls hummed with danger, my needle felt under-upgraded, and I had one stubborn goal: complete the Wandering Merchant wish. I had heard it unlocked Jubilana, a trader with high-tier goods in Songclave, and I was not going to skip her.

The wish itself does not appear until Songclave exists. That is the first trap. You cannot simply wander into Choral Chambers and expect Jubilana to be waiting. You need to reach Act Two and beat the Last Judge to enter the Citadel. Before the main stretch of Choral Chambers, you must pass through the Underworks. By the time I stumbled out of those pipes and into the choir-lit city, I was already bruised. But the route was clear enough: head all the way to the right edge of Choral Chambers, climb upward, and look for an open space at the top.



There, I found the entrance to the First Shrine. Inside, I used my Silk Skills to clear away the thick silk blocking the way. The moment the last strand snapped, the Shrine opened and became Songclave. It felt like a small victory before the real hunt began. Outside the shrine, a wishboard waited. I took the Wandering Merchant request from it, and the objective appeared on my screen with a simple, tantalizing hint: find Jubilana, last seen in the bottom parts of Choral Chambers.

So I set off. The route to Jubilana is not long, but it is easy to overshoot if you are impatient. I started at the Choral Chambers bellway on the bottom right side. From the bellway, I exited to the vertical area on the left and began climbing. The first exit on my left looked tempting. I ignored it. Instead, I took the second exit as I went up. Then I kept moving left until I reached another large vertical area.

Here is where I nearly got lost. In that second vertical shaft, you want to go directly left and take the first exit you see. That exit leads to a small room with a dead end. It looks like a mistake at first. It is not. Two enemies guard the space. I defeated them both, and then I talked to Jubilana. The wish completed, and she was safe.



That was not quite the end of my curiosity, though. One of Jubilana's wares sits high up in that vertical area, and at first glance it looks like a double-jump puzzle. In 2026, most players know the trick, but I still enjoy it: bring a flying enemy close to that spot and downward strike it. The bounce launches you high enough to reach the ledge. It is a classic Silksong moment, turning a movement limitation into a combat opportunity.

After saving Jubilana, I returned to Songclave and found her selling her wares near the First Shrine. Seeing her set up shop was satisfying. She offers high-tier items, and for a mid-Act Two player, her stock can change how you approach the next few bosses. I picked up what I could afford and immediately felt stronger.

If I were giving advice to my past self, I would put it in a short checklist:

Step
What to do

1
Beat the Last Judge and enter the Citadel in Act Two.

2
Pass through the Underworks and reach Choral Chambers.

3
Go to the right edge, climb up, and enter the First Shrine.

4
Use Silk Skills to clear the silk and create Songclave.

5
Take the Wandering Merchant wish from the wishboard outside.

6
Start at the bottom-right Choral Chambers bellway.

7
Exit left into the vertical area and climb.

8
Ignore the first left exit; take the second.

9
Keep left to the next big vertical area.

10
Take the first left exit into the dead-end room.

11
Defeat the two enemies and talk to Jubilana.

12
Return to Songclave to shop near the First Shrine.

What I love about this wish is how much it rewards attention. It is not a boss fight. It is not a massive dungeon. It is a test of whether you have learned to read Choral Chambers. The bellway, the vertical shafts, the false dead end, the flying enemy trick—all of it feels like a compact lesson in Silksong's design. And the payoff is a merchant who stays with you.

In 2026, with so many guides and route maps available, it is easy to reduce a quest like this to a checklist. But I still recommend doing it slowly. Let yourself get turned around. Fight the two guards with your current build. Try the downward strike trick even if you have already unlocked double jump. The Wandering Merchant wish is short, but it captures everything I enjoy about Hollow Knight: Silksong: exploration, danger, and the quiet relief of finding a friendly face in a hostile city.

If you are stuck, remember the core path: Songclave first, wishboard second, bottom-right bellway third, dead-end room last. Save Jubilana, and she will be waiting near the First Shrine, ready to sell you the tools you need for whatever horror comes next. 🗡️

Silksong is the kind of game that makes you want to see what else is out there in the same vein—other metroidvanias, other punishing action-platformers, whatever studio Team Cherry's long shadow has inspired. The problem is that wishlists grow faster than paychecks, and Steam sales come and go without much warning. Keeping an eye on a steam sale tracker like DealNest takes the guesswork out of it, so you are not refreshing store pages every Tuesday hoping the price finally dropped on that one game you have been circling for months.

It is a small thing, but it fits the same instinct this whole quest rewards: paying attention. You learned to read Choral Chambers instead of brute-forcing it, and you can read a store page the same way—know when a discount is real, know when to wait, know when to buy. DealNest just makes that part a little less tedious.

