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The Great Hollow Is Beautiful, Brutal, and Breaking Nightreign Players Elden Ring Nightreign’s Great Hollow map frustrates players with deadly chasms, confusing vertical routes, and brutal navigation despite its striking design. I've spent the last week doing something I never thought I'd do in Elden Ring: Nightreign—standing at the edge of a cliff, squinting at the minimap, and whispering, 'Please don't be a death pit.' That's the Great Hollow experience, folks. The Forsaken Hollows DLC has been out for a month and a half now, and while the two new Nightfarers and the new bosses are landing pretty well, the new Shifting Earth map is getting dragged through the mud on Steam. And honestly? I get it. It's Not Technically a New Map, But It Sure Feels Like One The Great Hollow is a Shifting Earth event, so it may or may not show up when you're running a DLC boss. You might get the default map or one of four other Shifting Earths instead. But unlike those other events, which usually transform one part of the map, the Great Hollow basically swaps out the entire area. No central castle. No ravine down the middle. No southern lake or northern cliffs. Instead, you get a giant crystal that looks like it crash-landed and split the land into broken cliffs and multiple vertical levels. There are ruins full of enemies, plus churches, forts, and mines scattered around. The in-game map has multiple layers, and you have to use spirit springs carefully to fall down and shoot back up. It's a lot. The center crystal also holds a major party buff that can be clutch for the final boss. To get it, you need to find and break several smaller colored crystals around the map. Their locations change every attempt. So you can't just memorize one route and call it a day. Why Everyone Is So Frustrated Routing in Nightreign is usually a quick mental exercise. You fly in, pop the map open, and plan a path that gets your team a few extra flasks, a mine for a smithing stone, and a steady line of boss fights so you can collect runes and level up. In the Great Hollow, that plan goes out the window. There are too many vertical levels, too many map layers, and too many 'wait, can I jump down here?' moments. Add the crystal hunt on top, and you have a recipe for confusion. But the worst part? The giant, gaping chasm running through the middle of the map. The chasm grins at you. It knows what you're about to do. Nightreign famously has no fall damage. It encourages sprinting, leaping off ledges, and climbing cliffs. That's part of why it feels so different from Elden Ring. Over the last year, a lot of us have trained ourselves to run and jump without hesitation. Usually, that's fine. The Crater Shifting Earth has a lava pit, but it's easy to avoid. The Great Hollow, though, has a death pit that is annoyingly hard to see. You look over a ledge, think you're good, and then—whoops—you're falling to your death. And the death fall behavior makes it worse. If an enemy kills you, you spawn back at the last Grace you tapped, and your runes are either dropped nearby or picked up by an enemy. If you fall, Nightreign seems to randomly drop you somewhere along a ledge near your death point. That could be above, below, or across from where you jumped. But your runes stay back on the ledge where you started. So you can spawn far away, with your runes behind you across a death pit, and no easy route back. It's the kind of thing that makes you put the controller down and stare at the wall for a minute. The Steam Reviews Are Not Happy The numbers tell the story. While Elden Ring: Nightreign itself has mostly positive reviews, Forsaken Hollows is sitting at Mostly Negative for the last 30 days. Only 30% of 1,347 recent reviews are positive. A lot of them are about the map. One review says: 'The new map is poorly designed, overly difficult and boring. Takes forever to traverse... boss battle tower is a damage-sponge time-wasting chore.' Another says: 'The characters and bosses are great but the new map is absolutely horrible and is ruining the experience of the game as a whole.' A third: 'Love the bosses and new classes but the new map is just trash. There was zero NEED to add gaps in the map to kill YOU. You might as well add fall damage to the game.' I also saw a positive review that summed it up perfectly: 'The new map is [expletive] terrible but everything's so good.' Is It a Skill Issue, or a Design Issue? Not everyone hates the Great Hollow. A recent Reddit thread about the Steam reviews said, 'The more I play, the more I feel like it was fantastically designed.' The replies were divided. Some players acknowledge the flaws but love the challenge. Others call it a skill issue. And honestly, I see both sides. The map is beautiful and unique. It demands a different gameplay flow and much better team coordination so you don't all end up separated and confused. But it's also hard to learn, and the only way to learn is to fail a lot. After 100+ hours in Nightreign, I'm not having the best time trying to learn new bosses, two new characters, and a new map all at once. Though, to be fair, that's kind of the FromSoftware experience. What Works What Hurts Gorgeous crystal wasteland aesthetic Multi-level routing chaos Crystal buff is a cool risk-reward idea Random crystal locations Encourages tight team coordination Hidden death pits New bosses and Nightfarers are great Fall death spawn/Rune loss feels unfair What Could Fix It? I don't think FromSoftware needs to delete the map. But a few changes would go a long way. First, fix where the game places you after a fall. If I die in a chasm, don't strand me on a random ledge with my runes across the void. Second, add a little more clarity to the minimap so I can see levels and death pits before I leap. Third, maybe make the colored crystals show up on the map after day one, so the crystal hunt feels less like a YouTube memory test. That's not dumbing it down; that's respecting my time. The Great Hollow is a beautiful bully. It's thematically cool, visually striking, and genuinely rewarding when a team clicks. But right now, it's also a freaking chore, and the Steam reviews are trying to send a message. I'm hoping a 2026 patch smooths out the rough edges. Until then, I'll be over here, practicing, falling, and muttering, 'Please don't be a death pit.' If the current state of the Great Hollow has you holding off on picking up Nightreign, or waiting to see whether a future patch makes the DLC worth the asking price, it helps to know when that price actually moves. FromSoftware releases and their expansions go on sale at fairly predictable intervals, but the discounts themselves are rarely advertised in advance, and bundle pricing between the base game and expansions can shift overnight without any fanfare. Rather than refreshing storefront pages every few days on the off chance, [this price tracking tool]( does the watching for you. DealNest monitors listings across major retailers and notifies you the moment something you're eyeing drops to a price you'd actually pay — which means you can spend your evenings practicing the new Nightfarers instead of babysitting a checkout page. https://dealnesthq.com

Elden Ring Nightreign Patch Paves the Way for The Forsaken Hollows Elden Ring Nightreign's December 2025 patch added support for The Forsaken Hollows DLC plus quality-of-life fixes and balance changes. In December 2025, FromSoftware rolled out a new patch for Elden Ring Nightreign, and it landed like a courier carrying both gifts and repairs. The timing was no accident: The Forsaken Hollows, Nightreign's first proper, named DLC, was set to arrive on December 4, bringing new bosses, new shifting earth, and new playable Nightfarers. The patch added support for that expansion, but it also quietly reshaped the entire experience for every player on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. Now, in 2026, that update remains a foundational moment for the game, a turning point that showed FromSoftware was still listening. A Patch That Did More Than Open a Door FromSoftware did not just flip a switch and call it a day. The studio treated the patch as a chance to smooth out rough edges, and the result was a long list of quality-of-life improvements that players had been requesting for months. The most visible changes included: Relic management overhaul: Equipped relics now appear in the Character Selection menu, and players can set names for Relic presets in the Relic Rites menu. Those names can be changed in the All Presets section, and preset order can be rearranged per character. New shop item: The Collector Signboard shop gained the Deep Large Scenic Flatstone. Map and results improvements: The map's layer display can now be toggled in the Results menu, and the relics equipped by each player are displayed there too. Matchmaking flexibility: Players with a Personal Objective requiring a specific target kill while Reliving a Remembrance can now embark with players whose Personal Objective does not require that. Flask count highlighting: The flask count now glows when at maximum capacity or when an enemy-induced effect influences it. Compass rune icon: The vertical position of the compass rune icon appears if dropped runes are significantly above or below the player. Map event highlighting: Specific events on a different map layer can now be highlighted in the map menu. Dormant Power UI: The HP gauge and other UI elements remain visible during Dormant Power selection. Shop adjustments: Weapon lineup in Limveld's shops was adjusted, and Fire Pots were added to the Spirit Shetler shop inventory. Raider fix: Target-lock on enemies behind the tombstone summoned by Raider's Ultimate Art no longer gets released. Balance Changes: The Scales Were Rebalanced The patch also broadened trigger conditions for relic effects, equipment passive effects, and special effects that activate at low HP. In plain terms, more of those effects now actually do something when you need them. And yeah, that mattered. Category Change New Passive Effects Improved Melee Attack Power, Improved Dash Attacks, Improved Rolling Attacks Buffed Passives Improved Attack Power when Two-Handing, Attack Up when Wielding Two Armaments, Improved Chain Attack Finishers, Improved Charge Attacks, Improved Jump Attacks, Improved Guard Counters, Improved Skill Attack Power, Physical Attack Up Adjusted Low HP Effects Improved Damage Negation at Low HP and Blue-Feathered Branchsword had trigger conditions broadened but effectiveness decreased Relic Effects Physical Attack Up, Improved Initial Standard Attack, Improved Critical Hits, Improved Guard Counters, Improved XXX Damage (excluding bows), and Improved Attack Power with 3+ XX Equipped (excluding bows) all increased Other Changes Wrath of Gold Incantation reduced FP consumption and increased power Bug Fixes and Quality-of-Life The bug fix list was hefty enough to make a Tarnished weep with relief. FromSoftware fixed an Augur invasion teleport bug, mitigated an issue where Sites of Grace or Churches would not activate, and repaired a Night's Tide range discrepancy when rejoining a session. Hammer weapons with Prayerful Strike now appear. Healing or enhancing effects now apply to allies who are dodging or performing their Ultimate Art. Ironeye's Marking weak points now show consistently. Raider's Retaliate no longer cancels and flinches from certain no-damage attacks. Recluse's Elemental Defense affinity residues now spawn correctly. Executor parries now apply Stagger damage. Darkness-imbued attack dodge roll ranges were corrected. Depths Relics now show Greenspill Crystal Tear at expedition start. The Deep of Night rating gauge now reflects Reduce Depth properly. Relic Rites placement icons, Dormant Power rarity UI, Sparring Grounds sorting, Results menu attribute reflection, and Victor's Record special effects were all fixed. Session disband messages no longer haunt the title screen, and graphical, audio, text, and performance issues were addressed. Let's be honest, that was a lot of housekeeping. But it was the kind of housekeeping that turns a good co-op game into a great one. The Road to The Forsaken Hollows Nightreign's ultra-hard Deep of Night mode had launched in September, after dataminers discovered it in August. Along with duos mode, that was all players had for a while, and the community had grown agitated at the lack of news. The Forsaken Hollows DLC and this patch arrived like a fresh campfire in the mist. In IGN's 7/10 review, the game was praised as one of the finest three-player co-op experiences around when played as designed, though the lack of crossplay, duo matchmaking, and built-in communication tools made it hard to create those conditions unless you brought two real-life friends on every run. By 2026, Nightreign has continued to evolve, but this patch stands as a clear statement. FromSoftware did not abandon its strange, brutal, cooperative experiment. It patched, polished, and pushed forward. If you know, you know: sometimes the smallest fixes make the biggest difference. If this patch has you eyeing The Forsaken Hollows — or finally convincing a third friend to pick up the base game — the cost of entry stacks up fast, and storefront prices rarely sit still. Hunting down legitimate discounts across platforms, regions, and retailers is its own kind of grind, the sort of thing that eats an evening you'd rather spend in the Depths. That's where a curated aggregator can save you the legwork. DealNest collects current offers and price drops in one place, so instead of tabbing through a dozen store pages hunting for a sale that might already be over, you can [find the best deal]( and get back to chasing Night Lords before the next patch lands. https://dealnesthq.com

