Compare Hollow Knight: Silksong vs Resident Evil Requiem

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

One reviewer praised the way difficulty and accessibility were balanced rather than treating options as a pure checklist.

Enemy behavior was often praised as eerie and strategic, though one review found a later stalker overused.

Aiming evidence was mixed: Grace’s shaky aim reinforced vulnerability, while Switch 2 gyro aiming was criticized as poor for horizontal aim.

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

Animation quality received positive evidence through praise for Leon’s reload animations.

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

Art direction was praised for grotesque beauty and an effective old/new visual mix.

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

Atmosphere was a major strength, with tense staging, lighting, audio, and Switch 2 presentation preserving the mood.

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

Boss design split reviewers sharply, from excellent and varied encounters to weak, forgettable, or underwhelming boss fights.

Bug frequency was praised by one reviewer who reported no bugs or wall clips.

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

Camera behavior was praised for making first- and third-person play feel effective, though the choice also shapes the experience heavily.

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

Character development evidence centered on Grace’s growth and consistency, with reviewers finding her arc effective.

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

Checkpointing drew criticism from one reviewer who reported being set back 30 minutes after dying.

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

Combat drew broad praise for weight, weapon handling, Leon’s action toolkit, and entertaining encounters, though one review noted some harassment-style friction.

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

Content variety was praised for breadth, though some wanted the smaller experiences expanded further.

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

Controls were praised as responsive and purpose-built, with reviewers saying characters did what they expected and combat balanced heft with responsiveness.

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

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

Crafting was generally seen as strategic and interesting, especially the blood/injector system, though one reviewer found it weird.

Crash stability was praised in a performance review that reported no hard crashes.

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

Dialogue quality was mixed between enjoyable deadpan jokes and criticism that Leon could sound corny or caricatured.

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

Difficulty balance was mixed: some praised flexible challenge, while others felt the game had too much firepower or lacked a hardcore mode.

The motorcycle action sequence was praised as one of the most fun moments in the series.

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

Resource balance was praised for forcing tactical decisions about injectors, ammo, and room-clearing.

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

Emotional impact was a clear strength for reviewers moved by Grace, Leon, and the story’s legacy themes.

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

Endgame content was a repeated concern, especially the lack of Mercenaries or similarly meaningful side content.

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

Enemy variety was praised through zombies with different retained behaviors and personalities.

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

Environmental detail was praised for corridors and spaces that felt time-worn and secretive.

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 and backtracking were praised when the layouts made revisiting spaces enjoyable rather than tedious.

Facial animations were specifically praised as increasingly impressive later in the game.

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

Faithfulness to franchise was consistently praised as a love letter or culmination that honors Resident Evil’s history.

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

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

Frame rate stability was praised on Switch 2 for a mostly consistent 60 fps with minor dips.

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

Fun factor was very strong overall, with reviewers repeatedly describing the game as exciting, entertaining, and highly enjoyable.

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

Gameplay mechanics were usually praised for combining survival horror and action cleanly, with Grace’s sections singled out as especially strong.

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

Graphics quality was consistently praised across platforms, from PS5 presentation to Switch 2 fidelity.

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

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

Handheld suitability was praised because the Switch 2 version looked and ran well both docked and handheld.

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

Horror tension was broadly praised, especially Grace’s early sections, though some reviews found the scares frontloaded or less intense than past entries.

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

Immersion was praised through Grace’s vulnerability and how strongly it affected player behavior.

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

Innovation drew praise where reviewers saw Requiem as a step forward or ambitious new baseline for the franchise.

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.

Level design was a major strength, especially the care center’s loops, agency, and interconnected mansion-like structure.

Load times received strong praise for being nearly nonexistent.

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 depth was praised for giving long-time fans a lot to sift through.

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

Map and navigation design was praised as a useful tool for tracking rooms and missed resources.

Microtransaction impact was praised indirectly through the absence of greedy monetization practices.

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

Monetization fairness was praised because the game was described as free of greedy practices.

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 quality was polarized, with some calling the story strong or captivating and others finding it disappointing, messy, or thin.

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

Onboarding was praised for easing players into story and lore without demanding deep series knowledge immediately.

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

Originality was mixed: reviewers liked the structure and perspective split, but several felt the game was safe, familiar, or too referential.

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

Pacing was the most discussed tradeoff: many praised the action-horror balance, while others found the character split lopsided or jarring.

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

Performance optimization was generally strong, with multiple reviewers calling performance solid or flawless.

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

Platform-specific support was criticized on Switch 2 for not meaningfully using mouse, touchscreen, or useful gyro features.

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 praised in reviews that saw Requiem as a polished, confident fusion of old and new Resident Evil.

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

Leon’s progression system was viewed positively as a fairly fleshed-out way to build out his arsenal.

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

Protagonist appeal was strong where reviewers called Grace the standout lead.

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

Puzzle design landed unevenly: one review liked the body-part riddles, while another said puzzles lacked focus overall.

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.

Replay value was mixed: several reviewers liked unlocks and repeat runs, while others lamented thin post-game offerings or weaker second playthroughs.

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

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

Sound design was repeatedly praised as a major driver of fear and atmosphere.

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

Soundtrack quality was praised for tracks that complemented Leon’s action-heavy sequences.

Stealth was mostly praised for making Grace’s routes tense and tactical, though one reviewer found stealth options limited.

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

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

The upgrade system received positive evidence for its weapon-upgrade structure and replay incentive.

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 for money received direct positive evidence from a reviewer who called the game super worth it.

Visual effects quality was praised through the game’s extreme gore and violent presentation.

Voice acting was mostly praised, especially Grace’s performance, but one review found her delivery manufactured.

Weapon balance was praised because different weapons had clear uses and opportunities to shine.

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

World-building was praised for making the setting feel grotesquely alive.

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 quality drew strong praise from reviewers who felt Requiem delivered some of the series’ better character work.