I've been playing Hollow Knight: Silksong since it dropped, and let me tell you, this game is a time vortex. One minute you're casually exploring a mossy cave, the next you've lost an entire weekend to a boss that looks like an angry pillow. But how long does it actually take to beat? Well, that depends on whether you're a "just here for the story" type or a "I must find every single secret or I will perish" type. Let me break it down for you, based on my own painful, beautiful experience.

First, let's get one thing straight: Silksong is a Metroidvania, which means the game's length is as flexible as a gymnast made of rubber. You can sprint through the main story in about 20 to 25 hours, assuming you don't get stuck on a boss for three hours like I did with that one in the late game. (Seriously, that boss had more phases than a moody teenager.) But if you want to explore a bit more freely, expect 27 to 30 hours. And if you're a completionist? Buckle up, buttercup, because you're looking at 45 to 50 hours.



The Main Story: A Sprint Through the Pain

If you're like me and you want to see the credits without selling your soul to every optional side quest, you can beat the main path in about 20 to 25 hours. That's just Acts 1 and 2, by the way. The catch? Focusing on the main path makes the game harder because you're skipping power-ups and tools that would make your life easier. It's like trying to assemble IKEA furniture with a spork—you might get there, but you'll be sweating and questioning your choices.

And here's the thing: your mileage may vary wildly. If you're a platforming god, maybe you'll breeze through. If you're like me and you spend 45 minutes trying to nail a single jump, add a few hours. Boss fights are the real time sinks. Some you'll one-shot, others will make you question your entire gaming career.

The Completionist Run: Where Time Goes to Die

Now, if you're a completionist, Silksong is a buffet of content. We're talking 45 to 50 hours, and that's if you're efficient. If you're like me and you get distracted by every shiny object, add another 10 hours. The checklist for a full completion is intense:

Unlock the map of every biome (all 28 of them, because why not?)

Acquire all Silk Skills, Tools, and Ancestral Arts

Find every hidden area and claim all important items like Spool Fragments and Mask Shards

Finish all wishes, which unlocks a secret third act with The Abyss biome

Find and complete every achievement, including the hidden ones

That last one is a doozy. It's like trying to collect every grain of sand on a beach—noble, but slightly insane.



The Biomes You Can't Avoid (Unless You're a Wizard)

If you're sticking to the main story, you'll still visit a bunch of biomes. Here's the exact order, in case you want to plan your suffering:

Moss Grotto

The Marrow

Deep Docks

Far Fields

Greymoor

Bellhart and Shellwood

Blasted Steps

Grand Gate (only for a moment)

Underworks

Choral Chambers

Cogwork Core, Whispering Vaults, High Halls

The Cradle

That's 12 areas, but the game has 28 biomes total. So you're skipping a lot. It's like reading a choose-your-own-adventure book but always picking the same page—you'll still get a story, but you're missing the wild twists.



So, How Long Should You Take?

Honestly, it depends on what you want. If you just want to experience the story, 20-25 hours is fine. If you want to explore without going full completionist, 27-30 hours. If you're a glutton for punishment and want every achievement, 45-50 hours. And if you're like me, you'll probably fall somewhere in between, spending way too long trying to find that one hidden room because you're convinced there's a secret there. (There wasn't.)

In the end, Silksong respects your time if you respect its challenges. Just don't expect to speedrun it on your first try. That's like trying to teach a goldfish to juggle—technically impressive, but ultimately futile.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a third act to unlock and a therapist to schedule. Happy gaming! ?

If you're plotting your own Silksong marathon—or just lining up a few metroidvanias to fill the wait before your next obsession—keeping tabs on game deals can make that backlog a lot less painful. I've started browsing DealNest for discounts on titles I'd otherwise overpay for, and it's been an easy way to stock up on rainy-day adventures without draining my budget.

Whether you're after a sale on the base game or hunting for cheap indie gems to tide you over between boss fights, a quick look can save you a few coins. It won't unlock any secret endings for you, but at least your wallet gets a breather.

I still remember the first time I heard a 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 HO wake up. It was not a polite little starter motor whine. It was a deep, rattling, carb-fed growl that made the windows in my garage buzz. That was five years ago, and now in 2026, that memory still gives me goosebumps. Because here is the crazy part: this final big-block Pontiac is still shockingly affordable. While Hemi Mopars and LS6 Chevelles have become auction royalty, the last 455-powered Trans Am remains the blue-collar hero of the muscle car world.



By 1976, Detroit was not exactly having a party. Emissions regulations, rising insurance premiums, and the oil crisis had forced the Motor City to retreat with its tail between its legs. Horsepower ratings fell, compression ratios dropped, and even the mighty muscle car brands had to rethink everything. But Pontiac had one last card to play: the 455-cubic-inch High Output V8. It was not the fire-breathing monster of the early 1970s—factory numbers said 200 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque—but it still had enough twist to shove you back in the seat and make the rear tires beg for mercy. It came almost exclusively with a Super T10 four-speed manual, and the iconic Screaming Chicken hood decal was the chef’s kiss on top.



