Hello, my name is a person who has spent an unreasonable amount of time staring at a bug with a needle. It is 2026, and Hollow Knight: Silksong is no longer the shiny new obsession — it is the comfortable old obsession I refuse to put down. Team Cherry's sequel tore through review charts, message boards, and sales charts when it arrived, and for a glorious stretch of September, it felt like every player on Earth was collectively lost in Pharloom. But zeitgeists end. So what is a bug-loving, parry-hungry, map-obsessed player supposed to do when the credits roll and the community slowly logs off?

I could replay Silksong. I have. Twice. But I also want polygons. Is that so wrong? I love 2D Metroidvanias, but sometimes I want to see a weird creature's antennae in glorious 3D. So I went looking for games that scratch the same itch: Soulslike punishment, Metroidvania exploration, action-adventure wonder, and, ideally, a protagonist that is not a standard human with a sword. Here are the ones I recommend in 2026, whether you are mourning Silksong or just need a new labyrinth to get lost in.

Metroid Prime: The Original Bug Hunt

Metroid Prime is one of the best Metroid games of all time, and the Switch remaster made it easier than ever to revisit. The Metroid series is a classic Metroidvania franchise — the genre name did not come from nowhere — and Hollow Knight owes it a huge debt. Like most Metroid entries, Samus is given a vague objective, and she accomplishes it without much complaint. Players travel through sprawling dungeons, unlock powers, fight insect monsters, and generally feel tiny on an unsettling alien planet. If you love Hornet's acrobatics, Samus's morph ball and scan visor will feel like a family reunion.

Another Crab's Treasure: Shells, Souls, and Sea Sickness

Another Crab's Treasure is a Soulslike with a cute edge. It takes place underwater and stars a crustacean. A hermit crab named Kril loses its shell and tries to get it back, but unfortunately, most of the seabed has gone wild with some sort of violent disease. You fight enemies, earn points toward a skill tree, unlock new ways to get around, and — most importantly — find new shells. From pop cans to old tennis balls, Kril can equip them all to gain new benefits while exploring a crumbling undersea kingdom. It is adorable, brutal, and exactly the kind of weird animal protagonist Silksong fans appreciate.

Tunic: A Cute Puzzle Box With Teeth

Tunic is a perfect little top-down adventure for fans who miss older Zelda games and want to get lost in a strange new world. Not just the in-game world, either — the meta-narrative will suck you in. You will have to decipher hidden meanings within the lore to progress past certain parts and unlock new content. It is a big-brain type of experience. Even though it seems like a cute Zelda homage on the surface, there is a lot more to it, and giving specifics would spoil things. Let us just say Hollow Knight: Silksong fans will like the map layout.

Bloodborne: The Gothic Nightmare Sibling

The Hollow Knight franchise undoubtedly pays homage to the Soulslike genre and FromSoftware, who helped create the genre's identity. Among their many games, Silksong players will probably like Bloodborne the most. Bloodborne's gothic city is interconnected through gates and waterways, and depending on the choices made, the world can change, revealing new terrors and hidden pathways. Plus, there is a pivotal moment that is not unlike what happens to Hornet in Silksong regarding The Slab. Saying anything more about either would be a spoiler, but let us just say Bloodborne is a challenging action RPG wrapped in a haunting horror shell.

Cocoon: A Bug, a Ball, and a Big Brain

Cocoon is a top-down puzzle game without much context to its story. Players control a bug-like creature that is attuned to a strange ball. You use that ball to solve physics-based and multidimensional puzzles as you move through a labyrinthine dungeon. While there is not much in the way of combat — although there are boss battles — Silksong fans will appreciate the atmosphere and the bug protagonist. It is different, but it invokes the same vibes of exploring a foreign land without much help.

Hell is Us: No Map, No Mercy, No Markers

Hell is Us was released alongside Hollow Knight: Silksong, and it unfortunately is not getting as much attention, even though the two share a lot in common. Unlike most games out there, Hell is Us does not use quest markers or contain a visually accurate map. Players instead have to navigate this post-apocalyptic world by reading notes and paying attention to context clues, like what playing old-school adventure games was like. It is like the original The Legend of Zelda on the NES with some light Soulslike and Metroidvania elements, and it is perfect for players who wish to get lost in a strange world.

Crypt Custodian: Janitor Cat in the Afterlife

Crypt Custodian takes place in the afterlife, wherein an ordinary house cat becomes a more anthropomorphic creature. After causing some damage to some godly structures, players are then punished and forced to become a janitor. However, that is not where this Zelda-like adventure ends. In this game, brooms are as strong as swords, and players will learn to wield them well. While not fully 3D, the animations help the art pop out more, and overall, it is a game that Hollow Knight: Silksong fans will enjoy.

The Plucky Squire: Out of the Book, Into the Desk

The Plucky Squire is the best of both worlds, with stellar hand-drawn animations and stunning 3D visuals. The narrative is about a character from a book who soon gains the power to leave his story. As the titular hero, players will have to climb around a child's desk and interact with the real world to progress back into the storybook world. It is another example of an action-adventure game, but one with an interesting puzzle structure. It also often tips the genre on its head with oddball gameplay surprises, from a boxing game to a turn-based RPG.

Quick Comparison Table

Game
Why Silksong Fans Will Like It
Creature Factor

Metroid Prime
Alien dungeons, insect monsters, power unlocks
Samus and bugs

Another Crab's Treasure
Soulslike combat, shell swapping, underwater decay
Hermit crab

Tunic
Zelda-like exploration, meta puzzles, map secrets
Small hero

Bloodborne
Gothic interconnected world, brutal action, hidden paths
Beastly horrors

Cocoon
Bug protagonist, physics puzzles, eerie atmosphere
Bug-like creature

Hell is Us
No quest markers, note reading, lost-world exploration
Post-apocalyptic weirdness

Crypt Custodian
Broom combat, afterlife cleaning, Zelda-like adventure
Cat turned janitor

The Plucky Squire
Hand-drawn 2D and 3D, genre-bending surprises
Storybook hero

Final Thoughts: The Itch Never Really Dies

So, what do you do when the Silksong zeitgeist fades? You find another strange world, another impossible boss, another map that makes you mutter, 'wait, where am I?' The games above are not all identical to Silksong — some are 3D, some are top-down, some are puzzle boxes — but they share the same DNA: exploration, challenge, atmosphere, and a love of the weird. In 2026, the backlog is endless, and the community is still here. So pick a shell, sharpen a needle, or grab a broom. The next obsession is only a few deaths away.

