Putting together an effective Ultimate Team at the start of FC 27 is less about chasing the loudest card and more about spotting what your squad actually needs. It is easy to pour everything into one elite forward, then realise your midfield cannot keep the ball for two passes. A smarter approach is to spread your budget across players who cover for each other. With FC 27 Coins, you can target a reliable core first, then add the fun luxury picks later. You will notice the difference quickly: fewer loose transitions, more options on the ball, and a side that still works when a match gets scrappy. Ratings matter, sure, but they do not tell the whole story. Traits, body type, work rates, and how a player feels in tight spaces can matter just as much.

Start With the Players Who Connect Everything

Midfield is where most early squads either click or fall apart. You do not need three stars there. You need roles that make sense. One player should be comfortable sitting in front of the centre-backs, receiving the ball under pressure, and making the simple pass. The other midfielder can have more freedom to carry it forward or arrive near the box. That pairing keeps your shape from stretching out every time you lose possession. Look beyond passing and dribbling numbers, too. Stamina is huge over a full match. Defensive awareness helps even a more creative player recover into useful areas. A midfielder with decent pace, calm passing, and enough strength to hold off a challenge will often do more for your team than a card with one eye-catching stat. If you are constantly getting caught in the middle, do not rush to replace your defenders. The issue may be right in front of them.

Build a Back Line That Can Recover

There is a reason quick centre-backs always draw attention, but raw pace alone is not the answer. A defender still has to read runs, turn without feeling heavy, and win contact when an attacker gets close. Try to pair players whose strengths cover different situations. One might be stronger and better in the air. The other may be quicker over the first few yards and better at chasing a through ball. It is a simple setup, yet it saves plenty of goals. Full-backs deserve the same thought. If yours are joining every attack, somebody has to stay behind and protect the space they leave. A holding midfielder can do that job, but only if you set the role up properly. Many players blame their centre-backs after a counterattack. Often, the real problem is that both wide defenders were halfway up the pitch with nobody covering them.

Give Your Front Line Different Jobs

Attackers work better when they are not all trying to make the same run. If you enjoy fast breaks, use one forward who can burst beyond the defence and another who can take the ball with their back to goal. That second player does not need to score every match. Sometimes their value is in bringing wingers and midfielders into play. For a patient possession style, focus more on first touch, short passing, and close control. A striker who keeps the ball alive around the edge of the area can be a real nuisance. Do not get drawn in by shooting alone. A card may look deadly on the screen, then spend the whole match standing behind a defender or misplacing easy passes. Play a few matches before judging. The way a player moves off the ball tells you far more than a quick look at the item details.

Spend With a Clear Reason

When the squad feels off, change one or two things rather than tearing it all down. Keep an eye on the patterns in your matches. Maybe you create plenty but lack a composed finisher. Maybe wide players are getting isolated. Maybe your midfield disappears once the opponent presses. Those are useful clues, and they point to a specific upgrade instead of a random purchase. Squad Foundations, Evolutions, and SBC content can also fill gaps without forcing you to replace half the team. If you decide to add resources through cheap FIFA Coins , put them toward the position that changes your matches most, whether that is a steady midfielder, a mobile centre-back, or an attacker who suits the way you like to play. A good squad does not need to be packed with famous names. It needs players who make each other better.

In September 2026, good runs are less about grabbing whatever shines and more about knowing what earns its slot. Delta Force Items can look tempting at first glance, especially after a rough extraction, but price alone doesn't tell the whole story. A compact task part, a healing refill, or a piece you'll need for the next upgrade can beat a bulky trophy every time. Your stash should feel useful, not like a cupboard full of stuff you're scared to sell.

Value Starts With Purpose

First, check what the item actually does for you. Does it finish a task? Feed an upgrade? Keep your preferred kit running? If yes, hold onto a sensible amount. Players often dump materials early, then spend several runs hunting for the exact same thing later. That's a painful loop. Keep enough for your active plans, then move the rest along once duplicates start eating space.

Second, think about timing. An item that seems average today might matter tomorrow if you're close to a storage upgrade or a weapon setup change. Still, don't keep ten copies "just in case." One or two is usually plenty for uncommon supplies. The useful habit is checking your stash after a few solid raids, not waiting until every slot is packed and decisions get rushed.

What Usually Goes Wrong Mid Run

The Meta: Players cram bags with pricey-looking loot and ignore practical supplies.

The Snag: Heavy clutter forces bad drops when better loot appears.

The Fix: Reserve slots early for compact task items and medical gear.

Reality check: That "rare" object feels great until it fills three slots and sells for less than your spare parts.

Quick Bag Decisions That Actually Help

When the backpack starts getting tight, use a simple comparison instead of staring at every icon. Ask three things: how much space does it take, how likely are you to use it soon, and what would replace it if you leave it behind? Weight matters too. A decent haul isn't worth much if it slows your route and makes extraction feel like a long walk through bad territory.

Loot type Best reason to keep When to move it on
Task materials Needed for active objectives Extra copies exceed your next requirement
Medical supplies Supports repeated Operations runs Your reserve already covers several kits
Bulky valuables Strong return per successful extraction Compact high-demand loot replaces them

That's the whole point of the table: it gives you a fast call when pressure is on. A small item with a clear purpose often beats a large item with a vague future. Don't throw away useful gear for pocket change, though. If you're one part away from an upgrade, that part has more value to you than its sale price suggests.

The Question Players Keep Asking

A lot of players wonder whether they should sell every duplicate after a good streak, especially when currency feels low and storage is getting crowded.

Not every duplicate. Keep a working reserve, sell the overflow, and adjust that reserve around what you actually run each week.

