Compare Hollow Knight: Silksong vs Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Accessibility is criticized as limited, with reviews noting the game is not trying to be accessible to everyone and lacks broader options.

Aiming earned praise when using Switch 2 mouse-style controls, though some reviewers found that setup awkward in normal couch play.

Animation quality has limited but strong evidence, with reviewers noting gorgeous animation within the hand-drawn presentation.

Art direction receives near-universal praise for hand-drawn beauty, color variety, style, and a distinctive visual identity.

Art direction was one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly calling the environments, lighting, and visual identity gorgeous or striking.

Atmosphere is a major strength, described as surreal, haunting, dreadful, beautiful, and full of wonder and horror.

Atmosphere drew broad praise, especially in the Prime-style facilities where reviewers felt loneliness, dread, and alien mood were strongest.

Boss design is broadly praised as memorable, choreographed, varied, and exciting, though some reviews dislike spongey health pools, rewards, or runbacks.

Bosses were widely praised as memorable, cinematic, puzzle-like, and challenging, though a few reviews found them too weak-point-driven or uneven.

Camera and hitbox-adjacent behavior draws criticism where bosses or damage windows appear from off-screen or feel overly generous.

Character development is praised for Hornet softening through Pharloom and for character arcs that counterbalance the harsh world.

The Federation cast landed unevenly: some reviewers grew attached, while others felt characterization stayed broad or underdeveloped.

Checkpointing is a common concern, with long runbacks, sparse benches, paid benches, and poor placement repeatedly criticized.

Checkpointing drew criticism when boss retries or long optional stretches sent players farther back than expected.

Combat is a major strength, described as fast, precise, tense, dance-like, and rewarding, though some reviews tie its highs to demanding difficulty.

Combat was generally seen as satisfying and polished, but some reviewers criticized repeated waves, limited enemy interplay, or mixed encounter pacing.

Companion behavior was a repeat complaint when allies caused game overs, needed reviving, or disrupted the usual solo Metroid flow.

Content variety is praised through multiple game-like challenge types, many systems, and plentiful options, while remaining tied to high difficulty.

Control feel is strongly praised, with one review emphasizing complete control of Hornet and another calling the Switch 2 Pro Controller perfect.

Controls were a major positive overall, with tight movement, responsive shooting, strong gyro support, and multiple schemes; mouse ergonomics were more divisive.

The core loop is praised as pure Metroidvania satisfaction: tough encounters, discovery, and rewarding progression through new areas.

The core Prime loop still worked for supportive reviewers, but some felt it was familiar rather than transformative.

Crafting has negative evidence where shard requirements pull the player away from action into repetitive resource hunting.

Dialogue is mixed-to-positive: one review calls it shockingly good, while another says it can feel dry at times.

Dialogue was a common weak spot, with several reviewers calling the chatter irritating, clichéd, or out of place for Metroid.

Difficulty is the most divisive attribute: many reviewers call it rewarding and intentional, while others find it cruel, too punishing, or unfairly frictional.

Difficulty was mixed: bosses and set pieces could be satisfyingly challenging, but spikes and hand-cramping moments frustrated some players.

Vi-O-La itself often controlled well and could be fun, but its role was tied to the more divisive desert hub.

The rosary and shard economy is the most repeated systems complaint, often described as stingy, grindy, or slightly misbalanced.

Emotional impact is strong, ranging from adrenaline and triumph to reviewers saying they shed tears or were moved by events.

One review found the companion relationships strengthened the closing moments, though emotional delivery was not a universal focus.

Endgame content receives strong support from optional endings, zones, bosses, and post-credits discoveries.

Enemy variety is strong in scope, but evidence is mixed because flying enemies, monster rooms, and certain mobs can feel annoying.

Enemy variety was criticized where repeated bugs, bots, or lightly modified foes made combat feel less dynamic.

Environmental detail is repeatedly praised, from dense small touches to rooms and backgrounds that make Pharloom feel lived-in.

Environmental detail was praised for making Viewros feel rich, alien, and visually meaningful.

