Compare Doom: The Dark Ages vs Hollow Knight: Silksong

Accessibility options receive strong praise, including difficulty sliders, speed tuning, parry timing, remapping, UI scaling, colors, and other customization.

Reviewers found only a basic accessibility set: camera shake, HUD size, audio sliders, and remapping appear, but difficulty, color-blind, and repeated-input options are called limited or absent.

Shooting precision is supported by reviewers who describe the gunplay as tight and satisfying, especially alongside melee and shield systems.

Animation quality is generally positive in glory kills and cutscenes, but one reviewer flags dragon animation weight as off.

Animation is repeatedly praised as part of the hand-drawn presentation, especially Hornet's character movement and the many detailed environmental touches.

Art direction is praised for distinctive medieval/dark-fantasy identity, though at least one critic finds the shift less Doom-like.

The art direction is a major strength, with reviewers emphasizing hand-drawn beauty, richer color, distinctive biomes, and a style that feels carefully authored.

Atmosphere is praised for moody color, dark fantasy scenery, and distinctive hellish/medieval tone.

Pharloom's atmosphere blends beauty, melancholy, dread, charm, and danger, creating a world reviewers often describe as memorable even when it frustrates them.

Boss design is mixed: shielded leaders and bosses add structure, but some reviewers call them missed opportunities or overly derivative.

Boss design is one of the strongest areas overall, with many reviewers praising choreography, variety, spectacle, and pattern learning while noting occasional slog or runback friction.

Bug frequency is mixed: several reviewers encountered glitches or unclear damage/deaths, while another reported no bugs.

Only one direct camera-related complaint appears, but it is meaningful: a reviewer says some high-speed boss movement leaves threats outside the camera bounds.

Hornet receives more explicit characterization than the Knight, and reviewers describe her softening through relationships, duty, and reactions to Pharloom's residents.

The supporting cast is repeatedly described as charming and varied, with bug NPCs, pilgrims, fleas, mapmakers, and side characters giving the world personality.

Checkpoint design is mixed, with reviewers noting checkpoints can help but also citing restart/checkpoint irritation.

Checkpoint design is the most repeated concern: sparse, paid, trapped, or distant benches and long boss runbacks often turn difficulty into tedium.

Co-op experience is absent, with one reviewer specifically lamenting the lack of co-op or multiplayer.

Combat receives the broadest praise: most reviewers find the parry-heavy, close-quarters fighting satisfying, powerful, and fresh, with a minority missing the older acrobatic style.

Combat is widely praised as fast, precise, rhythmic, and expressive, with Hornet's agility and tool options creating dynamic fights despite the harsh damage model.

Content variety is strong in the campaign’s weapons, chapters, secrets, and set pieces, even if some nonstandard sections are less loved.

Reviewers consistently point to a huge amount of areas, enemies, bosses, tools, secrets, and optional content, though some additions create minor clutter or friction.

Controls are described as responsive and easy to execute once learned, with several reviewers calling out smooth feel even in demanding encounters.

Controls are generally praised for giving strong control over Hornet, maintaining flow, and supporting precise combat and traversal once the player adapts.

The core loop is repeatedly described as shield, melee, shooting, and resource recovery working together, though some reviewers feel it becomes more prescriptive than Eternal.

The Metroidvania loop of exploring, unlocking abilities, opening shortcuts, and returning stronger is described as satisfying and central to the appeal.

The tool and shard systems add flexibility, but some reviewers criticize their resource costs and the way consumable repair needs can lead to grinding.

Crash stability is mixed, with at least two reviews reporting hard crashes or dashboard crashes.

Dialogue quality is weakly supported and criticized in the evidence as lacking meaningful reveals or character building.

Dialogue is often praised for making Hornet and Pharloom's cast more engaging, though one reviewer found some dialogue dry at times.

Difficulty balance is highly customizable, with generous parries and sliders praised for accessibility but criticized by some as making challenge too easy to dilute.