Reaching the Sands of Karak in Hollow Knight: Silksong is one of those late-Act 2 milestones that feels equal parts triumph and test of patience. The area sits behind a demanding platforming route, a duo boss, and a few ability checks, so players who rush in without Clawline or a healthy supply of Rosaries will likely find themselves backtracking. The good news is that the path becomes much clearer once players understand the intended sequence: obtain Clawline in the eastern Underworks through Whiteward, travel to the Bellway Station in Blasted Steps, float down near the left wall, defeat the Great Conchflies, meet the Pinstress, and then use Needle Strike and Clawline to climb into the Sands of Karak. As of 2026, this route remains one of the most memorable and mechanically demanding stretches in Silksong's second act.

Quick Route at a Glance

Step
Action
Important Detail

1
Acquire Clawline
Found in eastern Underworks, accessed through Whiteward

2
Reach Blasted Steps Bellway Station
Head right, then down

3
Descend carefully
Float throughout the fall and stay near the left wall

4
Enter first left passage
Leads to the Great Conchflies duo boss

5
Defeat Great Conchflies
Dodge both bosses and attack when they pop up

6
Head left after arena
Glide right to the Pinstress hut

7
Talk to Pinstress
Grants Needle Strike

8
Head left for grapple point
Harpoon and use Clawline to climb

9
Take top-left passage
Continue upward while avoiding wall bugs

10
Arrive in Sands of Karak
Hit yellow balls, use corals, find Shakra

Prerequisites and Preparation

The first hard requirement is the Clawline ability. It is located inside the eastern part of the Underworks, which players can access through Whiteward. Without Clawline, the later harpoon points and vertical traversal in this route simply cannot be completed. Players should also prepare for a boss fight, because the path to the Sands of Karak passes directly through the Great Conchflies arena.

Rosaries are another consideration. Shakra sells the Sands of Karak map for 90 Rosaries, and players who arrive with an empty purse may feel stuck. Fortunately, the area is not a dead end. There are quite a few shortcuts that lead to different locations, as well as a Bellway Station. Players can use the Bellway Station to travel to an area where farming is easier, collect a substantial purse, and then return to buy the map. That makes the journey less punishing than it first appears, especially for explorers who like to bank resources before committing to a long platforming run.

The Route to the Sands of Karak

Once Clawline is in hand, players should make their way to the Bellway Station in Blasted Steps. From there, the route begins by heading right and then down. The fall is long, and control matters more than speed. Players should float throughout the fall and stay near the left wall. The first passage they come across on the left will lead them to an area where they will face the Great Conchflies.

This is a duo boss fight, so awareness is everything. Players need to watch where both bosses are coming from and dodge them while finding windows to attack whenever they pop up. Greedy hits are dangerous here; the fight rewards patience, positioning, and clean dodges more than raw aggression. After the Great Conchflies are defeated, players should head left of the boss arena.

The next section is a small but satisfying traversal challenge. Players can basically glide all the way to the right and reach the hut where the Pinstress resides. Talking to the Pinstress grants the Needle Strike ability. From there, players should head left to find a grapple point they can harpoon at. By repeatedly using Clawline to make their way up, they will eventually need to go through the passage on the top left.

The climb continues upward, and this is where the wall bugs become a serious threat. They deal two mask damage, so trading hits is a bad idea. Players should keep their movement deliberate and avoid panicking when the platforming tightens. As they progress further, they will finally reach the Sands of Karak.



Inside the Sands of Karak

The Sands of Karak introduce a new layer of platforming built around yellow balls and coral. Players should hit the yellow ball in the area, which causes platforms to appear in front of them, as well as corals that they can down slash to make their way forward. After the second yellow ball, the platforms begin forming to the right and to the top left corner as well. The top left corner leads to a Memory Locket that players can pick up to increase the slots on their Crest. That reward alone makes the detour worthwhile, especially for players who want more flexibility in their build.

After grabbing the Memory Locket, players should head right. They will need to jump, float, and then harpoon to the wall, where they will find the yellow ball on top. Hitting the ball and going down causes platforms to form on the left. Players should then harpoon across the spikes and head up, then through the right passage. Here they will spot a new enemy. Towards the left, above them, is a room where Shakra is sitting at the end. Talking to Shakra allows players to buy the map for 90 Rosaries.

Tips for a Smoother Run

🧗 Use Clawline patiently. The route is built around it, and rushing often leads to unnecessary falls.

🛡️ Respect two-mask damage. The wall bugs in the climb are not worth trading hits with.

