Silksong Review Bomb: Chinese Players Overwhelmed by Baffling Translations

Silksong Reviews Plummet for Chinese Players Amid Translation Controversy In a shocking turn of events, the highly anticipated Metroidvania-style game Hollow Knight: Silksong has seen its review ratings plummet to "Mostly Negative" among Simplified Chinese players on Steam. According to data available as of March 10, 2023, the game's overall rating remains "Mostly Positive," but a stark contrast emerges when filtering reviews by language. A staggering 75% of Simplified Chinese reviews have been negative, with many players expressing frustration over confusing translations that detract from their gaming experience. The issue has sparked heated debate among players and industry experts alike. "I've worked on several translation projects myself, including the Simplified Chinese version of OMORI," said Tiger Tang, a veteran translator in the indie game scene. "The Silksong translation reads like a Wuxia novel instead of conveying the game's tone. It's jarring to say the least." Matthew Griffin, who handles marketing and publishing for Team Cherry, acknowledged the issue in a statement: "We're aware of the concerns regarding the Simplified Chinese translation and are working closely with our localization partners to address these issues as soon as possible." Background research reveals that Silksong's developers, Team Cherry, have a reputation for crafting challenging yet rewarding games. However, it appears that their efforts may have been compromised by the translation problems. Silksong's release has been highly anticipated since its announcement in 2019, with many fans eagerly awaiting the sequel to the critically acclaimed Hollow Knight. The game's punishing difficulty and intricate world design have drawn comparisons to other beloved Metroidvania titles. Industry insiders speculate that the translation issues may be attributed to cultural nuances and linguistic complexities inherent to Chinese language translations. "It's not uncommon for games to struggle with localization, especially when dealing with languages as complex as Simplified Chinese," said a gaming analyst who wished to remain anonymous. As Team Cherry works to rectify the situation, players are left wondering what this means for the game's overall reception and potential impact on future titles from the developer. Will Silksong recover from this setback, or will it be remembered as a cautionary tale in the world of game development? Current Status: The controversy surrounding Silksong's Simplified Chinese translation has sparked a heated debate among players and industry experts. Team Cherry is working to address the issues, but the damage may already be done. Next Developments: As the situation unfolds, it will be interesting to see how Team Cherry responds to the criticism and whether they can recover from this setback. Will Silksong's reputation suffer in the long run, or will the developer emerge stronger than ever? Only time will tell. *Reporting by Engadget.*