Let me tell you, the 455 HO did not just start. It awakened. It shuddered, snorted, and then settled into a lumpy idle that felt like the car was breathing. Contemporary reviews called it crude, and in 2026 that is probably true. But crude is exactly what I want from a muscle car. Small-displacement engines can be fast, but they cannot replicate that feeling. The 455 was Pontiac’s final big-block in the Firebird, and it carried a symbolic weight that no spec sheet can capture. It was the last time buyers could get Pontiac’s biggest engine before downsizing took over. In hindsight, it was the closing chapter of an American tradition.

Production numbers make it even more special. Pontiac built 46,701 Trans Ams in 1976, but only 7,528 were ordered with the 455. The T-top versions are rarer still, and the 50th Anniversary Special Edition came with that now-iconic black-and-gold Smokey and the Bandit paint job, unique stripes, and honeycomb wheels. I am not gonna lie: every time I see one, I get a little weak in the knees. It is a rolling time capsule from a world that no longer exists.

But the real story for me is the price. In 2026, Hagerty still values a good-condition 1976 Trans Am 455 HO around the low $30,000s. That is less than a new Volkswagen Golf GTI, which in 2025 started just over $31,000 and has half the displacement, no V8 soundtrack, and none of the retro cool. Let that sink in. You can buy a genuine big-block piece of Pontiac history for the price of a loaded compact hatchback. Here is how it stacks up against other legends:

Car
Typical value (2026)

1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 HO
$30,000–$40,000

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 426 HEMI
$200,000–$300,000

1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS6
$100,000+

1970 Boss 302 Mustang
$100,000+ for concours

That table is why I call the 455 Trans Am the most undervalued collector car of the 1970s. It is not a garage queen. It is a driver. Pontiac tuned the chassis and gave it a wider stance, so it actually handles with more confidence than many of its rivals. You can take it on a weekend cruise, let the shaker scoop suck in air, and feel the torque push you down the road. It is practical enough for modern traffic, as long as you are willing to feed that big V8. And honestly? That is the point.



Pontiac itself is gone. General Motors phased out the brand after the 2008 financial crisis, and by 2010 it was over. In 2026, Pontiac has been dead for more than a decade and a half. That fact makes the 1976 Trans Am 455 HO even more precious. It is not just a cool car. It is the last of its kind: the final Pontiac to feature the 455 cubic inch V8, a big middle finger to a changing industry, and a reminder that the market does not always reward nostalgia in predictable ways.

So if you have been dreaming of a big-block muscle car but thought you needed six figures, wake up. The 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 HO is still out there, still affordable, and still ready to rumble. Do not let it sit in an air-conditioned garage. Drive it. Let it shake the parking lot. Let it remind you what American muscle was all about. That is what I plan to do in 2026, and I cannot wait.

If you are ready to stop daydreaming and start hunting for a car like this, the search itself can be half the adventure — and half the frustration. Classifieds are scattered across a dozen sites, prices swing wildly depending on region and condition, and by the time you spot a clean 455 HO, someone else has already called dibs. That is exactly the kind of gap DealNest was built to close, pulling deal listings into one place so you spend less time refreshing browser tabs and more time figuring out whether that black-and-gold survivor in the photos is the one worth driving three states to see.

Whether you are chasing a Trans Am or just keeping an eye on where the affordable end of the muscle car market is heading, having a single hub for listings and pricing signals makes the whole process feel less like a gamble. The cars are still out there. The trick is knowing where to look before someone else does.

Quali novità cambieranno davvero Ultimate Team in EA FC 27? Tra una gestione della rosa più flessibile, nuove opportunità di personalizzazione e un’esperienza FUT più accessibile, il prossimo capitolo introduce diversi cambiamenti pensati per rendere ogni decisione più importante. Per chi vuole costruire una squadra competitiva e sfruttare al meglio queste novità, anche la gestione dei Crediti FC 27 sarà un aspetto da considerare.

FUT Gallery: una nuova casa per le collezioni
Una delle aggiunte più interessanti è la FUT Gallery, uno spazio dedicato alla gestione e all’esposizione degli oggetti collezionabili. I giocatori potranno organizzare le proprie collezioni, completare set e seguire i progressi legati a specifici contenuti. Questa funzione punta a dare maggiore valore agli oggetti ottenuti, trasformando la raccolta in un’attività più coinvolgente.

SBC semplificate e più accessibili
Le Squad Building Challenges (SBC) ricevono un’importante revisione. L’obiettivo è rendere la creazione delle rose più intuitiva, riducendo la complessità di alcuni passaggi e facilitando la comprensione dei requisiti. Per i nuovi giocatori, questo potrebbe significare un ingresso più semplice nel mondo di Ultimate Team, mentre gli utenti esperti potranno concentrarsi maggiormente sulla strategia e sulla gestione delle risorse.

Carte olografiche e nuove possibilità di personalizzazione
Le Holographic Cards introducono un nuovo modo di valorizzare gli oggetti dei giocatori. Queste carte si distinguono per il loro aspetto visivo e per le possibilità di personalizzazione collegate alla collezione. Insieme ai nuovi elementi estetici, contribuiscono a rendere Ultimate Team più personale, permettendo agli utenti di mostrare meglio i propri traguardi e le proprie preferenze.