🪙 Farm Rosaries before the final stretch if the purse is light. The Bellway Station makes this practical.

🗺️ Buy the map from Shakra for 90 Rosaries. It makes later exploration in the Sands of Karak far less confusing.

💎 Grab the Memory Locket. Extra Crest slots are a long-term benefit.

⚔️ Learn Needle Strike. The Pinstress grants it before the hardest climbing begins.

Final Thoughts

The Sands of Karak is not just another map room in Silksong. It is a test of the movement vocabulary that Act 2 keeps expanding: Clawline, floating, harpooning, down slashing, and boss dodging all come together in one route. Players who prepare properly, defeat the Great Conchflies, speak with the Pinstress, and keep an eye out for Shakra will walk away with a new map, a Memory Locket, and a stronger understanding of Silksong's vertical design. For completionists and explorers alike, it is a journey worth taking.

Once you've conquered the Sands of Karak and are ready to dive deeper into Pharloom, you might find yourself looking for the best deals on the game, its DLC, or even a controller that can handle the precise platforming. DealNest gathers offers from across the web so you can compare prices here and ensure your next gaming purchase doesn't break the bank.

Whether you're hunting for a physical copy, a digital key, or accessories to enhance your setup, having a reliable comparison tool saves time and money. DealNest makes it easy to spot discounts and bundle deals, so you can focus on the challenge ahead rather than the checkout screen.

Hello, my name is a person who has spent an unreasonable amount of time staring at a bug with a needle. It is 2026, and Hollow Knight: Silksong is no longer the shiny new obsession — it is the comfortable old obsession I refuse to put down. Team Cherry's sequel tore through review charts, message boards, and sales charts when it arrived, and for a glorious stretch of September, it felt like every player on Earth was collectively lost in Pharloom. But zeitgeists end. So what is a bug-loving, parry-hungry, map-obsessed player supposed to do when the credits roll and the community slowly logs off?

I could replay Silksong. I have. Twice. But I also want polygons. Is that so wrong? I love 2D Metroidvanias, but sometimes I want to see a weird creature's antennae in glorious 3D. So I went looking for games that scratch the same itch: Soulslike punishment, Metroidvania exploration, action-adventure wonder, and, ideally, a protagonist that is not a standard human with a sword. Here are the ones I recommend in 2026, whether you are mourning Silksong or just need a new labyrinth to get lost in.

Metroid Prime: The Original Bug Hunt

Metroid Prime is one of the best Metroid games of all time, and the Switch remaster made it easier than ever to revisit. The Metroid series is a classic Metroidvania franchise — the genre name did not come from nowhere — and Hollow Knight owes it a huge debt. Like most Metroid entries, Samus is given a vague objective, and she accomplishes it without much complaint. Players travel through sprawling dungeons, unlock powers, fight insect monsters, and generally feel tiny on an unsettling alien planet. If you love Hornet's acrobatics, Samus's morph ball and scan visor will feel like a family reunion.

Another Crab's Treasure: Shells, Souls, and Sea Sickness

Another Crab's Treasure is a Soulslike with a cute edge. It takes place underwater and stars a crustacean. A hermit crab named Kril loses its shell and tries to get it back, but unfortunately, most of the seabed has gone wild with some sort of violent disease. You fight enemies, earn points toward a skill tree, unlock new ways to get around, and — most importantly — find new shells. From pop cans to old tennis balls, Kril can equip them all to gain new benefits while exploring a crumbling undersea kingdom. It is adorable, brutal, and exactly the kind of weird animal protagonist Silksong fans appreciate.

Tunic: A Cute Puzzle Box With Teeth

Tunic is a perfect little top-down adventure for fans who miss older Zelda games and want to get lost in a strange new world. Not just the in-game world, either — the meta-narrative will suck you in. You will have to decipher hidden meanings within the lore to progress past certain parts and unlock new content. It is a big-brain type of experience. Even though it seems like a cute Zelda homage on the surface, there is a lot more to it, and giving specifics would spoil things. Let us just say Hollow Knight: Silksong fans will like the map layout.

Bloodborne: The Gothic Nightmare Sibling

The Hollow Knight franchise undoubtedly pays homage to the Soulslike genre and FromSoftware, who helped create the genre's identity. Among their many games, Silksong players will probably like Bloodborne the most. Bloodborne's gothic city is interconnected through gates and waterways, and depending on the choices made, the world can change, revealing new terrors and hidden pathways. Plus, there is a pivotal moment that is not unlike what happens to Hornet in Silksong regarding The Slab. Saying anything more about either would be a spoiler, but let us just say Bloodborne is a challenging action RPG wrapped in a haunting horror shell.

