The long-awaited, positively messianic return of Tim Burton’s A Bug’s Life is an inevitable indie darling of the year, and it’s honestly difficult to find anything negative to say about Hornet’s sojourn in the cathedralic lands of Pharloom.

Team Cherry’s 7-year dedication to polish and expansion has resulted in an enormous standalone game priced like DLC. With such a low barrier to entry, Silksong’s steep difficulty design comes under the typical crosshairs. Personally and paradoxically, I found Silksong more difficult to play to completion than its predecessor, Hollow Knight, despite all that it does to enhance player agency with shiny new tools, customizable weapons, passive gear, and maneuvering abilities.

Hornet immediately felt to me far more hectic and wild to control, running, dashing, attacking at a faster pace than the comparatively tank-like weight of the Knight. Alongside the game’s speed, the challenges of navigating maps and locating meaningful upgrades must also be considered. For many players, Silksong may simply be too difficult. Getting stuck on bosses, smacking into yet another enemy gauntlet room, or being unable to figure out where to go next can be dispiriting, though I would never say it seemed unfair.

Fortunately, a counterbalance lies in the joy of being immersed in Silksong’s horrific beauty (another similarity it bears with the works of Hidetaka Miyazaki, pardon the cliché.) Its decayed tombs of tarnished gold and elden mysticism will leave fans speculating about lore for years to come. There are already Reddit posts, wiki pages, and YouTube channels inviting deep analysis. That’s a whole game in and of itself.

Silksong’s regal air, somber soundtrack, eloquent yet occasionally incommodious dialogue, and quiet, anxious Metroidvania atmosphere actually place it on par with its celebrated sire. Mark the uncommon instance of two master works back to back. Just be forewarned. Like that of an empress spider carefully constructing her web to snare the unwary, Silksong’s craft is clearly meticulous and deliberate, if just a skosh carnivorous.