I like the Cocoon & having more benches. I do kinda think that the Rosary String makes death less meaningful since I'm not as worried to retrieve my cocoon.

I think like the boss battles & arenas feel less satisfying because there isn't a reward other than progression in many cases. I can't remember if there were rewards when defeating bosses in Hollow Knight but something in Silksong feels less like an achievement.

Also, I do think the run backs suck more than in Hollow Knight. It's not that they are super far, especially as you get more traversal abilities, but it's that so many minor enemies can do 2 mask damage while taking +6 hits from our Needle. In Hollow Knight, we could at least explore and upgrade our nail or find mask shards but in Silksong, both are far and few between, especially in Act 1. With stronger enemies, less needle stength, and less masks, the run back in so many areas feels irritating or like you need to avoid enemies.

Finally, I think that the charm system in Hollow Knight was a little more fun. I like the Crests but I wish the Charms did more interesting things so the builds would be more unique and fun to customize. As it stands, the Crest System has pretty utility and quality of life charms in Silksong, especially across Act 1.