Celxung: Why I Keep Playing Despite the Difficulty

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14 Sep, 2025

Unyielding Resolve in the World of Silksong: A Journey of Persistence and Challenge

Introduction to the World of Silksong and its Challenges

In the world of "Silksong", the player finds themselves driven by a strong resolve to continue. Although the experience may not always be enjoyable, persistence remains the main driver in "Hollow Knight: Silksong". Hollow Knight: Silksong is the highly anticipated sequel to the award-winning "Hollow Knight", developed by "Team Cherry". In this adventure, players control the protagonist "Hornet" as she explores a vast and mysterious new kingdom full of secrets and challenges. The game is expected to be released on September 4, 2025. This continuity is further enhanced by belonging to the gaming community and a deep sense of stubbornness.

For example, deep within "The Marrow", the game's second major area, I faced an extremely difficult mini-boss. After overcoming him, there was no traditional reward such as a new ability, a valuable item, or even a save point; instead, the price was pain, suffering, and repeated death. In this challenging journey in Silksong, the only way forward often leads through tunnels filled with flaming spikes.

Logic dictated that I should abandon the game at that moment, but I didn't, which is unlike my usual habit with other games I don't find engaging, such as Hollow Knight, which didn't suit my taste. In contrast, I find great pleasure in Metroidvania games. Metroidvania games are a subgenre of video games focusing on non-linear exploration and ability-gated progression, where new areas unlock after acquiring certain skills, often characterized by being 2D platformers full of action and adventure. (Source). For example, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was one of my favorite games last year in this category. My goal was to experience the latest work from Team Cherry again to see if Silksong would finally captivate me, and it did, thanks to continuous community support and a lot of personal stubbornness.

The Power of Community and Its Role in the Player's Journey

Unlike my experience with "Hollow Knight", which I started playing late after the buzz had died down, with Silksong I'm sharing the experience with the gaming community in real-time. My social media feeds are buzzing with enthusiastic players who love the game much more than I do, sharing valuable tips, empathizing with the difficulties they face (such as the complex Lantern Fruit jumping challenges), and reacting with admiration to the friendly character Sherma.

When I share my complaints about the game's difficulty, I receive enthusiastic responses from my friends offering guidance on the next steps. This creates a sense that we are undergoing a collective and collaborative experience, which is a very positive feeling. I am not alone in facing the challenges, and more importantly, I have friends who offer a helping hand. For Silksong, this collective approach was instrumental in keeping me playing longer than I would have if I had faced it alone.

The Strategy of Taking Breaks: Key to Overcoming Frustration

This collective experience in the gaming world has revealed a new effective strategy to me: taking regular breaks. I wasn't one of those players who stopped progressing when facing an obstacle. I tended either to look for another activity within the game or to keep trying repeatedly until I found a solution. Now, when frustration or anger begins to creep in, even if I'm close (or think I'm close) to overcoming a certain challenge, I stop playing and return to it later.

It may seem as simple as "taking a break from the screen", but this method has proven effective in overcoming some of the most difficult and frustrating moments in the game. (For example, if the vendor Shakra decided to leave her post in Greymoor because of my actions, that's acceptable. But to take her seat with her directly from the room before a difficult boss fight, that represents a unique and wicked level of "Silksong difficulty").

The Thrill of Victory and Game Adjustments

When I succeed in overcoming these extreme difficulties, I am filled with an indescribable feeling of excitement and triumph. The feeling of effortlessly defeating a boss, and in fewer attempts than usual, gives me a sense of absolute power. I'm glad to hear that the game's developers, Team Cherry, are currently working on reducing the difficulty of some early bosses, which is a welcome adjustment. (The platforming challenges, in particular, were extremely exhausting!).

Conclusion: Stubbornness as Fuel for the Journey

I am fully confident that I will complete my journey in Silksong, and the feeling I will have at the end of this adventure will be closer to comfort and tranquility than to pure joy. Silksong has taught me an important lesson: I don't necessarily have to feel "happy" or "joyful" to keep playing. All I need is to feel something, even if that feeling is sheer stubbornness.