Make Each Extraction Feed the Next One

The best stash management feels almost boring, and that's a good sign. You extract, sort quickly, keep what supports your current route, and sell what's just taking up room. Build around your own habits too. If you run risky close-range kits, supplies and replacement attachments may matter more than decorative valuables. If you're saving for a larger upgrade, be stricter with dead weight. Before you buy Delta Force Items, decide what problem that purchase solves, then spend with intent instead of impulse. A clean stash means faster loadouts, calmer decisions, and fewer runs ending with the feeling that you carried home a bag full of nothing.

As I neared the end of Hollow Knight: Silksong, I found myself chasing the last of the three melodies needed to reach The Cradle. And of course, it was the Conductor's Melody that stood between me and the finale. Getting there meant surviving the High Halls and one of the most brutal enemy wave arenas I've ever faced—harder, in my opinion, than most dedicated boss fights in the game. So here's how I did it.



Accessing the High Halls

You reach the High Halls through the Choral Chambers. Exit out the top left side of the map, but don't bother unless you have the Clawline (grappling hook) ability. Trust me, you literally cannot explore this area without it. And if you want all the secrets, I'd also wait until you have the Faydown Cloak (double jump). I learned that the hard way.



High Halls Walkthrough + Secrets

After climbing the grappling hooks, you enter an area with a cascading stream running downward. Your goal is to go against the current. Stay out of the water by grappling and avoid enemies. The first foe is a sword-wielding bug called a Maestro with three little minions circling him. Jump attack between their gaps and leap over the minions he throws.

Next, you enter a room where you can either rise up via a rotating grapple or float down while popping into each room. The bottom room has a shard cluster—nothing special—so head up. You'll meet a floating enemy called a Minister. These are deadly and can deal two masks of damage if you get caught in their flurry. Use ranged tools if you have them, or aggro them, wait for their attack to end, then pogo a few times and repeat.

At the top, there's an exit that needs double jump. If you have it, check it out—it's a rough platforming sequence where you fight two Ministers while grappling up. Survive and you'll get a Spool Fragment. After that, drop back and head right to ascend further upstream. Fight another Maestro, but when two Ministers pop up, ignore them and gun for the exit on the right.

This takes you to an area where you can go up or down. Up leads to a chest full of Rosaries, so poke around quickly. Then carefully use your Drifter's Cloak to float down through gaps in the spikes below. Latch onto grapples and hang there to reveal gaps and gradually find a path down. You'll come to a room on the left—head inside.

Inside, there's a workbench where you can craft the Cogfly Tool if you have Craftmetal. This spawns little minions of your own in battle. It has a high shard cost but is very effective. After that, drop down the running waterfall and jump through to reveal a secret path. It has a shard cluster, but an enemy spawns in a tight space, so skip it if your health is low.

Head back out to the left and keep floating down. Avoid the enemy outside if you didn't kill them—they won't follow. Once you navigate the spikes, go into the left room to find a Frayed Rosary String in a giant baby stroller. Then head back out and down to find a Ventrica Station (unlock for 80 Rosaries) and a bench. You can also buy a map for 70 Rosaries.

The only unexplored area is the far end of the hall to your left. There's a shortcut back to the Choral Chamber, and further along is the battle arena from hell that stands between you and the Conductor's Melody. Good luck.



Preparing for the Conductor's Battle Arena

You could go in blind, but you'll have a bad time unless you prepare. None of this is essential, but it helps massively. Here's the Crest and Tool setup I used:

Slot
Tool
Why

Crest
Crest of the Reaper
Passively collect silk more consistently → heal more often

Red
Weavelight
Synergy with Reaper for silk generation

Blue
Warding Bell
Safety net when you can't heal

Yellow
Scuttlebrace
Extra maneuverability (interchangeable)

Yellow
Ascendant's Grip
Key for final phase—hang on walls indefinitely

Yellow
Threefold Pin
Great for crowd control each wave

Yellow
Cogfly
Passive damage from safety toward the end

The Ascendant's Grip is crucial. The mini-bosses can't hit you when you're hanging on the wall, giving you time to regroup and harpoon to safety.

How to Get the Conductor's Melody (Wave by Wave)

Okay, let's walk through this hell one wave at a time.

Wave 1: Envoy + two Reeds

Take out the flying enemies first by continuously pogoing in the air, then kill the Envoy between charge attacks. You can clear this without touching the ground.



Wave 2: Two Choristors

Their thread attack hits for two masks. Pogo when safe, but if they wind up for a stronger attack, dash across the room.



Wave 3: Reed, Bellbearer, Clawmaiden

Prioritize the Clawmaiden—it steals your silk and healing. Heal or use a silk skill immediately to avoid waste. Watch for bouncing bells from the Bellbearer.

Wave 4: Two Ministers

You know these from the High Halls, but now you have a solid floor. Take your time, carve openings, and don't pogo too much—they're more dangerous in the air. When one dies, a Clawmaiden appears. Use your silk and kill it fast.



Wave 5: Two Maestro minions

Focus one and clear it fast while watching for Cogfly attacks from the other side. Then the leftover is easy.

Mini-Boss 1: Choir Clapper

This hulking beast has four attacks: a slam that creates a light bubble AOE, a slam that creates a pulsing ground wave, a standard slam, and a jumping slam. The standard slam is most dangerous—harpoon or sprint away immediately. Use walls to avoid the bubble, hop toward them for the ground pulse and get a few hits, and when they jump, dash below and hit from behind. Practice makes perfect.



Wave 6: Two Reeds + one Bellbearer

Nothing new. Take the Bellbearer out first to avoid stray bells.

Wave 7: Two Bellbearers + one Reed

Same strategy. A Clawmaiden will pop in—kill it as fast as it appears.

