Hollow Knight: Silksong for macOS

Description

The Steel Soul mode is back, and it's just as unforgiving as you remember. You slip into Hornet's role, a far more acrobatic fighter than the Knight ever was, and the combat feels immediate and fast. Parries, lunges, and silk-spun grapples turn every skirmish into a small, lethal dance.

On a Mac, the game expects a recent Apple Silicon chip or a capable x86 machine. Team Cherry's test bench was a 2024 Mac mini with an M4 running macOS Tahoe, and the orchestral score pushed through without a hitch. Over 200 enemies fill Pharloom's mossy caverns and gilded cities; more than 40 bosses make sure you earn each new area.

Expect smooth 60 fps on most M-series Macs from the last few years. Intel Macs with dedicated graphics should hold their own, though older integrated chips will struggle when the screen fills with mist and needle strikes. A controller is the sensible way to play—timing those aerial combos on a keyboard gets cramped quickly. If you want the full, fluid feel of Hornet's movement, plug one in before you start.

Dashing through a rusted mooring post

A session might start with Hornet perched on a rusted mooring post, the Deep Docks stretching ahead. A quick flick of the left stick sends her into a sprint; a tap of the dash button threads her through a gap in a collapsed archway. The first enemy is a skittering Husk Dandy—one downwards pogo off its head and you're airborne, grabbing a silk anchor point with a grapple. The game doesn't pause to teach you this. It just gives you the tools and expects you to stitch them together.

Twenty minutes in, you find a ledge just out of reach. The solution turns out to be a wall-jump cancelled into a mid-air dash, followed by a needle lunge. Pulling it off feels like landing a trick you half-invented. A hidden grub sits behind a false wall, revealed by the chime of your compass. You mark the spot on your map with a pin—one of thirty you'll scatter across Pharloom before the credits roll.

The boss at the end of the docks is Lace, and she's a checkpoint for your reflexes. Her rapier comes in three-hit flurries; you learn to parry the second strike and punish the third. Dying means a long walk back from the last bench, but by your third attempt the route is muscle memory. When she finally drops, the silence that follows is broken only by the distant swell of strings. You sit back, exhale, and realise you've been gripping the controller too hard.

Double-tap the map button to skip the menu

A handful of conveniences sit just below the surface. Missing them won't break your playthrough, but finding them makes Pharloom a friendlier place.

• Quick-map toggle. Double-tap the map button to open it instantly, no pause menu needed. Useful when you're running from something large and angry.
• Downwards pogo reset. Striking an enemy or a hazard from above resets your dash and double-jump. Veteran Hornet players chain these across spike pits for sequence-breaking routes.
• Bench signposts. Each bench has a subtle visual cue pointing towards the next major objective. It's not a waypoint, just a carved symbol on the backrest, easy to overlook in the gloom.
• Crest preview. Before equipping a new Crest, hold the button to see a short animation of its effect. Saves you from guessing whether "Fury of the Silk" is worth the slot.
• Practice room access. Tucked into the lower level of the Citadel hub, a door lets you re-fight any boss you've already beaten. Good for blowing off steam, better for mastering parry windows.

What’s new

Version 1.0.30000 puts you in control of Hornet, a nimble warrior navigating the fallen insect kingdom of Pharloom. Adds over 200 enemies and more than 40 bosses lurking in its depths.

Requirements

• macOS Tahoe or later recommended.
• Apple Silicon or 64-bit Intel processor.
• Discrete graphics card recommended for Intel Macs.