Progressione, ricompense e Season Pass
EA FC 27 punta anche a una progressione più strutturata attraverso Season Pass, obiettivi e ricompense. I giocatori potranno avanzare completando attività nelle diverse modalità, ottenendo contenuti utili per migliorare la rosa o ampliare la collezione. Il sistema mira a offrire motivazioni costanti, sia durante le partite competitive sia nelle attività quotidiane.

Un FUT più moderno e strategico
Le novità di Ultimate Team non riguardano soltanto nuovi oggetti, ma anche il modo in cui i giocatori gestiscono la propria esperienza. Una maggiore attenzione a collezioni, personalizzazione, SBC e progressione potrebbe rendere ogni scelta più significativa. Per chi vuole costruire una rosa competitiva, comprendere il mercato e utilizzare con criterio le risorse sarà ancora fondamentale.

In definitiva, EA FC 27 Ultimate Team sembra puntare su un’esperienza più ricca, accessibile e personalizzabile. Le nuove funzionalità offrono motivi per tornare a FUT, sia per competere sia per collezionare e sviluppare la propria squadra.

Per chi vuole sfruttare al meglio le nuove funzionalità di Ultimate Team e migliorare più rapidamente la propria rosa, comprare crediti FC 27 può offrire maggiore flessibilità per ingaggiare giocatori e costruire una squadra più competitiva. Usa il codice “Specific” per ottenere l’8% di sconto sugli acquisti su MMOEXP.com.

After seven years of waiting, I finally sat down with Hollow Knight: Silksong in 2026, and my hands were sweating before the title screen even finished glowing. Seven years! I have changed jobs twice, my houseplants have died and been replaced, and yet Hornet still fights like she just learned I insulted her mother. I love it. I also kind of hate it, because Silksong launched with a difficulty curve shaped like a brick wall covered in saw blades.



My first ten hours were less a heroic adventure and more a series of polite funerals for my own confidence. Compared to the original Hollow Knight, Silksong shipped with way more enemies and environmental hazards that deal double damage. That means one stupid mistake stops being a lesson and starts being a full health bar disappearing into the ether. Unsurprisingly, unhappy players flooded the internet. The launch complaints got so loud that Silksong racked up more than double the negative reviews Hollow Knight ever received. That is an achievement, just not the kind Team Cherry wanted.

When Team Cherry announced its first patch, I read the notes like they were a love letter. The official list promised a slight difficulty reduction in early game bosses Moorwing and Sister Splinter, plus a reduction in damage from Sandcarvers. They also mentioned various additional fixes and tweaks, which I assumed was polite developer language for changing the font on a menu.



Turns out, the patch notes were hiding secrets. A sharp-eyed player on Reddit named TomNook5085 noticed that some hazards got quieter nerfs than the official notes suggested. After reading that, my buddy Luke and I did our own follow-up testing, because clearly neither of us had anything better to do than get smacked by machinery in the name of science.

Here is the part that made me gasp: the cogs in the Choral Chambers and the fans in the Grand Citadel both had their damage reduced from two masks to one. Two masks to one! That is not a small tweak. That is the difference between walking out of a room with a story to tell and walking out of a room as a ghost.

Even better, this means Team Cherry apparently decided to quietly make the game slightly easier without putting every change in the spotlight. Are there more secret nerfs hiding out there? Probably. I would not be surprised if some random thorn bush somewhere now does half a mask instead of a full one, and nobody noticed because we were all too busy crying.

I made a quick table for my own sanity:

Hazard
Old Damage
New Damage
My Feeling

Cogs in Choral Chambers
2 masks
1 mask
Cautious optimism

Fans in Grand Citadel
2 masks
1 mask
I might actually enter that room

Sandcarvers
Double trouble
Reduced
Thank you

Moorwing
Early game pain
Slightly less pain
Still a jerk

Lava
Lava
Still lava
Zero trust

Notice that lava is still lava. Team Cherry did not nerf the concept of molten rock, and honestly, I respect the commitment. I will continue playing conservatively around every glowing orange puddle because my reflexes are not built for 2026 speedrunning standards.

Speaking of those maniacs: some speedrunners have already beaten the entire game in a little over an hour. I have spent longer than that trying to get out of a single optional room. The fact that they can route around newly nerfed hazards while I still panic over one-mask damage says more about me than the patch. Meanwhile, platinum trophy hunters are probably thrilled. Every hazard change makes the no-hit or low-damage runs slightly less nightmarish. I might even chase the platinum myself, assuming I can stop falling into the one pit that has not changed at all.

In the end, I just think it is funny that Team Cherry made extra changes and let the community detect them like cryptozoologists finding evidence of a friendly Bigfoot. Seven years of waiting, a launch that felt overtuned, a wave of criticism, and then a patch with hidden mercy. That is very Hollow Knight. The game still wants to hurt me, but now, barely, it also wants me to survive.

