How long it takes to finish Hollow Knight Silksong the long awaited metroidvania sequel even if you want to discover every secret.
The game has more than 40 bosses. That means players will be tested again and again. Each boss is different. Each boss demands patience and skill. Some bosses will take you down many times before you figure out the right way to fight. Others might be easier if you discover the correct strategy early. This alone changes how long the game lasts. If you get stuck on a boss for many hours your completion time will rise. If you get lucky or you are very skilled you may save time.
Another factor is the design of the map. Silksong has a large interconnected world. It is filled with vertical sections horizontal sections shortcuts hidden paths and locked doors. Because of this design many players will get lost. You may wander into areas where the enemies are too strong. You may miss a shortcut that could have saved you ten minutes of walking. You may search for hours trying to find the correct path forward. This is normal for this style of game. Some people enjoy exploring every single corner while others rush toward the main objectives. The more you explore the longer your playthrough will take.
Now let us look at real numbers. On average Hollow Knight Silksong takes between 40 and 45 hours to complete. That is if you are playing at a steady pace. You explore the world. You fight most bosses. You discover a good amount of secrets. You reach the ending. If you are a completionist and you want every item every secret every achievement then the playtime grows to about 60 hours. That is a lot of content for one game.
A good example comes from a player named Aaron. He completed the whole game in 43 hours. But part of that time was spent idle while he was working on guides for other players. So we can say his true playtime was closer to 40 hours. Even then he still had optional content left to complete. To reach 100 percent he would have needed another 10 hours or so. That shows how much there is to do.
When Aaron reached the credits for the first time he was about 28 hours in. That was the ending found at the close of Act 2. Most players will reach this first ending between 25 and 30 hours depending on skill and playstyle. So if you want to see the credits once you can expect about that length of time. But the full story goes further.
Another example comes from a speedrunner known as BlueSR. He is highly skilled. He managed to complete the game with 100 percent in only 38 hours. That is very fast. For the average player this is not possible. But it shows that with skill and knowledge the game can be finished more quickly. It also shows that the 60 hour estimate for completionists includes a lot of trial and error time for normal players.
Silksong is structured in acts. There are three acts in total. Act 1 introduces you to the world and sets the stage. Act 2 is where most of the story takes place and where you find the first ending. Act 3 requires special conditions to unlock. On average you will spend about 15 hours in each act. That makes the total around 45 hours if you follow the standard path. Some may take longer in Act 1 if they struggle to learn the mechanics. Others may take longer in Act 3 if they aim to unlock everything.
Now let us think about why the time can be so different between players. One reason is how familiar you are with the first Hollow Knight. If you have played and mastered the original game you will already understand the controls and the type of challenges. This will save time. If Silksong is your first Metroidvania you will likely need more time to adapt. Another reason is how patient you are with exploration. Some players love to walk through every corner of the map and check every wall for hidden rooms. Others prefer to focus on the main objectives. This choice alone can change your playtime by ten or even twenty hours.
Bosses also make a big difference. Some players enjoy experimenting with charms and abilities to make battles easier. Others may insist on fighting bosses without much preparation. This can make battles much harder and stretch your playtime. Then there are the optional bosses. Silksong has plenty of them. You can skip many of them if you wish. But if you want to see everything you will spend much more time fighting and retrying.
Silksong also has secrets. Some are small such as hidden items or shortcuts. Some are big such as new areas that are not required for the main story. Discovering these can be very rewarding but they also add hours to your playtime. Completionists will spend many evenings searching for every hidden corner.
The way acts are structured also affects playtime. Act 1 may feel shorter but it can be longer if you are new. Act 2 is the longest part with many bosses and areas. Act 3 is shorter but harder to access. To get into Act 3 you need to meet certain conditions which can take time. For some players Act 3 will feel like bonus content after the first ending. For others it will feel like the true conclusion.
It is also important to remember that times given by players are often different because of how they measure. Some people pause the game often. Some leave it running while doing other things. Others count only active playtime. So numbers like 40 hours or 45 hours are averages not rules.
Silksong length is also compared to the first Hollow Knight. The first game could take anywhere from 25 hours to 60 hours depending on style. Silksong seems slightly longer on average. That means Team Cherry has created a sequel that gives more content but still respects the core design.
The large number of bosses plays a role here. With more than 40 bosses you are guaranteed to spend many hours in combat. Each boss is like a small puzzle. You learn patterns. You try different moves. You fail. You improve. You finally win. That cycle repeats many times and it adds to the length.
Another reason the game is long is the vertical design of maps. You may climb tall areas. You may fall and need to climb again. You may go left when you should have gone right. All of this adds exploration time. But it also adds satisfaction when you finally master the layout.
Some people may wonder if the game is too long. But most fans enjoy the length. They see it as good value for money. They want a game that lasts many evenings. They want to feel that they have taken a journey. Silksong provides that.
If you only want to see one ending you can stop after Act 2. That will take about 25 to 30 hours. If you want to see everything you can go beyond 60 hours. The choice is yours.
In summary Hollow Knight Silksong is not a short game. It offers dozens of hours of content. It has three acts. It has more than 40 bosses. It has countless secrets. It can take anywhere from 25 hours to more than 60 hours depending on how you play.
That is why when someone asks how long the game is there is no single answer. For the average player it is safe to say about 40 to 45 hours. For completionists it is 60 hours or more. For speedrunners it can be under 40.
No matter how you play you will get a long and rewarding adventure. Team Cherry has built a world that invites exploration. Every corner hides something new. Every boss tests your skill. Every act adds another layer to the story. Silksong is designed to keep you engaged for many hours.
That is the true measure of its length. It is not just about numbers. It is about the feeling of a long journey. A journey where you fight many battles. A journey where you get lost and find your way again. A journey where time passes quickly because you are so immersed. That is Hollow Knight Silksong.
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