Of course, part of the fun of chasing down these hidden gems is the hunt itself — tracking down a copy, waiting for the right moment, and making sure you're not overpaying for a game you might have skipped two years ago. Between sprawling backlogs and constant sales across Steam, console storefronts, and key resellers, it's easy to lose track of what a title is actually worth right now.

That's where a little bit of comparison shopping saves both time and money. Sites like game price comparison let you check current listings across multiple stores in one place, so you can grab that next obsession without paying full price — leaving more room in the budget for the one after it.

I still remember the first time I heard a 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 HO wake up. It was not a polite little starter motor whine. It was a deep, rattling, carb-fed growl that made the windows in my garage buzz. That was five years ago, and now in 2026, that memory still gives me goosebumps. Because here is the crazy part: this final big-block Pontiac is still shockingly affordable. While Hemi Mopars and LS6 Chevelles have become auction royalty, the last 455-powered Trans Am remains the blue-collar hero of the muscle car world.



By 1976, Detroit was not exactly having a party. Emissions regulations, rising insurance premiums, and the oil crisis had forced the Motor City to retreat with its tail between its legs. Horsepower ratings fell, compression ratios dropped, and even the mighty muscle car brands had to rethink everything. But Pontiac had one last card to play: the 455-cubic-inch High Output V8. It was not the fire-breathing monster of the early 1970s—factory numbers said 200 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque—but it still had enough twist to shove you back in the seat and make the rear tires beg for mercy. It came almost exclusively with a Super T10 four-speed manual, and the iconic Screaming Chicken hood decal was the chef’s kiss on top.



Let me tell you, the 455 HO did not just start. It awakened. It shuddered, snorted, and then settled into a lumpy idle that felt like the car was breathing. Contemporary reviews called it crude, and in 2026 that is probably true. But crude is exactly what I want from a muscle car. Small-displacement engines can be fast, but they cannot replicate that feeling. The 455 was Pontiac’s final big-block in the Firebird, and it carried a symbolic weight that no spec sheet can capture. It was the last time buyers could get Pontiac’s biggest engine before downsizing took over. In hindsight, it was the closing chapter of an American tradition.

Production numbers make it even more special. Pontiac built 46,701 Trans Ams in 1976, but only 7,528 were ordered with the 455. The T-top versions are rarer still, and the 50th Anniversary Special Edition came with that now-iconic black-and-gold Smokey and the Bandit paint job, unique stripes, and honeycomb wheels. I am not gonna lie: every time I see one, I get a little weak in the knees. It is a rolling time capsule from a world that no longer exists.

But the real story for me is the price. In 2026, Hagerty still values a good-condition 1976 Trans Am 455 HO around the low $30,000s. That is less than a new Volkswagen Golf GTI, which in 2025 started just over $31,000 and has half the displacement, no V8 soundtrack, and none of the retro cool. Let that sink in. You can buy a genuine big-block piece of Pontiac history for the price of a loaded compact hatchback. Here is how it stacks up against other legends:

Car
Typical value (2026)

1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 HO
$30,000–$40,000

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 426 HEMI
$200,000–$300,000

1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS6
$100,000+

1970 Boss 302 Mustang
$100,000+ for concours

That table is why I call the 455 Trans Am the most undervalued collector car of the 1970s. It is not a garage queen. It is a driver. Pontiac tuned the chassis and gave it a wider stance, so it actually handles with more confidence than many of its rivals. You can take it on a weekend cruise, let the shaker scoop suck in air, and feel the torque push you down the road. It is practical enough for modern traffic, as long as you are willing to feed that big V8. And honestly? That is the point.



Pontiac itself is gone. General Motors phased out the brand after the 2008 financial crisis, and by 2010 it was over. In 2026, Pontiac has been dead for more than a decade and a half. That fact makes the 1976 Trans Am 455 HO even more precious. It is not just a cool car. It is the last of its kind: the final Pontiac to feature the 455 cubic inch V8, a big middle finger to a changing industry, and a reminder that the market does not always reward nostalgia in predictable ways.

So if you have been dreaming of a big-block muscle car but thought you needed six figures, wake up. The 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 HO is still out there, still affordable, and still ready to rumble. Do not let it sit in an air-conditioned garage. Drive it. Let it shake the parking lot. Let it remind you what American muscle was all about. That is what I plan to do in 2026, and I cannot wait.

If you are ready to stop daydreaming and start hunting for a car like this, the search itself can be half the adventure — and half the frustration. Classifieds are scattered across a dozen sites, prices swing wildly depending on region and condition, and by the time you spot a clean 455 HO, someone else has already called dibs. That is exactly the kind of gap DealNest was built to close, pulling deal listings into one place so you spend less time refreshing browser tabs and more time figuring out whether that black-and-gold survivor in the photos is the one worth driving three states to see.

Whether you are chasing a Trans Am or just keeping an eye on where the affordable end of the muscle car market is heading, having a single hub for listings and pricing signals makes the whole process feel less like a gamble. The cars are still out there. The trick is knowing where to look before someone else does.

Hollow Knight: Silksong can feel surprisingly gentle during its first hour. Hornet tumbles into Moss Grotto, a green and peaceful region populated by harmless caterpillars and slow-moving flying bugs. But that sense of safety is temporary. If a player chooses to enter Hunter’s March, one of the hardest early regions, they will face a hand-numbing pogo challenge and two difficult boss fights that guard progress. This contrast sets the tone for the entire adventure, and it naturally raises two questions: how many acts are there in Silksong, and how long does the journey actually take?



How Many Acts Are There in Hollow Knight: Silksong?

Silksong does not use a traditional chapter select screen. Instead, its story unfolds across two main acts and one secret Act 3. A player who wants the full experience will therefore be playing three acts in total.