Difficulty is strongly debated: most reviewers call it intentional, rewarding, and often fair, but many also highlight two-mask damage, early friction, and harsh runbacks.

Resource balance is praised in at least one review for reducing ammo frustration through melee replenishment and frequent drops.

Resource balance is mixed to negative, with repeated complaints about rosaries, paid benches, tool shards, and farming interrupting the otherwise strong flow.

The game creates notable emotional peaks through hard-won victories, character moments, music, and late-game story beats, though some players feel relief as much as joy.

Reviewers describe substantial post-credits or alternate-ending content, optional bosses, zones, and secrets, making the endgame unusually large for the genre.

Enemy variety is well supported, with reviewers citing familiar demons, redesigns, returning obscure foes, and new enemy types.

Enemy variety is broadly praised for giving biomes and combat encounters distinct threats, though flying enemies and monster-room waves annoy some reviewers.

Environmental detail is strong, with reviewers noting vivid gore, neon, secrets, and large detailed spaces.

Environmental detail is consistently praised through lived-in spaces, small animation touches, surface-specific sounds, and dense background storytelling.

Exploration and secret hunting are repeatedly valued, though some reviewers note open areas can slow momentum or make secrets feel too obvious.

Exploration is a core strength: reviewers describe Pharloom as vast, secret-filled, interconnected, and rewarding, though a few completion and corpse-run frustrations remain.

Facial animations are mentioned positively in one review as solid, alongside strong character models.

Faithfulness to franchise is generally positive: despite changes, reviewers often say the core Doom identity remains intact.

Reviewers generally agree Silksong honors Hollow Knight while feeling faster, bigger, and more colorful, with some preferring the original's simplicity.

Fast travel through Bellways and marked stations helps reduce backtracking, though some stations must be unlocked or paid for.

Dragon flight is the most mixed vehicle-related element, praised by a few for smooth controls but often criticized as shallow, rigid, or repetitive.

Frame rate stability is repeatedly praised across PC, PS5, and Xbox impressions, with several reports of stable or high framerates.

Frame-rate impressions are positive across Switch 2, PC, and video coverage, with reviewers citing 120 fps, 60 fps, and stable low-end performance.

Fun factor is high overall, with many reviewers calling the game a blast, fun, or grin-inducing despite caveats.

Even frustrated reviewers repeatedly describe Silksong as fun, compelling, or worth pushing through because its victories and discoveries feel so rewarding.

Reviewers consistently point to the Shield Saw, parries, melee, and grounded combat as the defining mechanical changes, generally praising their depth and fit.

The broader mechanics are praised for adding aerial combos, diagonal dives, tools, crests, and more agile traversal, though they raise the learning demand.

Graphics quality receives strong praise across reviews, with repeated admiration for id Tech 8 visuals, crisp image quality, and impressive scenery.

Graphics are a consensus highlight, with reviewers praising gorgeous hand-drawn visuals, richer color, strong biome identity, and platform-specific crispness.

Grinding is a common caveat, especially around rosaries, shards, fetch quests, and repeated boss attempts that exhaust consumable tool resources.

Handheld play suitability is poor in the cited evidence, with PCMag noting the game does not run on Steam Deck.

Handheld suitability is positive: Switch 2 handheld and Steam Deck impressions suggest the game works especially well as a portable Metroidvania.

Haptic feedback integration is present on PS5, but reviewers describe it as limited or partly obnoxious rather than transformative.

The game is not reviewed as pure horror, but reviewers repeatedly note frightening, cruel, eerie, or terror-filled spaces that give Pharloom tension.

HUD clarity is supported by clear threat indicators, enemy outlines, and customizable visual feedback.

HUD clarity is supported mainly through TechRadar's note that HUD size can be customized; no broader HUD praise appears.

Immersion is supported by detailed sound design and environmental presentation that make the world feel absorbing.

Immersion comes through the dense world, ultrawide support, atmosphere, music, and the feeling of being pulled into Pharloom's secrets.

