Lore-Wise, Hollow Knight: Silksong Can Never Have the Original’s Best Area

The anticipation for Hollow Knight: Silksong is at a fever pitch, with fans dissecting every trailer and piece of information for clues about the upcoming game. While the new setting of Pharloom promises a world filled with its own unique mysteries and challenges, one thing seems certain: it can never replicate the haunting beauty and profound narrative significance of the original’s most beloved area. We are talking, of course, about The City of Tears. This majestic and melancholic kingdom, the heart of Hallownest, is inextricably linked to the lore of the first game, and its absence will define the tone of its successor in a way no other area can.

For players of Hollow Knight, The City of Tears was more than just a level; it was a character in itself. Its perpetual rain, a metaphor for the kingdom’s grief, created an atmosphere of solemn beauty. The hushed, ethereal music and the echoes of the city’s past glory made every step feel like walking through a living tomb. The area’s lore, which detailed the city’s fall from grace and the quiet sorrow of its inhabitants, was a masterclass in environmental storytelling. This is a core element of what makes the first game so special, and it’s something that Silksong, by its very nature, cannot replicate.

The Fall of Hallownest and the Rise of Pharloom

The entire narrative of Hollow Knight is built upon the fall of a great civilization. The City of Tears serves as the emotional and historical anchor for this tale. Its grandeur, now in ruin, perfectly encapsulates the tragedy of Hallownest. The city’s history is tied to the Pale King, the creation of the Hollow Knight, and the eventual spread of the infection. All of these elements are fundamental to the lore of the first game, and none of them apply to Hornet’s new adventure in Pharloom.

Pharloom, by contrast, is a new kingdom that appears to be bustling and vibrant. Trailers show us soaring spires, bustling towns, and diverse inhabitants who are very much alive. The central conflict of Silksong seems to be about ascent and escape, rather than a desperate journey into a dying world. While Pharloom will undoubtedly have its own tragic backstory and secrets to uncover, it will not have the same sense of a great civilization frozen in a moment of perpetual sadness. The tone of the two games is fundamentally different.

• A Different Kind of Sorrow: The grief of Hallownest is a slow, methodical decay. The rain in The City of Tears is a constant reminder of this. Pharloom may have its own sorrow, but it is likely to be a more immediate, active conflict, perhaps tied to the new antagonist, the Citadel.
• Architectural Narrative: The architecture of The City of Tears, with its grand statues and intricate stonework, tells a story of a kingdom that once was. Pharloom’s architecture, while beautiful, will tell a different story—one of a kingdom that is currently in a state of flux, either thriving or fighting for its existence.
• The Sense of Scale: The City of Tears felt immense and overwhelming, a true metropolis. While Pharloom will be a massive world, the feeling of exploring a lost, once-great city is a unique emotional experience that cannot be recreated without the same historical context.

The Legacy of The City of Tears

The legacy of The City of Tears is one of emotional depth and atmospheric brilliance. It’s an area that players remember not just for its challenges, but for its emotional impact. The journey through its misty streets, the discovery of its secrets, and the eventual confrontation with its lingering ghosts were a core part of the Hollow Knight experience. This is why fans hold it in such high regard—it was a world-building triumph.

While Hollow Knight: Silksong will undoubtedly create its own iconic areas and storytelling moments, it will be a different kind of game. Hornet’s adventure is a fresh start, a new epic unburdened by the specific tragic history of Hallownest. This is a good thing for the new game, as it allows Team Cherry to build a new world from the ground up, with its own rules and lore. However, it also means that the specific, somber magic of The City of Tears can never be recaptured. It remains a unique, unparalleled part of the original’s enduring appeal, a testament to the power of environmental storytelling in indie gaming.

The City of Tears will forever stand as a monument to what was. Its memory will linger in the minds of players as they explore the new world of Pharloom, a silent reminder of the profound tale that came before. And that, in itself, is a testament to its enduring legacy.