Act
Name
When It Begins
When It Ends

Act 1
Pharloom
Hornet falls into Moss Grotto
Hornet enters the Grand Gate of the Citadel

Act 2
Citadel of Song
After entering the Citadel
Hornet defeats the Monarch of Pharloom

Act 3
Abyss
After meeting hidden requirements
Hornet defeats the Act 3 final boss

Act 1 begins when Hornet falls on Moss Grotto and continues until she enters the Grand Gate of the Citadel. Act 2 then runs until players defeat the Monarch of Pharloom. Defeating the Monarch is considered beating the game for the Speedrunner achievement, regardless of whether the player continues to Act 3 or not. But is the adventure really finished at that point? For a first playthrough, it is highly recommended to take the time to fulfill the requirements needed to reach Act 3.



How Long Does It Take to Beat Silksong?

Because Silksong is a Metroidvania, a single hour count can be misleading. The total time depends heavily on three personal factors:

Experience playing a Metroidvania game

Platforming expertise

Boss fight skills

For a normal playthrough, a 100% completion will take far longer than 30 hours. There are two speedrunner achievements in the game, and the Speedrunner achievement is tied to defeating the Monarch of Pharloom. A player who ignores optional content can finish sooner, but a first blind run still demands repeated attempts at bosses and platforming gauntlets.

Completion Goal
Expected Commitment

Defeat the Monarch only
A focused first run, though still demanding

Reach and finish Act 3
A longer journey that can exceed 30 hours

100% completion
Far longer than 30 hours

Why Some Areas Make the Game Feel Longer

Hunter’s March is a perfect example of Silksong’s difficulty curve. Its pogo section asks for precise aerial control, while the two bosses guarding the area punish careless movement. Not every biome is required, however. Some regions can be skipped entirely if players do not wish to explore them. For a first playthrough, skipping may save time, but it also means missing upgrades, lore, and the requirements needed to reach the secret Act 3. Should a new player ignore those optional zones? Probably not, because Act 3 contains some of the most memorable moments in the game.

Final Thoughts on Silksong’s Acts and Completion Time

At its core, Silksong asks a simple question: how far is a player willing to go? The two main acts deliver a complete story, but the secret third act transforms the ending. As of 2026, the game’s structure remains a favorite topic among players, and community guides have made the requirements for Act 3 easier to understand. Even so, no guide can erase the hours spent learning boss patterns or mastering Hornet’s movement. A player who stops after Act 2 can claim a win, but the true size of Silksong only becomes clear when the Abyss is finished.

Whether you're chasing the Speedrunner achievement or simply savoring every secret in Pharloom, the time you spend with Silksong is an investment. And like any investment, it's natural to want to maximize the return—not just in satisfaction, but in value. After all, the world of Metroidvanias is vast, and the next challenging adventure is always waiting.

For players who like to keep an eye out for discounts on games, accessories, or other gear, DealNest offers a straightforward way to browse current deals without the clutter. It's a useful stop for anyone looking to expand their library or upgrade their setup before diving into another intricate map.

Listen, I've spent countless hours in Pharloom, dodging spiked balls and getting my silk handed to me by giant bugs. But nothing—and I mean nothing—prepared me for the sheer domestic bliss of owning a Bellhome. It's like finding a warm cup of tea in a hurricane of hostility. So here's my tale of how I became the proud owner of a cozy bell-shaped abode, and how you can too without losing your mind or your Rosaries.



Unlocking the Bellhome: A Homeowner's Odyssey ?

First things first: you can't just waltz into Bellhart and claim a home. You've got to earn it. Think of it as the world's most dangerous homeowners association. To even start, you need to defeat Widow and complete the Threadspun Town task. That opens up Bellhart, and from there, you'll want to keep exploring Pharloom and returning to the Wish board like a moth to a very quest-heavy flame.

There are three quests you should complete:

Restoration of Bellhart (required)

My Missing Courier (recommended)

My Missing Brother (recommended)

Donating 250 Rosaries kicks off the town's reconstruction. While that's happening, finish those two courier quests—they unlock a courier service that will become your best friend for the Rosary grind ahead. As you build up the town and save its patrons, talk to Pavo. Always make sure he has nothing new to say. Eventually, once you've found more benches and explored more map areas, the construction finishes. If you've been diligent with the Wishes, your next chat with Pavo rewards you with the Bellhome Key.

Your Bellhome is on the third level of the town, above the Pinmaster and Relic Seeker. Use the key, step inside, and bask in the glow of the Resident trophy/achievement. For now, it's just a bed. But oh, the decorating possibilities!



Decorating Your Bellhome: Because Even Bug Warriors Need Throw Pillows ?

Once you have the key, head to Frey at the Bellhart general goods store. She sells all the decorations, except the Spa, which requires you to buy two other upgrades first. These items are expensive and serve little practical purpose beyond making your home look fabulous. Here's the full list:

Upgrade
Price
What Is It?

Desk
380 Rosaries
Allows you to read Relics you've turned in to the Relic Seeker.

Gleamlights
320 Rosaries
Lights up the home's interior.

Bell Lacquer
520 Rosaries
Paint the outside of the bellhome: Red, Silver, Black, Yellow, or Blue.

Personal Spa
1,100 Rosaries
Adds a second floor with a hot spring that regenerates Silk and Masks.

Most decorations appear immediately after purchase, but the Bell Lacquer takes time to apply—you can watch the paint dry while you adventure, which is oddly satisfying.



Gathering Rosaries Fast: The 45-Minute Money Method ?

Altogether, all upgrades cost a staggering 2,320 Rosaries. That's like trying to teach a Grub to tap dance—daunting but not impossible. The key is the courier service. With Tipp & Pibb's Courier Service unlocked, you can make deliveries that pay very well.

My go-to is the Pilgrim's Rest run, netting about 239 Rosaries every four minutes. You'll need the Silkshot tool (or similar) and the Pollip Pouch. If Pilgrim's Rest isn't available, Bone Bottom is the next best choice, giving 128 Rosaries if you defeat the fishermen on the way. But Pilgrim's Rest is the safest and most lucrative.

Here's my step-by-step route:

Go through Greymoor, taking out the scissor bug in the first room.

Dash right until you reach the room with another scissor bug patrolling above. Destroy him from below if you can.

In the room with the trident bug, use your trap to defeat it quickly. Kill the other bug beyond it before climbing up.