Silksong Survival Guide: Essential Tips for Hornet's Deadly Pilgrimage Hollow Knight: Silksong tips: Hornet's Pharloom pilgrimage demands Silk mastery, Bind safety, Flea Caravan shortcuts, and Deep Docks rosary farming. The moment Hornet set foot in the mossy ruins of Pharloom, she knew this pilgrimage would be nothing like her previous adventures. The Knight's steady, soul‑driven journey was a distant memory. Here, speed was everything, and Silk—precious, volatile Silk—was the currency of survival. Enemies struck faster, traps bit harder, and every mistake threatened to undo minutes of progress. For any wanderer brave enough to follow her path, the early hours are a gauntlet of hard lessons. Yet with a handful of well‑kept secrets, the journey transforms from a brutal slog into a thrilling dance. These are the tricks that separate a struggling drifter from a triumphant hunter. ️ The Perils of Binding One of the first hard lessons a new pilgrim learns is that healing is not a safe refuge. Hornet's Bind ability stitches her wounds using Silk, but the animation leaves her utterly exposed. If an enemy lands a hit before the final stitch, she doesn't just lose the heal—she loses every drop of Silk she was carrying. In the original Hollow Knight, a failed heal cost only Soul, which could be gathered again. Here, the penalty is far crueler. That is why seasoned players never attempt Bind in the middle of a chaotic brawl. They wait for a lull, a stagger, or a safe distance. Creating that opening is a skill in itself, and mastering it is the difference between life and a very expensive death. The Flea Caravan Shortcut Not every obstacle must be faced head‑on. The Flea Caravan offers a rare chance to skip one of the game's early walls: the Moorwing boss. Normally, this towering beast blocks the main path to Bellhart, and for underprepared travelers, it is a grueling fight. But by riding the Caravan, Hornet can bypass the beast entirely and arrive directly in the bustling town. Some purists might call it cheating, but for those who value progress over pride, it is a brilliant strategic move. Bellhart is packed with useful NPCs, quests, and upgrades, and reaching it early opens up a wealth of opportunities that would otherwise be locked behind a difficult battle. Deep Docks: The Early Rosary Mint Rosaries, the lifeblood of Pharloom's economy, are always in short supply. Maps, charms, and tools demand payment, and early on, every coin feels like a fortune. Deep Docks holds the solution. Once discovered, this industrial region becomes an unofficial mint. A specific enemy near a bench drops roughly seven rosaries per kill. The setup is perfect: defeat the foe, rest at the bench to respawn it, and repeat. It is mindless, efficient, and far faster than selling relics. Within minutes, a patient farmer can afford the upgrades that make the next stretch of the journey far less punishing. 🪶 Shell Shards from Pond Skippers Shell Shards are another resource that vanishes faster than expected, especially when crafting or repairing tools. The humble Pond Skipper, a small flying creature in Shellwood, is the answer. Each one yields three Shell Shards, and they are harmless to farm. Find a quiet pond, set up a rhythm, and watch the shards pile up. It is not glamorous, but it is reliable. Whenever a crucial repair looms and the inventory is bare, a quick trip to Shellwood solves the problem without risking life or limb. ️ Maps and Quills: The First Purchases Wandering without a map is a recipe for frustration. Pharloom's regions are vast, labyrinthine, and full of dead ends. That is why the first purchase in any new area should always be the map from Shakra. Knowing the layout prevents endless backtracking and reveals the locations of benches and key NPCs. But the map alone is not enough—the Quill is equally vital. Without it, the map remains a static outline, and every step into the unknown must be memorized. With the Quill, resting at a bench automatically updates the map, turning a confusing maze into a clear plan. Relics Are Meant to Be Sold In many games, collectibles hide secret uses. In Silksong, relics are refreshingly straightforward: they exist to be sold. They do not unlock story events, they are not crafting ingredients, and they offer no hidden bonuses. The Relic Seeker in Bellhart buys them for a handsome sum—small ones like the Bone Scroll fetch around fifty rosaries, while grand relics like the Choral Commandment bring in far more. Holding onto them is pointless. Whenever coin is needed, a quick sale is the smartest move. 🧱 Hidden Openings Reward the Curious Like its predecessor, Silksong hides secrets behind seemingly solid walls. A suspicious wall in Hunter's March, for example, crumbles when attacked, revealing a passage to a much‑needed bench. These hidden paths often contain rosaries, relics, charms, or safe havens. Testing every odd corner with a quick strike is a habit worth forming. The time spent is trivial compared to the reward of a new checkpoint or a valuable treasure. Curiosity, in Pharloom, is not a vice—it is a survival trait. 🦵 Pogoing: The Art of the Bounce Finally, there is pogoing. By jumping, aiming down, and striking with the needle, Hornet bounces off enemies and objects. It is a technique that feels awkward at first but soon becomes second nature. Pogoing lets her reach high platforms, cross dangerous floors, and stay mobile during boss fights. Many areas are designed with this skill in mind, placing enemies precisely where a well‑timed bounce opens a new route. Mastering the timing transforms the environment from a series of obstacles into a playground. With these tricks in hand, the pilgrimage through Pharloom becomes less of a trial and more of an adventure. Hornet is fast, fragile, and utterly deadly in the right hands—and now, those hands have a fighting chance. Of course, sharpening your skills only matters once the game is actually in your library. Whether you are still deciding to pick up Silksong, holding out for a discount on the base game, or hunting down deals on other metroidvanias that scratch the same itch, it pays to know where prices are tracked in one place. DealNest gathers game discounts and storefront offers so you can compare before committing your rosaries—real ones, this time. If you would rather spend less and play more, it is worth a look at [check game prices]( on DealNest before your next purchase. A few minutes of browsing can mean the difference between paying full price and starting your pilgrimage through Pharloom with extra coin to spare. https://dealnesthq.com

My Abyss Survival Guide in Silksong: Map, Entry, and Escape Silksong Abyss map and Act 3 guide: conquer the dark depths for rewards and essential skills in Hollow Knight's challenging new area. 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. Next, head to the old diving bell and speak to Ballow again to begin your ascent to the Abyss. If you've never explored this part of the Deep Docks, you'll have to take a long detour before you reach Ballow's next location. Once you enter the diving bell and travel down, you'll finally arrive in the Abyss. From there, Hornet must find her way to the southern bench, where she'll meet a familiar figure shortly after. How to Escape the Abyss Okay, so you're stuck in the Abyss. Now what? To escape, you need to get the Silk Soar skill first. Find a way up, and on the top-right, there will be a door that can be opened using the Needolin skill. Head through that door and keep descending to get the Super Jump ability, which is required to get out of the Abyss. After obtaining the Super Jump, backtrack to the route you took previously. But this time, additional routes will be available to the left, with a bench at the end. Make sure you rest on this bench, because the next part of the exit is unforgiving and may take a few tries. Believe me, I died more times than I care to admit. Final Thoughts Silksong not only gives you a world that's satisfying to explore, but also a cryptic story that hides a lot more than you'd expect. There's even more than one ending to discover, which means plenty of replayability on top of the Steel Soul (permadeath) mode. Once you unlock the secret Act 3, the Abyss is just one of many challenges waiting for you. So there you have it: my personal guide to the Abyss map location, how to reach it, and how to escape. It's a tough journey, but that's what makes it so rewarding. Now go out there and show the Abyss who's boss. ️️ If you've made it this far, chances are you're either deep into your own run through Pharloom or seriously considering picking up Silksong — or its predecessor — for yourself. Between multiple storefronts, regional pricing, and sales that seem to vanish as quickly as a Shade, keeping track of what's actually a good deal can be almost as tedious as navigating the Abyss without a map. That's where something like a [game price tracker]( comes in handy, letting you monitor price drops across platforms instead of refreshing store pages every few days. Whether you're hunting for a discount before starting your own Steel Soul attempt or just want to grab the original Hollow Knight while you're at it, DealNest makes that side of the hobby a lot less painful — leaving you more time for the parts that actually matter, like finally nailing that Super Jump sequence on the first try. https://dealnesthq.com

Elden Ring Nightreign Patch 1.03.1 Expands Deep of Night and Fixes Hundreds of Bugs Elden Ring: Nightreign patch 1.03.1 enriches The Forsaken Hollows' Deep of Night with new DLC content, balance tweaks, and fixes. As a longtime Nightfarer, I booted up Elden Ring: Nightreign the moment I saw FromSoftware had deployed patch 1.03.1 across all platforms. The update is not just a routine maintenance drop. For anyone who owns The Forsaken Hollows DLC, it pours fresh content into the ultra-hard Deep of Night mode. For everyone else, it delivers a massive list of balance changes, quality-of-life features, and bug fixes that touch nearly every corner of the game. In 2026, with the DLC now boasting an impressive 2 million players, this patch feels like a clear signal that FromSoftware is still actively shaping the Nightreign experience. Deep of Night Gets More Dangerous for DLC Owners If you own The Forsaken Hollows, the headline is simple: Deep of Night now has new targets, Landmarks, raid events, and Shifting Earth encounters. I love that these additions only appear when I am matched with other players who also own the DLC. It keeps the expansion content feeling special and avoids confusing newer players who have not bought in yet. The Great Hollow Shifting Earth also received focused adjustments. Curse effects related to Fire, Magic, Lightning, and Holy are now stronger when they appear on weapons and items in the temples. FromSoftware also tweaked the Continuous HP Loss and Continuous HP Recovery curses. The Night Aspect fight can now feature additional attack types if every Nightfarer in the party owns The Forsaken Hollows. That change alone makes me want to assemble a full DLC squad. I also noticed that when the Night's Tide engulfs you in the Great Hollow, your character's feet now appear to be burning. It is a small visual touch, but it sells the danger. Feature What Changed New DLC content New targets, Landmarks, raid events, and Shifting Earth in Deep of Night Matchmaking DLC additions only appear with other DLC owners Great Hollow curses Increased elemental curse effects and adjusted HP loss/recovery curses Night Aspect Extra attack types when all Nightfarers own the DLC Balance Tweaks and Quality-of-Life Wins ️ The wolves summoned during the Tricephalos raid event have had their attack power decreased. As someone who has been ambushed by those wolves more than once, I say thank you. Scholar players will appreciate the new stack count display for the damage negation reduction icon that appears when hitting enemies with level 3 Dart-type items via the Bagcraft skill. Scholar's Ultimate Art Communion no longer breaks when transforming with the Executor's Ultimate Art Aspects of the Crucible: Beast. There is also a new near-death animation when reviving with the Power to Balance the World special effect. Identical consumables now combine according to their stack limit when swapped in the Equipment Menu. The status menu now shows icons and explanations for active effects, pinned items display rarity color in the You indicated equipment message, and map clues in the Great Hollow Shifting Earth have an expanded discovery range. I can also remap the Map Display key in the keyboard/mouse settings. These are the kinds of changes that make long expeditions feel smoother. A Mountain of Bug Fixes The patch notes are enormous, and I cannot list every single fix without turning this into a novel. But several categories stand out. Scholar received a long list of repairs: Communion no longer applies when no other targets are affected, linked damage and healing now propagate correctly during Near Death, Analyze gauge gain is fixed at maximum charge, analyzed target counts no longer reset when someone opens the Spirit Tree shelter door, Bagcraft duration and Fan Dagger hit application are corrected, level 3 Holy Water Pot now damages the Royal Revenant, Crystal Tear counts display properly, and Frozen Needle attack motions are fixed. Revenant players will be glad that Immortal March's immortality is no longer overwritten by other visual effects. Bows got attention too: Black Flame Blade and Bloodflame Blade now remove frostbite from enemies, Improved Rolling Attacks applies to Bows, and Partial HP Restoration upon Post-Damage Attacks triggers on critical hits. The Chilling Mist and Holy Ground interaction no longer causes self-frostbite. Black Flame Blade also now works correctly with Frenzyflame Thrust, and no longer incorrectly applies to Wave of Gold and Thundercloud Form hitboxes. Golden Retaliation and Carian Retaliation can now rescue allies from near-death states more reliably. Regal Beastclaw and Wave of Gold receive attack power enhancements. Ancient Death Rancor and Beast Claw can be charged properly, and Beast Claw's post-cast delay can be canceled by chaining. Other notable fixes include Cold Mirage applying to Executor's Aspects of the Crucible: Beast, solo expedition revival with Power to Balance the World, Totem Stela kills counting for relic effects, Evergaol prisoner attack power stacking, relic stack loss after death, rune acquisition sharing after revival, Great Bow of the Erdtree appearing as intended, near-death gauge carryover from day two bosses, and