How To Crawl in Hollow Knight Silksong

A common question for players eagerly anticipating Hollow Knight: Silksong is about movement and traversal: specifically, how to crawl through the game's many tight tunnels and hidden passages. Unlike many Metroidvania games that feature a dedicated crouch or crawl command, Silksong handles this mechanic in a uniquely fluid way tailored to its protagonist, Hornet.
This guide will break down everything we know about traversal and the automatic crawl mechanic in Hollow Knight: Silksong, explaining how you can use it to discover every secret the kingdom of Pharloom has to offer.

Does Hornet Have a Crawl Ability?

The short answer is no, there is no dedicated crawl button or command in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Team Cherry, the developer, has designed Hornet as an inherently agile and acrobatic warrior. Her movement set is built around speed, precision, and grace.
Instead of learning a separate ability, crawling is an automatic, contextual action. When Hornet approaches a low passageway or a narrow gap, she will seamlessly transition into a crawling animation, sliding through the tunnel quickly and without any input required from the player. This reflects her role as a nimble and experienced explorer, for whom such obstacles are a minor inconvenience.

Hornet’s Movement: How It Differs From The Knight

It's helpful to understand how Hornet's traversal differs from her predecessor, The Knight, from the original Hollow Knight.

• The Knight's Approach: In the first game, The Knight would slowly shuffle through tight spaces after acquiring certain upgrades. Movement in these sections was deliberately slower.
• Hornet's Agility: Hornet, being taller and more agile, handles these situations with characteristic speed. Her auto-crawl is significantly faster and more fluid, maintaining the game's pacing. This isn't a slow, cautious crawl but a swift, determined slide.

This design philosophy extends to other abilities. For example, while The Knight needed the Mantis Claw to wall jump, footage and previews suggest Hornet can naturally grab onto and leap off ledges from the very beginning of her adventure. She may acquire tools toenhance this ability, but the base functionality is part of her corekit.

Why Team Cherry Chose an Auto-Crawl Mechanic

This design choice is intentional and aligns with Team Cherry's renowned focus on elegant game feel.

Prioritizing Flow: By making crawling automatic, the developers remove a potentialinterruption to the game's flow. Players won’t need to fumble for abutton when they see a gap; they can simply continue moving forward, and Hornet will adapt.

Character Identity: Every movement option defines a character. Hornet is portrayed as amaster of her environment. An automatic crawl reinforces her expertiseand agility, making her feel powerful and in control without unnecessary complexity.

Simplified Controls: Keeping the control scheme streamlined allows players to focus onHornet's vast array of other abilities, like her use of Silk and tools,without overcomplicating the button layout.

How to Traverse Tight Spaces in Silksong

The process is beautifully simple, embodying the game's "easy to learn, hard to master" philosophy.

When you discover a narrow opening or a low tunnel, simply guide Hornet into it. There is no need to press a special key or button. The game willautomatically recognize the environment and trigger the crawlinganimation. You maintain control of her direction, but the movement style is handled for you, allowing you to exit swiftly on the other side andcontinue your journey without breaking stride.

This mechanic ensures that exploration remains intuitive and rewarding,encouraging players to seek out every crevice in the vast, mysteriousworld of Pharloom.

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