Wave 8: Bellbearer + two Ministers

Take out the Bellbearer fast, then the Ministers are trivial on the ground.



Wave 9: Reed + Maestro

Use your Threefold Pin to kill the Reed fast, then deal with the Cogfly enemy.

Final Phase: Two mini-bosses together

This is a nightmare. Spam all your weapon tools immediately, then get to the top of the screen and hang on the wall. Use your grapple hook to reach the safest side, get a few hits, then climb the other wall and repeat. Once you clear one, come down and fight the other like the first mini-boss. Survive this, and you've cleared the arena.



Easier said than done, but I believe in you. The Conductor's Melody is worth every drop of sweat. ??

Boss gauntlets like this one reward patience more than raw reflexes, and the same applies to building a library of challenging action games. If clearing this arena has you itching for the next brutal challenge, or you're just curious what similar titles are going for right now, it helps to know where the discounts are before you commit. DealNest keeps an eye on current pricing across platforms, so you can quickly check game prices and see whether that title on your wishlist has finally dropped.

Whether you're hunting for a sequel, a similar soulslite, or a completely different genre to cool down with after all that wall-climbing, having a reliable price tracker saves both money and time. Give the arena another shot tomorrow—and let your wallet rest tonight.

It is 2026, and I have a confession: I am not a speedrunner. I am a normal player. I put my trousers on one leg at a time, I panic when a boss does a new move, and I have spent more time in Hollow Knight: Silksong's Greymoor than I care to admit. While I was busy being bullied by wave after wave of annoying birds, other people were beating the entire game in less time than it takes me to make a cup of tea and forget where I put it. What is wrong with me? Apparently, nothing. The consensus is that Silksong is pretty darn good. The only hang-up is that it is a little difficult. A little. Sure. And the sun is a little warm.

Back in September 2025, one week after its internet-breaking release, the speedrunning scene had already gone feral. The first person to post a sub-two-hour run was Onaku, with a time of 1:46. Then, hours later, they improved it to 1:19. Rival speedrunner BlueSR showed up and beat that with a 1:26, then kept plugging away until they shaved more minutes off and finished Silksong in 1:17. A new world record. And then? That record reportedly lasted just 11 minutes. Eleven minutes! I cannot even decide which bench to sit on in eleven minutes. By the time I typed this sentence, someone had probably already beaten the game while blindfolded, using a dance mat, and holding a conversation about gardening.

Let me put the early chaos into a table, because tables make my inadequacy feel organized.

Runner
Time
What I was doing

Onaku
1:46
Dying to birds

Onaku
1:19
Dying to different birds

BlueSR
1:26
Staring at a map

BlueSR
1:17
Still dying to birds



Speedruns are only going to get faster, too. Team Cherry confirmed that Silksong's first big update would make early game bosses Moorwing and Sister Splinter easier to beat. Just imagine how quickly people will finish the game once those changes are applied. Actually, do not imagine it. I am already intimidated enough. If Moorwing becomes less of a wall, the wall becomes a door, and speedrunners are going to kick that door down and sprint through Pharloom like they forgot to turn off the oven.

It is possible people have beaten Silksong even faster, and we will not know for sure just how quickly people are racing through Pharloom for another few weeks. The speedrun leaderboards for the Hollow Knight sequel opened on September 30, 2025. At that point, players could submit their runs and see how they stack up against some of Silksong's other speedrunners. Now that we are in 2026, those leaderboards are probably a graveyard of my self-esteem. The records from that first week are cute little history exhibits. The current times? I do not want to know. But I also absolutely want to know.

How do we gauge how far people can go? Look at the original Hollow Knight. Its record runs are almost down to just 30 minutes. According to HowLongToBeat, the first game takes, on average, five hours longer to finish than Silksong. Five hours! That is a whole workday of bug-related suffering. Maybe, by the time people are done, we could see players speeding through the sequel in less than half an hour. Maybe someone will beat it during a lunch break. Maybe someone already has. Maybe the true final boss is the leaderboard itself.

I am no speedrunner. If you are firmly in the camp of people who are enjoying Silksong but struggling with its difficulty, I am right there with you. I mentioned in the headline that Onaku beat the game in less time than it takes me to beat some of its boss fights, and that is kind of true. I am currently stuck on the bit in Greymoor where you have to beat wave after wave of annoying birds before you can progress. I am fairly certain I have been stuck there for at least two hours. Two hours. That is longer than some people needed to finish the entire game. I have not finished one screen. I have not even finished one bird. The birds are winning. The birds have always been winning.

So what is taking me so long? I would like to blame the game. I would like to blame the birds. I would like to blame the fact that I keep pressing the wrong button because I am too busy admiring the art. But the truth is simpler: speedrunners are built different. They see a boss and think, ah, a minor inconvenience. I see a boss and think, ah, a new reason to lie down. They memorize frames. I memorize the sound of my own defeat. They optimize routes. I optimize excuses.

Still, there is hope. Silksong is a great game, even when it is kicking my teeth in. The difficulty is part of the charm, or at least that is what I tell myself while a bird the size of a small horse dive-bombs me for the fourteenth time. If you need me, I will be in Greymoor, practicing the ancient art of not learning from my mistakes. The speedrunners can have their 1:17. I will have my two-hour bird marathon. We are both beating the game, just at very different definitions of beating.

And hey, maybe one day I will submit my run to the leaderboard. I will call it the comedy category. The judges will laugh. The birds will laugh. I will cry. It will be beautiful. ??

