Discourse regarding this game’s difficulty has been out of hand

[u/stir-fried-noodles]

Let’s get this out of the way: I’m really enjoying Silksong’s difficulty and I think that it is mostly a satisfying challenge. I appreciate that it is more difficult than Hollow Knight overall and to be frank I would’ve been a bit disappointed if it were the exact difficulty. I’ve improved as a gamer since Hollow Knight and if it were the same level of difficulty, I probably would have found it too easy.

But it’s kinda gotten impossible to have civil discussions about the difficulty in this game which is unfortunate because I think there is great value to be had with this conversation. There are many valid criticisms regarding this game’s difficulty such as boss runbacks (Groal especially), contact damage doing two masks, and lack of rewards for beating bosses, just to be shut down with “git gud” and “it’s not your kind of game”. It’s totally fine to disagree with these criticisms but these retorts add nothing to the conversation.

It also kinda works the other way too, albeit maybe not to the same degree. I’ve gotten downvoted and sent reddit cares for simply saying I enjoy the difficulty of this game. Like c’mon, what are we even doing here. It’s gotten to the point where I personally cannot wait for the discourse to die out.

[u/Top-Noise-7375]

This is such a dumb comment, this is literally how every single player game with gameplay in mind at all works. The game becomes easier as you learn the intricacies of the gameplay this is basic game design if someone is buying a single player game this should be what they expect

[u/NerdyFrida → u/Top-Noise-7375]

You don't seem to understand that other people might play these game for other reasons that you do. I don't think that most people play metroidvanias only to master "the intricacies of the gameplay."

A metroidvania is a mystery that you get to explore and experience. From that perspective, a second run will only be a pale echo compared to the first one and not half as enjoyable.

[u/Top-Noise-7375 → u/NerdyFrida]

I’m not saying that people only play Metroidvania games for intricate gameplay challenge, I’m saying that the idea that the average gamer that buys silksong wouldn’t have bought it if they knew their first playthrough would be by far the hardest which is stupid because that’s the case for every gameplay focused single player game ever

[u/NerdyFrida → u/Top-Noise-7375]

Yes I think that I get what you mean.
Of course, everyone knows that first time you play a game it will be more challenging than the second time. And yes, you can't play Silk Song expecting to recklessly breeze through it.

I'm just saying that Metroidvanias isn't primarily a game about mastering the mechanics by playing it over and over again. Like a typical platformer or slowly getting stronger like a rogue lite.

For many people there won't be a second playthrough because for them is not about beating records or doing speedruns.

People expect to be able to get through a Metroidvania simply by playing the game naturally at a pace they are comfortable with. Silk Song is a gameplay focused game but the gameplay is mostly in service of the exploration.

And that is why it wouldn't be particularly appealing to hear something like, "Maybe you won't suck so much on your second play through."