Hell is Us vs Hollow Knight: Silksong

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: War-Torn Hadea (Fictional Country)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Unique Feature: A unique 'no hand-holding' design that completely removes the map, compass, and quest markers, forcing players to rely on instinct and observation to explore.

• Perspective: 2D Side-Scroller
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: The Kingdom of Pharloom
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Game Pass
• Unique Feature: An immensely anticipated sequel to a beloved indie classic, featuring a new protagonist with a faster, more acrobatic moveset, and a vast new kingdom to explore.

• Amine Prisms: Found in various locations and given by NPCs. These are key items required to close the 14 Timeloops scattered across Hadea.
• Notes and Clues: Scattered throughout the environment. These are essential for solving the game's many puzzles and progressing through the unguided world.

• Rosaries: Dropped by specific enemies and found in the world. The main currency used for purchasing items and services.
• Shell Shards: Dropped by most enemies. A secondary currency used for crafting and repairing tools.
• Mask Shards: Hidden throughout Pharloom. Collecting a certain number of these increases Hornet's maximum health by one mask.

• Supernatural Horror
• Exploration
• Civil War
• Mystery
• Psychological
• Action-Adventure
• Minimalist HUD
• Cosmic Horror

• Metroidvania
• Action-Adventure
• Platformer
• Indie
• Fantasy
• Exploration
• Insects

• Melee Weapons: Varies (Swords, Spears, Axes, Greatswords, Polearms)
  The primary form of combat. Rémi wields a variety of melee weapons in a tactical, stamina-based system.
• KAPI Drone: Support
  Rémi's drone companion, which can be upgraded with different abilities to distract, stun, or damage enemies during combat.

• Needle and Thread: Primary Melee
  Hornet's signature weapon, used for fast, multi-directional melee attacks and acrobatic lunges.
• Tools: Sub-Weapons
  A wide array of craftable sub-weapons, such as stingshards (traps) and throwing stars. These are socketed into Crests and require Shell Shards to repair.
• Silk Skills: Spells
  Powerful abilities that consume silk, such as the 'Silk Spear' for piercing enemies or 'Threadstorm' for area-of-effect damage. These are unlocked at Weaver sites.

• Rémi's Attire: The game does not appear to have a traditional armor system. Rémi's outfit is consistent throughout the game, with progression focused on weapon and drone upgrades rather than equippable armor.

• Cosmetic Packs: The Digital Deluxe Edition includes two exclusive cosmetic skin packs for Rémi and his drone, KAPI: The Hollow Walker Pack and The Phol Guard Pack. The pre-order bonus also includes the 'Military Pack' of cosmetics.

Progression is tied to exploration and combat. Players can upgrade a variety of melee weapons (swords, spears, axes) and the companion drone, KAPI, with different abilities. Weapon upgrades are uniquely tied to 'emotions' like grief or rage, which also manifest as elements in the world.

Progression is centered on Hornet's unique abilities. The Charm system is replaced by 'Crests,' which alter Hornet's playstyle and provide sockets for a wide array of craftable 'Tools' (sub-weapons). New 'Silk Skills,' powerful spells like Silk Spear and Threadstorm, are unlocked by finding Weaver sites. Health and Silk (healing resource) upgrades are found through exploration.

The game is set in the vast, interconnected world of Pharloom. It is a handcrafted Metroidvania map featuring a wide variety of biomes, including mossy grottos, gilded cities, coral forests, and misted moors. The world is dotted with nearly 100 benches that serve as save points and fast travel locations.

• Rémi: Playable Protagonist
  A man who returns to his homeland of Hadea amidst a civil war and supernatural calamity to find his parents and uncover his origins.
• Hollow Walkers: Enemies
  Supernatural creatures that resemble ancient monuments and are immune to modern weapons. They are manifestations of human emotions and trauma.

• Hornet: Playable Protagonist
  The agile and determined Princess-Protector of Hallownest. She is a skilled warrior who wields a needle and thread and is the main character of the story.
• Lace: Rival / Boss
  A mysterious and skilled adversary who appears to be a rival duelist to Hornet.
• Shakra: Vendor / Cartographer
  An essential NPC who sells mapping tools to help the player chart their progress through the vast kingdom of Pharloom.

