Hollow Knight: Silksong vs Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Two budget metroidvanias, one 28-hour epic and one 17-hour tight arc — which pacing suits you?
Updated 10d ago
Hornet's pogo-and-dash silk kit moves better than the original's, and 40 hours at $20 is absurd value — unless you bounce off punishing boss timing.
The best Ubisoft release in years — Lost Crown nails 2.5D metroidvania flow with Hollow-Knight comparisons, but Ubisoft canceled the sequel after sales disappointed.
By the numbers
Prices checked Aug 15; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 15.
| Measure | Hollow Knight: Silksong | Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown |
|---|---|---|
| Value Too close to call | ||
| Price now | $14.99 −25% · Humble Store | $12.00 −60% · Ubisoft Store |
| All-time low | $14.99 | $8.99 |
| Cost / hour | $0.53/hr $14.99 · 28 h main story | $0.72/hr $12.00 · 17 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was May 2026 | +33% low was Jun 2026 |
| Main story | 28 h | 17 h |
| Health Hollow Knight: Silksong wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 89% 420k reviews | 84% 7k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 90% 4k votes · vs 89% lifetime | 85% 245 votes · vs 84% lifetime |
| Peak players | 13,722 Jul 2026 · ↑ 5% MoM | 651 Jul 2026 · ↑ 27% MoM |
| Launch peak | 3% of Sep 2025 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 | — |
| All-time peak | 462,134 Sep 2025 | 1,446 Aug 2024 · now at 45% |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 5 months ago | 24 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 0 in last 90 days | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hornet's silk-tool kit—pogo, wall-cling, and the needling dash—keeps veterans experimenting well past hour 100, with the movement system called smoother than the original.
from our August 2026 verdict
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
The fluid platforming and responsive combat make this one of the best Metroidvanias, with a rewarding difficulty curve.
from our May 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Hollow Knight: Silksong if
- You'll invest 40+ hours and enjoy exploring a larger, denser world
- Hollow Knight's combat style is your favorite, and you want more
- You're on Switch or PC and want a complete package with no sequel worry
Pick Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown if
- You have about 15 hours for a complete, polished adventure
- You prefer combat that mixes puzzle-like time powers with swordplay
- You demand a sequel and value a developer's ongoing support
Bottom line
Pick Silksong for its value and length; choose Lost Crown if you want a tighter, puzzle-forward playthrough and can accept its canceled sequel.