If you are the type of person who studies patch notes before committing to anything, that instinct probably follows you into the rest of your purchases too. Controllers whose sticks have started drifting, a monitor that turns every dark corridor into a smeared grey soup, a spare memory card because you refuse to delete anything — it all adds up, and nothing drains the fun out of a difficult game faster than fighting your own setup. I have learned, repeatedly and painfully, that five minutes of checking before clicking "buy" saves an entire evening of regret.

That is the whole idea behind DealNest, which rounds up listings across retailers so you can see what something actually costs before you hand over your money. Whether you are finally picking up a game you have been circling for months or replacing hardware that has quietly given up on you, it takes about a minute to compare prices here and find out whether the deal in front of you is genuinely good. Get that part right, and you will have a little more left over for the things nobody puts on sale — like patience.

I have spent the last few weeks digging into Hollow Knight: Silksong, and I can tell you that exploration is both freeing and quietly locked behind some crucial upgrades. If you are used to Metroidvania rules, you know the drill: you wander, hit a dead end, and realize you need a permanent ability to move forward. In Silksong, the big gates are called Ancestral Arts. These are not something you equip. Once you unlock them, they are simply yours forever. Below, I want to share exactly how I got each one and what they actually do.

Ability
Type
Key Use

Swift Step ?
Ancestral Art
Fast run and midair dash

Cling Grip ?
Ancestral Art
Jump along vertical walls

Needolin ?
Ancestral Art
Play music to open special doors

Clawline ?
Ancestral Art
Throw needle and pull yourself

Faydown Cloak ?️
Permanent ability
Double jump

Swift Step ?



My first Ancestral Art came after I cleared two full biomes and finally reached the Deep Docks. I did not find it by accident. There is a statue on the top part of the map, but getting there took a little detour. I went to the right first, then followed a path up that looped me back to a lava area on the left. When I reached the statue, Swift Step unlocked automatically. This ability gives you a burst of speed, and while running, you can perform a higher jump that covers much more distance. I also learned that you can trigger it in midair. It acts a bit like a midair dash, though you will drift slightly downward during the dash instead of moving in a perfect straight line. That nuance took me a while to stop messing up.

Cling Grip ?



After I defeated Moorwing in the Greymoor biome, I entered Haunted Bellhart and then Shellwood. That path eventually threw me into the Sister Splinter boss fight. Once I beat the boss, I exited from the left and got near a statue. The route was not obvious. I had to drop down slightly on the left and then use a downward strike on a bunch of flowers to get back up. That little sequence felt very Metroidvania. Cling Grip changed how I looked at vertical spaces because it lets you constantly jump along any vertical wall. Scaling high walls suddenly became a puzzle of timing instead of a hard block. It also made backtracking in old areas feel much smoother.

Needolin ?



Not long after getting Cling Grip, I entered Bellhart again and fought the Widow. That fight was fast and aggressive, but beating it automatically unlocked Needolin. This one is a little different from the movement tools. Needolin lets you perform music at any place by using up some Silk. At first I thought it was just a flavor ability, but it is absolutely required to reach The Cradle area after you collect the three melodies in the Citadel. It can also open side paths in specific spots, like the bottom of Moss Grotto. To spot doors that respond to Needolin, look for a harp in the background and small holes in the doors. That visual language helped me stop wasting time on doors that looked special but were not.

Clawline ?



Clawline is one of the most important late-game tools I found. To get it, I had to beat the Trobbio boss in the Whispering Vaults, which led me back into the Underworks area. This time I could reach the Cauldron from a different side. The Cauldron was tough. It is a lava-filled area full of enemies that throw bombs, and the platforms disappear under you. I fell more times than I care to admit. Eventually I reached the spot where Clawline unlocks. The ability lets you throw your needle with a thread forward and then pull yourself to the needle. It covers massive gaps instantly, and it quickly became one of my favorite movement tools in the entire game.

Faydown Cloak ?️



Faydown Cloak is not exactly an Ancestral Art, but it is one of the permanent abilities you do not want to skip. It is essentially the double jump, and it helps a lot in late-game fights and opens numerous new areas. The journey to get it was anything but easy. I entered Mount Fay through The Slab, then climbed to the top through some genuinely treacherous parkouring. My best tip is to use Clawline on the suspended lifeform you see while climbing. It boosts you upward and gives back the Silk you used, which saved my run more than once.

Overall, these permanent upgrades reshaped my whole playthrough. Some are hidden behind boss fights, others behind platforming routes that demand calm timing. The key is to watch for visual clues and not assume a dead end is truly dead. Once you have the right ability, a huge chunk of the map opens up.

If you've conquered the toughest challenges in Silksong and are hungry for another adventure, hunting down your next game at a reasonable price can feel like a quest of its own. That's where DealNest comes in. It's a handy resource for gamers looking to save, and I've often used it to discover where to buy cheap games before adding to my backlog. Whether you're after another metroidvania or something entirely different, it's worth checking out.

Let me paint you a picture.

It is 2026, and I just spent two hours bouncing around Pharloom like a sugar-fueled acrobat. My target? The Pale Nails Silk Skill. My problem? The game refused to put a neon sign over The Cradle, so I had to earn this shiny little murder projectile the hard way. If you want to avoid my exact brand of confusion, grab your needle and follow along.

