Hollow Knight: Silksong devs believe "the real world generally underestimates players," but Team Cherry trusts fans to "engage" and figure the Metroidvania out: "You can guide them a little bit, and that's enough"

Hollow Knight Silksong screenshot of Hornet sitting shocked in a chair.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is "noticeably harder" than its predecessor, but that doesn't mean the Metroidvania sequel misjudges its players' capabilities – in fact, developer Team Cherry's design of the new game relies on fans' capacity to quickly pick things up with just a little push.

Speaking in a recent interview with ACMI, co-directors William Pellen and Ari Gibson dive into the process of development – one Team Cherry was admittedly "having fun" with – and cover everything from level design to world-building. Towards the end, Gibson explains how Hollow Knight: Silksong doesn't misjudge its players' ability to get through the game, even with how challenging it may be at times.