Hollow Knight: Silksong arrived on September 4th, 2025 across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch (including Switch 2). On its OpenCritic page during launch week, the game is listed with a Top Critic Average of 98 and a 100% Critics Recommend rate, based on 10 published critic reviews. OpenCritic also tags the game in the 100th percentile of all titles on the platform and shows a “Mighty” tier label for this score band.

What these numbers actually mean

OpenCritic’s headline number, “Top Critic Average,” is a weighted average derived from outlets the platform designates as top critics. The “Critics Recommend” percentage is the share of those critics who recommend the game. The site’s charts currently place Silksong at the very top percentile among reviewed games, reflecting the strength of that initial batch of scores.

There’s also a Player Rating surfaced on the page, which at launch sits at 100 with a “NEW” badge—an early signal that will evolve as more user reviews flow in.

It’s an early snapshot, not the finish line

Ten reviews is a small sample for a high-profile release. As larger publications publish longer-tail reviews and smaller outlets add their takes, the Top Critic Average can move—sometimes materially. Early scores often reflect day-one impressions from reviewers playing on tight timelines, and they don’t yet capture post-launch patches, balance changes, or localization updates that can influence sentiment.

In other words: a 98 in week one is impressive, but not immutable.

What early critics agree on

  • Combat and movement are faster and more demanding than the original, fitting Hornet’s more agile kit.
  • Level design leans into verticality and dense, secret-laced spaces that reward exploration.
  • Presentation—the hand-drawn art, animation, sound design, and score—lands with confidence.
  • Difficulty is intentionally high; mastery pays off, but onboarding can be steep for newcomers.

Even among strong scores, a few consistent caveats appear: some pacing lulls in side content, a difficulty curve that spikes sharply at key encounters, and debates around the length and friction of a few boss runbacks—even where discoverable benches and shortcuts can shorten the trek.

The player side is large—and loud

Within hours of release, concurrent players on Steam rose past the half‑million mark, a surge big enough to stress storefronts and servers. With a playerbase that size, consensus takes longer to form. Early community discussion spans the spectrum: some celebrate a sequel that “feels right” at higher speed and intensity; others push back on encounter balance, economy tightness, and whether certain zones cross from challenging into tedious.

One flashpoint outside combat has been localization quality in at least one language, which triggered visible swings in user review scores and heated debate about how to weigh translation issues against broader design and performance.

How OpenCritic’s score could change next

  • More top outlets publishing full reviews tends to normalize extremes, pushing averages toward the high 80s or 90s for acclaimed titles.
  • Patch notes that adjust boss runbacks, drop rewards, or difficulty spikes often soften early pain points noted by critics and players.
  • Localization updates can materially shift user sentiment and, indirectly, the tone of later critical coverage.

None of this guarantees a drop—Silksong may hold its elite ranking—but history suggests some movement as the review pool deepens and the game iterates.

What to look for in the reviews list

The current reviews mix includes several perfect or near‑perfect scores alongside a few high‑9s. Read beyond the number. The reviews listing surfaces the specific pain points each outlet encountered—whether that’s a mid‑game area that drags, a boss that demands dozens of attempts, or optional content that feels overlong—alongside the design decisions those same reviewers found exceptional.

Should you jump in now?

  • Yes, if you want a tougher, faster take on the original’s formula, and you enjoy the process of learning exacting combat patterns and traversal routes.
  • Consider waiting if you’re sensitive to difficulty spikes, long runbacks on failure, or if you need high‑quality localization on day one.
  • Platform coverage is broad at launch—PC, PlayStation 5/4, Xbox Series X/S and One, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2—so there’s flexibility on where to play.

Why it matters: OpenCritic’s launch‑week 98 and 100% recommend rate confirm what long‑time fans hoped—the sequel lands with real confidence. The open question is durability: as more critics file, patches arrive, and localization is refined, we’ll see whether Silksong’s early numbers settle into the stratosphere or glide a notch lower into the merely excellent. For now, it’s a strong signal that Team Cherry’s long wait has delivered the kind of dense, demanding Metroidvania people will be talking about for a while.