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How I Accidentally Locked Myself Out of Silksong's Best Co-Op Boss Fight
I've been playing Hollow Knight: Silksong since it launched, and like many of you, I tried to go in as blind as possible. No guides, no spoilers—just me, Hornet, and the vast, bug-filled world of Pharloom. But you know what? That approach bit me in the rear. I made a couple of innocent choices early on, and they ended up robbing me of what was shaping up to be one of my favorite boss fights in the entire game. Mild spoilers for Silksong ahead, so if you're still exploring, maybe bookmark this and come back later.

The Moorwing Fight: A Co-Op Dream Come True
I love Metroidvanias because they let me jump from one thing to another. Silksong is such a large game that I could easily pause trying to defeat a tricky boss and go explore somewhere else for a bit. That's exactly what I did when I came across the Moorwing in Greymoor. The fight itself is fairly standard but challenging, with a wide-open arena and plenty of breathing room. The best part, though, was that I wasn't doing it alone. I had come across a mighty warrior named Garmond in Greymoor, riding atop his faithful steed, Zaza. To my surprise, the two offered to assist me in battle and did, in fact, dive into the fray headfirst.
It was such a delight to have a companion to fight with, and Garmond made such a great foil to Hornet's stoic nature. I wandered off to explore some more, planning to return to the battle after a while. I mean, who wouldn't want to savor that? But that was my first mistake.

Two Decisions, One Locked Door

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My Abyss Survival Guide in Silksong: Map, Entry, and Escape
As a die-hard Hollow Knight fan, I dove headfirst into Silksong's Act 3 the moment I unlocked it. And let me tell you, the Abyss is no joke. This pitch-black nightmare will test your patience, but the rewards are worth it. Here's my personal account of finding the Abyss map, reaching the depths, and clawing my way back out.

Finding the Abyss Map
So you've made it to the Abyss. Congrats, but you're probably blind as a bat down there. The Abyss map is located right on top of the southern bench. After you reach that checkpoint, look for an opening above you and jump up there. Then head a little to the left, and you'll claim the map. Once you grab it, all the areas Hornet has already discovered on the way to the bench will instantly appear on your map. 🗺️
But here's the catch: the Abyss map only opens after you've gone through the pitch-black depths. So there's no way to use it before that. Trust me, I tried. You just have to stumble around in the dark for a bit.
How to Reach the Abyss
Reaching the Abyss in Silksong is no easy task. After entering Act 3, Hornet is determined to fix the disaster that's fallen upon Pharloom. To do that, she needs to reach the cause of it all in the depths, which means volunteering for a journey to the Abyss.
To get there, she needs help from someone who knows how to forge a vessel that can withstand the trip. So you'll need to journey to the Deep Docks and find the Forge Daughter, who's marked by the vendor icon on your map. But when you speak to her, she'll tell you that the one you actually need is Ballow, the worker next to her. Talk to Ballow, and he'll agree to help Hornet.

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Conquering High Halls: A Pilgrim's Guide to Silksong's Deadliest Gauntlet
The pilgrim had heard the stories long before she ever laid eyes on the golden rings of High Halls. Every hall in Pharloom carries a song, the old travelers said, and the High Halls carry the cruelest one of all — a melody stitched together from spinning rings, spike-filled shafts, and an eleven-wave slaughter that has broken more wanderers than any crowned boss ever managed. In a kingdom of twenty-eight biomes, this one, hidden above the Choral Chambers, remains the place where ambition goes to die.
But she was stubborn, and stubbornness, in Pharloom, is a kind of currency.

The Long Road to the Golden Rings
Before the pilgrim could even think about stepping inside, she needed the Clawline — a tool she could only claim in the Underworks, the grim industrial sprawl that opens up after Trobbio falls. That alone took her longer than she cared to admit. Once the hook was finally hers, the path revealed itself at the top left of the Choral Chambers. Those who have not yet unlocked the route can find it by passing through the Cogwork Dancers' arena and pressing left until a lonely bench appears at the very edge of the map.
To the right of that bench hangs a ring. She leapt, hooked, and rose. More rings followed, some of them willing to carry her upward like patient elevators. The entrance to High Halls waited on the right — and it was only the beginning.