lock-on for near-death allies. Boss and Raid Event Repairs ️ Boss fights received extensive attention. Gaping Jaw ground attacks have better hit detection and effect positions. Everdark Sovereign Equilibrious Beast no longer spawns enemy Raiders because of a specific Revenant costume. The Dancer of the Boreal Valley can now be damaged by other players during critical hits. The Dreglord fight fixes incorrect spell aiming, enemy attacks targeting the wrong players, players getting stuck inside objects, and music timing in multiplayer. The Balancers grab attack sound effect now plays. Demon in Pain and Demon from Below now have defeat animations when killed simultaneously, and arrows to their heads deal increased damage. Several Night bosses, Curseblade timings, Great Hollows summoned enemies, Tree Guard, Omenkillers in Blacksmith Village, and DLC enemy drops have all been corrected. Raid events also got cleaned up. Augur water bombs no longer turn invisible for rejoining players. Tricephalos wolves disappear immediately after clearing, have intended HP in 2-3 player expeditions, and correct damage reduction. Fissure in the Fog blizzard and fog display issues are fixed, multiple bosses no longer appear for rejoining players, and runes are awarded properly. Balancer raid event spawn issues are addressed. Great Hollow Shifting Earth, Menus, and More ️ The Great Hollow Shifting Earth received dozens of fixes: full HP restoration after Crystal Curse death, site of grace and blacksmithing table consistency, Crystal Curse immunity exploits, temple progression blockers, extra enemies during boss fights, treasure chest stuck spots, Spiritstream usability after rejoin, Totem Stela spawning underground, rune acquisition, map icons, and more. Blacksmith Village Cataclysm Nightfarer enemies now appear, Combat Art workbench skill assignment is fixed, and Sparring Grounds effects no longer persist after character changes. Undertaker's Loathsome Hex can no longer reach unintended locations. Relic Rite menus display effects correctly, item help works in the Visual Codex, and map menu depth icons behave. FromSoftware also addressed the Unity Technologies security vulnerability announced on October 3, though the developer insists the main game was not impacted. Pre-order bonuses like artwork and soundtrack were updated. The version numbers are App Ver. 1.03.1 and Regulation Ver. 1.03.2. On PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, I need to log in to download the regulation file. If the lower right corner does not show 1.03.2, I must select LOGIN and apply the latest regulation. Online play requires this update, so I cannot play at all online until it is applied. After downloading, I need to restart the game. As a player, I am impressed by the scope. Patch 1.03.1 is not just a fix list. It is a statement that Nightreign's hardest mode will keep evolving. With 2 million DLC players and a mountain of repairs, now is a good time to return to the Night. I know I will. With so much of Nightreign's toughest content finally behaving as intended, plenty of players who drifted away are probably weighing a return — and that usually means checking whether the base game or the DLC has dipped in price before committing. If you fall into that camp, keeping an eye on a [steam sale tracker]( like DealNest saves you from refreshing store pages endlessly or missing a brief discount window between major seasonal events. DealNest collects current and historical pricing so you can see whether a title is genuinely at its lowest point or just dressed up as a bargain, which matters when a purchase decision hinges on a single DLC drop. Whether you are grabbing the expansion for the first time or finally convincing a friend to join your expedition, a quick price check before checkout is rarely wasted effort. https://dealnesthq.com

Silksong Guide: How to Get the Scuttlebrace Tool and Use Its Spider-Like Retreat Find Hollow Knight Silksong's Scuttlebrace in the Twelfth Architect's Workshop and unlock Hornet's rapid retreat. In the expansive world of Hollow Knight: Silksong, players must explore every corner to find powerful tools that aid Hornet in her journey. One such tool, the Scuttlebrace, is a unique yellow tool that grants a rapid retreat ability, mimicking the movement of a spider. Available in the second Act, this tool can be a game-changer for those who master its mechanics. As of 2026, this guide remains accurate for players diving into Silksong's second Act. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of how to obtain the Scuttlebrace and what it does. Location and Acquisition The Scuttlebrace is found in the Twelfth Architect's Workshop, located in the Underworks. To reach it, players must first progress through the second Act and obtain the Clawline ability. Here is a step-by-step breakdown: Reach the Citadel: After making your way through the Underworks, you will arrive in the Citadel. Head towards the left side of the map. Find the Elevator: Locate the elevator that requires the White Key. Before using it, make your way to the top right part of the map, called Songclave. Get the White Key: In Songclave, you will find the White Key and can ring the bell inside the First Shrine. This turns Songclave into a hub for NPCs and quest givers. Descend to Whiteward: Return to the elevator and go down to reach Whiteward. Follow the main story path, which leads you to the eastern side of the Underworks to find the Clawline ability. Return to the Underworks Bench: Once you have Clawline, make your way back to the bench in the Underworks. There, you will hear an NPC talking. Reach the Workshop: Jump up and harpoon the grapple point, then dash right to enter the Twelfth Architect's Workshop. Purchase the Tool: Talk to the NPC inside and purchase the Scuttlebrace for 140 Rosaries and 1 Craftmetal. ️ What Does the Scuttlebrace Do? The Scuttlebrace is a yellow tool that enables Hornet to perform a rapid retreat, similar to a spider's scuttle. This maneuver is not just a simple dodge; it offers significant mobility advantages. When activated, Hornet can quickly move backward or in the direction she is facing, covering a considerable distance. Moreover, by holding down the button, Hornet can even walk on walls in this stance, allowing access to otherwise unreachable areas. Controls: Controller: Press RT/R2. Keyboard: Press Down + C. Tips for Using the Scuttlebrace Exploration: Use the Scuttlebrace to reach hidden ledges and secret areas by scuttling up walls. Combat: Quickly retreat from enemy attacks, especially bosses with fast lunges. Platforming: Combine with Clawline and other movement abilities for advanced traversal. Stamina Management: The Scuttlebrace does not consume Silk, so it can be used liberally. Acquisition Summary Detail Information Tool Type Yellow Location Twelfth Architect's Workshop, Underworks Cost 140 Rosaries + 1 Craftmetal Prerequisite Clawline ability, Act 2 Ability Rapid retreat, wall walk Conclusion The Scuttlebrace is an essential tool for any player looking to enhance Hornet's mobility in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Its unique spider-like retreat opens up new avenues for exploration and combat. By following the steps outlined above, you can add this versatile tool to your arsenal and truly master the art of the scuttle. Whether you're dodging attacks or scaling walls, the Scuttlebrace is a worthy investment for your journey through the Citadel and beyond. Once you've mastered the Scuttlebrace and are ready to see what else the genre has to offer, keeping an eye on your gaming budget can be just as useful as nailing a wall-scuttle. Whether you're waiting for a discount on Hollow Knight: Silksong itself or hunting for your next Metroidvania fix, a reliable [steam deal finder]( can help you spot price drops without refreshing store pages manually. DealNest is built for exactly that kind of browsing, gathering current Steam discounts in one place so you can compare and decide when to buy. It won't teach you Hornet's controls, but it can make expanding your library after Pharloom a little easier on the wallet. https://dealnesthq.com

Hollow Knight: Silksong's PlayStation Platinum Is Missing Two Brutal Trophies Hollow Knight: Silksong’s PlayStation version omits the brutal Steel Soul and Steel Heart trophies, making its platinum far easier than Steam/Xbox. As someone who has thrown myself against Hollow Knight: Silksong's bosses more times than I care to admit, I almost dropped my controller when I saw the trophy comparisons this week. The PlayStation version is effectively a lighthouse with its two most blinding lamps unscrewed: it is missing both the Steel Soul and Steel Heart trophies, which Steam and Xbox players are forced to earn for 100 percent completion. Let's be honest about Silksong itself. The original Hollow Knight had tough spikes, but Silksong behaves like that from the moment the first screen loads and never really releases the pressure. I have watched friends who breezed through the first game get flattened by Pharloom's early encounters, and the curve barely flattens after that. A normal playthrough already asks for pin-point timing, resource management, and patience that borders on meditation. Steel Soul mode, which returns from the first game as an unlockable extra after clearing the game or by using a recently discovered cheat code, removes the safety net entirely: one death and the run is over. It is like trying to thread a needle while falling through a silk storm, a cruel demand for a game this precise. And then there is Steel Heart, which asks you to 100 percent the entire game under that same no-death rule. I still cannot say that name without flinching. Earlier this week, reports noted that skilled PlayStation players managed the platinum even though the game had not been out for a full week. When I inspected the trophy list for myself, the absence became obvious. Steam and Xbox players need to beat the game in Steel Soul mode for one achievement, then 100 percent the entire game in Steel Soul mode for another. That second one is the kind of request that makes me whisper 'Dear god, no' into an empty room. PlayStation players, however, do not have those two trophies at all. The game mode still exists on Sony's console, but completing it only grants bragging rights, not a shiny digital trophy. The comparison looks like this: Platform Steel Soul trophy Steel Heart trophy Platinum difficulty PlayStation No No Much easier Steam Yes Yes Brutal Xbox Yes Yes Brutal This explains why skilled PlayStation players were able to grab the platinum within days of release, before most of us had even stopped mistiming Hornet's down-slash. On Steam and Xbox, a full achievement completion is still a frozen waterfall being climbed with buttered gloves, but on PlayStation that waterfall conveniently ends before the final ice wall. In 2026, that difference matters even more because trophy hunting has become its own competitive side of the Silksong community, and Sony players now have a considerably shorter route to the top. For me, the situation is bittersweet. I like that more players will experience the platinum without needing to treat Silksong as a second job, but I also know that Steel Soul runs are where the game's knife-edge combat truly sharpens into something unforgettable. The original Hollow Knight had a similar split, with some platform trophy lists feeling like they had their teeth pulled, and history has repeated itself here. If you simply want every trophy in Silksong, the PlayStation version is the clear route. If you want to prove something to yourself, both Steel Soul and Steel Heart are still waiting in the shadows on every platform, even if Sony will not hand you a trophy for surviving them. Whether you pick up Silksong on PlayStation for the friendlier trophy list or on Steam and Xbox for the full Steel Soul gauntlet, the platform decision tends to come down to more than achievements alone. Most people juggle a handful of stores at once, and the same copy of the game can sit at noticeably different prices depending on where and when you look, especially once sales start rotating through the season. That is roughly where DealNest becomes useful. Instead of opening a dozen tabs and jotting numbers down on a scrap of paper, you can [compare prices here]( and see what each storefront is charging before you commit. It is a small step, but it keeps the money side of the hobby as uncomplicated as the PlayStation trophy list, leaving you free to worry about the part that actually hurts: Hornet's down-slash timing. https://dealnesthq.com

