The Last Judge, the chapter 1 boss in Hollow Knight: Silksong, has become a useful example for how Team Cherry rethought combat between the two games. In comments made for an ACMI guide, the developers argued the boss’ final form reflects a broader shift – bosses in Silksong are built around Hornet’s mobility rather than the Knight’s slower rhythm.
Team Cherry’s Ari Gibson and William Pellen discussed the change in design during an interview with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and in the guide book available from the ACMI. Gibson highlighted how the team adjusted enemy and boss geometry to suit Hornet’s faster actions and reach, and used The Last Judge to illustrate that thinking. Gibson said, “Even The Last Judge’s shape still mirrors Hornet’s design, with her being a taller character,” Gibson says. “I think if The Last Judge had existed in the previous game, it would have probably been more like a big, round blob… the equivalent of The False Knight.”
The contrast matters because Silksong’s attack selection logic was revised under the hood. Where Hollow Knight favored move selection tied to the Knight’s comparatively limited movement, Silksong moved to a move-and-movement select model so enemies can both attack and reposition to threaten Hornet as she darts around. Gibson added, “Everything was squishier and squatter and slow because everything reflects and works against the protagonist.” Pellen expanded on that design lineage, explaining how even small enemies borrow aspects of Hornet’s moveset so they can pin her down.
Pellen said, “The basic ant warrior [in Silksong] is built from the same move-set as the original Hornet boss – the same core set of dashing, jumping, and dashing down at you, plus we added the ability to evade and check you. In contrast to the Knight’s enemies, Hornet’s enemies had to have more ways of catching her as she tries to move away.” That focus on mobility shows up across Silksong in encounter pacing, enemy placement, and boss choreography. Players who felt certain Hollow Knight bosses played like predictable “round dudes” will find Silksong fights tuned for faster reads, more movement, and increased threat radiating from enemies that can follow or interrupt Hornet.
Team Cherry has also discussed player options and routes in Silksong, including alternate ways to handle tough encounters, which offers context for why the studio redesigned foes around a more agile protagonist; read more about how Silksong offers alternate routes to handle tough encounters from our coverage. For readers who want the original source of the interview, see the ACMI guide that features the developers’ comments and additional context about the game’s world and design.
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Hollow Knight: Silksong
Developed by Team Cherry