There is one small barrier between watching a 1:17 run and attempting your own: you actually have to own the game. If the birds of Greymoor have convinced you to take a breather and finally work through the rest of your backlog, or if you are eyeing a second copy for a friend who keeps insisting they could do better, it helps to know where the prices are lowest. DealNest is the kind of place worth bookmarking for that — it tracks down cheapest steam keys across a huge range of titles, so the money you save can go toward the emotional support snacks you will need for Pharloom.

Speedrunning is expensive in a different way: it costs time, sleep, and possibly a little sanity. Nobody is asking you to route-optimize your afternoon, but there is no reason to overpay for the privilege of getting dive-bombed by a horse-sized bird. Grab the game at a price that hurts less than the boss fights, settle in, and let the leaderboard stay a hypothetical for now.

When Hollow Knight: Silksong finally arrived in 2025, it did not simply meet expectations. It crushed them under a hail of spikes, winged beasts, and bosses that refused to forgive. By 2026, the game remains a beautiful, brutal landmark. One particular player, a wanderer who had adored the original Hollow Knight from a distance but never mastered it, stepped into Silksong with hope. They left the first hour bruised. The art was adorable. The music enchanted. The stories whispered from every mossy corner. Yet the combat and platforming demanded more than admiration. They demanded proof. ⚔️



The player quickly learned that Silksong was not interested in gentle onboarding. Standard enemies in the opening hour could deal double damage with ordinary attacks. Bosses layered deadly combos together, leaving no obvious escape. Trial and error was part of the experience, but after enough failures, the player understood why some people put the controller down and never returned. The game wanted mastery, and it wanted it immediately. ?️

Yet the player did not want to abandon the world. They loved the character designs, the haunting soundtrack, and the mythic stories unfolding around every corner. To enjoy those things, however, they needed to become a warrior who let nothing stand in their way. They believed they were capable. They also knew their patience had limits, especially with so many other responsibilities pulling at their time. That was the real conflict: not a lack of skill, but a lack of hours. ⏳



Mods Became a Personal Lantern

Thankfully, the player was not alone. By 2026, the modding community had already created thoughtful adjustments for Silksong. Some mods removed the excessive double damage that had made early enemies feel unfair. Others ensured that tools like the compass remained active at all times, turning exploration from a memory test into a gentler journey. None of these mods transformed the game into something unrecognizable. They simply filled in the cracks that many players had complained about. ?

With those changes, the player found a new rhythm. They could still be punished for careless mistakes. Bosses still demanded pattern recognition and precise movement. But they no longer felt buried by cheap damage. They had a chance to see more of Silksong, to breathe in its atmosphere, and to appreciate the craftsmanship without being constantly walled off from it. The challenge remained. It was simply curated to their preferences while keeping the heart and soul of the experience intact. ?

If a mod makes a game more enjoyable for more people, it is difficult to see how that could be a bad thing. The player was not asking for a victory button. They were asking for a version of the game that respected their time. And in 2026, that request feels less controversial than ever. Official difficulty options are common in many genres. Even FromSoftware games, which built their reputation on uncompromising design, could benefit from a selection of difficulty settings. The original vision would remain for those who want it. Others would simply get a door instead of a wall. ?

Celeste Already Showed the Way



The debate around Silksong reminded the player of Celeste. That masterful indie platformer was also very difficult. Its story involved climbing a literal mountain while facing inner demons, so the challenge made thematic sense. Playing Celeste without adjustments would kick most people around. Reaching the end of each level was possible for determined players, but seeing everything, including collectibles and bonus levels, was a Herculean task. ?️

Celeste offered an Assist Mode. Players could personally adjust game speed, stamina, air dashes, and invincibility. Turn everything up, and the game could be completed without taking a single hit. That was not the intended experience, but Celeste still offered it because player choice mattered. Maddy Makes Games had a narrative it wanted as many people as possible to experience. Even if that meant turning the gameplay into a delightful pixel-art walk in the park, the studio understood that accessibility did not erase the game's soul. ?

The player had used Assist Mode in Celeste and still considered it a masterpiece. They did not feel robbed of satisfaction. They felt included. That memory made the Silksong discourse feel painfully familiar. A difficult game can remain difficult while also offering ways for more people to reach its ending. The two ideas are not enemies. They are neighbors. ?️



The Strange Entitlement Around Difficulty

Unfortunately, video game difficulty settings still carry a bizarre aura of entitlement. Some players act as if their preferred way of playing is the only legitimate way. They forget that games are entertainment, art, and personal experiences. If someone uses mods to soften double damage or keeps a compass active, that choice does not diminish anyone else's victory. It does not remove the challenge from the original version. It simply allows another person to enjoy the same world. ?

The player eventually returned to Silksong with a mixture of mods and stubborn determination. They still died. They still cursed. They still felt their heart race during boss fights. But they also saw more of the Mossgreen Grotto. They heard more of the music. They uncovered more of the story. The game remained hard, and they remained proud of every small victory. The difference was that they were no longer locked out of the experience they had waited years to enjoy. ?

Approach
What It Changes
Why It Helps

Mods
Removes double damage, keeps compass active
Makes exploration and early combat less punishing

Celeste Assist Mode
Adjusts speed, stamina, dashes, invincibility
Allows more players to experience the narrative

Official difficulty options
Curates challenge through developer-approved settings
Respects player choice without altering the default vision

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a hard game, and hard games are not for everybody. But if mods or official means of tuning its challenge allow more people to reach the end or see everything it has to offer, the wider community should not complain. The player did not want Silksong to become easy. They wanted it to become theirs. By 2026, that seems like a reasonable wish. ?

In the end, the player climbed their own version of the mountain. They did not touch every spike with perfect grace. They did not defeat every boss on the first try. But they kept going, and they found joy in a world that had almost pushed them away. If that is not a victory worth celebrating, then perhaps the community needs to step outside, find some grass, and remember why people play games in the first place. ?