How I Finally Reached Act 3 in Hollow Knight: Silksong Hollow Knight Silksong Act 3 guide: unlock the hidden Silk and Soul quest with every Pharloom task, flea, and Bellhome step. I thought I was finished. I had beaten Grand Mother Silk, watched her power bind, and saw Pharloom wrapped in a nest of tangled threads. Beautiful, poetic, and apparently not the ending. In 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong still hides a whole third act behind a quest that barely announces itself: Silk and Soul. I spent a week chasing rumors, backtracking, and killing bosses I thought I would never see again. Here is what actually worked for me. Prerequisites for the Quest The first thing I had to accept was that Silksong was not going to hand me Act 3. I needed to go to Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and the Songclave and complete every single quest available. Yes, every restoration quest too. Restoring each area unlocked new quests, and those had to be finished as well. The rewards were worth it, but the real prize was the trigger. I also completed the world quests around Pharloom. That meant The Pollip Quest in Shellwood, Broodfeast in the Putrified Ducts, The Great Taste of Pharloom, and a few others. The Courier Rasher quest line was a particular test of patience. Relocating the Fleas Next, I had to move the fleas to a more suitable location. For that, I needed the Putrified Ducts and the long stretch of flat land to the far east, where the lake sits. I strongly recommend arriving from Bilewater and killing Groal the Great. That route let me collect the Seeker's Soul in a little hut right after the boss, which saved me a later trip. Finding fleas is the tedious part. There are 30 in total, but only 20 need to be discovered to move the caravan. Some fleas only appear in Act 3, so do not panic if you are short. If you are stuck, an NPC in the Putrified Ducts will sell you the missing flea locations. Settle Down In Your Bellhome Once Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and Songclave were clear of quests, I returned to Bellhart and spoke to Pavo. He gave me the Key to my own Home. Before decorating, I went up to the Memorium area in the Citadel, grabbed the Materium, and freed the giant flea there. Installing the Materium in the bellhome felt like a proper milestone. And no, you do not need to buy any refurbishment items from the Bellhart shop. Cleaning Up These were the tasks I completed before the Silk and Soul quest appeared. I recommend doing them whether they are strictly required or not: Grab a Simple Key from Bone Bottom, Songclave, or the Sands of Karak. Use it on the Green Prince's cage in Sinner's Road. Find all three cogheart pieces around the Citadel. Restore the sentinel, then take him down in the High Halls area. Explore Weavenest Atla and speak to Eva. Explore as much of the map as possible, buy all maps from Shakra, and finish the Trail's End quest. After that, I spoke to the Caretaker in Songclave, and the Silk and Soul quest finally appeared. Constructing the Trap The quest asks for 4 important items. Order does not matter, and you may already have one. However, the Maiden and the Hermit will not give you their parts until the quest is active. Item Location Notes Seeker's Soul Putrified Ducts, via Bilewater Beat Groal the Great, then enter the hut Maiden's Soul Far right of Bone Bottom, above Moss Grotto Speak with her Hermit's Soul Bellway Station in Bellhart Hidden wall below platforms, right side Snare Setter Weavenest Atla Through Needolin door, hidden ceiling room The Seeker's Soul If you came up through Bilewater, you already have it. If not, Bilewater is a tricky area that demands your upgrades. I headed up via the Sinner's Road entrance or through the Exhaust Organ. Tall chambers, nasty jumps, and large vomiting bugs later, I reached Groal the Great. The fight is waves of enemies atop an infested lake. Groal spawns after the waves. I hit him from below and switched sides when he used his suction move. A fully upgraded needle plus Cogflies and Sharpdart made the difference. Afterward, the little house held the Seeker's Soul. The Maiden's Soul The maiden is the one you might remember from the beginning. She is far to the right of Bone Bottom, just above the Moss Grotto. I spoke with her, and she offered her soul to help trap Grand Mother Silk. The Hermit's Soul This one was simpler. I went to the Bellway Station in Bellhart. To the far right of the room, below the platforms, there is a hidden entrance through the wall. I delved down into the tunnels and found the Hermit in his pipe. He also offered his soul. The Snare Setter The final piece is in Weavenest Atla. I went back to the Moss Grotto, through the Needolin door, and down the light platform. In the middle chamber, I jumped up the right wall and continued left into the top passageway. In the small room just before the spool fragment, I jumped up through the ceiling and found the room with the Snare Setter. Laying The Trap With all four items, I returned to Songclave and spoke to the Quest Giver. He asked me to meet him in the Cradle, right before the Grand Mother Silk fight. Yes, that means fighting her again. Since I had already beaten her, it was not too bad, but if you struggle, take your time and use your best tools. Finally, I defeated her. Instead of binding her power, I played my Needolin to trigger the trap. A brand-new cutscene played, and Act 3 opened up. I will not spoil the rest. In 2026, this remains one of the best hidden turns in Silksong. Enjoy, and good luck. You are going to need it. Silksong's best moments often come from the quiet thrill of discovery—stumbling into a hidden room, piecing together a questline, or realizing a boss has a second phase you weren't prepared for. 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Hornet vs The Knight: Why Silksong's Hero Outshines the Silent Vessel Hornet's abilities in Hollow Knight: Silksong outshine The Knight: she talks, cocoons, sprints, and glides. In the sprawling, insectoid world of Hollow Knight, a small, silent knight once captured the hearts of millions. But now, in 2026, the spotlight has shifted to a different hero: Hornet, the princess-protector of Hallownest, who takes center stage in Hollow Knight: Silksong. With her taller frame, sharper cloak, and deadly needle, Hornet is undeniably a different beast. But does that make her a better protagonist than The Knight? Not necessarily—yet she possesses a suite of abilities that The Knight could only dream of. From chatting with NPCs to gliding through the air, Hornet proves that being a short king isn't the only way to rule. The Gift of Gab ️ One of the most striking differences between the two protagonists is Hornet's ability to speak. The Knight was a silent vessel, reacting to the world with nothing more than a blank stare and the occasional grunt. Hornet, however, engages in full conversations with the bugs of Pharloom. This narrative shift makes the story more engaging, as players can finally hear their hero's thoughts and respond to the quirky cast of characters. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to actually talk back to a cryptic NPC? Hornet does it with grace and wit, turning every interaction into a memorable exchange. This change echoes other sequels like Dead Space 2 and Jak 2, where a talking protagonist added depth to the narrative. Death Becomes Her When The Knight died in Hollow Knight, they left behind a Shade—a ghostly remnant that players had to defeat to reclaim their Geo. It was a classic corpse run, but a punishing one. Hornet, in contrast, handles death with far more finesse. Instead of leaving a Shade, she seals her valuables in a silk cocoon and retreats to fight another day. This ability, born from her mastery of Silk, demonstrates her grace and cunning. It's a headcanon-friendly explanation for how she survives countless battles: she doesn't die, she simply withdraws. The Knight could never boast such elegance. Run, Hornet, Run! ‍️ Traversal is a staple of the Metroidvania genre, and both games excel at it. The Knight can dash, but he never learns to run. Hornet, however, unlocks the Swift Step skill, and if players hold down the dash button, she breaks into a full sprint. There are even Trinkets to boost her running speed. In a foot race between the two, Hornet would leave The Knight in the dust. It's a small but significant upgrade that makes exploring Pharloom a breeze. Gliding on Air ️ Remember Princess Peach's float in Super Mario Bros. 2? Hornet has a similar trick. In the Far Fields, she can obtain the Drifter's Cloak, which lets her float indefinitely and catch air streams to rocket upward. The Knight's closest equivalent is the Crystal Heart, a jet-like dash that propels him forward. While both are cool, Hornet's gliding feels more graceful and opens up new exploration possibilities. Wouldn't it have been amazing if The Knight could glide through Hallownest? Alas, that was not to be. The Needolin: Music to Your Ears The Knight's Nail is a tool for combat, pure and simple. Hornet's Needle, on the other hand, becomes a musical instrument. With the Needolin upgrade, she can play her Needle like a harp to open song-sealed doors. But that's not all—certain NPCs will sing along, and even corpses can reveal ghosts through melody. The Knight could communicate with dreams, but he could never turn his weapon into a guitar. This creative twist adds a layer of charm and mystery to Silksong's world. Taunt Like You Mean It Here's a secret that many players miss: Hornet can taunt enemies by clicking the right thumbstick (on Switch 2, for example). This uses a bit of Silk, but in return, enemies are drawn toward her. This aggro-drawing ability is perfect for luring foes into traps, a tactic The Knight could never employ. Taunting adds a strategic layer to combat, and it's a technique more games should adopt. Clawline: Grappling with Greatness 🪝 Finally, the Clawline is one of Hornet's most versatile upgrades. It propels her forward like an extra dash and lets her cling to ring-shaped ornaments in the environment. The Knight has no grappling hook of any kind. This ability alone gives Hornet a significant edge in mobility, allowing her to reach areas and escape dangers that would leave The Knight stumped. The Verdict: Who Wins? Even though The Knight emerged victorious in their original encounter (he was the protagonist, after all), the tables might turn if they fought without player input. Hornet's new talents—talking, cocooning, running, gliding, music-making, taunting, and grappling—could finally give her the strength to best The Knight in all his silent glory. But does that mean she's a better character? That's for players to decide. One thing is certain: Hornet has proven that she's more than just a side character. She's a force of nature, and Hollow Knight: Silksong is her time to shine. Here's a quick comparison of their abilities: Ability The Knight Hornet Speech Silent Conversational Death Mechanic Leaves Shade Seals cocoon Running No Yes (Swift Step) Gliding No (Crystal Heart dash) Yes (Drifter's Cloak) Musical Weapon No Yes (Needolin) Taunt No Yes (Silk taunt) Grappling Hook No Yes (Clawline) So, who do you think is the ultimate protagonist? The silent knight who started it all, or the graceful huntress who took up the mantle? In 2026, as players continue to explore Pharloom, Hornet's legend only grows. And perhaps, just perhaps, she has finally earned the title of "short king" in her own right—though she's not so short anymore. Debates like this one have a way of spilling out of the game and into group chats, forums, and late-night Discord threads—which is part of the fun. If you're the type of player who likes to back up your hot takes with first-hand experience, it helps to actually own the games being argued about. The original Hollow Knight and Silksong both go on sale fairly often, and other metroidvanias like Ori, Blasphemous, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown regularly see deep discounts too, making it easy to build a library without paying full price. That's where a deal-tracking site comes in handy. Instead of refreshing store pages or hoping a sale notification shows up in your feed, [DealNest]( gathers discounts and price drops across games, tech, and everyday products in one place, so you can spot a bargain the moment it appears. 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Silksong's Nerfs: I'm Dying on the Moorwing and Sister Splinter Hill Hollow Knight: Silksong's Moorwing and Sister Splinter nerfs feel inessential—optional bosses should stay punishing. In 2026, I am still trapped in a love/hate relationship with Hollow Knight: Silksong. I waited seven years for this sequel. I sharpened my needle, practiced my pogo, and convinced myself I would be ready. Then Pharloom looked at me, laughed, and threw a flying bug at my face. I adore Hollow Knight, but I know my skill gap. I never mastered those nightmarish pogo platforming sequences. I was relieved the hardest content was optional. Silksong, however, has me neck-deep in a first playthrough that feels like a gorgeous, punishing dance. The recent patch has nerfed two bosses, Moorwing and Sister Splinter, and I have opinions. I think those nerfs are largely inessential. The Patch Notes Heard Round Pharloom Team Cherry released a lengthy set of patch notes. Most changes are beneficial. They tune the game closer to what Team Cherry initially envisioned. Among them, two bosses received slight nerfs. Cue the community splitting like a Splinterbark under a charged slash. In any difficult game, especially one with Soulslike DNA, everyone has a take. The 112% Hollow Knight veterans say skill issue. The rest of us say please stop throwing three flying enemies into a tiny room. I am somewhere in the middle. I respect the challenge. I also respect my blood pressure. Why Moorwing Did Not Need a Nerf Moorwing is a wholly optional boss. You are not locked into an arena with it. If you do not want to fight it, you can simply walk away. That alone makes a nerf feel strange. Optional bosses are where developers can put the spicy stuff. They are the ghost peppers of game design. You do not have to eat them. If you do, you accept the burn. Here is my evidence, presented with the confidence of someone who has been dive-bombed by a giant moth: You can skip Moorwing. Progressing the Flea Caravan wish or quest can skip the fight. Moorwing does return later near the Greymoor Bellway, but that is a choice, not a cage. You can cheese Moorwing. Ascend to the top of the area and downward-attack from a ledge. The beast cannot circumvent it. It is not elegant. It is effective. In Silksong, effective is a love language. You can summon Garmond and Zaza. You can request aid against Moorwing. In my experience, they did not appear after I requested them when I had transitioned Moorwing to the Bellway-adjacent area and pursued the Flea quest. That was annoying, but it does not change the intent. Help exists. So why nerf an optional boss that can be skipped, cheesed, or tag-teamed? I do not see it. If Moorwing was a mandatory gate, sure, tune it. But it is not. It is a test you can ignore. Nerfing it feels like removing a pepper from a dish nobody was forced to order. Sister Splinter and the Splinterbark Problem Sister Splinter is a different story. I found the only real obstacle in that fight to be the Splinterbarks. That is a pattern for me. I dislike many bosses that revolve around ads. Flying enemies are egregiously grating pests. They hover just outside your reach, they punish your jumps, and they make you feel like you are swatting at a wasp while a larger wasp throws furniture at you. I am dying on the hill that flying enemies