Exploration is a standout, with most reviewers praising dense secrets, rewarding routes, and curiosity-driven discovery, though a few disliked sparse rewards or risk pressure.

Exploration was strongest in the dungeon-like zones and weakest when the desert hub or heavy guidance interrupted discovery.

Facial work earned praise in one review as an unexpectedly strong visual element for Nintendo.

Faithfulness to franchise is strongly supported by reviews saying it captures, continues, and improves on Hollow Knight while standing apart.

Reviewers split on franchise faithfulness: many felt the fundamentals remained Prime, while others felt the hub, companions, or linearity diluted Metroid.

Fast travel is praised in one review for reducing backtracking tedium through well-marked routes.

The lack of fast travel frustrated one reviewer who otherwise accepted revisiting environments as part of Metroid.

Frame rate stability has limited but positive evidence from a Switch 2 review calling 120fps performance perfect.

Frame rate was consistently praised across Switch 2 coverage, including smooth 60fps and 120fps options.

Fun factor is high overall, with reviewers repeatedly saying they had great fun, wanted to return, or found the game compelling despite pain.

Overall enjoyment ranged from enthusiastic recommendations to sharp disappointment, with most positive reactions tied to classic Prime sections.

Review evidence frames the broader mechanics as more complex than the original, especially through Hornet’s expanded combat and movement options.

Moment-to-moment mechanics were often praised, but psychic powers, open-zone structure, and companion sections made the package uneven.

Graphics quality is praised for a stunning hand-drawn world and a visual style that feels playful, dark, and richly realized.

Graphics were one of the strongest consensus positives, frequently described as gorgeous, stunning, or among Nintendo's best-looking work.

Grind level is criticized where resource depletion and boss attempts can push players toward needless grinding.

The green-crystal requirement was one of the most repeated pain points, often described as filler, tedious, or poorly paced.

Handheld suitability has positive evidence from Steam Deck performance and battery life comments.

Handheld and docked play were generally viable, though Switch 1 presentation was less crisp and some preferred a full controller setup.

Horror tension receives limited positive support from the dream/nightmare tone described in one review.

One review found scan-log clarity weakened by indistinct highlighting, making completion tracking more of a hassle than it needed to be.

Immersion is strongly supported by one review’s comment about Pharloom lingering after play.

Immersion was strong when the game leaned into alien solitude, but hints, companions, and roadblocks could break that feeling.

Innovation is positive but measured: reviewers praise new directions and system changes, while one calls it evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

Innovation was viewed as conservative: some refinements worked, but many reviewers felt the game did not push the genre forward.

The learning curve is steep, with reviewers noting hours of mastery and occasional git-gud walls, but also rewarding skill growth.

Level design is strongly praised for seamless area flow, purposeful rooms, thoughtful platform placement, and dense Metroidvania structure.

The main facilities drew praise for set-piece design and atmosphere, while linearity and the connective hub lowered scores for some critics.

Load screens were rarely a major complaint, and one review praised the minimal loading between areas.

Loot and rewards are a weaker point, with reviewers complaining about bosses or difficult paths that provide little or disappointing material payoff.

Lore depth is praised for hidden mysteries, optional heritage threads, and deeper history that rewards curiosity.

Lore through scanning and Lamorn history was a clear positive for reviewers who valued environmental storytelling.

Map and navigation design is mixed: several reviews praise map structure and direction, but others dislike incomplete map support and 100% cleanup.

Navigation was approachable and sometimes praised, but aggressive guidance and logbook tracking issues split opinion.

Mission design earns positive evidence where missions give players reasons to revisit areas and make NPC discoveries feel more purposeful.

Hornet’s movement is one of the clearest consensus wins, with reviewers praising her speed, agility, sprinting, and dance-like traversal.

Narrative quality is praised as more focused and engaging than the original, helped by Hornet’s voice and guided exploration.

Narrative reception was mixed-to-negative: Lamorn lore intrigued some reviewers, but the ending, Sylux, and character use often disappointed.

Onboarding is a weak spot for some, especially in the opening hours where resources, checkpoints, and tutorial clarity are less generous.

Sol Valley was the most consistent criticism, described by many reviewers as empty, barren, padded, or less interesting than the dungeons.