Dancing With Rotating Rings

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Wormways Guide: Maps, NPCs, Collectibles, and Wishes
In 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong continues to reward meticulous exploration, and the Wormways remains one of the earliest optional regions that can dramatically shape a playthrough. These dark, worm-infested tunnels sit between the Moss Grotto and the upper reaches of the Mosslands, offering a compact but secret-rich intermission before Shellwood. Although the area is short, it is packed with valuable upgrades, a map vendor, two collectibles, and two Wishes that tie into Plasmium and flea hunting. Players who want to reach Cling Grip early should consider unlocking the Wormways, but they must prepare for a Simple Key expense or a long detour, plus falling Gorms that punish slow movement.
🗺️ Full Map Overview Of The Wormways

The Wormways is a very short and simple area that acts like an intermission before Shellwood. There is not much to do on a first visit, and even later visits are normally for a single, short purpose. However, entering does require a Simple Key if the player is coming from Moss Grove. Swift Step is highly recommended for this area due to the prevalence of quickly falling worms, or Gorms, from the ceilings. While it is possible to venture across this space theoretically without Swift Step, it will make life far easier.
As expected for an area of this size and activity, there are only four foe types in the region:

Foe
Threat Profile

Gromling
The most frustrating part of the area because they often respawn, even without the player leaving the room, and emerge from several points on the map.

Grom
Falling worms that drop from ceilings and punish careless movement.

Winged Pilgrim Bellbearer

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Hollow Knight's Review Shift After Silksong: A Storm in a Teacup?
In the quiet aftermath of 2025, as 2026 rolls on, Hollow Knight remains one of indie gaming's crown jewels. Eight years after its release, the game has earned nearly 440,000 positive Steam reviews and fewer than 14,000 negative ones. That ratio is the stuff of legend. But when Hollow Knight: Silksong finally arrived, it brought a flood of new players into Hallownest, and with them came a small but noticeable shift in how the original game is being reviewed. For the first time in its history, Hollow Knight's recent Steam reviews slipped from Overwhelmingly Positive to Very Positive. It is not a crisis, but it is a fascinating wrinkle in the story of a modern classic. 🎮

The Numbers Behind the Shift
According to SteamDB, in the first ten days of September 2025, Hollow Knight received 660 negative reviews. That may not sound like much for a game with hundreds of thousands of reviews, but it was the highest monthly negative total in the game's history, and September was only one-third over. The previous record was set in August 2025 with 378 negative reviews. Before that, January 2025 held the record with 340 negative reviews. To put it plainly, the game was not suddenly review-bombed into oblivion. It was simply being played by more people than ever before. 📊

Period
Negative reviews
Notes

First 10 days of September 2025
660
Highest monthly total ever, with two-thirds of the month remaining

August 2025
378
Previous monthly record

January 2025
340
Record before August 2025

Lifetime before September 2025
Fewer than 14,000
Against almost 440,000 positive reviews

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Silksong: How I Opened That Ornate Clamp (And Why You Can Chill)
Hello, fellow bug with a needle and a questionable sense of direction. I am here to tell you about the time I found an old diving bell in Deep Docks, read the words 'Its door is shut tight by an ornate clamp,' and proceeded to lose my mind for a solid hour. If you are searching for how to open the ornate clamp in Silksong, congratulations: you are not alone, and the answer is way less dramatic than the creepy bell suggests. In 2026, with the game fully out and Act 3 no longer a rumor whispered in taverns, I can confirm the truth. The ornate clamp does not open because you hit it harder, shoot it, or stare at it with Hornet's intimidating mask. It opens only when you have the Diving Bell Key, and that key is tied to the secret Act 3. So if you are still poking around Deep Docks in the early acts, put the clamp on your 'later' list and go explore something else. The bell is not a boss room. It is a transit stop.

Wait, What Is This Weird Clamp? 🤔
You find the old diving bell in the deeper part of the Deep Docks. When Hornet inspects it, the game tells you: 'An old diving bell. Its door is shut tight by an ornate clamp.' That is it. No prompt, no lever, no nearby switch, no cryptic mural. Just a sealed bell and a clamp that looks important enough to make you think you missed a whole dungeon.
I know the feeling. I circled the room. I checked the ceiling. I hit the clamp with my needle like it owed me geo. Nothing. The reason is simple: the ornate clamp in Silksong is not a local puzzle. It is a progression lock. The only thing that opens it is the Diving Bell Key, and the only place to get that key is the secret Act 3. If you are not in Act 3 yet, the bell is a fancy metal door with trust issues.
The Diving Bell Key Is an Act 3 Thing 🔑

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Map Guide - All 28 Maps and How to Get Them
Hey there, fellow wanderer! Have you ever found yourself lost in the twisting corridors of Pharloom, wishing you had a map? I know I have. In Hollow Knight: Silksong, there are 28 maps to collect, and let me tell you, they make all the difference. Whether you're buying from Shakra or hunting down hidden devices, this guide will help you become a master cartographer. So, grab your needle, and let's dive in!
First things first: Shakra. She's that fierce warrior you'll hear singing or see leaving a trail of Throwing Rings. You can buy half the maps from her. But from Act 2 onward, you'll also find maps by interacting with strange devices or picking them up in map rooms. If you're short on Rosaries when you first meet her, don't worry—you can always buy the map later when you run into her again. Just be prepared to navigate without one for a while, which can be tricky!