Use your trap in the pilgrims room to take out the first three and last two bugs. You can kill the bellbearer between the pilgrim sets from below.

Dash to Far Fields and fall down on the right side for the first two wind sections.

Switch to the left side and fall gently onto the left side next to the shortcut.

Run to Pilgrim's Rest to drop off the package.

Fall down toward the Bellway Station, but stop by the target practice room to kill both bugs.

Take the Bellway back to Bellhart to repeat as necessary.



With this method, you can afford every upgrade in under 45 minutes. No Rosary Strings, no risk of losing your hard-earned geo—just pure, efficient capitalism. Before you know it, your Bellhome will be the envy of every bug in Pharloom. And honestly? After all those boss fights, you deserve a spa day. ?

If there's one thing a long courier grind teaches you, it's the value of patience and a route you can repeat without thinking—and that instinct has a habit of following you out of Pharloom. Holding off on a purchase until the price finally drops is the real-world version of the same discipline, and it pays off just as reliably.

For anyone who'd rather not sit around refreshing storefronts hoping the number moves, a game price tracker like DealNest does the watching for you, surfacing discounts across stores so you can decide when a title is actually worth the spend. Same efficiency mindset, just pointed at your wallet instead of your Rosary count.

After Hornet picked up the Fastest in Pharloom quest in Hollow Knight: Silksong, I immediately realized this was not going to be a simple footrace. The quest log points toward Sprintmaster Swift, but the actual path to reach them is its own puzzle, and the three courses that follow demand a level of movement control that makes the rest of Pharloom feel like a slow promenade. I had to retrace my route through Act 3 several times, and by the end I understood why the quest is called Fastest in Pharloom: it is a test of momentum, patience, and the willingness to bend the rules just enough to survive.

Where to Find Sprintmaster Swift

Fastest in Pharloom marks the target on the far eastern side of Far Fields. However, reaching that location is not as simple as walking east across the map. Before I could even think about racing, I needed the Silk Soar skill. This Ancestral Art arrives in Act 3, and without it the Super Jump remains locked, leaving several obstacles unscalable.



Once Silk Soar was equipped, I approached from Hunter's March. Because Act 3 shortcuts can be blocked, the only reliable route was to enter Hunter's March from the Marrow, using the first-time path. From the bench, I found the statue and used Silk Soar to reach a secret route above it. That moment felt like peeling back a bandage from a wound that had already scarred over; the hidden passage was always there, but the game had disguised it as scenery. Heading right opened a shortcut into a hidden Far Fields passage. From there, I kept pushing east until a skull-shaped entrance appeared. Inside the skull lay Sprintmaster Swift.

How the Sprintmaster Swift Races Work

Once I entered, Sprintmaster Swift presented three challenges across three different courses. The difficulty ramps up after each victory, and the course geometry shifts from open sprints to tight, vertical navigation. During the race, Hornet cannot use any tools or items that increase her speed; the competition strips away artificial advantages like a straitjacket on a cheat. It is just Hornet against the master, with no extra acceleration. However, there is a small loophole: Hornet can still attack Sprintmaster Swift or hook in their direction. A single strike or well-timed hook makes the sprintmaster stutter for about a second, which gave me just enough room to slip ahead. I found this especially useful on the third course, where Sprintmaster Swift moves like a drop of mercury rolling across a tilted mirror, always threatening to escape through the smallest gap. The most important rule is smooth movement. The more silky Hornet is with her jumps, pogo strikes, and aerial adjustments, the better the chance of winning. This is not a race that rewards brute force; it rewards the player who can thread a needle through a keyhole during an earthquake without losing the thread.



Rewards for Winning Each Race

After each race win, Sprintmaster Swift rewards Hornet with an item. The rewards are fixed, so even if the race itself can be approached in different ways, the payout is consistent.

Race
Reward

First race
Rosary Necklace

Second race
Beast Shard

Third race
Mask Shard

The Rosary Necklace felt like a gentle nod after the first race, while the Beast Shard and Mask Shard made the later victories feel genuinely valuable. In my 2026 playthrough, I did not need to beat all three races in one sitting; the quest recognized each individual win, but the final Mask Shard only came after the third course.

Final Tips for the Fastest in Pharloom Quest

If you are struggling, remember that the race is not a pure speed test. Learn the course layout first, because some obstacles require vertical Silky movement rather than forward sprinting. Use attacks or the hook to interrupt Sprintmaster Swift at key moments, but do not rely on them as a crutch. The third course punishes hesitation, so keeping your aerial rhythm is more important than watching the sprintmaster. I treated each failed attempt like a practice pass, and after a few runs the movement started to feel less like memorization and more like an extension of Hornet's silk.

Chasing clean runs against Sprintmaster Swift has a way of sharpening your appetite for other skill-driven challenges, whether that means revisiting old favorites or finally trying a game you skipped. That itch often collides with the reality of a growing wishlist and a shrinking budget.

If you want to scratch that itch without paying full price, DealNest is a handy place to check. It rounds up the best game deals across storefronts and platforms, so you can spot discounts on Metroidvanias, platformers, and whatever else catches your eye after a few too many nail-biting races. It is less about impulse buying and more about keeping your next adventure within reach.

I still remember the exact moment I stumbled into the Passing of the Age quest in Hollow Knight: Silksong. I was deep in the Putrified Ducts, roaming east of Fleatopia, when a faint golden glow caught my eye. At first I thought it was just another piece of environmental polish, but no—Hornet had found something much stranger. If you're like me and you want that secret ending and achievement, this guide will walk you through my own journey, step by step.



How I Triggered the Passing of the Age Quest

The trigger is shockingly easy to miss. From Fleatopia, I kept heading east until I found a route going upward. Wall jump was enough to reach a cliff, but when I looked up, there it was: a golden glow above me. I used the Silk Soar ability to enter the hidden opening. At the end of that tunnel, Hornet can inspect a golden tablet. The game asks if you want to promise the wish. Say yes, and the Passing of the Age quest officially begins.



If you miss that tablet, you could wander Pharloom for hours without ever understanding why Mister Mushroom never appears. Ask me how I know.