• Main Story Quests
  A mature, deep narrative following Rémi's quest to find his parents and uncover the secrets of the calamity. Progression is unguided and relies on player investigation.
• Good Deeds
  Optional, often time-sensitive side missions to help NPCs. These require players to remember conversations and connect disparate pieces of information without a quest log.
• Closing Timeloops
  A major recurring objective to find and destroy 14 Timeloops, which are ceaseless sources of enemies. This requires defeating their guardians and using a specific key item.

• Main Quest (Pilgrimage)
  The main story is a pilgrimage that follows Hornet's ascent through the kingdom of Pharloom to reach the shining Citadel at its peak and uncover the mysteries of her capture.
• Side Quests
  A new, more structured quest system where players can take on 'Gather,' 'Wayfarer,' 'Hunt,' and 'Grand Hunt' quests from NPCs and wishboards for various rewards.

The game is available in a Standard Edition ($49.99 PC / $59.99 Console) and a Digital Deluxe Edition ($69.99 PC / $79.99 Console). The Deluxe Edition includes 72 hours of early access, two exclusive cosmetic packs, an exclusive investigation, a digital artbook, and the original soundtrack.

• Q: What is Hell is Us?
  A: Hell is Us is a single-player, third-person action-adventure with a unique 'no hand-holding' design. Set in a war-torn country beset by a supernatural calamity, players must rely on instinct and observation to explore and survive.
• Q: Is there a map or quest log?
  A: No. A core feature of the game is the complete absence of a map, compass, quest markers, or quest log, forcing players to navigate and solve puzzles using environmental clues and their own memory.
• Q: How does combat work?
  A: It is a tactical, stamina-based melee system. A unique 'Lymbic Pulse' mechanic rewards aggressive play, allowing players to regain health by dealing damage with precise timing.
• Q: Is it a 'Soulslike' game?
  A: While it shares some similarities, such as deliberate combat and a stamina bar, the developers describe it as a tactical hack-and-slash. Key differences include enemies not respawning within a level and the absence of a 'corpse run' to retrieve lost items upon death.

• Q: What is Hollow Knight: Silksong?
  A: It is the direct sequel to the 2017 indie hit, Hollow Knight. It's a 2D Metroidvania featuring a new protagonist, Hornet, with a faster and more acrobatic moveset, and a vast new kingdom to explore.
• Q: Do I need to play the first Hollow Knight?
  A: No, Silksong features a standalone story and is designed to be accessible to newcomers, though veterans will appreciate the connections and evolution of the gameplay.
• Q: Is the game harder than the original?
  A: Yes, it is generally considered to be more challenging. The combat is faster, enemies are more complex, and platforming challenges appear earlier in the game.
• Q: Why did the game take so long to release?
  A: It began as a DLC but its scope expanded dramatically into a full sequel. The small, three-person core team at Team Cherry took a dedicated, iterative approach to development, prioritizing quality and creative freedom over a rushed release.

• OFFICIAL AND EXTRAPOLATED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS for Hell is Us. This information is based on the official PC specifications from developer Rogue Factor, adapted to the requested JSON structure. As a visually ambitious title built on Unreal Engine 5, the game is exceptionally demanding, with the developers noting that all performance targets are achieved with upscaling (Unreal's TSR) enabled. Laptop and future-generation GPU listings are extrapolated based on performance benchmarks.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop versions of the listed desktop GPUs require comparable performance. For a graphically intense Unreal Engine 5 game like Hell is Us, a laptop with a high-TGP (Total Graphics Power) GPU and an excellent cooling system is critical to avoid performance dips and maintain a stable framerate.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: A high TGP is essential. The game's reliance on UE5 features like Lumen means a low-power GPU variant will struggle significantly, especially at higher resolutions.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Unreal Engine 5 can heavily tax both the CPU and GPU. A robust cooling solution is necessary to prevent thermal throttling during long gameplay sessions and in visually complex areas.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A strong CPU with good power delivery is important for handling the game's physics, complex AI, and asset streaming without creating a bottleneck for the GPU.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is highly recommended to minimize system latency. In an action-adventure game with precise combat, reducing input lag is key to a responsive experience.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: The game officially supports NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS, in addition to Unreal Engine's native TSR. The developer has stated that all official performance targets are based on using upscaling, making it essential for achieving playable framerates.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Performance will be most affected by settings related to Unreal Engine 5's features, particularly Global Illumination (Lumen), Shadows (Virtual Shadow Maps), Reflections, and Post-Processing. The game is known to be very GPU-bound.
• Game Name: Hell is Us