What Exactly Is the Pale Nails Skill?

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, Silk Skills are Hornet's flashy special moves. They drain her Silk meter, which is also what she needs for healing, so spamming them is a great way to turn a bad fight into a funeral. The Pale Nails skill is one of the best chase tools in the game. It launches a projectile of three pale nails that actively seek out an enemy, which is perfect for those annoying mobile opponents who think they can backstep out of your range. Grand Mother Silk uses a very similar trick against you, and I can confirm it stings.



Where to Find Pale Nails

You will not find this skill in a cozy little shop. No, you have to go back to The Cradle, specifically the arena where you fought Grand Mother Silk at the end of Act 2. After the boss fight is over, climb back up to that arena and look for the boss's hand resting on top of a rock. It is a bit ominous, but that is Silksong for you. Interact with it and choose to Bind. Boom, Pale Nails is yours. This is also the final Silk Skill you need for the Woven achievement, so now you can flex that completionist progress.

How the Pale Nails Skill Actually Works

Yes, the nails are homing, but they are not psychic. If an enemy leaves the screen before the nails connect, the projectiles will hit nothing. They do not hover forever waiting for a target to come back. That behavior is more like the Cogfly tool, which floats around and does its own thing. Pale Nails is more hit-and-run: fire, let them chase, and reposition. Do not waste it on an enemy about to teleport across the map.

Here is a quick comparison to keep your Silk budget honest:

Skill / Tool
Best For
Weird Detail

Pale Nails
Chasing mobile enemies
Nails stop if the target leaves the screen

Rune Rage
Crowds of enemies
Great for clearing annoying hordes

Cogfly
Passive support
Hovers around instead of disappearing

The Exact Route to The Cradle

You cannot just stroll to this skill. You need the Silk Soar ability, because Pharloom loves putting important passages in stupidly high places. If you already have it, here is the path:

Walk to the right side of the Choral Chambers, next to the Cog Core entrance.

Look up. There is an opening in the ceiling, and you will need a high jump or Silk Soar to reach it.

Once you reach the Architect Melody room, go right and try to Silk Soar upward again. You should spot a passage and can adjust your jump from there.

Eventually, you will land on the platform where Hornet fought Lace before the Grand Mother Silk encounter.

From that platform, use Silk Soar on the light to reach the boss arena above.

That last jump feels illegal the first time. I fully expected to clip into a wall. Instead, I landed directly in the arena where I had already won the fight, which felt a little anticlimactic until I saw that disembodied hand waiting for me.

A Few Warnings From My Mistakes

Make sure you have actually cleared Act 2 and beaten Grand Mother Silk. The binding spot is in the boss arena after the fight, so if you are still banging your head against her, you are not going to get the skill yet. Also, do not forget that Pale Nails uses Silk. If you blow all your Silk on these shiny homing nails, you will not have any left for healing. I learned that the hard way during a hallway brawl, and my ghost is probably still judging me.

Final Thoughts

The Pale Nails skill is absolutely worth the detour. It turns mobile enemies from aggravating pests into target practice. The route to The Cradle is a little vertical, but with Silk Soar you can manage it in a few minutes. Claim the hand, bind with it, and enjoy your new homing death needles. Now if only Pharloom would give me a map that does not look like abstract art.

Stay sharp, and keep some Silk in reserve.

While you are waiting for the next patch, DLC, or the eventual avalanche of Silksong-adjacent metroidvanias to land on your wishlist, it helps to know when Steam actually drops its prices. Store pages rarely make that obvious, which is why tools that watch prices for you are worth keeping bookmarked. One I have been using lately is steam sale tracker from DealNest, which keeps an eye on discounts so you do not have to refresh the store every Tuesday evening hoping for a surprise.

It is a small quality-of-life upgrade rather than a necessity, but if you play on PC and already spend half your gaming budget on indie platformers, having DealNest quietly watching your backlog is the kind of thing you notice only after it saves you a few bucks. Nothing complicated, just a heads-up when the price finally drops.

Hornet’s journey in Hollow Knight: Silksong reaches a significant turning point after the Blasted Steps and the Last Judge fall behind her. The Grand Gate is not just a colossal architectural barrier; it is the threshold into the Choral Chambers and the official entry point to Act II. For players stepping into this towering section of the Citadel, securing the Grand Gate Map early can make the difference between a confident descent and a disoriented scramble through mechanical depths.



Immediate Map Purchase After the Last Judge

Unlike many earlier areas in Silksong where tracking down Shakra is a requirement before any map is available, the Grand Gate offers an immediate purchase. After the Last Judge is defeated, the path forward leads directly into the Grand Gate. From the site of the battle, Hornet should continue moving to the right until a pressure-sensitive platform appears.

Standing on that platform opens a door to the right. Passing through brings the player face-to-face with the monumental gate itself. Just inside, a machine displaying a model of the Citadel can be inspected. This is where the Grand Gate Map can be purchased for 40 Rosaries. The process is straightforward: interact with the machine, insert the Rosaries, and the map is added to the inventory.