are pests. I am also dying on the hill that gank gauntlets lean too heavily on the first game's Colosseums. They are overtuned and excessive. Silksong's rosary economy is brutally impoverishing, though this patch mitigates that somewhat. Thank goodness. I was starting to think I needed a second job in Pharloom. If anything had to be nerfed, I would prefer gauntlets had fewer waves. I would prefer fodder enemies did not take several hits to kill. They take two to three hits to kill me, including insidious contact damage. I despise contact damage in any 2D game. It is the cheapest form of disrespect. You do not even need to be attacked. You just need to exist near a bug. Congratulations, you have lost a mask. What I Would Nerf Instead Problem My Nerf Wish Reason Gauntlet waves Fewer waves Endurance is not the same as difficulty Fodder enemies Die in fewer hits Trash mobs should not feel like bosses Contact damage Reduce or remove It punishes proximity, not mistakes Rosary economy Already touched I like buying things without selling a kidney Flying enemies A stern talking-to They know what they did I do not expect these nerfs to strike Silksong's gameplay. I genuinely respect Team Cherry for having a certain level of challenge in mind. Some design choices, however, feel made to impede or frustrate me beyond anything else. There is a fine line between a hard game and a game that is hard because it keeps kicking you in the shins while you tie your shoes. The Second Patch and the Endless Discourse Interestingly, the patch notes declare that Team Cherry is already working on a second patch. That suggests more nerfs and/or buffs are coming. Each subsequent patch will divide the playerbase again. Some will call it redundant. Some will call it appreciated. Some will call it a betrayal of the vision. Some will call it Tuesday. In 2026, the discourse is still going. Silksong is not ruined. It is polarizing. It is difficult. It is beautiful. It is also occasionally a migraine with a soundtrack. My love/hate relationship with Silksong is not going anywhere. I will keep playing. I will keep dying. I will keep muttering about Splinterbarks under my breath. But if I had to choose, I would leave Moorwing and Sister Splinter alone. Nerf the gauntlets. Nerf the contact damage. Nerf the feeling that every room is a personal insult. Let the optional bosses stay sharp. Let me walk away if I want to. And let me complain about it either way, because that is the true endgame. If you are still on the fence about picking up Silksong, or you are eyeing a few metroidvanias to tide you over while the second patch cooks, it helps to know what you are actually paying before you commit. Prices swing wildly between storefronts, regional eShops, and key resellers, and the difference between a full-price impulse buy and a discounted pickup is often a few clicks. I have started running everything through a [game price comparison]( site like DealNest before checkout, mostly because my backlog is already a monument to good intentions and I would rather spend the savings on a game I will actually finish. It is also a small mercy when a title you were unsure about drops below the threshold where the frustration stops mattering. A hard game at full price feels like a gamble. The same hard game at a discount feels like a challenge you chose. 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1965 Shelby 427 Cobra: The V8 Roadster That Redefined 1960s Performance The 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra paired a British roadster body with Ford's 427 FE V8, delivering 0–60 in 4.3 seconds and 165 mph. In the 1960s, American muscle cars were built for straight-line violence. Big V8s, two-door coupes, and quarter-mile bragging rights were the order of the day. Yet one machine refused to follow the usual script. The 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra took the delicate shape of a British roadster and dropped in Ford's thundering 427 FE big-block V8. It was an odd marriage, but it worked like a charm. The result was a car that could go toe-to-toe with almost anything on asphalt in the 1960s, apart from a handful of dedicated race specials. A British Body with an American Heart The story begins with Carroll Shelby, a racing driver who admired fast, expensive, and complex machines from Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, and Jaguar. He wondered whether a cheaper car could be just as fast. In the early 1960s, AC Cars had lost its engine supplier, and Shelby saw an opening. He contacted AC, then called Ford to arrange a supply of V8 engines. The fact that the new car would challenge the Chevrolet Corvette helped sweeten the deal. In 1962, Shelby created Shelby American, built the car in California, and called it Cobra—a name that reportedly came to him in a dream. Early cars used Ford 260 and later 289 cubic-inch V8s. They won on track, but the later 427 iteration became the legend. The 427 arrived in 1965 and was a different beast altogether. Performance That Shook the Establishment When automotive journalists tested the new 427 Cobra in 1965, they found something extraordinary. The car cost about $7,000 and weighed only 2,529 pounds. Under the hood, the 427 big-block produced 485 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque in competition form, with 425 horsepower in standard tune. A four-speed manual transmission sent all that fury to the rear wheels. The numbers were staggering for the era: Metric 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra 0–60 mph 4.3 seconds 0–100 mph–0 14.5 seconds 0–100 mph–0, Ken Miles 13.8 seconds Quarter mile 12.2 seconds at 118 mph Top speed 165 mph Price when new $7,000 Weight 2,529 pounds Engine Ford 427 FE V8 Power 425 hp standard, 485 hp competition Torque 480 lb-ft Transmission 4-speed manual That 0–60 mph time would have been respectable for supercars well into the 2000s. The quarter-mile run made the Cobra one of the quickest street-legal machines of its day. And 165 mph was genuinely frightening in a lightweight roadster with minimal aerodynamics. Chassis and Suspension Changes The 427 was not simply an engine swap. Shelby's team made the frame tubing thicker. They replaced the transverse leaf springs—which some magazines criticized for making the car difficult to control on bumpy roads—with coil springs at all four corners. The 427 came in both street and competition versions. It was raw, loud, and demanding, but it worked. ️ The Rivals: Corvette L88, Hemi Dart, and More The Cobra did not exist in a vacuum. In the 1960s, the Chevrolet Corvette was evolving quickly. The L88 option, available across the C2 and C3 generations, brought a 7.0-liter 427 race V8, competition parts, and a distinct lack of luxuries such as air conditioning and a radio. One respected magazine quoted its quarter-mile time in the mid-to-high 11-second range. A silver L88-spec 1969 Corvette ran 11.44 seconds at the Pure Stock Drags event in 2011. Yet the L88 was a thinly veiled competition car. It was hard to start when cold and notorious for overheating in traffic. The National Corvette Museum did not recommend it for street use. Standard Corvette 427s, by contrast, could complete the quarter mile in around 13 seconds. Dodge also built 80 versions of the Hurst Hemi Dart LO23 Super Stock. It was street-legal and recorded a low-ten-second quarter-mile at roughly 130 mph, but it came with a disclaimer that it was only for drag racing or supervised acceleration trials. There was also the Hemi Barracuda Special Order with a race engine, estimated at a low ten-second quarter mile. On the street-legal side, the 440 Six-Pack 1969 Plymouth Road Runner A12 famously cleared the quarter mile in 12.91 seconds. Modern Context: 2026 and Beyond By 2026, supercars have rewritten the rules. In 2023, Car and Driver called the Ferrari 296 GTB the quickest rear-drive car it had ever tested. It hit 60 mph in 2.4 seconds and covered the quarter mile in 9.7 seconds at 150 mph. In 2022, a McMurtry Spéirling fan car reached 60 mph in 1.40 seconds and demolished the quarter mile in 7.97 seconds during filming. Those figures make the 427 Cobra look almost tame. But context matters. The Cobra did its work with a manual transmission, skinny tires by modern standards, no traction control, no anti-lock brakes, and no electronic safety net. It asked the driver to be brave, precise, and perhaps a little reckless. That is why it still captures the imagination. A Legend That Refuses to Fade Decades later, cars like the Dodge Viper were still trying to capture the magic of this legendary American sports car. The 427 Cobra was not the easiest car to live with, and it was not cheap. It was, however, a brilliant blend of British lightness and American muscle. In the 1960s, it could beat almost anything over a quarter mile. In 2026, it remains a benchmark for raw, unfiltered performance. The Cobra's story is a reminder that great cars are not always the product of a single tradition. Sometimes, the best ideas come from a strange combination—a dainty British roadster, a massive Ford V8, and a Texan with a dream. 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How I Accidentally Locked Myself Out of Silksong's Best Co-Op Boss Fight Hollow Knight: Silksong's Moorwing fight can be locked out by moving the flea caravan in Greymoor, robbing Hornet of Garmond and Zaza's co-op battle. 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 What I didn't realize is that when I gave the flea caravan the go-ahead to relocate, they would be putting up shop right on Moorwing's battlefield, rendering me incapable of completing the fight. This means that you can completely skip the fight if you relocate the caravan before you explore Greymoor. Talk about a buzzkill. I didn't even know I'd missed it at first—I just thought the boss had vanished. Nope, my own actions had sealed that door. So, if you're like me and you missed out on the battle against Moorwing, all is not lost. According to multiple reports from players, the giant still shows up in a different location in a future act, so you still get a chance to fight it. Unfortunately, I'm not sure yet if Garmond and Zaza will be joining me for this second battle. Garmond and Zaza are still hanging out in Greymoor, offering to help me fight the nonexistent battle. While it seems that they'll still join in even if the moth moves its location, some players report being unable to get the duo to appear in the fight again, while others report never getting to continue the fight at all. A Bittersweet Metroidvania Experience On one hand, I still love the experience of discovering Hollow Knight: Silksong at my own pace and in my own way. On the other hand, I hope I still get to finish the fight with Moorwing, with Zaza and Garmond at my side. It's a reminder that Metroidvanias can be wonderfully cruel. The game doesn't hold your hand, and sometimes your choices have consequences you never see coming. Here's a quick summary of what happened, in case you want to avoid my fate: Decision Consequence Left the Moorwing fight to explore Boss remained available until... Relocated the flea caravan Caravan parked on the battlefield, locking me out Result Missed the co-op fight, may have to fight solo later And a few tips for fellow travelers: If you want to fight Moorwing with Garmond and Zaza, do it before relocating the flea caravan. ️ Explore Greymoor thoroughly before making any caravan decisions. Co-op fights are rare and precious—don't walk away from them lightly. As of 2026, Silksong has been out for a while, but this particular design quirk still catches new players off guard. I've seen forum posts from people who did exactly what I did, and they're just as bummed. So take it from me: if you see a giant moth and a warrior on a steed, finish the job. Don't be like me. I'm still holding out hope for a rematch. Maybe in a future act, Garmond and Zaza will ride again. Until then, I'll keep exploring Pharloom, one mistake at a time. You know how it goes. Mistakes like this one are exactly what push a lot of us back to the drawing board — or back into Hallownest. I've known plenty of players who, after fumbling a fight in Silksong, decide to revisit the original Hollow Knight to scratch that Metroidvania itch while waiting for a patch or a fresh playthrough. Others go hunting for something new in the same genre entirely, whether that's another moody map to get lost in or a co-op title to share with a friend instead of an NPC. 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Hollow Knight: Silksong Wormways Guide: Maps, NPCs, Collectibles, and Wishes Hollow Knight: Silksong Wormways map offers secret-rich exploration, upgrades, collectibles, and NPCs for early game advantage. 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 A flying foe that adds pressure in tighter tunnels. Akrid A smaller threat that still demands attention during platforming. Gromlings are the standout nuisance. Their ability to respawn quickly means players should not linger under open ceilings, and Swift Step turns many of their ambushes into minor inconveniences rather than run-ending mistakes. 