• OFFICIAL AND EXTRAPOLATED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS for Hollow Knight: Silksong. This information is based on the official PC specifications from the game's Steam store page, adapted to the requested JSON structure. As a 2D action-adventure with a distinct art style, the game's requirements are very accessible. The 1440p and 4K tiers are extrapolated based on typical performance scaling for games of this type.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop versions of the listed desktop GPUs require comparable performance. Given the game's modest requirements, most modern laptops, including those with capable integrated graphics, should provide an excellent experience. For achieving high refresh rates, a discrete GPU is recommended.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: TGP (Total Graphics Power) is not a major concern for this title, as even lower-power GPUs will comfortably run the game. However, a higher TGP will better support very high framerates (120+ FPS) on high-refresh-rate displays.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game is not expected to heavily stress most systems, but a good cooling solution will ensure consistent performance during long play sessions, especially on compact laptops.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A modern CPU with good single-core performance will ensure the game's fast-paced combat and platforming remain smooth and responsive, without frame drops in visually busy areas.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: While not essential due to the light hardware demands, a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus can help minimize system latency, which is beneficial for the game's precise combat and platforming mechanics.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Hollow Knight: Silksong does not natively support upscaling technologies like NVIDIA DLSS or AMD FSR, as they are unnecessary for its 2D art style and performance profile.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Performance will be primarily affected by the screen Resolution. Most modern systems will be able to run the game at maximum settings without issue. The main goal for high-end hardware will be to achieve a high and stable framerate to match the monitor's refresh rate.
• Game Name: Hollow Knight: Silksong

• Upscaling Tech: The game officially supports NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS, in addition to Unreal Engine's native TSR. The developer has stated that all official performance targets are based on using upscaling, making it essential for achieving playable framerates.
• Key Settings Impact: Performance will be most affected by settings related to Unreal Engine 5's features, particularly Global Illumination (Lumen), Shadows (Virtual Shadow Maps), Reflections, and Post-Processing. The game is known to be very GPU-bound.

• Upscaling Tech: Hollow Knight: Silksong does not natively support upscaling technologies like NVIDIA DLSS or AMD FSR, as they are unnecessary for its 2D art style and performance profile.
• Key Settings Impact: Performance will be primarily affected by the screen Resolution. Most modern systems will be able to run the game at maximum settings without issue. The main goal for high-end hardware will be to achieve a high and stable framerate to match the monitor's refresh rate.

• G P U T G P: A high TGP is essential. The game's reliance on UE5 features like Lumen means a low-power GPU variant will struggle significantly, especially at higher resolutions.
• Cooling Thermals: Unreal Engine 5 can heavily tax both the CPU and GPU. A robust cooling solution is necessary to prevent thermal throttling during long gameplay sessions and in visually complex areas.
• C P U Power Limits: A strong CPU with good power delivery is important for handling the game's physics, complex AI, and asset streaming without creating a bottleneck for the GPU.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is highly recommended to minimize system latency. In an action-adventure game with precise combat, reducing input lag is key to a responsive experience.

• G P U T G P: TGP (Total Graphics Power) is not a major concern for this title, as even lower-power GPUs will comfortably run the game. However, a higher TGP will better support very high framerates (120+ FPS) on high-refresh-rate displays.
• Cooling Thermals: The game is not expected to heavily stress most systems, but a good cooling solution will ensure consistent performance during long play sessions, especially on compact laptops.
• C P U Power Limits: A modern CPU with good single-core performance will ensure the game's fast-paced combat and platforming remain smooth and responsive, without frame drops in visually busy areas.
• M U X Switch Optimus: While not essential due to the light hardware demands, a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus can help minimize system latency, which is beneficial for the game's precise combat and platforming mechanics.