Why Chinese Players Are Review-Bombing Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight: Silksong (Image Credit: Team Cherry)

Hollow Knight: Silksong has stormed onto Steam with massive success. Within hours of its release on September 4, 2025, the game hit a peak of over 500,000 concurrent players, placing it among the platform’s top-performing indie launches. With over 92,000 reviews and a global rating of 79% Very Positive, Team Cherry’s long-awaited sequel has clearly resonated with fans worldwide. But while the game is thriving in most regions, its reception in China has been far more turbulent.

Review Bombing in China

Despite its global acclaim, Silksong has been review-bombed by Chinese-speaking players, with only 42% of Simplified Chinese reviews marked as positive (via Eurogamer).

Out of more than 16,000 negative reviews globally, nearly 11,800 come from Chinese-language users alone. This sharp contrast has pushed the game’s Chinese-language rating into the “Mixed” category.

Why the Backlash?

The criticism centers on the game’s Simplified Chinese localization, which many players say fails to capture the tone and nuance of the original English script. According to critics, the translation reads more like a Wuxia novel than a Metroidvania adventure. Localization expert Tiger Tang, known for his work on Omori, noted that the issue is less about grammar and more about creative direction. “This isn't about effort, but about taste and direction, and speaking from experience, likely can't be fixed without replacing the translator,” he explained.

Others have described the translation as overly dramatic, incoherent, and even “pseudo-artistic nonsense.” Kotaku cited expert Loek van Kooten, who compared the Chinese dialogue to “a high-school drama club’s Elizabethan improv night.” One Steam review, translated by Valve, slammed the localization for ruining character relationships and plot clarity, calling it “an unsalvageable heap of garbage.”

Silksong’s first installment had six translators for its Chinese version, while the sequel credits only two — a reduction that many fans believe contributed to the drop in quality.

How Team Cherry Responded

Team Cherry has acknowledged the issue and promised improvements. Publishing and marketing lead Matthew Griffin addressed Chinese-speaking fans directly on X (formerly Twitter), writing:

“We appreciate you letting us know about quality issues with the current Simplified Chinese translation of Hollow Knight: Silksong. We’ll be working to improve the translation over the coming weeks.”

Fortunately, Valve’s recent update to Steam’s review system prevents region-specific review bombs from affecting a game’s global rating. Still, the controversy has sparked broader conversations about the importance of culturally sensitive and professionally executed localization.