So what makes this purchase worth the 40 Rosaries? The Grand Gate Map provides immediate orientation within the Citadel’s layered pathways, benches, and hidden challenges. Without it, players may still find their way, but they lose the ability to plan routes through one of the game’s most vertical and mechanically complex regions.

Step-by-Step Route to the Grand Gate Map

Step
Action

1
Defeat the Last Judge at the Blasted Steps

2
Move right from the battle site

3
Step onto the pressure-sensitive platform to open a door

4
Enter the Grand Gate and inspect the machine with the Citadel model

5
Purchase the Grand Gate Map for 40 Rosaries

Descending Into the Underworks

With the Grand Gate Map in hand, players can safely push deeper into the Citadel. Continuing to the right after the purchase leads to an elevator. Activating the switch drops the lift downward, but the descent is far from smooth. The elevator jolts a couple of times and requires repeated hits on the switch. Eventually, the mechanism breaks, sending Hornet falling into the Underworks.

The Underworks is a dangerous mechanical area located below the Citadel. It is filled with hazards that punish hesitation, but the map reference from the Grand Gate can help players recognize key landmarks even as the environment shifts from ornate citadel halls to grinding industrial depths.

Unlocking the Clawline in The Cauldron

Deep within the Underworks, players will eventually reach a new area called The Cauldron. This is where Hornet can unlock the Clawline, a grappling hook-like power that is widely considered an absolute must-have for exploring the rest of the game. The Clawline opens access to new shortcuts and allows traversal through areas that are otherwise unreachable.

Does the Grand Gate Map directly reveal The Cauldron’s location? Not always. However, having the map earlier means players can recognize the transition points and avoid unnecessary backtracking as they navigate the Underworks toward this essential ability.

For those pushing through Act II, the sequence is clear: defeat the Last Judge, enter the Grand Gate, buy the map for 40 Rosaries, ride the breaking elevator, survive the Underworks, and claim the Clawline. Each step builds on the last, and the Grand Gate Map is the first key to keeping that journey from becoming a blind drop into the Citadel’s depths.

When you’re between runs and thinking about which games to tackle next, it helps to keep an eye on prices rather than paying full fare for every title that catches your eye. DealNest offers a straightforward steam deal finder that surfaces current discounts and historical lows, making it easier to decide whether to buy now or wait for a deeper sale.

That’s especially useful for metroidvania fans who want to compare deals on Silksong, similar indie action-platformers, or DLC and soundtracks without bouncing between store pages. If you’d rather spend your budget on more adventures than on full-price impulse buys, DealNest is worth a look before your next purchase.

Hornet's journey through Act 3 of Hollow Knight: Silksong is a hidden extra gameplay layer that only begins after players select a specific ending. Far from a simple epilogue, this route packs a surprising amount of story and combat, and one of its most demanding objectives is the Heart of the Wild quest. To claim the Hunter's Heart, Hornet must travel to the far east of the Far Fields region, a newly opened area that cannot be reached before Act 3 begins.

For players returning in 2026, the route can still catch veteran explorers off guard. Shortcuts that once made Hunter's March feel manageable are now sealed, and the area seems to remember Hornet's first visit all too well. The long way around is the name of the game, so players should prepare for a lengthy backtrack with a few extra enemies eager to interrupt the trip.

Act 3 Unlock and the Far Fields Route

The Heart of the Wild quest location is locked behind the Act 3 story progression. Once Hornet reaches the relevant point in the questline, the far east of the Far Fields opens up. The most reliable starting point is the Marrow. From there, players should enter Hunter's March through the only available entrance, because every shortcut is blocked.



The path pulls no punches on this second visit. In the first run, players may have relied on careful pogo timing, but this time Hornet has better tools. The Silk Soar skill can skip several troublesome spots, and a crest with a downward hit can turn the plunge attack into a reliable movement option. Don't sleep on the Silk Soar here—it is the key to reaching the eastern statues without losing too much health.

Crossing Hunter's March Without Shortcuts

Inside Hunter's March, the goal is to keep moving east until the statues on the eastern side come into view. Earlier in the campaign, that area was blocked. Now that Hornet has Silk Soar, she can super jump into the next section and continue exploring Hunter's March from the opposite side.



Eventually, Hornet will open a bridge that leads her out of Hunter's March and back into the Far Fields. From that exit, players should continue east until reaching a dead end. The route is not over, however. Hornet must drop down and take a much longer road beneath the obvious path. This lower route winds toward the Heart of the Wild arena, and it is easy to miss if players assume the dead end means the search is over.

Step
Route Action

1
Start from the Marrow and enter Hunter's March through the only available entrance.

2
Head east through Hunter's March, using Silk Soar or a downward-hit crest to bypass tricky spots.

3
Reach the eastern statues and super jump into the newly accessible area.

4
Open the bridge to exit into Far Fields, then continue east to a dead end.

5
Drop down and follow the longer lower path to the Heart of the Wild arena.

Skarrsinger Karmelita Boss Fight

Once Hornet arrives at the quest location, she can challenge Skarrsinger Karmelita. The fight does not begin quietly. Multiple smaller enemies attack in waves before the boss herself makes an appearance, turning the arena into a loud, chaotic test of positioning.