Cocoon: A Bug, a Ball, and a Big Brain

Cocoon is a top-down puzzle game without much context to its story. Players control a bug-like creature that is attuned to a strange ball. You use that ball to solve physics-based and multidimensional puzzles as you move through a labyrinthine dungeon. While there is not much in the way of combat — although there are boss battles — Silksong fans will appreciate the atmosphere and the bug protagonist. It is different, but it invokes the same vibes of exploring a foreign land without much help.

Hell is Us: No Map, No Mercy, No Markers

Hell is Us was released alongside Hollow Knight: Silksong, and it unfortunately is not getting as much attention, even though the two share a lot in common. Unlike most games out there, Hell is Us does not use quest markers or contain a visually accurate map. Players instead have to navigate this post-apocalyptic world by reading notes and paying attention to context clues, like what playing old-school adventure games was like. It is like the original The Legend of Zelda on the NES with some light Soulslike and Metroidvania elements, and it is perfect for players who wish to get lost in a strange world.

Crypt Custodian: Janitor Cat in the Afterlife

Crypt Custodian takes place in the afterlife, wherein an ordinary house cat becomes a more anthropomorphic creature. After causing some damage to some godly structures, players are then punished and forced to become a janitor. However, that is not where this Zelda-like adventure ends. In this game, brooms are as strong as swords, and players will learn to wield them well. While not fully 3D, the animations help the art pop out more, and overall, it is a game that Hollow Knight: Silksong fans will enjoy.

The Plucky Squire: Out of the Book, Into the Desk

The Plucky Squire is the best of both worlds, with stellar hand-drawn animations and stunning 3D visuals. The narrative is about a character from a book who soon gains the power to leave his story. As the titular hero, players will have to climb around a child's desk and interact with the real world to progress back into the storybook world. It is another example of an action-adventure game, but one with an interesting puzzle structure. It also often tips the genre on its head with oddball gameplay surprises, from a boxing game to a turn-based RPG.

Quick Comparison Table

Game
Why Silksong Fans Will Like It
Creature Factor

Metroid Prime
Alien dungeons, insect monsters, power unlocks
Samus and bugs

Another Crab's Treasure
Soulslike combat, shell swapping, underwater decay
Hermit crab

Tunic
Zelda-like exploration, meta puzzles, map secrets
Small hero

Bloodborne
Gothic interconnected world, brutal action, hidden paths
Beastly horrors

Cocoon
Bug protagonist, physics puzzles, eerie atmosphere
Bug-like creature

Hell is Us
No quest markers, note reading, lost-world exploration
Post-apocalyptic weirdness

Crypt Custodian
Broom combat, afterlife cleaning, Zelda-like adventure
Cat turned janitor

The Plucky Squire
Hand-drawn 2D and 3D, genre-bending surprises
Storybook hero

Final Thoughts: The Itch Never Really Dies

So, what do you do when the Silksong zeitgeist fades? You find another strange world, another impossible boss, another map that makes you mutter, 'wait, where am I?' The games above are not all identical to Silksong — some are 3D, some are top-down, some are puzzle boxes — but they share the same DNA: exploration, challenge, atmosphere, and a love of the weird. In 2026, the backlog is endless, and the community is still here. So pick a shell, sharpen a needle, or grab a broom. The next obsession is only a few deaths away.

Of course, part of the fun of chasing down these hidden gems is the hunt itself — tracking down a copy, waiting for the right moment, and making sure you're not overpaying for a game you might have skipped two years ago. Between sprawling backlogs and constant sales across Steam, console storefronts, and key resellers, it's easy to lose track of what a title is actually worth right now.

That's where a little bit of comparison shopping saves both time and money. Sites like game price comparison let you check current listings across multiple stores in one place, so you can grab that next obsession without paying full price — leaving more room in the budget for the one after it.

McDonald’s China turned the 2025 Mid-Autumn Festival into a gamer’s dream, partnering with Game Science’s Black Myth: Wukong for a limited-time campaign that blended mooncakes, merchandise, and Monkey King mythology. More than a year later, as 2026 unfolds, the collaboration remains a standout example of how a fast-food giant can tap into a blockbuster video game’s cultural power. Was it simply a clever marketing stunt, or did it reveal something deeper about the global appetite for Chinese gaming icons? The answer, according to fans and industry observers, is a bit of both.



