Hollow Knight Silksong: How to unlock Steel Soul mode
How Steel Soul mode works
Wondering what Steel Soul mode is in Hollow Knight Silksong? Despite the difficult and punishing nature of Silksong's main game, there's a permadeath mode hidden away known as Steel Soul. This mode doesn't change too much about how Silksong plays on a functional level, but upon starting it, you'll definitely need to play the game differently if you want to make it all the way to the end.
In this quick guide, we'll share how to unlock Steel Soul mode and everything you need to know about how how this new way of navigating Hornet through the dangerous world of Pharloom works.
How to unlock Steel Soul mode
There are two ways to unlock Steel Soul mode in Silksong: finishing the game's true ending or entering a specific code on the Extras page on the main menu.
The inputs that activate Steel Soul mode are, in order: up, down, up, down, left, right, left, right on the D-Pad. Fans of older games might recognise this as the classic Konami code, and if you input it correctly, you'll get an audio cue and the main menu background will slightly change.
Note that you need to enter the code before making any other inputs on the Extras page. Making any before you start code entry will likely fail to activate the secret mode.
How Steel Soul mode works
Once you unlock Steel Soul mode, you can select it when starting a new save file. Here's the catch: in Steel Soul mode, death is permanent. You do not respawn back at a Bench, and the only way to try again is to delete your save and start fresh.
You don't have a choice in the matter, either. When you return to the save screen, your failed Steel Soul file will be marked as "Defeated" and the only option is to clear the slot entirely. It doesn't matter where you die or how much of the game you've completed.
The main reason to attempt Steel Soul mode is to put yourself up against a much greater challenge and force you to play Silksong in a very different way. There are a few lore and gameplay changes hidden throughout the experience, but the vast majority of the game is unchanged. Groal the Great is still a pain in the rear, as are any of the other challenges that gave you trouble in a standard save.
If you want the best shot at taking on Steel Soul mode, you'll want to know where to find all of Shakra's maps and how to defeat all 48 of Silksong's bosses. Our full, 39-part Walkthrough will also ensure you miss absolutely nothing in your journey through Pharloom. Best of luck!
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