Players should treat the opening waves as a warm-up, but not a free one. The smaller enemies can drain health quickly if Hornet stands still. A good approach is to keep circling the arena, clear the waves with downward strikes or sweeping attacks, and save healing for the gap between waves. When Skarrsinger Karmelita enters, the tempo shifts. Her attacks punish greedy movement, so landing a few hits and retreating is safer than trying to end the fight in one long combo.

After the boss falls, Hornet receives the Hunter's Heart and completes the Heart of the Wild quest in Silksong.

Final Tips for the Heart of the Wild Quest

?️ Start from the Marrow: Shortcuts are blocked, so this is the cleanest route into Hunter's March.

? Use Silk Soar aggressively: It opens the eastern statues and skips older pogo sections.

⚔️ Bring a downward-hit crest: The plunge attack helps with both traversal and wave clearing.

? Check the dead end carefully: The real route goes down, not forward.

? Heal between boss waves: The opening adds can be more dangerous than they look.

The Heart of the Wild quest is a compact but memorable piece of Silksong's hidden Act 3. It rewards players who revisit old territory with fresh eyes, and the Hunter's Heart is a worthy trophy for those who survive the detour.

Once the Hunter's Heart is secured, the natural next step for many players is to see what else is worth playing—or to finally pick up a title that's been sitting on their wishlist. Steam sales come and go quickly, and keeping track of the best prices can be a chore.

That's where DealNest comes in. Its steam sale tracker makes it easy to monitor discounts and historical lows across the store, so you can spend less time refreshing pages and more time playing. Whether you're hunting for a deal on Silksong or something new, it's a handy site to keep in your bookmarks.

After Hornet picked up the Fastest in Pharloom quest in Hollow Knight: Silksong, I immediately realized this was not going to be a simple footrace. The quest log points toward Sprintmaster Swift, but the actual path to reach them is its own puzzle, and the three courses that follow demand a level of movement control that makes the rest of Pharloom feel like a slow promenade. I had to retrace my route through Act 3 several times, and by the end I understood why the quest is called Fastest in Pharloom: it is a test of momentum, patience, and the willingness to bend the rules just enough to survive.

Where to Find Sprintmaster Swift

Fastest in Pharloom marks the target on the far eastern side of Far Fields. However, reaching that location is not as simple as walking east across the map. Before I could even think about racing, I needed the Silk Soar skill. This Ancestral Art arrives in Act 3, and without it the Super Jump remains locked, leaving several obstacles unscalable.



Once Silk Soar was equipped, I approached from Hunter's March. Because Act 3 shortcuts can be blocked, the only reliable route was to enter Hunter's March from the Marrow, using the first-time path. From the bench, I found the statue and used Silk Soar to reach a secret route above it. That moment felt like peeling back a bandage from a wound that had already scarred over; the hidden passage was always there, but the game had disguised it as scenery. Heading right opened a shortcut into a hidden Far Fields passage. From there, I kept pushing east until a skull-shaped entrance appeared. Inside the skull lay Sprintmaster Swift.

How the Sprintmaster Swift Races Work

Once I entered, Sprintmaster Swift presented three challenges across three different courses. The difficulty ramps up after each victory, and the course geometry shifts from open sprints to tight, vertical navigation. During the race, Hornet cannot use any tools or items that increase her speed; the competition strips away artificial advantages like a straitjacket on a cheat. It is just Hornet against the master, with no extra acceleration. However, there is a small loophole: Hornet can still attack Sprintmaster Swift or hook in their direction. A single strike or well-timed hook makes the sprintmaster stutter for about a second, which gave me just enough room to slip ahead. I found this especially useful on the third course, where Sprintmaster Swift moves like a drop of mercury rolling across a tilted mirror, always threatening to escape through the smallest gap. The most important rule is smooth movement. The more silky Hornet is with her jumps, pogo strikes, and aerial adjustments, the better the chance of winning. This is not a race that rewards brute force; it rewards the player who can thread a needle through a keyhole during an earthquake without losing the thread.



Rewards for Winning Each Race

After each race win, Sprintmaster Swift rewards Hornet with an item. The rewards are fixed, so even if the race itself can be approached in different ways, the payout is consistent.

Race
Reward

First race
Rosary Necklace

Second race
Beast Shard

Third race
Mask Shard

The Rosary Necklace felt like a gentle nod after the first race, while the Beast Shard and Mask Shard made the later victories feel genuinely valuable. In my 2026 playthrough, I did not need to beat all three races in one sitting; the quest recognized each individual win, but the final Mask Shard only came after the third course.

Final Tips for the Fastest in Pharloom Quest

If you are struggling, remember that the race is not a pure speed test. Learn the course layout first, because some obstacles require vertical Silky movement rather than forward sprinting. Use attacks or the hook to interrupt Sprintmaster Swift at key moments, but do not rely on them as a crutch. The third course punishes hesitation, so keeping your aerial rhythm is more important than watching the sprintmaster. I treated each failed attempt like a practice pass, and after a few runs the movement started to feel less like memorization and more like an extension of Hornet's silk.