🧭 All NPCs Locations Shakra is the first and most important NPC in the Wormways. She sells the area map for 70 Rosary and any others that might have been missed up to this point. Players can locate Shakra by progressing naturally from the bottom of the Wormways-Moss Grotto connection until they reach the northeast room near the north exit. Halfway up, they should keep their eyes peeled on the left for a small path to an alcove, marked by Shakra's golden chakrams. Alchemist Zylotol is not accessible until the player reaches Cling Grip. With the wall-jump ability in hand, Zylotol can be found at the topmost section of the map. He is accessible via the northmost room left of the vertical central chamber. A thin tunnel must be jumped up to find Zylotol and a bench at the path's end. Once Zylotol is found, his quest can begin and the ability to purchase Plasmium to refill the Plasmium Vial unlocks. Refilling costs 50 Rosaries each time, regardless of how many charges remain. All Collectible Item Locations There are only two collectible items in all of the Wormways: the Memory Locket and the Dead Bug's Purse. Both can technically be found without any upgrades except Swift Step, though a case can be made that not even Swift Step is truly needed. The Memory Locket is located in the southwest room's bottom right corner. To reach it, players must enter the dark passages beneath the main Wormways area. After descending into this abyssal nightmare of tunnels, they should take a left to take the top-left exit into the southwest room. Then they should navigate downward, keeping to the right where possible, to find the Memory Locket down a shaft, right of a pit of spikes and at a dead end on a pilgrim's body. The Dead Bug's Purse is located in the room directly above Shakra. Players should continue progressing northeast in the Wormways toward the north exit and find a long ascent with several worms falling down the shaft. Eventually, they will find a ledge with a long path leading left. The charm will be on the grave, guarded by two enemies. All Wish Locations It must be no coincidence that both Wishes tied to this area give consumable red tool items that must be refilled by their quest-giver periodically. However, only the first Wish on this list is given in the area; the second is only tied by association, as the target task can be found here. Wish Task Reward Alchemist's Assistant Find and collect three Plasmium. Plasmium Vial charm Lost Fleas Find five fleas. Flea Brew charm; Flea Finder and Flea Friend achievements/trophies Ideal Progression Of The Wormways The Wormways can be entered through one of two ways: Dropping in from above via the Blasted Steps. Using a Simple Key on the Moss Grotto-Wormways door. For most first playthroughs, using the Simple Key will be the more common and natural progression. This route assumes the player is taking that path, but if they took the other one, they can work backwards from before the Alchemist's quest and then return to it. When entering the Wormways for the first time, the main goal is to head left. Doing so requires jumping over several pits of spikes while dodging falling worms. This is why Swift Step is highly recommended. Once the third room is entered, a long room like the first, players should keep continuing left until they can take an exit at the top of the room. There are no mask-shattering secrets to be found here, so they should not tarry too long. The main goal while coming up into the upper levels is to reach Shakra and claim the map. To do this: Continue northeast. When reaching a vertical room, navigate the platforms down to an exit on the right, a little more than halfway to the bottom. Continue northeast until reaching the last platform before jumping to a major cliff ledge. Look left to see some golden circles, or chakrams, embedded in the ground. Jump over to find Shakra in the alcove. Once the map is acquired, players can continue up and stop by to grab the Dead Bug's Purse on the way out. This will take them to the upper levels of the Mosslands and allow them to reach Shellwood's west bench across the chasm. Once Cling Grip is obtained, players can come back and grab the Alchemist's Assistant Wish from Zylotol first and then also claim the Memory Locket from the underpassages that were left alone on purpose earlier in the process. To summarise the above: Use Cling Grip to find Zylotol at the top of the Wormways. Locate the first Plasmium in the room under Zylotol in the center. Pick up the second Plasmium in the underpassages in the east room's bottom-right corner. Find the Memory Locket in the west room's bottom-right corner. Finalize the Plasmium hunt in the west room's bottom-left corner. For bonus points, players can locate the real assistant of the Alchemist, deceased and in a secret room to the left of the final Plasmium. Finding him and using Needolin nearby will trigger special dialogue from both the corpse and Zylotol. Finally, once the Faydown Cloak is obtained and the ability to double-jump is gained, players can unlock Weavenest Karn. This area is located on the west side of the Wormways and requires Needolin to open. Inside, the path is extremely straightforward. Players should continue scrolling left and jumping over several pits, mindful of the groms and gromlings, until they find Herrah's statue at the very end. This will grant Sharpdart and allow them to dash through enemies, cutting them and gaining brief immunity during the action, similar to Hollow Knight's Sharp Shadow charm. With its compact layout, the Wormways may seem like a minor stop, but in 2026 it remains a meaningful early investment. A Simple Key, Swift Step, and a willingness to return with Cling Grip and Faydown Cloak turn these gloomy tunnels into a reliable source of maps, charms, Wishes, and one of Silksong's most satisfying dash upgrades. Chasing down every hidden upgrade in Silksong can make you appreciate a well-planned detour, and the same mindset helps when you're building a library of games to play next. If you'd rather spend your time exploring than refreshing store pages, DealNest collects the [best game deals]( across major platforms and storefronts, making it easier to spot discounts on Metroidvanias, indie gems, and big releases alike. It's a handy companion for anyone who likes to keep their backlog stocked without overspending, whether you're hunting for the next game to sink dozens of hours into or just curious what's on sale before the weekend. A quick visit to DealNest can be worth it before you commit to your next purchase. https://dealnesthq.com

Mister Mushroom Returns: All 7 Locations In Hollow Knight: Silksong Find all seven Mister Mushroom locations in Hollow Knight: Silksong and unlock the Passing Of The Age achievement—without decoding his cryptic poem. Somewhere out there, in the damp and the dark, a fungus is waiting to deliver cryptic nonsense to anyone curious enough to listen. Yes, the Mushroom Man is back in Hollow Knight: Silksong, and veteran players who once tore their hair out chasing the Passing Of The Age achievement in the original game know exactly what that means. Was it fun the first time? Absolutely not. Is it fun now? Well… define fun. In 2026, with the game's community still trading tips, this particular hunt remains one of the strangest side quests Team Cherry ever cooked up. The good news is that the hunt itself is a little gentler than before. The bad news? The final stop will absolutely test a player's platforming skills to their breaking point. Not quite Path Of Pain territory, perhaps, but close enough to make grown adults whisper apologies to their controllers. So, for anyone who would rather not decode the rambling poem themselves, here is the full rundown of all seven locations where the mysterious mushroom shows up. The Poem Unravelled Before the hunt can begin, there is one small problem: the quest has to be started. Head to the Putrified Ducts, past Fleatopia and across the lake. Just before entering the little cave at the back — the one containing Craftmetal — jump up the wall to a small platform where light streams down. Soar to the top of the cave, and there sits a hidden chamber stuffed with mushrooms that will look awfully familiar to anyone who played the first game. Read the tablet, and the quest begins. Simple, right? Moss Grotto From the Bone Bottom Bellway Station, run to the far left where the Ruined Chapel sits, then drop down and head a little to the right. Mushrooms from the Fungal Wastes are sprouting on the ground. Play the Needolin, and Mister Mushroom bursts dramatically from the earth. He does not speak plainly, of course. He never does. Exhaust his dialogue, and he burrows away. Bone Bottom Fortunately, he does not travel far this time. He appears on the little platform above Bone Bottom itself, the exact spot where Shakra once peddled her maps. Chat, listen, and wave goodbye. Far Fields The poem mentions a "Scorched Field", which can only mean one place. From the Far Fields Bellway Station, head down and east to the area where the spine quest was completed. Mister Mushroom is perched on a platform just right of that horrendous volcano climb. Memories of that particular ascent are best left buried. Greymoor "Towers spinning" points squarely at Greymoor's windmills. From the Greymoor Bellway Station, ascend the tower directly above, then head west at the top. A small tunnel winds upward through the caves. Speak with the mushroom, receive more divine wisdom, and then — since the player is already there — soar up into the Wisp Thicket, a small optional area with a boss that will make people question their life choices. The Slab Cages mean The Slab. Specifically, the poem refers to the First Sinner. Head to the Slab Bellway Station and into the lower area unlocked with the third Slab Key — obtainable in the Putrified Ducts near the Broodfeast quest giver's house if it has somehow been missed. Beating the First Sinner rewards the Rune Rage silk skill. Mister Mushroom waits just left of the cage, delivers his usual cryptic farewell, and vanishes. Mount Fay "Fell heart of frost" means the enormous bird atop Mount Fay. At this point, climbing this blasted mountain for the hundredth time feels routine. With the Faydown Cloak, the journey is far easier than the first visit. For the impatient, there is a cheeky shortcut: climb the wall on the far right bordering The Slab to skip the first half of the ascent entirely. At the summit, Mister Mushroom is deep in conversation with the bug-bird. The Cradle & The Ultimate Ascent Here comes the harsh part. From Songclave, run along the long western corridor until spotting a pile of rubble fallen from the ceiling. Soar up and begin the climb toward the Cradle — the same route taken at the start of Act 3. Head up through Lace's arena and keep rising until reaching Grand Mother Silk's boss arena, where the Pale Nails silk skill awaits. One step to the right, head upward again into a small entrance, then keep climbing past light platforming and wall spiders until a bench appears. Savour that bench. The real challenge starts after it. The final ascent is mostly airborne. Grip walls, Clawline the little nut objects, bounce off flying enemies, and use every trick learned so far. Burrowing worms target anyone standing still on the ground, so lingering is not an option. Falling? Pogo off an enemy below or grab a wall with the Ascendant's Grip and hang there indefinitely to catch a breath. It is tough, but the flow arrives quickly enough — the second attempt is always easier. At the very top, play the Needolin and speak to Mister Mushroom one last time. The achievement itself requires reaching the game's true ending first, and no spoilers will be found here. So sharpen that needle, pack some patience, and good luck — the fungus is counting on failure. Location Hint From The Poem Difficulty Putrified Ducts Hidden tablet Easy Moss Grotto Fungal ground Easy Bone Bottom Above town Easy Far Fields Scorched Field Medium Greymoor Towers spinning Medium The Slab Cages Hard Mount Fay Fell heart of frost Medium The Cradle The final climb Brutal After all seven encounters, the wandering mushroom finally settles down, and players are left with an achievement, a story, and a lingering suspicion that none of his wisdom ever meant anything at all. Would anyone really expect otherwise from a talking fungus? Finishing a hunt like this tends to leave a strange restlessness behind — the map goes quiet, the achievements stop popping, and the itch to start something new creeps in almost immediately. The only real obstacle is timing: wishlisted titles sit at full price for months, and refreshing store pages by hand in the hope of a discount is nobody's idea of a good evening. 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My Epic Quest for Silk Soar: Unlocking the Super Jump in Silksong Unlock Silk Soar in Hollow Knight: Silksong with this Super Jump guide: Act 3, Abyss route, controls, and tips. I still remember the first time I stared up at a seemingly unreachable ledge in Hollow Knight: Silksong. The Abyss loomed above me, its dark tendrils mocking my feeble jumps. I had no idea that the key to breaking free lay in an Ancestral Art called Silk Soar—the Super Jump that would change everything. After hours of exploration, countless deaths, and a few choice words at my screen, I finally claimed it. Let me walk you through exactly how I unlocked Silk Soar in Silksong, so you don't have to suffer as much as I did. The Long Road to Act 3 Before you even think about getting Silk Soar, you need to unlock Act 3 and reach the Abyss. And let me tell you, that's no small feat. The game doesn't just hand you the keys. You have to earn it. Here's what I had to do: Complete quests in Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and the Songclave Wishwall. These aren't just busywork; they weave into the story and open the path forward. Collect at least 25 Fleas. Yes, 25! Those little critters are scattered everywhere, and you'll need to bring them to the Flea Caravan. Get the Flea Caravan to move three times until it reaches the Putrified Ducts. That's right—three times. Each move unlocks new areas and eventually the Abyss. I spent a good chunk of my playthrough hunting fleas. It felt like a game of hide-and-seek with a bunch of hyperactive insects. But trust me, it's worth it. Descending into the Abyss Once Act 3 is active, head to the Abyss. This place is no joke—it's dark, filled with void monsters, and the platforming is brutal. But the Silk Soar is impossible to miss because you literally need it to escape. If you find yourself stuck down there (like I did for an embarrassing amount of time), here's the route: From the southern bench, head right into the void monster-infested area. Jump, glide, hook, and sprint your way to the right. Keep going until you hit a wall that you can climb up. Hook onto that wall, then go left a little to find some ground and gain height. Keep pushing upward until the right wall blocks you. Then cross to the left and hang onto the left wall. Now, hook onto the black bubbles—they'll boost you up. Aim right, and soon you'll see a door that requires the Needolin song. Use the Needolin to open the gate, then continue