Innovation is repeatedly noted through the shield, grounded combat, accessibility, and broader reinvention of Doom’s formula.

Reviewers see innovation in how Silksong builds on Hollow Knight through Hornet's movement, crests, tools, protagonist voice, and uncompromising design.

The learning curve is moderate: reviewers note the new style takes adjustment but becomes manageable once players acclimate.

The learning curve is steep because of diagonal pogoing, higher enemy damage, resource management, and a higher skill floor, but many reviewers find mastery rewarding.

Level design splits reviewers between praise for expansive, secret-filled spaces and criticism that some large maps become flat or repetitive.

Level design is strongly praised for purposeful rooms, seamless area transitions, shortcuts, hidden branches, and spaces that teach or challenge the player.

Load times are supported by one review that calls them extremely quick.

Loot and reward structure is one of the weaker areas, with several reviewers noting bosses may give little or no material reward after difficult fights.

Lore depth is appreciated by reviewers who value codex detail and expanded Doom-universe backstory.

Lore depth is strong, with reviewers pointing to mysteries, world history, item details, subtle reveals, and connections between Pharloom and Hallownest.

Map and navigation design is mixed, with praise for the automap and objective ping but criticism over missing map markers.

Map and navigation design is mostly strong thanks to pins, clearer direction, shortcuts, and story-rich maps, but completion tracking and map clarity draw criticism.

Menu usability is mixed, with reviewers appreciating customization but criticizing unclear sliders or awkward melee switching.

Arena or mission-like encounter design is mixed, with some reviewers disliking repeated combat rooms and endurance-style waves that feel less creative.

Mission variety is generally praised for new enemies, weapons, set pieces, and open-zone objectives, though vehicle missions weaken the mix for some.

Mission variety exists through wishes, hunting, collecting, fetch tasks, puzzles, and optional routes, though fetch quests are a repeated weak spot.

Movement is divisive: reviewers agree it is slower and more grounded, with some loving the tank-like heft and others missing Eternal’s freeform mobility.

Movement feel is one of Silksong's clearest strengths: Hornet is fast, agile, expressive, and satisfying to control after the adjustment period.

Multiplayer design is essentially absent, and multiple reviewers explicitly note there is no multiplayer mode.

Narrative quality is one of the most divisive areas; a few reviewers like the cinematic lore, but many find the story weak, self-serious, or forgettable.

Narrative quality is stronger than the original for many reviewers because Hornet speaks and the story is more explicit, though some still experience it as sparse.

Onboarding is viewed positively where reviewers note newcomer-friendly design and early chapters that ease players into the altered combat loop.

Onboarding is mixed: reviewers say the game works as a standalone entry and teaches some basics, but its opening hours create notable friction for new players.

Semi-open design earns mostly positive attention for expanding combat spaces and optional objectives, though it does not work equally well for every critic.

Originality is strongly supported by praise for the Shield Saw as a standout modern weapon concept.

Originality comes from Silksong's confident, sometimes cruel identity, which reviewers see as distinctive even when comparing it to other Metroidvanias.

Pacing is uneven across reviews: some find the chapters well-paced, while others dislike the extended ending, cutscenes, or repetitive stretches.

Pacing is mixed: exploration and progression can be absorbing, but punishing progression, long checkpoints, and structural ending requirements interrupt momentum.

Performance optimization is generally strong, with several reviewers reporting smooth PC or console performance, though ray tracing demands are noted.

Performance optimization is a strength, with reviewers citing smooth play on lower-end hardware, flawless-feeling performance, and strong PC/Switch handling.

Platform-specific feature support includes DualSense adaptive triggers and controller-speaker support, though the implementation is mixed.

Platform-specific support is meaningfully discussed through ultrawide PC support, Steam Deck suitability, and Switch 2 120Hz support.

Platforming is considered reduced or less central than in Eternal, which some reviewers accept while others see as a loss.

Platforming precision is divisive: many praise demanding obstacle design, while several criticize diagonal pogoing and certain sections as inconsistent or punishing.

