Getting Started in Hollow Knight: Silksong
Controls, Early Survival Tips, and Essential Upgrades
Before you fling Hornet into Pharloom’s caverns, take a moment to learn the ropes. This section covers controls, recommended settings, basic survival tips, and the upgrades worth grabbing early. Think of it as your warm-up before Chapter 1, so you are not learning by dying in the tutorial (as many times).
What to Expect: Silksong’s Gameplay Loop
Silksong keeps the same Metroidvania rhythm you loved in Hollow Knight, but faster and more acrobatic. Hornet feels sharper and more aggressive than the Knight, and Pharloom is designed around her mobility.
Your typical session looks like this:
Explore – uncover new areas, shortcuts, and fast travel stations
Fight – nimble enemies, mini-bosses, and demanding boss encounters
Collect – Rosaries for currency, Shell Shards for crafting, and Crests for customisation
Upgrade – repair and improve Tools, slot Crests, and increase survivability
Repeat – backtrack with new abilities to open routes you could not access before
Controls and Interface Basics
Hornet’s controls are familiar but sharper than the Knight’s. Exact button layouts differ by platform, but you will use jump, dash, attack, interact, and Bind (healing). Spend some time in the opening area getting comfortable, and remap if anything feels awkward.
HUD elements:
Masks – your health bar, shown as mask icons
Silk Meter – used for Bind and special moves
Rosary Count – your running currency total
Tool Icons – appear once you acquire and equip Tools
Many players find a controller more comfortable for precision play, but keyboard and mouse work well if you remap thoughtfully.
Settings and Accessibility Suggestions
A few tweaks make the early hours smoother:
Remap Dash – move it to a button that feels natural
Vibration – immersive, but consider turning it off if you prefer less feedback
HUD Scaling (if available) – make masks, Silk, and Rosaries larger for clarity
Text Size – helpful on smaller screens
Performance – disable motion blur and tune brightness so caverns remain moody but readable
Early Survival Tips
Save often at benches. They are respawn points, crest slots, and recovery stations
Secure your Rosaries. Strings protect your beads and are consumed on death. Necklaces are one-use items that let you cash out a fixed amount later
Use Silk wisely. Bind heals quickly but drains Silk you might want for special moves
Talk to NPCs. Many offer quests, items, or shortcuts
Resource Management Basics
Rosaries – the main currency in Pharloom
Rosary Strings – cheap insurance that protects your Rosaries; destroyed if you die
Rosary Necklaces – one-use items that let you convert stored Rosaries into spendable currency
Shell Shards – essential for repairing and crafting Tools
Collectibles – prioritise health, Silk, or mobility upgrades before chasing extras
First Upgrades to Prioritise
Basic Tools – survivability or traversal tools are the most impactful early
Rosary Strings – your top priority purchase for currency safety
Crests – start with survivability or damage boosts
Benches – unlock every one; they are checkpoints and sanity breaks
Basic Combat Strategies
Time dashes deliberately instead of spamming
Learn enemy patterns, even from weaker foes
Bind only when you have safe space
Use Hornet’s reach to poke, retreat, and punish
Dealing with Death
If you die without a Rosary String, you lose your Rosaries on the spot. If you have a String, your savings are preserved but the String is consumed. Carrying one whenever possible makes early farming much less punishing.
Ready to Begin?
With controls settled, HUD understood, and survival basics covered, you are ready for Moss Grotto: Hornet’s first step into Pharloom. Head to the Main Walkthrough Hub to continue your journey.