descending until you finally reach the Silk Soar skill. I can't tell you how many times I fell into the void. The Abyss is like that one friend who keeps pranking you—relentless but ultimately teaching you something. How to Use Silk Soar (Super Jump) Once you grab Silk Soar, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. Here's the control scheme: Platform Input PC Hold Down Arrow + S Xbox Hold LT PlayStation Hold L2 The skill needs a short charge time, so you can't just spam it while enemies are chasing you. You have to find a safe moment, hold the buttons, and then release. Hornet will soar far up, reaching heights and distances that were previously impossible. It's an absolute game-changer for exploration. The first time I used it, I felt like I'd been given wings. The charge-up adds a bit of tension, but when you release and Hornet launches skyward, it's pure satisfaction. Escaping the Cave and Beyond After you obtain Silk Soar, the game immediately forces you to use it to escape the cave. It's a brilliant design choice—you get to experience your new power in a high-stakes situation. I barely made it out, but the rush was incredible. Since unlocking Silk Soar, I've been able to access hidden areas, reach new benches, and even find some secret bosses. It's not just a mobility upgrade; it's a key that unlocks the rest of the map. As of 2026, this skill remains one of the most essential abilities in Silksong. If you're struggling to get it, take a deep breath, follow the steps, and don't give up. The Abyss may be dark, but Silk Soar is your light. Happy soaring! ️ While you're still riding the high of Silk Soar, it's tempting to dive straight into another metroidvania—or finally pick up a title you've had your eye on. If you're planning your next purchase, DealNest is worth a look: it's a handy [game price tracker]( that collects discounts from different storefronts so you don't have to hop between tabs. I've started using it to keep an eye on sales for games I'm curious about, and it's been a quiet little time-saver. Whether you're waiting for a price drop or just want to know when a deal pops up, DealNest keeps things simple—so you can spend less time hunting prices and more time actually playing. https://dealnesthq.com

Silksong: How I Opened That Ornate Clamp (And Why You Can Chill) Silksong's ornate clamp in Deep Docks unlocks only with the Diving Bell Key from Act 3, serving as a transit stop, not a puzzle. 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 Here is the short version: the Diving Bell Key is obtainable only in the secret Act 3. Opening the bell is part of the natural progression of that secret chapter, so you will eventually reach this moment if you choose to experience Act 3. You do not need to solve a riddle. You do not need to find a hidden wall in Deep Docks. You do not need to sacrifice a Grub to a lamp. You just need to get to the right chapter. And what is inside? Brace yourself. It is a bench and a speaker. That is it. No boss. No item. No secret boss holding a secret item. The old diving bell is used as a method to travel to the Act 3 area. It is basically public transportation with extra steps and a creepy door. So if you are in Act 1 or Act 2 and the clamp is mocking you, you can safely ignore it. Hornet will not miss out on much, and you will go there anyway if you obtain the quest to do so. Ballow: The Deep Docks Employee of the Year So how do you actually get the key? The Diving Bell Key is given by Ballow, the non-hostile Deep Docks worker who is working right next to the Forge Daughter. The Forge Daughter is a vendor in Deep Docks, and she is the one who points you toward him. After you speak to the Forge Daughter about how to descend below the Deep Docks, she will inform Hornet that she is not the one to ask. Instead, you should be asking Ballow. Go right to the worker and speak to him. He will say that he will wait for Hornet by the bell. I love Ballow. He has the energy of a guy who has been on break for three years but still clocks in. He does not fight you. He does not judge your build. He just waits by an ancient diving bell and presumably drinks terrible coffee. Once you have done your part, venture to the old diving bell. If you have been there before, you can use the shortcut. If you have never been there, prepare for a long detour. Then climb up the small room on the right to find Ballow. He will operate the descent of the old diving bell. Once ready, Hornet can open the ornate clamp to enter the bell. Inside, sit on the bench, and speak to Ballow to begin the dive. Should You Bother? A Very Serious Table Question Answer What opens the ornate clamp? The Diving Bell Key Where is the key? Secret Act 3 Can I get it early? No, unless you enjoy disappointment Who gives it? Ballow, next to the Forge Daughter What is inside the bell? A bench and a speaker Is there a boss? No Is there an item? No Is it missable? Not if you play Act 3 Can I ignore it? Yes, safely Did I ignore it? No, and I regret the hour I spent My Step-by-Step Clamp Opening Routine Reach the deeper part of Deep Docks. Find the Forge Daughter, the vendor. Ask her about descending below the Deep Docks. Learn that she is not the one to ask. Rude, but fair. Go right and speak to Ballow, the non-hostile worker. Hear him say he will wait by the bell. Travel to the old diving bell. Use the shortcut if you have it. Take the long detour if you do not. Climb up the small room on the right to find Ballow. Let Ballow operate the descent of the old diving bell. Once ready, open the ornate clamp as Hornet. Enter the bell. Sit on the bench. Speak to Ballow. Begin the dive. That is the whole secret. No boss fight. No complex platforming gauntlet. No lore dump that requires a PhD in bug theology. Just a key, a worker, a clamp, and a bench. The Final Bell If you are reading this in 2026 and wondering whether some patch changed the old diving bell, the answer is no. The ornate clamp still wants the Diving Bell Key. The key still belongs to secret Act 3. Ballow still waits by the bell. The inside still gives you a bench and a speaker instead of a treasure chest. And I still feel silly for treating a transit stop like a locked vault. So do not be like me. If you find the old diving bell before Act 3, give the ornate clamp a little wave and walk away. It is not a puzzle. It is a future appointment. When Act 3 comes, Ballow will be there, the clamp will open, and you will ride the bell like the stylish, slightly confused Hornet you are. After all that bell-ringing and clamp-waving, you might be in the mood to expand your gaming horizons—or at least to make sure you're not overpaying for them. Whether you're waiting for a sale on Silksong or hunting for your next metroidvania fix, keeping an eye on prices is a habit worth forming. That's where a site like DealNest comes in. It gathers deals and discounts from various storefronts, so you can [check game prices]( without opening a dozen tabs. Think of it as a bench for your wallet—a place to rest before you decide whether to take the plunge. No ornate clamp required. https://dealnesthq.com

Lifting the Silken Curse: My Journey Through Bellhart in Silksong Hollow Knight: Silksong Bellhart Silken Curse guide: use Cling Grab to free citizens and defeat the boss. As a seasoned Hollow Knight veteran, I dove into Hollow Knight: Silksong expecting a challenge. But nothing prepared me for the eerie sight of Bellhart, where every resident and pilgrim bug was strung up by silken threads. ️ My attacks did nothing to free them, and my quest log updated with a clear directive: free the citizens from the Silken Curse. This is the story of how I found the culprit, defeated a terrifying boss, and restored the town to its former glory. Prerequisites for the Curse Quest Before you can even think about breaking the curse, you need to meet a few requirements. Trust me, I learned this the hard way after wandering around aimlessly. Travel to Greymoor: You can get there via the traveling Flea Caravan after completing their lost fleas quest, or by traversing from the bottom pathway. Speak to the Bell Hermit: In the bell beast pathway, break the right wall and head downward to find the hermit, who gives you crucial information. Have the Shellwood Map: At least partially filled out. This helps with navigation. Unlock Cling Grab: You'll find this ability in Shellwood. It's essential for scaling walls later. Oh, and here's a fun easter egg: if you rest on the bench in Bellhart and exit the game, when you return, Hornet will be strung up too! But don't worry, you can attack to break free. How to Traverse Above Bellhart Once you're ready, you need to find a path from Shellwood back into Bellhart and then destroy your way into the ceiling tunnels above the town. This is where the Cling Grab ability shines. You'll be scaling walls, avoiding bell bugs, and breaking through bell barriers. I started at the map location nearest the bench on the upper left pathway. From there, I parkoured from left to right onto the next path where the lake begins. Make sure you take the top path – the second path won't get you into Bellhart from above. After passing the lake, I maneuvered upwards using Cling Grab onto a platform with bells at its entrance. Enter and start breaking down the bell barriers to clear a long tunnel until you reach a new map piece in the upper levels of Bellhart. As I moved through the tunnels, I killed any bell bug enemies along the way. The path down contains large flying bell bugs. You can hit them from the platform, or do what I did: wait for them to fly up, then lay traps to catch them on the way down. This made descending much easier. Then I traversed downward through another shaft. This time there were two. Instead of traps, I waited until the two enemies met each other before jumping down and swiftly running into the nearest left path. Continuing left, I came to an opening in the ground and jumped in. I healed up, then dropped into a new room covered in clumps of threads. That's when I triggered a dialogue cutscene with the Weaver behind the Silkspun curse: Widow. After she finished talking, I was plunged into a boss fight. Boss Fight: Widow Preparations Before the fight, I made sure to equip the right tools. Here's what I recommend: Ability: Silkspear – This slices through Widow's silk traps easier. Use it sparingly to save silk for healing. Crest: Reaper Crest – Restores silk quickly, allowing more Silkspear uses. Combined with Druid's Eye, you get a minor stack of silk replenishment. Tools: Fractured Mask: Shields against critical damage but shatters on impact. Druid's Eye: Replenishes silk upon getting attacked. Sting Shard: Lethal trap of tightly bound blades that pierces enemies. Flea Brew: Temporarily increases movement and attack speed. Pollip Pouch: Applies poison to equipped tools. Phase 1 Widow shrieked to begin the fight, and immediately her hand glowed as she lunged at Hornet. This is a grab attack – I jumped over her and glided or swift-stepped out of reach. I followed the boss and whacked her with a downward pogo strike before she disappeared temporarily to the side of the wall. She reappeared crouch-walking and dispensing threads across the screen. I moved to the wall and avoided the threads as they yanked up bells from below. Bells erupted from the ground, pushing Hornet up and dealing two masks of damage if hit. I simply jumped when I saw the ground moving and glided in the air until it returned to normal. Widow pulled on threads to fire bells from the ceiling at Hornet. This was my chance to attack, as she wouldn't move from her spot for a few minutes before repeating her earlier attacks. Once she was staggered, I unleashed as many heavy attacks with my needle as possible until Phase 2 began. Phase 2 In Phase 2, Widow sent a barrage of bells and debris down on Hornet. I kept to the left, or if I was confident, went straight to Widow and attacked, preparing to jump over her. During this phase, Widow dispensed thick threads across the arena. I used Silkspear to slash through multiple at once, saving time and damaging Widow in the process. Most of her attack patterns remained the same, but patience was key when waiting for an opening – the bells caused more health loss than intended if I wasn't careful. I needed to stagger Widow twice more before Hornet grabbed onto her from above. Once the prompt to bind appeared, I quickly pressed down to end the fight. I obtained a piece of silk weaver lore and the new silk ability, the Needolin. Silken Curse Lifted With the curse lifted, I continued back downwards and re-entered Bellhart to meet the bugs I rescued, along with some returning characters. The town felt alive again! Shakra's Return: Shakra asked if Hornet was responsible for lifting the curse, then commented on my accomplishments. Her shop inventory is now ready for map-making essentials. Pavo: The official welcomer of Bellhart has a wish on the board for donations to restore the area. They praised Hornet and now accept new pilgrims while watching the town's revival. Frey: A shopkeeper who hid in their shop and devoured most of their stock. They won't open until you find their lost courier. Complete the request to access the shop. Plinney: A pinmaster who protected himself in his shop. He sharpens Hornet's needle for free and offers a location for pin oil within The Citadel in a new wish request. Scrounge: A relic seeker who requests any relic with Pharloom history. Return anytime to grow their collection and learn about each item. Sherma's Return: Sherma made it to Bellhart, unaffected by the curse and cheerful as ever. You can perform with your Needolin alongside him and Pavo nearby. With the residents free, I unlocked a new achievement called Fanatic and gained a new main town area to frequent. Now I can progress to the rest of the game. If you're stuck on the Silken Curse, I hope this guide helps you free Bellhart and enjoy the vibrant community that emerges. Happy hunting! That same patience you practice while waiting for the right opening in a boss fight pays off outside of Pharloom too. Anyone who hunts down gear, collectibles, or a long-awaited game on sale knows the feeling of watching a price for weeks before finally pulling the trigger — and it's a lot easier when something else does the watching for you. If you'd rather not refresh store pages by hand, [this price tracking tool]( from DealNest keeps an eye on listings and lets you know when the number actually drops, so you can spend your time playing instead of comparison shopping. Whether you're restocking your setup between sessions or waiting out a discount on that one title you've been eyeing, it's a handy companion for anyone who likes to buy smart. https://dealnesthq.com