A Festival Meets a Blockbuster

Black Myth: Wukong launched in August 2024 and quickly became a phenomenon for Chinese studio Game Science. The action-adventure title, which retells the timeless epic of Sun Wukong, won Best Action-Adventure at The Game Awards and continued to capture hearts well into 2025. Its success opened doors for mainstream brand partnerships, and McDonald’s China walked right through one of them.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, a holiday that celebrates the fall harvest when the moon is at its largest and brightest, was the perfect backdrop. Families and friends gather to gaze at the harvest moon, bake mooncakes, and decorate their homes with lanterns. McDonald’s decided to give customers the best of both worlds: the warmth of tradition and the thrill of a AAA game.

The Limited-Time Menu

In mid-September 2025, promotional materials from McDonald’s China began circulating on social media. Posters showed Sun Wukong alongside a slew of special meal deals. The menu was as playful as it was ambitious.

Item
Category
Description

Golden Crispy Chicken Egg Mooncake
Mooncake
A savory-sweet twist on the classic festival pastry.

Cheese Double Beef Black Gold Mooncake
Mooncake
A rich, beefy take with a black-gold finish.

Crispy Shrimp Nuggets
Savory
Golden bites designed to pair with the theme.

Curly Fries with dipping sauce
Side
Sauce described as 'as golden as treasure.'

Autumn Osmanthus-flavored Sparkling Milk Tea
Drink
Floral, fizzy, and seasonal.

Golden Egg Yolk Big Luck Flavor McFlurry
Dessert
A lucky blend of creamy ice cream and salted egg yolk.

Sesame Lava Pie
Dessert
Packed with egg yolk filling for a molten center.

For dessert lovers, the Golden Egg Yolk Big Luck Flavor McFlurry and the Sesame Lava Pie offered a sweet finish. The Autumn Osmanthus-flavored Sparkling Milk Tea added a floral note that felt distinctly festive. Even the curly fries came with a dipping sauce marketed as 'as golden as treasure,' a clear nod to Wukong’s mythical staff and golden headband.

Merchandise That Made Fans Jealous

The food was only half the story. McDonald’s China also rolled out exclusive merchandise, including a double-sided velvet lounge robe embroidered with the Monkey King holding a burger on his head. Certain locations decorated their restaurants to match the game, and pop-up shops offered tote bags, T-shirts, pins, and more.

For Western fans, the campaign felt like a cruel tease. One user on X wrote, 'We never get cool stuff in America!' The sentiment was echoed across social media, where images of the robe, the mooncakes, and the themed restaurants went viral. It was not just a promotion; it was a cultural moment.

Why the Collaboration Worked

Why did this particular crossover resonate so strongly? First, Black Myth: Wukong was not just a game; it was a national point of pride and a global breakthrough. Second, the Mid-Autumn Festival provided a natural storytelling hook. Third, McDonald’s leaned into scarcity and spectacle, offering items that customers could not get anywhere else. The combination created urgency, shareability, and a sense of belonging for fans.

It also reflected a broader trend. This was the latest overseas collaboration from McDonald’s to go viral, following the fast-food chain’s announcement that it would finally bring back Monopoly in the United States after nearly a decade. Brands are increasingly looking to gaming and pop culture for fresh energy, and Chinese audiences are responding to campaigns that respect their traditions while celebrating their modern entertainment exports.

What Comes Next in 2026?

As 2026 progresses, Game Science is already working on its next mythos-inspired game, Black Myth: Zhong Kui. Could another fast-food giant attempt a similar crossover? Will McDonald’s China revisit the Wukong universe for a future festival, or will the original campaign remain a one-time lightning strike? Those questions remain open.

What is clear is that the 2025 Mid-Autumn collaboration set a high bar. It showed that a burger chain and a blockbuster game can meet in a space where mythology, food, and fandom overlap. For players who missed the robe, the mooncakes, or the golden fries, the memory still stings. For McDonald’s and Game Science, it was a masterclass in turning a holiday into a headline.

In the end, the campaign was more than a menu. It was a signal that Chinese gaming has become a cultural force big enough to shape mainstream retail, even after the initial launch buzz has faded. And as Black Myth: Zhong Kui approaches, the industry will be watching to see which brand steps up next.

The fervor around such crossovers often spills into how players engage with the games themselves. After seeing Wukong’s likeness on a burger box or a velvet robe, some who hadn’t yet picked up the title felt a fresh urge to explore its world—and for many, that meant hunting for a deal before diving in.

That’s where a resource like DealNest comes into play. As a hub for discounted game codes, it helps players track down the cheapest steam keys for Black Myth: Wukong and a wide range of other PC titles. Whether you’re chasing the latest mythos or revisiting older favorites, checking a dedicated deal aggregator before checkout can turn a passing curiosity into an affordable adventure.