Hades II vs Hollow Knight: Silksong
Rogue-lite depth versus taut Metroidvania action — both are brilliant sequels, but they demand different kinds of patience.
Updated 11d ago
Supergiant's hardest swing in years — Hades II isn't a remix, it's a deeper, weirder game that still respects the original's perfect run-based loop.
Hornet's pogo-and-dash silk kit moves better than the original's, and 40 hours at $20 is absurd value — unless you bounce off punishing boss timing.
By the numbers
Prices checked Aug 7; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 7.
| Measure | Hades II | Hollow Knight: Silksong |
|---|---|---|
| Value Hollow Knight: Silksong wins on value | ||
| Price now | $29.99 Microsoft Store | $19.99 Microsoft Store |
| All-time low | $20.99 | $14.99 |
| Cost / hour | $0.98/hr $29.99 · 31 h main story | $0.71/hr $19.99 · 28 h main story |
| Off its low | +43% low was Jun 2026 | +33% low was May 2026 |
| Main story | 31 h | 28 h |
| Health Hades II wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 96% 122k reviews | 89% 418k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 95% 1k votes · vs 96% lifetime | 89% 4k votes · vs 89% lifetime |
| Peak players | 9,038 Jul 2026 · ↑ 13% MoM | 13,722 Jul 2026 · ↑ 5% MoM |
| Launch peak | 8% of Sep 2025 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 | 3% of Sep 2025 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 |
| All-time peak | 112,300 Sep 2025 | 462,134 Sep 2025 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 11 days ago | 5 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 3 in last 90 days | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Hades II
The sheer variety of weapon builds, boon combinations, and engaging narrative drive players to return for hundreds of hours.
from our May 2026 verdict
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hornet's silk-tool kit—pogo, wall-cling, and the needling dash—keeps veterans experimenting well past hour 100, with the movement system called smoother than the original.
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Hades II if
- You loved Hades and want more systems depth
- You enjoy resource management and crafting in action games
- You prefer a long onboarding that builds over time
Pick Hollow Knight: Silksong if
- You want fast-paced action from the start
- You're a Metroidvania fan who enjoys hard bosses
- You prefer minimal interruption to the combat loop
Bottom line
Choose Hades II if you want to sink dozens of hours into a layered rogue-lite; pick Silksong if you crave tight 2D combat and exploration with no fluff.