That same patience the player learned to apply inside Silksong has a strange way of showing up outside of it. Waiting for the right moment to strike an enemy, holding a dash until the last second, deciding when a risk is actually worth taking — these habits follow a person into other parts of life, including the way they spend money. Games like this one rarely go on sale at launch, and a sequel with years of anticipation behind it will hold its price for a long while. Watching a listing instead of buying on impulse, checking back after a seasonal event, noticing when a bundle quietly drops below its usual floor — that is its own kind of patient play.

For anyone who wants to keep an eye on prices without refreshing store pages every week, this price tracking tool at DealNest makes that waiting game a lot less tedious. It is a small thing, but so were the mods that let the player finish the mountain — a way to make an experience that felt closed off feel reachable again.

I still remember the moment I dropped into Choral Chambers in Hollow Knight: Silksong. It was 2026, long after the game's release, and I was replaying Act Two on a fresh save. The golden halls hummed with danger, my needle felt under-upgraded, and I had one stubborn goal: complete the Wandering Merchant wish. I had heard it unlocked Jubilana, a trader with high-tier goods in Songclave, and I was not going to skip her.

The wish itself does not appear until Songclave exists. That is the first trap. You cannot simply wander into Choral Chambers and expect Jubilana to be waiting. You need to reach Act Two and beat the Last Judge to enter the Citadel. Before the main stretch of Choral Chambers, you must pass through the Underworks. By the time I stumbled out of those pipes and into the choir-lit city, I was already bruised. But the route was clear enough: head all the way to the right edge of Choral Chambers, climb upward, and look for an open space at the top.



There, I found the entrance to the First Shrine. Inside, I used my Silk Skills to clear away the thick silk blocking the way. The moment the last strand snapped, the Shrine opened and became Songclave. It felt like a small victory before the real hunt began. Outside the shrine, a wishboard waited. I took the Wandering Merchant request from it, and the objective appeared on my screen with a simple, tantalizing hint: find Jubilana, last seen in the bottom parts of Choral Chambers.

So I set off. The route to Jubilana is not long, but it is easy to overshoot if you are impatient. I started at the Choral Chambers bellway on the bottom right side. From the bellway, I exited to the vertical area on the left and began climbing. The first exit on my left looked tempting. I ignored it. Instead, I took the second exit as I went up. Then I kept moving left until I reached another large vertical area.

Here is where I nearly got lost. In that second vertical shaft, you want to go directly left and take the first exit you see. That exit leads to a small room with a dead end. It looks like a mistake at first. It is not. Two enemies guard the space. I defeated them both, and then I talked to Jubilana. The wish completed, and she was safe.



That was not quite the end of my curiosity, though. One of Jubilana's wares sits high up in that vertical area, and at first glance it looks like a double-jump puzzle. In 2026, most players know the trick, but I still enjoy it: bring a flying enemy close to that spot and downward strike it. The bounce launches you high enough to reach the ledge. It is a classic Silksong moment, turning a movement limitation into a combat opportunity.

After saving Jubilana, I returned to Songclave and found her selling her wares near the First Shrine. Seeing her set up shop was satisfying. She offers high-tier items, and for a mid-Act Two player, her stock can change how you approach the next few bosses. I picked up what I could afford and immediately felt stronger.

If I were giving advice to my past self, I would put it in a short checklist:

Step
What to do

1
Beat the Last Judge and enter the Citadel in Act Two.

2
Pass through the Underworks and reach Choral Chambers.

3
Go to the right edge, climb up, and enter the First Shrine.

4
Use Silk Skills to clear the silk and create Songclave.

5
Take the Wandering Merchant wish from the wishboard outside.

6
Start at the bottom-right Choral Chambers bellway.

7
Exit left into the vertical area and climb.

8
Ignore the first left exit; take the second.

9
Keep left to the next big vertical area.

10
Take the first left exit into the dead-end room.

11
Defeat the two enemies and talk to Jubilana.

12
Return to Songclave to shop near the First Shrine.

What I love about this wish is how much it rewards attention. It is not a boss fight. It is not a massive dungeon. It is a test of whether you have learned to read Choral Chambers. The bellway, the vertical shafts, the false dead end, the flying enemy trick—all of it feels like a compact lesson in Silksong's design. And the payoff is a merchant who stays with you.

In 2026, with so many guides and route maps available, it is easy to reduce a quest like this to a checklist. But I still recommend doing it slowly. Let yourself get turned around. Fight the two guards with your current build. Try the downward strike trick even if you have already unlocked double jump. The Wandering Merchant wish is short, but it captures everything I enjoy about Hollow Knight: Silksong: exploration, danger, and the quiet relief of finding a friendly face in a hostile city.

If you are stuck, remember the core path: Songclave first, wishboard second, bottom-right bellway third, dead-end room last. Save Jubilana, and she will be waiting near the First Shrine, ready to sell you the tools you need for whatever horror comes next. ?️

Silksong is the kind of game that makes you want to see what else is out there in the same vein—other metroidvanias, other punishing action-platformers, whatever studio Team Cherry's long shadow has inspired. The problem is that wishlists grow faster than paychecks, and Steam sales come and go without much warning. Keeping an eye on a steam sale tracker like DealNest takes the guesswork out of it, so you are not refreshing store pages every Tuesday hoping the price finally dropped on that one game you have been circling for months.

It is a small thing, but it fits the same instinct this whole quest rewards: paying attention. You learned to read Choral Chambers instead of brute-forcing it, and you can read a store page the same way—know when a discount is real, know when to wait, know when to buy. DealNest just makes that part a little less tedious.

