The long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong has only just launched, but debate around its difficulty is already heating up. While some fans are asking the developers at Team Cherry to add a casual or easy mode, others have unearthed a secret way to unlock the brutal Steel Soul mode from the start.

Steel Soul discovered early

Players report that entering a Konami-style cheat code — up, down, up, down, left, right, left, right — under the “Extras” menu triggers a sound effect. From then on, a new option appears when starting a fresh save: Steel Soul, a hardcore setting where death is permanent and there are no second chances.

Community split on difficulty

At the same time, forums and review sections are filled with frustration over Silksong’s steep challenge curve. Complaints include:

• Harsh spikes in difficulty and unavoidable boss fights.
• Minimal upgrades compared to the first game.
• Punishing penalties for death, including losing currency.

One Steam user wrote that his wife “spent three days stuck on the Murving boss and gave up,” while another lamented, “I’m 47 and my hands aren’t what they used to be. With arthritis, should I have to give up the games I love?”

Others stressed the importance of accessibility:

“I know not everyone will agree, but please add difficulty settings. Not to ruin the challenge for hardcore players — just so people like me actually have a chance.” — Steam user

Not everyone agrees

Still, plenty of players pushed back, saying that Silksong’s challenge is exactly what makes it rewarding. “Once you understand the mechanics, the game becomes much more manageable,” one Reddit post read, with others praising the higher difficulty as a natural evolution from the original Hollow Knight.

Mods already provide options

For PC players, modders have already released tweaks that reduce enemy health and damage, effectively serving as unofficial easy modes. Whether Team Cherry will respond to calls for an official casual mode remains to be seen.