Life is hectic, and it’s easy to get caught up in the moment.


That look you get when the boss goes into a surprise phase you weren’t expecting

My time with Silksong has provided a lot of engaging sessions, and as many good write-ups to boot, with a surprising number of concepts that have sprung up worthy of discussion. I could be mistaken about what lies ahead, but I think a moment of aimless meandering may be right around the corner, as I think to acquire the next two key items, I am in need of several collectables, which depending on my spidey-senses on the matter, could be sooner, or much much later. Either way, I do have severe doubts I will be able to provide a consistent number of articles until I reach the end, as I still don’t have a clear idea of how far away that day even is, and I’m already a dozen articles deep on Silksong. Needless to say, I’m bound to shift my focus to other affairs in the gaming world, but while the excitement remains, let us press on with more Silksong related matters.


Cause tick-tock goes the clock, the reaper waits for no one…

I had an idea for a post that does not involve my usual culture critique/deconstructionism surrounding the title itself, which is a good thing, too, as this weekend did absolutely nothing but put my head out of sorts, which makes conceptualizing any “higher level” thoughts in the realm of the abstract exceedingly difficult. Having said that, I figured I would detail some strategies in handling more of the “metaphysical” aspects of Silksong, in possibly helping players get more of a hang on the moment to moment gameplay. I will be dealing with strategies that overall, relate to my ideas involving framework thinking, which means they will have meaningful application outside of just Silksong, so what follows will be helpful tips on how to better prepare yourself for gaming more competently overall. Some of these may seem like common sense, but they’re worth repeating for many obvious reasons, I feel.


Make sure your eyes aren’t bigger than your health bar

1. Don’t be greedy

People may wrongly assume I’m talking about lacking restraint in, say, farming for currency, or chasing collectables for too long, but I am actually referring to “chasing damage”, which is what happens when you stop disregarding basic enemy patterns and just act too aggressively in a moment of adrenaline. Do not do this, as it will cost you HP, and likely random lives if one is too unyielding. This is especially true for bosses, where every hit matters, and if you’re up against a mofo who can one shot you, ignoring the boss patterns to try to score another hit of damage is totally irrelevant if you die in the process. Keep an eye out on enemy movement patterns, and play it safe by making note of how many hits you can score before the boss will respond with an attack. Your health bar will thank you.



I’m about to end this man’s whole career

2. Manipulate your enemies

This might be easy to forget in the moment, but everyone you fight in a video game is in fact programmed to do all of the things you see them do. This goes for how they respond to you, too. You can use this to your advantage, by “prompting” an enemy into attacking you, by either standing, attacking, or moving in a certain way, as to provoke a desired response. If you’re paying attention, you will notice that dependent on how you perform any of these movements, enemies (even bosses) will very regularly respond in earnest with something predictable. Using this to your advantage can help you basically have control over most battles, meaning you’ll know what attacks are coming, and how the enemies will move. Give it a try on one of the easier to topple foes in any game, and you will see what I mean.


Some moments are better for self-reflection than others

3. Talk it out

This one might sound really silly, but there is a reason therapy is built around spilling your guts to a professional about how you’re feeling, or how bonding with a friend is usually about connecting through conversation. When you’re playing a game, and more specifically, when you’ve recently died, have a brief conversation with yourself about what happened while you’re moving through the game environment/getting ready to pick up where you left off. It will help put yourself at ease, and you’ll be able to problem solve out loud about how to avoid the same fate in the future. I find this extraordinarily useful for bosses, as they are the most prone to get you hot and bothered. Discussing with yourself what happened, what you could do better, and generally hyping yourself up and having a pep talk really does wonders to keep you level headed and focused.


If you can find your “happy place” in hell, you can find it anywhere

4. Get comfortable with chaos (or “living in it”)

This strategy came to me during one of my practice sessions with someone I was training in Smash Bros, but like a lot of framework thinking one can utilize, it applies to video games across the board. I find people most often make their critical errors when they are flustered or overwhelmed, and for those with any form of anxiety, it won’t take much to push you over the edge. With this in mind, try to find a “warzone” within the game you’re playing, just a hotspot of activity I mean, one where there are either a lot of enemies, or if the game is platforming oriented, a place where you can jump around a lot. Make sure it’s not an absolute deathtrap, but something that is a little more hectic than you’re usually comfortable with. Now all you have to do, is find the “safe spots” on the map, or notice how the enemies are moving, and see if you can navigate around them successfully. You’re essentially not only trying to survive the onslaught, but also, slowly getting use to just getting comfortable in a hotly contested area, almost finding a way to flow through the moments, maybe even finding it comfortable instead of tense after awhile. Consider this a radical form of exposure therapy of sorts. This is a great way of diffusing anxiety, as when you’re more use to feeling like you have control in an area that once intimidated you, you’ll be more adept at navigating tense spots, and maybe pick up some movement strategies along with increasing your comfort zone. It’s easier to master than you think.


Make sure you aren’t zigging when you should be zagging

5. Play Keep Away

Another painfully obvious strategy that is easy to forget in the moment, but is super easy to implement, and an absolute live saver on the battlefield. Never play too aggressively, and always back off your opponent after a hit, and if the game allows, find a way to provoke the enemy into coming to you, playing almost entirely defensively or with evasion in mind. If you’re always timing your hits for right after the enemy attacks, they won’t be able to recover fast enough, netting you an easy hit. Ultimately, enemies do have to follow the rules of the game world (under most normal conditions), and are therefore bound by basics like character animations. If you’re able to play keep away, you will survive more easily, and have more time to assess enemy patterns, speeds, attacking rhythms, etc, which will give you a safe upper hand in taking them down without putting yourself at too great a risk.

Those are five strats that have all helped me maintain an edge in Silksong, and strategies I have borrowed from my time in other games, too, meaning even after you move on from Silksong, you could still utilize them and see results. These are just some of the basics I think people forget in moments of energetic emotion, and may help you keep a steadier mind in the middle of a battle, which will make Silksong’s difficulty level that much more manageable. May they help you through difficult times.

~Pashford