The Seven Mister Mushroom Locations

To complete the quest, I had to find Mister Mushroom in seven different locations. The game gives you riddles, not map markers. At each correct spot, I saw blue mushrooms with yellow circles on the ground. Then I played the Needolin, and Mister Mushroom popped out of the ground.

Here is the full list of locations and the clues that worked for me:

Order
Location
How I Found It

1
Moss Grotto
The spot between the bench and the snail shaman's home

2
Bone Bottom
Where Shakra used to appear in Bone Bottom camp, before entering Act 3

3
Far Fields
The edge of Far Fields, where lava is present in the area

4
Greymoor
Climb the Greymoor tower, then find a route up to the Wisp Thicket near the surgeon Yarnaby

5
The Slab
To the left of the First Sinner's cage, where the Rune Rage skill is found; the Key of Apostate is required

6
Mount Fay
Climb to the bird's nest; Silk Soar can skip a huge chunk of the platforming

7
The Cradle
Reach the peak and pass the parkour test of fitness

The order matters. I tried to skip ahead to The Cradle early, and Mister Mushroom simply refused to appear. The riddles must be solved in sequence, one location after another.

Reaching The Cradle

The final location is the hardest to reach. From the room to the right of the Cogwork Core, I looked upward until I found an opening. Silk Soar let me enter the gap, and I was transported to a side area of the Cogwork Core. From there, I kept climbing.

Along the way, I had to remember three key spots:

In the room where the Architect Melody puzzle once was, I had to find the correct spot to stand and lift myself upward.

At the place where I fought Lace for the second time, I again needed the super jump, but the light from above made the spot easy to find.

After the platform where I fought Grandmother Silk, I claimed the Pale Nails Silk Skill, then found the small opening above.

At the top of The Cradle, there is a cave. Inside, I faced a platforming challenge—a true test of fitness. After passing it, I played the Needolin one last time. Mister Mushroom finally spoke with Hornet, then soared upward and disappeared.



The Surface and Nameless Town

After Mister Mushroom vanished, I arrived on the surface in a place called Nameless Town. I whacked some cockroach-like bugs for the Hunter's Journal, then played the Needolin at the big skull cave to receive a Surface Memento. The surface was beautiful, but I still had a job to do. I headed back left toward the spikes, found a cave, and descended into The Cradle. From there, I returned to Pharloom to finish the catastrophe.

Getting the Passing of the Age Achievement

Here is the part that surprised me: completing the quest does not immediately pop the achievement. You must defeat the final boss of Act 3 after finishing the Passing of the Age quest. Defeating that boss unlocks a secret ending in addition to the normal ending. That means you can earn both endings and their achievements at once.

So, if you are hunting the achievement, do not wait until after the final boss. Complete the mushroom herald's journey first, then face the end of Act 3. Trust me, seeing that secret ending makes the entire strange mushroom hunt feel worth it.



After all, that age may pass—and this shroom its witness.

Hunting down seven hidden mushroom locations is the kind of obsessive, rewarding detour that reminds me why I keep coming back to games built around secrets. The catch is that games like this tend to send you looking for more of them — and with new releases rarely getting cheaper, filling a library with titles worth exploring can get expensive fast.

That is exactly the problem DealNest was built to solve. Instead of bouncing between storefronts and price trackers to compare deals, you can browse a single, well-organized hub that gathers discounted games and current offers in one place, which makes it much easier to stock up before your next long adventure. If you are wondering where to buy cheap games online, DealNest is a good place to start your search.

In the damp, decaying alleys of Sinner’s Road, a strange little errand waits for any Hollow Knight: Silksong player brave enough to chat with two very hungry NPCs. Benjin and Crull have developed what can only be described as an enthusiastic taste for questionable cuisine, and they want Hornet to fetch ten fresh roach guts. Yes, roach guts. It might sound like a prank or a punishment, but this side quest is actually quick once the route is known—and it ends with a genuinely useful red tool. Time to knock this one out before the cockroaches get any ideas.



How to Start the Roach Guts Quest

First, a player needs to reach Sinner’s Road, which is accessible from the northeast area of Greymoor. From the Halfway Home tavern, Hornet must climb upward using platforms and the Swift Step ability. Swift Step is picked up at the Deep Docks, so anyone missing it should handle that first. The entrance to Sinner’s Road sits on the wall to the right after that vertical climb.

Once inside, the goal is to find the home of Benjin and Crull. Their little cabin is perched on the upper level of one of the central chambers, on the opposite side from Shakra and the Bench. Since Sinner’s Road loves to throw flying enemies and poisonous lakes at newcomers, unlocking the map and repairing the Bench before starting the quest is highly recommended. A few extra seconds of fast travel and healing will save a lot of heartbreak later.



To reach the cabin, clear out the central chamber’s irritating enemies first. The room is full of odd spikes that can be struck for a small bounce, which helps if Faydown Cloak is still missing. Use the spikes, hanging boxes, and platforms to climb from the left side. Then head right, jumping over and smacking the swinging star-maces hanging from the ceiling. Eventually, a modest little house appears. That is where the questionable duo lives.

Inside, Benjin and Crull explain their survival strategy: eating all kinds of junk in Sinner’s Road and apparently enjoying it. Their current craving is fresh guts from a Muckroach. Because the curse of Pharloom has made Muckroaches extra aggressive, the pair stopped hunting them. That means Hornet gets the honor of collecting ten Roach Guts. Accept the quest, resist the urge to gag, and move on.

How to Get Roach Guts Fast and Safely

The best farming spot is practically handed to every player who enters Sinner’s Road. The very first chamber greets Hornet with three aggressive enemies near a collection of hanging boxes. Those are Muckroaches, and yes, they look like alligators with a personal-space problem. They can grab Hornet if she gets too close, so bringing a red tool that grants long-range damage is a smart move. The Tacks reward from this quest is one such tool, but any long-range option works for the farming loop.



The strategy is simple and completely free of luck:

Loop
Action
Roach Guts Collected

1
Defeat 3 Muckroaches at the entrance
3

2
Rest at the Bench, return, defeat 3 again
6

3
Repeat once more
9

4
One final loop
10

Each Muckroach drops exactly one gut, so four loops are enough. In the current 2026 build, the route remains unchanged, and every kill still coughs up a guaranteed Roach Gut. The main caution is to avoid fighting all three at once. They hit hard and can corner Hornet quickly. Instead, pull one Muckroach at a time and whittle it down. Each one usually falls after five or six hits. When all three are dead, return to the Bench to heal and force the enemies to respawn. Then march back to the entrance and do it again. It is not glamorous, but it is fast.