Originality is praised where Silksong is seen as firmly on its own path rather than a simple copy.

Pacing has a notable concern around long checkpoint placement that interrupts practice and repetition in challenging sequences.

Pacing suffered whenever desert traversal, crystal collection, or upgrade trips slowed the stronger dungeon rhythm.

Performance is praised on lower-end hardware, Switch platforms, and 120fps contexts, with only minor visual caveats.

Technical performance was a standout strength, with reviewers praising stable modes, HDR, and smooth operation on Switch 2.

Platform-specific support has positive evidence from ultrawide support that improves immersion.

Switch 2 options, HDR, and mouse controls were notable, but mouse comfort and Switch 1 compromises made this mixed.

Platforming precision is mixed: reviewers admire Hornet’s acrobatics, but several criticize the diagonal pogo or inconsistent bounce feel.

Polish is praised through meticulous design and presentation, though only one scored review directly supports the attribute.

Polish was mostly solid, but one review noted rough spots and visible Switch 1 roots.

Progression is generally praised for fresh upgrades and satisfying forward motion, but one review criticizes opaque true-ending requirements.

Progression was praised when upgrades opened new routes and improved movement, though some disliked overly linear or lock-and-key usage.

Hornet is consistently praised as an excellent, charismatic, well-rounded protagonist with stronger presence than the silent Knight.

Samus's silence hurt protagonist appeal for some reviewers when cutscenes and direct questions made her seem oddly passive.

Puzzle design receives limited but positive evidence, with one review saying Silksong makes puzzle-solving and hidden-path discovery feel effortless.

Puzzles were generally satisfying and boss-like, though psychic mechanics were sometimes called familiar or clunky.

Quest design is split: some reviewers like wishes and missions as structure, while others criticize boring or grindy fetch quests.

Replay value trends high for completionists and build experimenters, though one reviewer said they were glad to play it only once.

Save design and autosaving drew criticism when point-of-no-return or optional cleanup setbacks undermined late-game play.

Side character depth receives positive evidence from a review praising Pharloom’s supporting characters as charming and motivated.

Side characters were divisive: some reviewers warmed to them, while others found them annoying, tropey, or poorly matched to Metroid.

Sound design earns strong support from praise for surface-specific details and top-notch audio touches.

Sound design was praised for supporting atmosphere, alien spaces, and the Prime identity.

The soundtrack is one of the clearest strengths, repeatedly described as magnificent, excellent, world-class, and emotionally fitting.

The soundtrack was a strong positive, often described as excellent, memorable, atmospheric, or among the best parts of the game.

Tutorial quality is criticized through comparison with Hollow Knight’s clearer early tutorial structure and more generous opening support.

Guidance split reviewers; some appreciated direction, but many disliked hand-holding, repeated hints, or tutorialization.

Crests, tools, and upgrades are widely seen as flexible and creative, though a few reviews found early limitations or resource-linked tool use frustrating.

Upgrades were fun and familiar for some, but others felt certain powers were underused or too lock-and-key.

User interface design has limited positive evidence around attractive mission HUD illustrations and attention to detail.

Value for money is exceptional across reviews, especially because of the low price, large content volume, and long completion potential.

Value was mixed, with some reviewers satisfied and others warning about price, length, or waiting for a sale.

Only Vi-O-La drew meaningful opinion, and the reviewer who scored it saw future potential for the bike.

Visual effects and spectacular sights were praised as part of the game's high-end presentation.

Voice acting was mixed: some reviewers liked the performances, while others found the comedic or companion delivery uneven.

World-building is one of the strongest areas, with reviewers praising Pharloom as immaculate, complex, sad, and worth exploring.

World-building was a strength in reviews that praised scanning, Lamorn history, and the way environments explained Viewros.

World interactivity has limited but strong support from one review that praises evolving locations, reactive hubs, and organic backtracking.

Writing quality receives strong praise where reviewers call it top-notch and tied to Hornet’s conversations and character insight.

Writing was among the weaker elements, criticized for clichés, awkward jokes, and underdeveloped storytelling.