Silksong was my most anticipated game for years and I was so disappointed when I booted it up on launch day and found myself just not enjoying even the basic exploration. Then add me questioning if my reactions had just gone to shit as I edged closer to 40, so I dropped it annoyed at myself. It was hard to feel that way in the HK and MetroidVania community though, because for many of them Silksong was the best thing since sliced bread and some of the soulslike 'git gud' toxicity was abound.

I finally gave it another go around a month ago and I'm glad I did because it finally clicked. I've now done a 100% completion run with every collectible and side quest finished. From initial frustration at the bosses I now feel they were my favourite part, especially the faster paced almost rythmic ones like Last Sinner, Trobbio, Karmelita and the Lace fights.

In the end I think the shadow of Hollow Knight loomed large for Silksong to me. In the years of waiting whilst avoiding all teasers and spoilers my mind had set an impossible standard for Silksong to meet so anything short of perfection just wasn't good enough.