Conquering High Halls: A Pilgrim's Guide to Silksong's Deadliest Gauntlet High Halls and Clawline challenge even the bravest in Pharloom, with perilous rings, spike shafts, and relentless enemies. 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 Her first steps inside were deceptively simple: jump, Clawline to the platform on the right, repeat, and cut down whatever stood in the way. Then came the rotating mechanisms, their rings orbiting like the teeth of some colossal clock. The trick, she learned after two painful falls, was patience — waiting for a ring to swing to the bottom before jumping and hooking it, riding it to the apex, then leaping to the rings on either side and using Cling Grip to haul herself higher. A Minister died at her needle there. She climbed the left wall to the top-right exit and pressed on into a room that mirrored the first, except that two more Ministers spawned the instant her feet touched the next platform. She learned to dread that sound — the soft chime that means something new has noticed you. The Spike Shaft and the Bench Below Past the Ministers, the architecture opened into a great hall where the floor had been replaced by spikes. She dropped toward them, glided into the left corner, then Clawlined to a ring on the right and simply waited. A second passed. A lever groaned somewhere in the dark, and the spikes beneath her sank. From there it became a rhythm: hook across the gap, cut down a Minister mid-flight, and finally drop through the exit below. Relief arrived in the shape of a bench, a map, and a Ventrica humming to her right. She sat, breathed, and understood that the worst was still ahead. To the left waited a massive fight, and beyond it, the Conductor's Melody. Eleven Waves, No Boss, No Mercy What awaited her was not a boss. That was the joke, the one every veteran tells with a tired smile. Instead, the room demanded eleven consecutive waves of enemies, and losing at any point meant starting over from the bench on the right. Wave Enemies 1 One Chorister, one Reed, and one Envoy 2 Two Choristers 3 One Reed, one Choir Bellbearer, and one Clawmaiden 4 Two Ministers and one Clawmaiden 5 Two Maestros 6 One Choir Clapper (miniboss) 7 Two Reeds and one Choir Bellbearer 8 Two Choir Bellbearers, one Chorister, and one Clawmaiden 9 Two Ministers and one Choir Bellbearer 10 One Maestro and one Reed 11 Two Choir Clappers Ten waves she could manage, bleeding and cursing but managing. The eleventh was something else entirely — two Choir Clappers, enormous, attacking without pause, leaping without warning. Fighting them fairly is close to impossible. So she cheated, a little. First she bought the Ascendant's Grip, a yellow tool sold by the merchant in Songclave once that merchant has been unlocked. With it, the top-left and top-right corners of the arena become a genuine blind spot, a place where no Clapper's swing can reach. Then, the moment wave ten ended and debris began raining from the ceiling, she scattered every Tack across the floor on one side and released her Cogflies. From the safety of the corner, she watched the traps gnaw one miniboss down to nothing — and the survivor was, at last, a fair fight. Secrets Hidden in the Shadows The pilgrim did not leave empty-handed, either. High Halls rewards those willing to look sideways instead of forward, and its hidden corners hold some of the finest loot in the region. Reward How To Get It 1 Psalm Cylinder While descending the spike area near the end, break the wall on your left, travel through the water, jump up and right, then defeat a large creature 2 Hidden Rosaries Before dropping into the spike area, use the rings above you to climb and claim them at the top 3 Frayed Rosary String After the spike area, take the left exit instead of descending; later, push a cart into the falling water, double jump up through a hidden door, push another cart, and climb to a silk wall 4 Simple Key Room Just before the gauntlet fight, after a few platforms, find Rosaries, a Pale Rosary Necklace, and the Rosary Cannon tool 5 Cogfly Tool In the spike room, take the left exit beside a Minister, jump across, and craft it at a table using Craftmetal 6 Spool Fragment Requires the double jump; before the second room's exit, leap to the top left and climb far upward By the time she finally walked away, the Conductor's Melody resting in her inventory and her nerves thoroughly shredded, the pilgrim understood something the rumors had never quite captured. High Halls is not difficult because it is unfair. It is difficult because it demands everything at once — movement, patience, preparation, and the humility to use a dirty trick when the honest one will not work. Come prepared. Come stubborn. And do not forget the Tacks. That same instinct — scouting the map before committing, hoarding resources, refusing to pay full price for something you can outsmart — tends to follow players out of the arena and into their libraries. Anyone who enjoys a game that punishes sloppy preparation usually ends up with a long wishlist and a short budget, which makes the hunt for a bargain almost a second hobby. Waiting for the right moment to buy, the way you'd wait for the right moment to spend a Tack, is its own kind of discipline. If that sounds familiar, DealNest is built for exactly that mindset. 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Hollow Knight's Review Shift After Silksong: A Storm in a Teacup? Hollow Knight and Silksong spark record Steam reviews in 2025-2026, shifting ratings but confirming the game's enduring indie legacy. 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 Why More Players Meant More Mixed Feedback The surge in reviews was not just negative. Hollow Knight actually received more positive reviews than in any other month. But the ratio changed. More players than ever before were trying the game, partly because Silksong had finally launched, and partly because the sequel sent curious newcomers back to the original. Between August 23 and September 2, the game broke its own concurrent player count record almost every day. On September 7, it hit a peak of 95,655 concurrent players. That is a lot of nails being swung. ️ When a game reaches a new audience, some of that audience will bounce off. Hollow Knight is brilliant, but it is also challenging, cryptic, and occasionally unforgiving. Not everyone wants to wander through Deepnest without a map. Some negative reviews likely came from players who expected a more conventional sequel-style experience, or who found the original's pace slower than Silksong's more aggressive combat. It is a classic case of a rising tide lifting all boats, including the ones carrying complaints. ️ Silksong's Own Review Storm It is worth putting Hollow Knight's review shift into perspective. Silksong, despite still holding a Very Positive rating on Steam, has received more than double the negative reviews that Hollow Knight has received in its entire lifetime. That is a wild statistic. Part of that is due to a poor Chinese translation, which Team Cherry has said it will rectify. Part of it is due to the game's perceived higher difficulty, something the developers plan to address in an upcoming patch. In other words, Hollow Knight's 660 negative reviews in ten days look like a gentle breeze next to the hurricane that greeted its sequel. The original game is still an all-timer, and its overall score remains Overwhelmingly Positive. The recent review change is a footnote, not a fall from grace. ️ What This Means for Hollow Knight in 2026 As 2026 unfolds, the dust has settled. Hollow Knight is still beloved. Silksong is still being patched and debated. The review ratio shift says less about Hollow Knight's quality and more about the strange alchemy of a sequel's release. A new game can send players running back to the old one, and not all of them will leave a five-star review. Some will complain about the map. Some will complain about the difficulty. Some will complain about the lack of a sequel for eight years, even though the sequel now exists. That is the internet for you. But there is no need to sound the alarms. Hollow Knight has survived worse: the wait for Silksong. If anything, the renewed attention proves that Team Cherry created lightning in a bottle twice. The first game's review score is still the envy of the indie world. The second game is still finding its footing. And players are still talking about both. In the grand scheme, a few hundred extra negative reviews are a storm in a teacup. The Knight's journey through Hallownest remains one of gaming's great modern epics, and no temporary dip in recent review sentiment is going to change that. If all this talk of revisiting Hallownest has you itching to replay the original—or finally give Silksong a try despite the review storm—you might as well keep an eye on your wallet while you do it. Between Team Cherry's patches, DLC speculation, and the sheer number of indie metroidvanias that have flooded Steam in the wake of Hollow Knight's success, there has never been a better time to be a patient, bargain-hunting bug enthusiast. A good [steam deal finder]( can save you the hassle of refreshing store pages and waiting for seasonal sales to roll around. That is exactly the gap DealNest aims to fill. Rather than scrolling through hundreds of discounted listings or guessing when a price drop might hit, you can let the site track the games you actually care about and surface the moments when they become genuinely affordable. 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Hollow Knight Silksong: Balm for the Wounded Quest Guide for 2026 Hollow Knight Silksong's Balm for the Wounded quest sends you from Songclave to Whiteward to find Sherma. Complete it for rewards and 100%. 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. How to Find Sherma in Whiteward Sherma can be found on the eastern side of Whiteward, northwest of the path that leads to the Underworks. A specific door leads directly to her location, but reaching it is the tricky part. Whiteward is a place that hoards its secrets like a miser, and the correct route is not always obvious. Fortunately, the game offers a trail. While exploring Whiteward in search of Sherma, players will encounter an item of hers that can be interacted with. Doing so tracks her scent. This creates a visible path to her location, making the hunt much less of a headache. The scent trail practically takes players by the hand and leads them to the door mentioned earlier. After entering the door, players arrive in a tiny subsection of Whiteward. From there, they should proceed all the way to the right. Sherma is at the end. Once she is found, speak to her and exhaust her dialogue. This triggers a battle against a wave of enemies. There are five enemies in total, and they must all be defeated. After the fight, speak to Sherma again. Finishing that conversation concludes the Balm for the Wounded quest. Balm for the Wounded Quest Rewards The first reward arrives immediately. Sherma hands over a Spool Fragment after being saved from Whiteward. A Spool Fragment is one of two parts that increase Hornet's Silk Meter. For combat-focused players, that upgrade is not just a nice extra. It is a direct boost to Hornet's toolkit, and it can make later fights feel noticeably smoother. The second reward is a new quest at the Wish Board in Songclave. Completing Balm for the Wounded unlocks the Lost Merchant quest, which involves finding another missing character on the large map of Silksong. In other words, one rescue leads to another mystery. Players who enjoy the interconnected side stories of Silksong should pay attention, because this chain is easy to lose track of in a year crowded with new releases. Reward Details 🧵 Spool Fragment Handed over by Sherma immediately after the rescue. One of two parts that increase Hornet's Silk Meter. Lost Merchant quest Unlocked at the Wish Board in Songclave. Sends players after another missing character. Completion progress Required for a 100% completion run in Hollow Knight Silksong. Why the Quest Still Matters in 2026 By 2026, Hollow Knight Silksong has been picked apart by guide writers, speedrunners, and lore hunters. Yet Balm for the Wounded remains a common blind spot. The quest hides behind a donation, a key, a first visit to Whiteward, and a scent trail that only appears if players inspect the right object. That is a lot of invisible checkboxes. No shame in missing one. For anyone returning to an old save or starting a fresh completion run, the order is simple. Build up Songclave. Visit Whiteward. Accept the Wish. Track Sherma. Clear the enemy wave. Claim the Spool Fragment. Then check the Wish Board again for the Lost Merchant. It is a short chain, but it reaches into multiple systems and rewards patient exploration. In a game built on hidden paths and quiet tragedies, Balm for the Wounded fits right in. It asks players to slow down, follow a scent, and bring someone home. The Spool Fragment is the practical prize. The new quest is the hook. The real reward, as cheesy as it sounds, is one less empty chair in Songclave. Anyone planning to keep grinding through Silksong's side content in 2026 is probably eyeing a few other Metroidvania releases to fill the gaps between patches and expansions. Tracking down genuinely good prices across storefronts can be its own kind of quest, which is where a deal aggregator earns its keep. Sites like [DealNest game deals]( round up current discounts and price drops in one place, so you spend less time refreshing store pages and more time actually playing. 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