Hollow Knight: Silksong's new trailer reveals a variety of gameplay features that could make the protagonist Hornet stand out from the Knight.

While Hollow Knight: Silksong was a no show during Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest, the award-winning Metroidvania platformer from Team Cherry surprised fans with a new trailer during the Xbox-Betheseda showcase on June 12. In the newly released footage, the main character Hornet is seen traversing the unfamiliar land of Pharloom and wielding a few exciting never-before-seen abilities that appear to be completely overhauled from the original game.

Hornet's fighting style in Hollow Knight: Silksong versus The Knight looks much more elegant and acrobatic, consistent with the playable demo released during E3 in 2019. Each new ability demonstrated in the minute-long raw gameplay gives fans a good idea of what to expect when it officially launches in an expected window of 12 months or less. When it does release, Xbox players will be ecstatic to learn that it will be playable on Xbox Game Pass.

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First and foremost is the classic parry ability that is reminiscent of the parry from Hollow Knight. The "Princess Knight" is able to bounce off of dangerous obstacles to propel herself upwards via her Needle, just as players were able to do in the first game. This includes leaping off intended enemy NPCs and stalagmites while dealing damage. However, her parry ability is mainly utilized to deflect specific attacks or for performing an offensive attack, where players will be able to strike enemies with Hornet's Needle to reduce their health.

Perhaps the biggest change from The Knight's parry ability is Hornet's utilization of a needle and silk, rather than a short-range nail melee weapon. This kit allows Hornet to be quicker and more diverse in her movement, which is displayed during the trailer as she flips and leaps about with ease while dealing long-distance damage.

Hornet's combative abilities are much more aerially focused, so she is able to move freely when in the air and target an attacker. Alongside this, she maintains her AoE attack, seen in the first game, which sends pointed strings spiraling out from around her. Players that remember the second boss battle against Hornet in the Cast-Off Shell Entrance to Kingdom's Edge may also recall her area of denial devices, though there is a bit of a different take on them here. Hornet can now throw thumbtack-like objects, similar to caltrops, when battling larger foes that can seemingly trap them in place.

Hollow Knight is notorious for its difficulty and love of creating platforming challenges for its dedicated player base. It appears that its sequel will be no different after Team Cherry's new trailer revealed ziplines and air streams that require precise timing to progress past.

From early in the video, it is apparent that this character will maintain the ability to wall jump, dash, and jump, though her abilities have been extended past what The Knight could perform mechanically or combatively. Hornet can dash quicker, run faster, and jump higher, after all.

Additionally, Hornet is able to grapple towards objects and hard-to-reach areas using her thread, rather than relying on Monarch Wings or Mothwing Cloak. However, in true Metroidvania fashion, it's likely players won't start with many of these abilities and will have to collect them as they "ascend to the peak of a land ruled by silk and song."

Hornet begins Hollow Knight: Silksong with five Masks, but players will presumably be able to find Mask Shards to gain more health. In the first game, players could find 16 Mask Shards and cap at a maximum of 9 lives, excluding charms like Lifeblood Core, and fans have reason to believe a similar amount will be available in Silksong.

Unlike The Knight, however, Hornet is able to heal while on the move, whereas the former had to stand in place to restore their health. Damage from environmental hazards or enemies can be restored using her Bind ability, which requires the consumption of a full spool of Silk. Notably, The Knight did not need to use quite as much Soul to restore a Mask and so players may consider attacking enemies more aggressively in order to fill an entire bar of Silk.

After years of waiting and many Elden Ring comparison jokes, Hollow Knight fans may finally have a window of time to look forward to. With any luck, an official release date for Silksong will be announced in the coming months so that fans can then mark it on their calendars.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is expected to launch for Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch within the next 12 months.

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Being an absolute nerd and English major helped Luci find her way to GameRant. She's obsessed with DC Comics, Attack on Titan and fps games. She is also waiting (impatiently) for Hollow Knight: Silksong, along with the rest of the world.