Polish is uneven: some reviewers call the game polished, while others cite bugs, missing glory-kill feel, or streamlined systems.

Polish is consistently praised through meticulous detail, precision, high production values, and the feeling of a handcrafted game refined over years.

Progression centers on upgrading health, armor, guns, shield, and melee tools, with Kotaku describing it as streamlined and useful.

Progression is strong overall, with frequent tools, abilities, upgrades, optional routes, and build-altering discoveries, though some requirements are opaque.

The protagonist remains appealing as a powerful vehicle for badassery, even when the surrounding story underwhelms reviewers.

Hornet is widely liked as a protagonist because she is agile, voiced, heroic, confident, and emotionally connected to Pharloom's people.

Puzzle design is generally simple and functional, with shield-based environmental interactions adding light variety rather than deep puzzle challenge.

Puzzle evidence is limited but present in special puzzle areas, Needolin interactions, mechanical puzzles, and path-solving through exploration.

Quest design is mixed: wishes and optional tasks give structure and reasons to revisit areas, but fetch quests and opaque ending requirements are criticized.

Replay value depends heavily on completionism; some praise secrets and challenges, while others doubt they will replay after finishing.

Replay value is high due to 100% completion, alternate endings, optional bosses, build variety, second runs, and reviewers wanting to return.

Sandbox freedom is mixed: some praise objective freedom, while others reject the marketing idea that the game is a true combat sandbox.

Nonlinear freedom is strong: reviewers describe multiple routes, optional bosses, different paths to objectives, and broad freedom to leave hard walls for later.

Side character depth is a concern, with at least one reviewer finding the supporting cast unmemorable.

Side characters are a strength, giving relief, charm, pathos, and recurring interactions across Pharloom's towns and hubs.

Skill-tree depth is limited but present through melee and shield/weapon upgrades; reviewers describe it as useful but not especially elaborate.

Sound design is a clear strength, with reviewers praising weighty weapons, impacts, deflections, and visceral audio feedback.

Sound design receives strong praise for surface-specific footsteps, detailed audio, and atmospheric effects that make areas feel alive.

Soundtrack quality is mixed: many enjoy the heavy metal score, but several miss Mick Gordon or find the music less memorable.

The soundtrack is a consensus highlight, with reviewers praising Christopher Larkin's orchestral, haunted, dynamic, and boss-specific music.

Upgrade systems are widely mentioned, usually as meaningful rewards for exploration, though some reviewers find upgrades too passive or simplified.

Upgrade systems around crests, tools, abilities, and silk skills add major build flexibility and playstyle changes.

User interface design is supported through UI/HUD scaling and customization options mentioned in accessibility discussion.

Interface design is mixed-positive: journals, tracked quests, pins, sliders, and tool categories help, though map and compass limitations remain.

Value for money is mixed, ranging from Editors’ Choice praise and worthwhile highs to criticism of price, lack of modes, or sale/free recommendations.

Value for money is excellent across the reviews, with multiple reviewers citing the $20 price and huge amount of content.

The vehicle roster of mech and dragon sections adds spectacle and variety, but most reviewers find these sections shallower than core combat.

Visual effects are praised through vistas, skyboxes, and dramatic city or battlefield imagery.

Weapon balance is broad and divisive: many praise flexible weapon usefulness, while others find some guns less distinctive or unnecessary.

World-building is one of the strongest consensus areas, with Pharloom's history, class structure, religion, silk, architecture, and inhabitants reinforcing the setting.

World interactivity is strongest around the Shield Saw, which reviewers cite as a tool for navigation, switches, walls, and combat interactions.

World interactivity appears in subtle touches such as water preventing map use, Needolin interactions, NPC events, and changing locations.

Writing quality draws repeated criticism for cheesy, incoherent, or overbearing storytelling, even from reviews that enjoy the gameplay.

Writing is praised for stronger dialogue, clearer story beats, and emotional character interactions, although a few reviewers find parts dry or sparse.