Now, let's break down all 28 maps. I've organized them into a handy table so you can quickly find what you need. Remember, the prices are in Rosaries, and the locations are relative to landmarks like benches or Bellways.

Map
How to Obtain
Cost (Rosaries)
Location

Bone Bottom
Buy from Shakra
40
NW part of The Marrow

The Marrow
Buy from Shakra
50
Near bench in NW part

Deep Docks
Buy from Shakra
50
East of Deep Docks Bellway

Far Fields
Buy from Shakra
50
Cave SW of Far Fields Bellway

Wormways
Buy from Shakra
70
East side, upper path from Moss Grotto

Hunter's March
Buy from Shakra
70

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My Quest for Rune Rage in Silksong: Beating the First Sinner
I’ll be honest with you: when I first set foot in Pharloom, I thought I had seen it all. But Silksong has a way of throwing curveballs. The Rune Rage skill? It’s a real game-changer, but getting it is no walk in the park. So grab your needle, because I’m about to walk you through exactly how I got my hands on this bad boy.

First things first: Silk Skills are Hornet’s bread and butter. They cost Silk, and the very first one you get is the Silkspear—required to free the Bell Beast. After that, it’s every bug for themselves. Rune Rage is one of those optional skills that can easily slip through the cracks if you’re not paying attention. It’s not tied to the main quest, so you could finish the game without ever knowing it exists. But where’s the fun in that?
So, how do you get Rune Rage? Simple: beat the First Sinner in The Slab. Yeah, I know, “simple” is doing a lot of heavy lifting there. The First Sinner is a tough cookie, but the payoff is worth it. Rune Rage summons multiple runes that pop up randomly on screen, then explode after a short delay. It’s fantastic when you’re swarmed by enemies bouncing around like popcorn. That said, because the runes appear randomly, it’s not exactly a precision tool. Sometimes it’s a hit, sometimes it’s a miss—such is life.

To use Rune Rage, just press the right button for your platform:

Platform
Button

PC
F

PlayStation
R1

Xbox
RB

And here’s a pro tip: you can pair it with other Silk Skills if you equip the Shaman Crest. Mixing and matching? That’s my kind of chaos.

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Hollow Knight Silksong: Balm for the Wounded Quest Guide for 2026
In 2026, Hollow Knight Silksong remains a maze of secrets, and the Balm for the Wounded quest is one of its most easily missed errands. This Act 2 side quest sends Hornet into Whiteward to find Sherma, a resident who has vanished from Songclave. For completionists chasing 100%, it is not optional. For everyone else, the rewards make it more than worth the detour. The quest also opens the door to another missing-person hunt, so players who skip it may find their Wish Board looking a little emptier than it should.

How to Start the Balm for the Wounded Quest
The quest does not simply appear. Players must first discover Songclave in the north-eastern part of Choral Chambers in the Citadel. After activating the First Shrine bench in Songclave, they need to leave and then return. That small act of backtracking convinces the settlement to build a Wish Board. Songclave, in other words, waits for travelers to prove they are coming back.
Even then, the Wish Board will not offer Balm for the Wounded right away. It only appears after players complete the Building Up Songclave side quest. That task asks for a donation of 300 Rosaries to the Wish Board. It also requires visiting Whiteward one time. The entrance to Whiteward needs a key, but the key is easy to find to the right of the First Shrine bench in Songclave. Players should grab it before leaving. Blink and it is gone, and then they will be making a second trip.
Once Building Up Songclave is complete and Whiteward has been visited at least once by unlocking its door, players should return to Songclave. The Balm for the Wounded quest will be waiting at the Wish Board. Accept it, and the search for Sherma officially begins.

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After Silksong, Hollow Knight Fans Need New Hopes
The Nintendo Direct was once a stage for a very specific kind of heartbreak. For seven years, Hollow Knight fans tuned in with the same desperate hope: maybe this time, Silksong. Maybe this time, Hornet would appear. Maybe this time, Team Cherry would end the silence. In 2025, that hope was finally answered. Hollow Knight: Silksong arrived, real and playable, and the long wait collapsed into a strange new problem. When Nintendo announced another Direct for 2026, the Hollow Knight community discovered they had nothing left to beg for.

Instead of relief, there was an odd emptiness. The Direct had been their annual ritual of disappointment, and now the ritual was broken. For years, the phrase 'Silksong at the Direct' had been a meme, a prayer, and a punchline all at once. Now it was just a memory. The fans had become so accustomed to hoping that they started hunting for a new impossible dream before the old one had even cooled.
The Hopium Machine Needs New Fuel
The search did not take long. Hollow Knight fans, like many Nintendo fans, have a mental list of announcements that feel permanently just out of reach. A new Kid Icarus. A new F-Zero. Nintendo acknowledging that Star Fox still exists. These are not realistic expectations so much as emotional insurance. They are the games that let fans feel the sweet ache of wanting something that will probably never come.

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