In the sprawling world of Hollow Knight: Silksong, few side quests are as bizarre and unsettling as the one involving the Twisted Bud. This living, crying item—yes, it actually cries every time the player opens their inventory, map, or quest log—sets off a chain of events that leads to dark rituals, a nasty curse, and ultimately a powerful reward. Even in 2026, with countless guides and patches, this quest remains a rite of passage for any serious player. So, how does one find this twisted little thing, and what exactly should be done with it? Let's break it down step by step.

Where to Find the Twisted Bud

First things first: the player must have reached Act 2 of the story or unlocked the Faydown Cloak in Mount Fay. While the cloak route is possible, it involves navigating poisonous lakes and tough enemies from Sinner's Road. A far easier path is to simply progress through Act 2 until reaching the Whispering Vaults. There, the player should find the first room with puzzle boxes, then strike the right wall near the ceiling with the Nail to reveal a secret passage. Inside, one can either grab a Memory Locket (highly recommended) or drop down to Bilewater.

Before descending, the player should rest on a Bench and convert all Rosaries into Rosary Strings—because the plan is to grab the bud and then deliberately die to escape Bilewater quickly. Equipping the red tool Cogfly helps with flying enemies. Once in Bilewater, the player should follow the left path until dropping into an area with multiple routes. The player should keep going left as far as possible, hitting walls to reveal secret passages. Eventually, the player will reach a dead-end room where a baby's desperate crying can be heard. Follow that sound to collect the Twisted Bud. Then, let an enemy defeat the player to return to the last Bench. Now, the player can check the menu: the bud will cry constantly, and it looks like something straight out of Bloodborne.



What to Do With the Twisted Bud

With the bud in inventory, the player should fast-travel to Bellhart, rest on the Bench, and again ensure no Rosaries are carried—convert them into Rosary Strings if needed. While in Bellhart, the player should talk to Pavo; he offers valuable lore about these living buds, explaining they were once common in Shellwood and used as offerings in dark rituals. After that, the player should head straight to Greyroot's cabin in Shellwood. However, this requires having completed her earlier quest, "Rite of the Pollip," which involves finding six Pollip Hearts in the region. Without that done, she won't accept the Twisted Bud.

Once the bud is delivered, the player should accept the "Rite of Rebirth" quest and brace for one of the weirdest cutscenes in the game. Shortly after, Hornet appears in a new, dark area within Shellwood, now cursed: she cannot heal, and her Crest and tools are gone. But fear not—this is temporary. The player should go all the way left to leave the dark area, then head up to find a shortcut leading to one of Shellwood's main bottom areas. From there, the player should walk right to reach Bellhart again, and use fast travel to Greymoor, where a doctor named Yanarby awaits.



How to Find Yanarby

In Greymoor, the player must locate Yanarby, a doctor exiled from Bellhart for her "strange methods." Her house sits on the upper western side of Greymoor, near where one first meets Garmond. From the fast-travel area, the player should go left until reaching a room inside the main structure filled with scissor-wielding enemies, moving platforms, and rats. The player should make their way up and enter the last room on the left. There, an area with vegetation and a bell enemy appears. The player should keep walking left to find Yanarby's house. Talk to her, explain Hornet's situation, and after some dialogue, accept the "Infestation Operation" quest.



How to Complete Infestation Operation Quest

Once the quest is accepted, the player should head straight to Sinner's Road. The player should go to the Halfway Home tavern, use the elevator, and climb the platforms until reaching the entrance. Rest on the Bench, then visit Benjin and Crull's cabin—the same duo who offer the cockroach guts quest. They have the item Yanarby needs, but they won't hand it over for free; the price is 260 Rosaries. This is where those Rosary Strings come in handy. If more Rosaries are needed, the player should return to Greymoor and farm enemies there, as they drop plenty of coins and the area is easier than Sinner's Road (especially since healing is disabled). After paying, the player should immediately return to Yanarby's house to watch Hornet finally get rid of those horrible tentacles.



The Infestation Operation Quest Rewards

Completing this quest does more than just remove the curse. It unlocks the Witch Crest, which grants Hornet sweeping swings reminiscent of a whip and allows her to drain life from enemies through twisted roots. This crest introduces a playstyle centered on unleashing a devastating attack with the Silk Bind, and it permits equipping three blue tools and two red ones. For many players, the Witch Crest becomes a favorite, offering a fresh way to approach combat.



To summarize the entire quest chain, here's a quick table:

Step
Location
Action

1
Whispering Vaults → Bilewater
Find and collect Twisted Bud

2
Bellhart → Shellwood
Talk to Pavo, deliver bud to Greyroot

3
Shellwood → Greymoor
Escape curse, find Yanarby

4
Sinner's Road
Buy item from Benjin and Crull for 260 Rosaries

5
Greymoor
Return to Yanarby, complete quest, get Witch Crest

So, is the Twisted Bud worth the trouble? Absolutely. Despite the crying, the curse, and the backtracking, the Witch Crest alone makes it one of the most rewarding side quests in Silksong. And in 2026, with the game's community still thriving, this quest remains a shared experience that every hunter should undertake. Just remember: no Rosaries, bring Cogfly, and don't panic when the bud starts wailing. ?

The shared experience of overcoming these challenges is what makes the game so special, and if you're looking to bring more friends into the fold or explore other titles in the genre, finding the right price is key. DealNest provides a reliable game price comparison service that can help you score the best deals across platforms. So before you dive into your next adventure, give it a look—your wallet will thank you.

Ever shown up to a party only to realize you're wearing the same outfit as the host, but the host is a literal rockstar and everyone is screaming their name? That's basically Hell is Us in 2025. I played it, I loved it, and then I watched Hollow Knight: Silksong drop on the exact same day and absolutely obliterate the internet. Now it's 2026, and I'm still here, nursing a grudge and a save file. ?