Chasing clean runs against Sprintmaster Swift has a way of sharpening your appetite for other skill-driven challenges, whether that means revisiting old favorites or finally trying a game you skipped. That itch often collides with the reality of a growing wishlist and a shrinking budget.

If you want to scratch that itch without paying full price, DealNest is a handy place to check. It rounds up the best game deals across storefronts and platforms, so you can spot discounts on Metroidvanias, platformers, and whatever else catches your eye after a few too many nail-biting races. It is less about impulse buying and more about keeping your next adventure within reach.

I still remember the exact moment I stumbled into the Passing of the Age quest in Hollow Knight: Silksong. I was deep in the Putrified Ducts, roaming east of Fleatopia, when a faint golden glow caught my eye. At first I thought it was just another piece of environmental polish, but no—Hornet had found something much stranger. If you're like me and you want that secret ending and achievement, this guide will walk you through my own journey, step by step.



How I Triggered the Passing of the Age Quest

The trigger is shockingly easy to miss. From Fleatopia, I kept heading east until I found a route going upward. Wall jump was enough to reach a cliff, but when I looked up, there it was: a golden glow above me. I used the Silk Soar ability to enter the hidden opening. At the end of that tunnel, Hornet can inspect a golden tablet. The game asks if you want to promise the wish. Say yes, and the Passing of the Age quest officially begins.



If you miss that tablet, you could wander Pharloom for hours without ever understanding why Mister Mushroom never appears. Ask me how I know.

The Seven Mister Mushroom Locations

To complete the quest, I had to find Mister Mushroom in seven different locations. The game gives you riddles, not map markers. At each correct spot, I saw blue mushrooms with yellow circles on the ground. Then I played the Needolin, and Mister Mushroom popped out of the ground.

Here is the full list of locations and the clues that worked for me:

Order
Location
How I Found It

1
Moss Grotto
The spot between the bench and the snail shaman's home

2
Bone Bottom
Where Shakra used to appear in Bone Bottom camp, before entering Act 3

3
Far Fields
The edge of Far Fields, where lava is present in the area

4
Greymoor
Climb the Greymoor tower, then find a route up to the Wisp Thicket near the surgeon Yarnaby

5
The Slab
To the left of the First Sinner's cage, where the Rune Rage skill is found; the Key of Apostate is required

6
Mount Fay
Climb to the bird's nest; Silk Soar can skip a huge chunk of the platforming

7
The Cradle
Reach the peak and pass the parkour test of fitness

The order matters. I tried to skip ahead to The Cradle early, and Mister Mushroom simply refused to appear. The riddles must be solved in sequence, one location after another.

Reaching The Cradle

The final location is the hardest to reach. From the room to the right of the Cogwork Core, I looked upward until I found an opening. Silk Soar let me enter the gap, and I was transported to a side area of the Cogwork Core. From there, I kept climbing.

Along the way, I had to remember three key spots:

In the room where the Architect Melody puzzle once was, I had to find the correct spot to stand and lift myself upward.

At the place where I fought Lace for the second time, I again needed the super jump, but the light from above made the spot easy to find.

After the platform where I fought Grandmother Silk, I claimed the Pale Nails Silk Skill, then found the small opening above.

At the top of The Cradle, there is a cave. Inside, I faced a platforming challenge—a true test of fitness. After passing it, I played the Needolin one last time. Mister Mushroom finally spoke with Hornet, then soared upward and disappeared.



The Surface and Nameless Town

After Mister Mushroom vanished, I arrived on the surface in a place called Nameless Town. I whacked some cockroach-like bugs for the Hunter's Journal, then played the Needolin at the big skull cave to receive a Surface Memento. The surface was beautiful, but I still had a job to do. I headed back left toward the spikes, found a cave, and descended into The Cradle. From there, I returned to Pharloom to finish the catastrophe.

Getting the Passing of the Age Achievement

Here is the part that surprised me: completing the quest does not immediately pop the achievement. You must defeat the final boss of Act 3 after finishing the Passing of the Age quest. Defeating that boss unlocks a secret ending in addition to the normal ending. That means you can earn both endings and their achievements at once.

So, if you are hunting the achievement, do not wait until after the final boss. Complete the mushroom herald's journey first, then face the end of Act 3. Trust me, seeing that secret ending makes the entire strange mushroom hunt feel worth it.



After all, that age may pass—and this shroom its witness.

Hunting down seven hidden mushroom locations is the kind of obsessive, rewarding detour that reminds me why I keep coming back to games built around secrets. The catch is that games like this tend to send you looking for more of them — and with new releases rarely getting cheaper, filling a library with titles worth exploring can get expensive fast.

That is exactly the problem DealNest was built to solve. Instead of bouncing between storefronts and price trackers to compare deals, you can browse a single, well-organized hub that gathers discounted games and current offers in one place, which makes it much easier to stock up before your next long adventure. If you are wondering where to buy cheap games online, DealNest is a good place to start your search.