After collecting ten Roach Guts, head back to Benjin and Crull’s cabin. There is no shortcut, so Hornet still has to bounce across those swinging star-maces. At least the return trip feels like a victory lap—assuming the poison lakes do not land a cheap shot.

The Roach Guts Quest Rewards

For a quest that sounds like a bad dare, the reward is surprisingly solid. Benjin and Crull hand over the Tacks, a red tool that sets traps for enemies and bosses that walk or slam into the ground. It is like leaving a passive-aggressive welcome mat for anything heavy enough to step on it. In moments of desperation, when a strong enemy is standing between Hornet and the Silk Cocoon, Tacks add both extra damage and a welcome sense of security.



Quick Tips to Avoid a Muckroach Meltdown

? Repair the Bench before farming. It makes the respawn loop painless.

? Fight Muckroaches one at a time. Greedy tactics turn into a grab-based disaster.

? Bring a long-range red tool if possible. Muckroaches deserve a wide berth.

? Do not bother hunting elsewhere. The entrance trio is the most reliable source.

? Remember that drops are guaranteed. No need to pray to RNG gods.

The Roach Guts quest is a perfect example of Hollow Knight: Silksong hiding useful gear behind a very weird errand. Benjin and Crull get their questionable meal, and Hornet walks away with a trap-setting tool that can make later boss fights noticeably less terrifying. Sometimes the grossest chores in Pharloom are worth the trouble.

For any player who has cleared the Roach Guts quest, the next step is usually to sharpen Hornet's needle for the challenges ahead—whether that means hunting down every upgrade or scouting which red tools suit their playstyle. The full release of Hollow Knight: Silksong promises plenty more of those stubborn enemies and clever rewards, and having the right game at the right price can make the wait easier to swallow.

Players keeping an eye on upcoming indie hits or hunting for similar metroidvania adventures might want to check out DealNest game deals before the next big patch arrives. It is a handy way to track discounts across the genre and keep the shelf stocked for the next long, bug-filled expedition.

In 2026, Team Cherry has remained quiet about exactly how Hollow Knight: Silksong will be supported after launch, but the studio's stated plan to keep expanding the game for years has left fans poring over the possibilities. Months after release, players have had time to finish their first playthroughs and begin asking a familiar question: will Silksong receive free updates, paid expansions, or both? The original Hollow Knight was famously supported with substantial DLC, and the sequel offers even more room to experiment. Here are some directions Team Cherry could take if additional content moves forward.



Returning to Hollownest

One of the most beloved surprises in video game history came from Pokémon Gold and Silver, when players returned to Kanto after completing Johto. A similar move in Silksong would be just as striking. Hornet was taken from Hollownest to the distant kingdom of Pharloom, and a post-game or DLC campaign could finally let her make the journey back. The base game includes a surprise connected to Act 3, but it does not send players to the original game's decaying kingdom. Team Cherry could revisit that location through a paid expansion or a free content drop, giving longtime fans the emotional payoff of seeing Hollownest again.



The Road Between Worlds ?️

Any return to Hollownest would need a road, and that road could become an entire region. The trip to Pharloom was not short, so the route back could match either kingdom in size. Team Cherry could also introduce outdoor environments beyond the main game's limited selection. Silksong already tests players with Mount Fay, but a bridge zone between Pharloom and Hollownest could feature new biomes, shifting weather, and strange bug fauna. While the world is small in scale because every character is a bug, new anthropomorphic creatures or even tiny mammals could be added to expand the feel of a wider world.

A Boss Rush Mode ⚔️

Not every game gets a boss rush, but Silksong is an ideal candidate. Players who want to relive encounters with the Last Judge and the Savage Beastfly would welcome a dedicated mode from the main menu. Others would use it to practice the Widow or the Fourth Chorus without the frustration of the run back to the arena. Because Silksong includes a harder mode, a boss rush would also serve as practical training. Bosses are among the best parts of the game, and a focused replay option would highlight that design.

New Playable Characters

Silksong began life as DLC for Hollow Knight, with Hornet planned as a second playable character. That expansion eventually grew into a full sequel, proving how much potential a character-focused update can have. For future content, Team Cherry could add Shakra, who already has combat abilities and aids Hornet multiple times. Garmond and Zaza are also natural picks because they help during the journey. A new playable campaign could use the existing map or a separate area, with each character offering different movement and combat options.

A Stealth Roguelike with Jubilana ?

Team Cherry could also lean into the roguelike trend. God of War Ragnarok added a well-received roguelike mode after launch, and Silksong already features randomness in areas like The Mist. A separate dungeon mode would not be out of place. Rather than starring Hornet, the mode could follow Jubilana, the shopkeeper who disappears while searching for new wares. Since Jubilana cannot fight, a stealth-focused roguelike could work well. Players could move through randomized dungeons, collect loot, and sell it back to pilgrims, similar to Moonlighter's action-shopkeeping loop.



Indie Crossovers and Cameos

Hollow Knight has a long history of indie collaborations. Dead Cells received items, The Binding of Isaac added cards, and Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes even included a wearable shirt. Silksong will likely appear in other indie games, but Team Cherry could also return the favor. Mina the Hollower, starring a small mouse named Mina, would fit neatly into Pharloom's bug-sized world. Mina could appear as an NPC offering quests, a boss, or a source of crossover weapons. Cosmetics, items, and cameo characters are all low-risk ways to keep the game feeling alive between larger expansions.