Hell is Us is Rogue Factor's greatest creative leap so far. It's a grimdark, semi-open-world action game that refuses to hold your hand. No map markers? Check. No quest arrows? Check. Just you, a weird drone, and a world that wants you dead. It's the kind of game that makes you feel smart when you figure something out, and then immediately stupid when you walk into an ambush. But that's the charm. It rejects traditional open-world design with passion and panache, as the reference article says. And I agree. It's respectable and fascinating.

But here's the thing: 2025 was an absurdly packed year. Every month felt like a new blockbuster. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2? Great, but forgotten. Death Stranding 2? Wild. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33? A masterpiece. And then there's Hell is Us, a brand-new IP with no established fanbase, launching into a hurricane. I'm not saying it's a tragedy, but it's definitely a 'what if' scenario.



Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room: Horizon. Remember Horizon Zero Dawn? Gorgeous game, new IP, launched five days before The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Five days! And then Horizon Forbidden West launched a week before Elden Ring. A week! Talk about bad timing. Here's a handy table:

Game
Release Date
Competitor
Competitor's Release Date

Horizon Zero Dawn
Feb 28, 2017
Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Mar 3, 2017

Horizon Forbidden West
Feb 18, 2022
Elden Ring
Feb 25, 2022

Hell is Us
Sep 4, 2025
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Sep 4, 2025

Notice a pattern? Hell is Us didn't just compete with Silksong; it shared the same birthday. And Silksong wasn't just popular—it literally broke Steam. I tried to buy it on launch day and got stuck in a queue longer than my morning commute. Meanwhile, Hell is Us was sitting there, looking cool, but nobody had time.



The real kicker? Hell is Us and Silksong appeal to the same demographic. We're talking grimdark, semi-open-world, no hand-holding, 'figure it out yourself' energy. If you love Silksong's obtuse Metroidvania structure and labyrinthine world design, you're probably the target audience for Hell is Us. But if you bounce off Silksong, you're not going to suddenly love Hell is Us. So there's no 'well, I'll just play the other one' escape hatch. It's a direct collision.



So where does that leave us in 2026? Hell is Us is a good game. Not a masterpiece, but an 8/10 that tries something different. It's not perfect—I could complain about the combat for hours—but it's memorable. And the Horizon games eventually found a strong foothold despite their stiff competition. Maybe Hell is Us can do the same. Maybe in a year or two, people will discover it on sale, or through word of mouth, and realize they missed out.

Or maybe it'll just be that game that got crushed by Silksong. Either way, I'm glad I played it. And hey, if you're one of the few who skipped Silksong (are you okay?), give Hell is Us a shot. It's weird, it's frustrating, and it's got a drone that beeps at you. What more do you want? ?

If you're planning to circle back to a game like this months later, timing the purchase can be almost as tricky as the game itself. Prices bounce between storefronts, regional discounts pop up without warning, and a good sale can disappear in a day.

That's the gap DealNest fills. Rather than manually checking every launcher and key seller, you can use this price tracking tool to monitor price history, set alerts, and grab a deal when it finally lines up with your backlog. It won't make the release calendar any less crowded, but it can make catching up a lot cheaper.

McDonald’s China turned the 2025 Mid-Autumn Festival into a gamer’s dream, partnering with Game Science’s Black Myth: Wukong for a limited-time campaign that blended mooncakes, merchandise, and Monkey King mythology. More than a year later, as 2026 unfolds, the collaboration remains a standout example of how a fast-food giant can tap into a blockbuster video game’s cultural power. Was it simply a clever marketing stunt, or did it reveal something deeper about the global appetite for Chinese gaming icons? The answer, according to fans and industry observers, is a bit of both.



A Festival Meets a Blockbuster

Black Myth: Wukong launched in August 2024 and quickly became a phenomenon for Chinese studio Game Science. The action-adventure title, which retells the timeless epic of Sun Wukong, won Best Action-Adventure at The Game Awards and continued to capture hearts well into 2025. Its success opened doors for mainstream brand partnerships, and McDonald’s China walked right through one of them.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, a holiday that celebrates the fall harvest when the moon is at its largest and brightest, was the perfect backdrop. Families and friends gather to gaze at the harvest moon, bake mooncakes, and decorate their homes with lanterns. McDonald’s decided to give customers the best of both worlds: the warmth of tradition and the thrill of a AAA game.

The Limited-Time Menu

In mid-September 2025, promotional materials from McDonald’s China began circulating on social media. Posters showed Sun Wukong alongside a slew of special meal deals. The menu was as playful as it was ambitious.

Item
Category
Description

Golden Crispy Chicken Egg Mooncake
Mooncake
A savory-sweet twist on the classic festival pastry.

Cheese Double Beef Black Gold Mooncake
Mooncake
A rich, beefy take with a black-gold finish.

Crispy Shrimp Nuggets
Savory
Golden bites designed to pair with the theme.

Curly Fries with dipping sauce
Side
Sauce described as 'as golden as treasure.'

Autumn Osmanthus-flavored Sparkling Milk Tea
Drink
Floral, fizzy, and seasonal.

Golden Egg Yolk Big Luck Flavor McFlurry
Dessert
A lucky blend of creamy ice cream and salted egg yolk.

Sesame Lava Pie
Dessert
Packed with egg yolk filling for a molten center.

For dessert lovers, the Golden Egg Yolk Big Luck Flavor McFlurry and the Sesame Lava Pie offered a sweet finish. The Autumn Osmanthus-flavored Sparkling Milk Tea added a floral note that felt distinctly festive. Even the curly fries came with a dipping sauce marketed as 'as golden as treasure,' a clear nod to Wukong’s mythical staff and golden headband.

