Are Boss Runbacks Outdated? The Heated Debate as Silksong Takes Center Stage

The release of Team Cherry’s highly-anticipated Metroidvania sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong, has once again dragged a contentious and perennial topic back into the spotlight: the boss runback. While the game has received critical acclaim for its intricate world design, fluid combat, and captivating narrative, a vocal segment of the player base and industry critics have expressed frustration with its punishing difficulty, particularly the often-lengthy and perilous journeys back to boss arenas after a fatal defeat. This has reignited a debate that has simmered for years, prompting the question: do boss runbacks serve a purpose in modern game design, or are they a relic of a bygone era?

The Case For and Against a Classic Mechanic

The boss runback, a staple of challenging titles like the Souls series and its contemporaries, is a mechanic that forces players to re-traverse a portion of a level to reach a boss gate after dying. Its proponents argue that it’s a critical element of the game’s core loop, serving several key functions:

• Adding Weight to Failure: The most common argument is that the runback adds real consequence to death. When the cost of failure is not just starting the fight over, but also navigating a dangerous environment, players are forced to play more deliberately, to master the combat, and to truly earn their victory. This creates a greater sense of accomplishment when the boss is finally defeated.
• Encouraging Strategic Thinking: The short reprieve offered by a runback provides a crucial opportunity to regroup. Instead of mindlessly running back into the fray, players can use this time to reflect on their last attempt, consider new strategies, and adjust their gear or abilities. It transforms the act of dying from a simple reset into a moment of reassessment.
• Integral to Level Design: In well-designed games, the runback isn’t just a punishment—it’s an extension of the boss fight itself. The gauntlet of enemies leading to the arena can be seen as a “first phase” of the encounter, where players must manage resources and demonstrate mastery of the level’s challenges before even entering the boss room. This can make the entire area feel more cohesive and purposeful.

However, the counter-arguments against the runback are just as compelling, especially in a fast-paced and fluid game like Silksong:

• Unnecessary and Annoying Padding: Critics argue that runbacks are often nothing more than a tedious time sink. They don’t test new skills, but rather force players to repeat the same, now-trivial actions over and over. This “artificial difficulty” can transform a challenging and fun experience into a frustrating chore. It’s no longer about mastering the boss; it’s about enduring the journey to the boss.
• Breaking the Flow of Combat: Modern games, especially action-packed titles and those with intricate combat systems, thrive on a quick iteration loop. Dying to a boss should lead to an immediate restart, allowing the player to apply newly gained knowledge without interruption. A long runback disrupts this flow, eroding momentum and making it harder to learn and adapt. The constant back-and-forth can become a mental barrier that discourages players from continuing.
• Outdated Design Philosophy: Many developers, including those at FromSoftware itself, have been moving away from severe runbacks. Recent titles like Elden Ring are far more generous with their checkpoints and “Stakes of Marika,” placing players closer to key encounters. This shift indicates a recognition that the most enjoyable and engaging part of the experience is the combat itself, not the tedious journey to get there.

Silksong’s Contribution to the Dialogue

Hollow Knight: Silksong has become a flashpoint in this discussion. Early reports and community feedback, including posts on forums and social media, suggest that some of the runbacks in the game are particularly brutal. This has led to a mix of reactions, with some praising Team Cherry for sticking to its challenging design philosophy and others expressing disappointment that a game with such a high production value would employ what they consider to be an archaic and frustrating mechanic.

For example, some players have pointed to the final boss of Act 1 as a prime example of a runback that feels disproportionately difficult. The journey involves navigating a treacherous sandstorm, dodging agile enemies and environmental hazards, all while the screen’s visual effects hinder visibility. The difficulty of this segment, some argue, rivals the boss fight itself, leading to a sense of frustration that has nothing to do with Hornet’s combat skills.

The debate is further complicated by the fact that the original Hollow Knight also had its share of challenging runbacks, but for many, the design in Silksong feels different. With its more linear progression in the early game and the lack of a “build” system to grind or exploit, the emphasis is almost entirely on pure execution. When the only way to progress is to “git gud,” as the community puts it, a long runback can feel like a direct insult to the player’s time and effort.

The conversation around Hollow Knight: Silksong highlights a fascinating and ongoing tension in game development. On one hand, there is a desire to honor the legacy of classic, punishing games that demand player skill and perseverance. On the other, there is an ever-increasing demand for a more streamlined and respectful player experience that values a person’s time. The future of boss encounters may very well lie in finding a balance—a way to preserve the weight and significance of a boss fight without resorting to a runback that feels more like a punishment than a part of the journey. For now, players will continue to debate, and perhaps more importantly, continue to die and run back again and again.