Concept
Inspiration
Potential Hook

Return to Hollownest
Pokémon Gold/Silver Kanto
Post-game journey home

New playable characters
Silksong's Hornet DLC origin
Shakra, Garmond, Zaza

Boss rush mode
Fan tradition
Practice harder mode

Stealth roguelike
Moonlighter, God of War Ragnarok
Jubilana dungeon runs

Indie crossovers
Dead Cells, Isaac, Travis
Mina the Hollower cameo

The Next Step

Team Cherry has not confirmed which approach it will take, and the studio is known for working in silence. The original Hollow Knight proved that even free updates can dramatically expand a game, while Silksong's scale makes a full expansion feel like a natural next move. Whether the team chooses a return to Hollownest, new playable characters, a boss rush, a roguelike, or a roster of indie cameos, the world of Pharloom has plenty of room to grow. :bug:

Speculation about what comes next is only half the fun; the other half is making sure the base game is already sitting in your library, ready for whenever Team Cherry decides to drop something new. Between the original Hollow Knight, its soundtrack bundles, and Silksong itself, the cost of catching up on the series can add up quickly, especially for players who prefer to own their games on a specific storefront or platform. That is exactly the kind of situation where a little price comparison goes a long way, and it is worth checking a dedicated deals aggregator before committing to a full-price purchase.

DealNest keeps an eye on discounts across major storefronts, so you can see at a glance whether a title is currently cheaper on Steam, GOG, the Nintendo eShop, or elsewhere. For anyone planning to replay Hallownest before the next expansion lands, or hoping to gift a copy to a friend who has not yet experienced Pharloom, it is a practical way to find where to buy cheap games without refreshing a dozen store pages by hand. Saving a few coins on the base game leaves more room in the budget for whatever paid content the studio eventually announces.

As of 2026, the conversation around difficult video games has only grown louder. Fans who grew up with the brutal NES era remember how challenging titles like Battletoads, Ninja Gaiden, and even Super Mario Bros. could be. Back then, that difficulty was often seen as a frustrating requirement rather than a selling point. Today, however, a hardcore group of players celebrates games that demand patience, precision, and resilience. Yet not every difficult mechanic feels fair. Some systems add challenge through risk and reward, while others seem needlessly rough. What makes a game hard but fair? Why do certain design choices push players away instead of pulling them deeper into the experience?

The modern hard game owes much of its identity to Demon's Souls. FromSoftware's action RPG did not invent difficulty, but it reframed it. The most infamous mechanic is the loss of progress upon death. Defeating enemies grants Souls, which can be used for leveling up or buying items. When a player dies, those Souls remain at the death spot. If the player dies again before reclaiming them, the currency vanishes forever. This loop creates a powerful emotional pull. Spending hours grinding only to lose everything can be disheartening, but for others, that risk-reward trial is invigorating. The 2020 remake made the experience slightly more accessible, yet the core tension remains.

The Weight of Lost Progress ?

XCOM: Enemy Within carries a similar philosophy into the strategy genre. Permadeath means that a customized soldier with hours of investment can disappear in a single bad turn. Players can reload saves to try to undo a fatal mistake, but that process becomes its own tedious ritual. Like a Soulslike, losing a carefully built character can feel like losing a piece of progress that was earned over countless battles.

Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter pushes this idea toward a looping structure. The game moved the series from fantasy to sci-fi on the PS2, but it also introduced a harsh timer called the D-Counter. Everything the player does, from fighting to moving, adds percentages to that timer. At 100 percent, the game is over. The only real solution is to restart with carried-over progress. This design forces players to accept repeated failure as part of the journey. How many restarts can one player endure before frustration replaces satisfaction?

The Long Walk Back ?

Hollow Knight: Silksong has become a major talking point because of its difficulty spike. The boss fights are already demanding, but the routes back to those bosses make them even more taxing. Savage Beastfly and Last Judge are two of the hardest bosses in the game, yet the trial between bench save points can be just as punishing. Is the journey back to a boss part of the challenge, or is it simply busywork? Some players enjoy the process, but others find it like adding insult to injury. A checkpoint before each major encounter could reduce the frustration without lowering the boss's difficulty.

Cuphead suffers from a similar problem. The hand-drawn visuals are gorgeous, but the boss fights are relentless. Most levels focus on elaborate encounters filled with dense projectile patterns. What makes them especially cruel is the absence of checkpoints. The game does offer Simple Mode, but beating a boss in that mode does not count toward story progress. Why include a simpler option if it does not actually help the player advance? It may as well not even be there.

Systems Piled on Systems ?

Death Stranding was Hideo Kojima's first game after leaving Konami, and it was significantly harder than any Metal Gear title. The premise is straightforward: Sam delivers packages across a post-apocalyptic United States. But the mechanics stacked on top of mechanics turned a simple courier game into a constant balancing act. Players cannot move too fast without risking a fall, which damages packages and causes Sam's partner, a baby called BB, to cry. Mysterious entities can stalk players without an easy way back. The sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, streamlined many of these systems. That change suggests Kojima learned from the original's friction.

Monster Hunter: World is another game where multiple systems can overwhelm newcomers. Hunts have time limits and group death counts. If the group faints too many times, the quest fails even if the monster is about to die. The lack of visible enemy health bars adds another layer of uncertainty. In multiplayer, one player's mistake can doom the entire team. Between the timer, shared death limits, and hidden health information, the series can feel like one of the hardest to enter.

Abrupt Spikes and Restarts ⚡

Jak 2 is a classic example of a sequel that ramped up difficulty too quickly. The first game, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, was an inviting 3D platformer. Its sequel added guns, a Grand Theft Auto-like mission structure, timers, and strange conditions. Many missions require near-perfect execution under pressure. The leap in difficulty is so abrupt that some fans of the original felt alienated. It is still a cool and more mature game, but the spike is hard to ignore.

Across these games, a pattern emerges. Difficulty can be thrilling when it respects the player's time. When mechanics erase progress, remove checkpoints, or force unnecessary restarts, the line between challenge and punishment becomes blurred. Yet for every player who walks away, another embraces the struggle. Perhaps that is the strange beauty of hard games in 2026: they are not meant for everyone, and that is exactly why they endure.

Summary Table ?