Merchandise That Made Fans Jealous

The food was only half the story. McDonald’s China also rolled out exclusive merchandise, including a double-sided velvet lounge robe embroidered with the Monkey King holding a burger on his head. Certain locations decorated their restaurants to match the game, and pop-up shops offered tote bags, T-shirts, pins, and more.

For Western fans, the campaign felt like a cruel tease. One user on X wrote, 'We never get cool stuff in America!' The sentiment was echoed across social media, where images of the robe, the mooncakes, and the themed restaurants went viral. It was not just a promotion; it was a cultural moment.

Why the Collaboration Worked

Why did this particular crossover resonate so strongly? First, Black Myth: Wukong was not just a game; it was a national point of pride and a global breakthrough. Second, the Mid-Autumn Festival provided a natural storytelling hook. Third, McDonald’s leaned into scarcity and spectacle, offering items that customers could not get anywhere else. The combination created urgency, shareability, and a sense of belonging for fans.

It also reflected a broader trend. This was the latest overseas collaboration from McDonald’s to go viral, following the fast-food chain’s announcement that it would finally bring back Monopoly in the United States after nearly a decade. Brands are increasingly looking to gaming and pop culture for fresh energy, and Chinese audiences are responding to campaigns that respect their traditions while celebrating their modern entertainment exports.

What Comes Next in 2026?

As 2026 progresses, Game Science is already working on its next mythos-inspired game, Black Myth: Zhong Kui. Could another fast-food giant attempt a similar crossover? Will McDonald’s China revisit the Wukong universe for a future festival, or will the original campaign remain a one-time lightning strike? Those questions remain open.

What is clear is that the 2025 Mid-Autumn collaboration set a high bar. It showed that a burger chain and a blockbuster game can meet in a space where mythology, food, and fandom overlap. For players who missed the robe, the mooncakes, or the golden fries, the memory still stings. For McDonald’s and Game Science, it was a masterclass in turning a holiday into a headline.

In the end, the campaign was more than a menu. It was a signal that Chinese gaming has become a cultural force big enough to shape mainstream retail, even after the initial launch buzz has faded. And as Black Myth: Zhong Kui approaches, the industry will be watching to see which brand steps up next.

The fervor around such crossovers often spills into how players engage with the games themselves. After seeing Wukong’s likeness on a burger box or a velvet robe, some who hadn’t yet picked up the title felt a fresh urge to explore its world—and for many, that meant hunting for a deal before diving in.

That’s where a resource like DealNest comes into play. As a hub for discounted game codes, it helps players track down the cheapest steam keys for Black Myth: Wukong and a wide range of other PC titles. Whether you’re chasing the latest mythos or revisiting older favorites, checking a dedicated deal aggregator before checkout can turn a passing curiosity into an affordable adventure.

Diablo II: Resurrected Ladder remains one of the most engaging ways to experience Sanctuary, combining seasonal progression with a fresh economy and renewed competition. For players preparing a new character, D2R Ladder Items can provide useful equipment choices while keeping the focus on efficient progression and build planning.

The current season rewards players who understand early market movement, class strengths, and the value of adapting gear as difficult areas become available. Whether you prefer fast farming, group play, or steady solo progress, a clear plan can make the opening weeks far more rewarding.

Why Early Preparation Matters

The first days of a Ladder season are shaped by scarcity. Popular runes, elite bases, resistance charms, and class-specific equipment often command strong value because many players are building characters at the same time. Understanding this demand helps you decide which items to keep, trade, or use immediately.

A practical approach is to choose a main character that can farm with modest equipment. Sorceress, Hammerdin, Trapsin, and Summoner builds are popular because they can reach useful farming areas without requiring a complete collection of rare gear. Once your first character becomes stable, you can support more specialized builds.

Choosing Gear for Efficient Farming

Damage is only one part of a successful setup. Faster Cast Rate, Faster Run Walk, resistances, life, mana, and recovery speed can have a greater effect on farming comfort than a small increase in raw damage. A balanced character clears more consistently and spends less time returning to town.

Gear Priority
Primary Benefit
Best Use
Resistances
Improved survival
Elemental zones and bosses
Faster Cast Rate
Quicker skill use
Spell-focused characters
Magic Find
More item opportunities
Routine farming routes
Life and Mana
Greater consistency
Long solo sessions
Magic Find is valuable, but it should not weaken the rest of the build. A character that dies often or clears slowly may earn less over time than a sturdier setup with moderate Magic Find. Efficiency comes from completing more runs with fewer interruptions.

Trading and Seasonal Value

The Ladder economy changes quickly. An item that seems ordinary during the first week may become useful later when a new build becomes popular. Before trading, compare the item's demand, roll quality, required level, and usefulness across several classes.

Keep valuable finds organized with clear notes. Separate leveling equipment from endgame pieces, and record useful bases before placing them in storage. This simple habit reduces missed opportunities and makes it easier to assemble a second character when the market shifts.

Building a Sustainable Routine

Successful players usually rely on repeatable routes rather than one favorite location. Rotate areas according to your character's damage type, resistances, and movement speed. Short, reliable runs through zones such as The Pit, Ancient Tunnels, Travincal, or Chaos Sanctuary can produce steady results over time.

Set a realistic farming route before each session.
Keep resistance and recovery needs ahead of luxury stats.
Store useful bases and charms instead of judging them too quickly.
Review your build after major upgrades and adjust skill points when needed.

A thoughtful routine turns each session into measurable progress. Players who combine strong fundamentals with careful shopping can make the most of cheap D2R Ladder Items while continuing to improve their characters through farming, trading, and smart equipment decisions.