Game
Punishing Mechanic
Emotional Toll

Demon's Souls
Lost Souls on repeated death
Disheartenment and risk-reward tension

Hollow Knight: Silksong
Long boss run-backs
Fatigue

Death Stranding
Balance, package damage, BB stress
Overwhelm

Cuphead
No checkpoints and a useless Simple Mode
Frustration

Monster Hunter: World
Timers, group faint limits, hidden health bars
Group pressure

XCOM: Enemy Within
Permadeath
Loss of investment

Jak 2
Timed GTA-style missions
Abrupt difficulty spike

Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter
D-Counter leading to forced restarts
Restart loop exhaustion

The hardest games are not necessarily bad games. They simply ask players to adjust to rules that can feel unnecessarily rough. In an era where many titles smooth over every rough edge, these games stand out because they refuse to compromise. The question is not whether they are difficult, but whether that difficulty feels earned or forced.

That divide is personal. What feels unfair to one player might feel like a perfect test of skill to another. The only way to know is to actually sit down with a game and experience its systems firsthand, which means taking a chance on something that might not click. With new releases carrying higher price tags, that gamble becomes riskier than the in-game stakes ever were.

Fortunately, fewer players need to pay full price to find out whether a punishing challenge is worth their time. By keeping an eye on PC game discounts, anyone can pick up the titles from this list for a fraction of their launch cost. That turns the question of earned difficulty into a simple experiment, one where the main investment is patience rather than money.

Most players who roll credits in Hollow Knight: Silksong probably pat themselves on the back, believing they’ve seen everything Pharloom has to offer. Then the save file sits there, quietly judging them. The truth? They may have only finished about 75% of the game. Team Cherry tucked an entire Act 3 behind a chain of obscure chores, a few soul-collection errands, and one delightfully sneaky final choice. This guide breaks down the whole process, so nobody has to wander around Weavenest Atla wondering why the walls look so suspicious.

Act 3 Requirements

First things first: unlocking Act 3 is less about raw skill and more about not sprinting to the finish line like a startled Grub. A player needs to tick off a few boxes before the Caretaker even thinks about handing over the good stuff.



Wish upon a star (or several): Complete most, if not all, of the wishes available in Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and the Choral Chambers in the Citadel. Some of these only wake up after certain side quests progress, so a little backtracking is basically a personality trait here.

Flea market: No, not actual shopping. Hornet needs to round up enough fleas across the world for the caravan to haul itself over to the Putrified Ducts. She doesn’t need every single one, but a bit more than half keeps the wheels greased.

Lace, but make it dramatic: Defeat Lace in The Cradle. Fighting her won’t slam the door on Act 3—it actually swings it wide open.

Once those requirements are handled, the Caretaker at the first shrine stops being cryptic and finally offers the last wish: Silk and Soul.

Silk and Soul Wish



This wish is basically an interdimensional grocery run. Hornet zips through the world to collect souls and items from specific, slightly odd characters. Two of them might already be sitting in her inventory by the time the quest starts, which is a nice little head start.

Item / Soul
Location
Combat Required?

Snare Setter
Weavenest Atla secret nook
No

Maiden’s Soul
Moss Grotto, starting area west
No

Hermit’s Soul
Bellhart, east secret passage
No

Seeker’s Soul
Bilehaven, after Groal the Great
Yes ✔

Snare Setter

The Snare Setter is a bashful little gadget hiding in Weavenest Atla, which sits below Bone Bottom and east of Moss Grotto. Any player who enjoys poking into corners has probably been here before—Eva hangs out nearby, offering persistent upgrades that make Hornet feel like a fully kitted-out needle warrior.

To reach the item, Hornet needs the double jump from Mount Fay. No double jump, no secret room. She should travel down, use the Needolin to play a song at the door, take the elevator to the bottom level, and head right. Instead of blundering into the next room, she can hop up the wall to the second level and slip through the left door. Right before the pond, a double jump reveals a secret area, and there the Snare Setter waits on a small podium like a shy trophy.

Maiden’s Soul

While she’s in the neighborhood, Hornet can head back to the top of Moss Grotto and then west to the very spot where the adventure began. The Chapel Maid is hanging around, probably wondering why nobody visits. One chat later, she happily hands over her soul. Easy peasy.

Hermit’s Soul

The Bell Hermit in Bellhart is about as cheerful as a wet charm notch, but he’s surprisingly generous when Hornet asks for his soul. She just needs to find the secret passage east of the fast travel station. A quick conversation, and the grumpy old man parts with it like a man donating a coat he never liked anyway.

Seeker’s Soul

Now the errand list gets spicy. The Seeker’s Soul demands actual combat. Hornet has to take down Groal the Great, the final boss of the Bilewater region, at the top of Bilehaven. Yeah, that means trudging through a whole network of nasty, maggot-infested waters first. No pressure.

After slaying Groal, she hops up to the left and enters the little house just outside the arena. Inside, the Seeker’s Soul lies on the ground beneath the strung-up Seeker, which is grim but also conveniently placed.

Setting the Trap

With all the ingredients stuffed into Hornet’s inventory, the next stop is the First Shrine. Talking to the Caretaker completes the wish, and the path forward becomes clear: climb The Cradle, speak to the Caretaker at the top, and march into the final boss fight.

The clever part comes after defeating Grand Mother Silk. The game offers two choices: Bind or Needolin.

Bind: End the game right there, roll credits, and accidentally lock out Act 3 for that playthrough. Oops.

Needolin: Spring the trap. Grand Mother Silk and Lace get unceremoniously dragged into the Abyss. It’s dramatic, a little mean, and exactly what the story ordered.

After the credits, the save file doesn’t look quite right. Black threads coil around it like an overprotective spider. Cutting away at it with the confirm button unlocks Act 3, and suddenly the game isn’t over at all.

So the takeaway is simple: don’t rush the finale. Do the wishes, find the fleas, be nice to the Chapel Maid, and keep that Needolin handy. Act 3 has been hiding in plain sight, waiting for someone patient enough to poke it with a needle.

For players who enjoy uncovering every hidden nook and secret timeline, being patient doesn’t just apply to in-game mechanics—it also pays off when planning the next purchase. A game as rich as Hollow Knight: Silksong rewards careful observation, but staying updated on launch discounts, special editions, or rare merchandise can take the same kind of vigilance. After all, none of those DLC reveals or collector’s editions will find their way into your cart by themselves.

Rather than refreshing store pages every single day, let this price tracking tool keep an eye on price drops and restocks for you. That way, you can spend more time studying the secrets of Pharloom and less time bargain hunting—and when the next surprise update arrives, you’ll already be ready to dive back in.