ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 121 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 96 out of 121
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 121
  3. Negative: 14 out of 121

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  1. Mivra3
    Sep 10, 2023
    9
    I don't think there is another game that combines Metroidvania and 2D souls-like in such a beautiful and different style. The storytelling is artistic, the art style is excellent, and the soundtrack is so, so beautiful. The action system has been average-above/average so far, the variety of bosses and the feeling that it will not repeat itself is very good. It goes on sale for a very goodI don't think there is another game that combines Metroidvania and 2D souls-like in such a beautiful and different style. The storytelling is artistic, the art style is excellent, and the soundtrack is so, so beautiful. The action system has been average-above/average so far, the variety of bosses and the feeling that it will not repeat itself is very good. It goes on sale for a very good price, be sure to try it.… Expand
  2. apokalipto
    Aug 28, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  3. Eyean
    Aug 5, 2023
    7
    A perfectly serviceable Metroidvania experience. Outside of the somewhat interesting spirit system, the game does little to stand out of from the sea of games like it.
  4. Sepherim
    Jul 14, 2023
    6
    Ender Lilies es un metroidvania que cumple con lo que se le pide sin aportar nada demasiado especial. El combate está bien, ágil y dinámico, con una cantidad razonable de variedad de enemigos. Además tienes un buen número de habilidades de combate disponibles de modo que puedes personalizar bastante tu estilo para estar cómodo, aunque con lo caro que es subirlas al final acabarásEnder Lilies es un metroidvania que cumple con lo que se le pide sin aportar nada demasiado especial. El combate está bien, ágil y dinámico, con una cantidad razonable de variedad de enemigos. Además tienes un buen número de habilidades de combate disponibles de modo que puedes personalizar bastante tu estilo para estar cómodo, aunque con lo caro que es subirlas al final acabarás normalmente centrándote en unas pocas. Fuera de eso y las reliquias que encuentras y permiten personalizar un poco más las builds, la progresión no va más allá, ya que la subida de niveles es simplemente mejores stats y no se nota demasiado. El plataformeo cumple bien, sus secretos tiene por ahí escondidos por si quieres rebuscar en el mapa, aunque hablando del mismo para mi gusto es un poco flojo como mapa y no todo lo útil que podría o debería ser. La historia es básica y simplona, demasiado para mi gusto.

    Gráficamente el juego está bien, un poco Dark Souls con algún toque mono aquí y allá. La música cumple para acompañar, aunque me falta un poco de música más épica para los bosses. Los efectos de sonido cumplen aunque no hay voces. Y, al menos en mi experiencia jugándolo, no me he encontrado ningún bug.

    Por todo ello, es un metroidvania decente para los que nos gusta el género. No inventa nada pero funciona. Un 6,5.    … Expand
  5. Mastereed
    Jul 6, 2023
    8
    WHITE NIGHTS

    BEFORE WE BEGIN: Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knight is a video game produced by Binary Haze Interactive and published on January 21, 2021. The game was completed 100% on Xbox Series X. SOME RAIN MUST FALL: Ender Lilies begins with a small visual introduction to the game world, introducing the player to the great evil afflicting the planet. Endless corrupted rain has    WHITE NIGHTS

    BEFORE WE BEGIN:
    Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knight is a video game produced by Binary Haze Interactive and published on January 21, 2021. The game was completed 100% on Xbox Series X.

    SOME RAIN MUST FALL:
    Ender Lilies begins with a small visual introduction to the game world, introducing the player to the great evil afflicting the planet. Endless corrupted rain has turned all living creatures into impure and immortal beings. The only salvation from this fate lies in the young white maidens, girls who can deprive the creatures of their corruption. The player wakes up inside a broken capsule, assuming the role of one of these maidens, Lily, the last descendant of the white priestess. From there on, the goal is to purify the still sentient creatures in order to restore what this realm once was, bringing back serenity and stopping the endless rain.

    WHITE ECLIPSES BLACK:
    This title faithfully brings all the mechanics that characterize a pure Metroidvania: different abilities unlockable throughout the game that open up previously inaccessible paths, a currency to upgrade abilities, various secret and non-secret bosses to face, and multiple paths that can be taken simultaneously. Additionally, Ender Lilies takes a lot of inspiration from Hollow Knight, with explicit references like benches and relics, similar to the aforementioned game's charms. The game's unique selling point and distinguishing feature from the rest is the type of attack available to the player. Lily will use the souls of purified fighters to defeat enemies, and it's possible to use up to three simultaneously, and six thanks to the convenient set swapping.

    PALE COLORS:
    The game's graphics are well-crafted, with different parallax layers that change for each game area. The use of muted colors to enhance the mood and devastation of this land is fully exploited. Furthermore, the visual effects add an extra boost to the gameplay. One drawback of the game is the limited variety of enemies and the similarly lacking diversity of the bosses, which are not very powerful or distinct.

    WINTER:
    The audio component is what stands out prominently above everything else. Most of the game's soundtracks are original and elegant. The latter adjective is the one that resonates throughout the game, contrasting with the chaos generated by the rain. The sound effects complement the visuals and enhance the game's combat, making it very fluid and entertaining.

    BUT WHY 8?

    PROS:
    The game, despite being a classic Metroidvania, adds a touch of novelty to the combat, supported by excellent audiovisual effects that keep the experience flowing towards the end without becoming boring or repetitive. Moreover, the challenge offered by the central bosses is balanced and entertaining, unlike the mini-bosses, which can be easily defeated with powerful abilities. The originality of the story context is well-structured and leaves room for curiosity. The exploration is also very interesting, and each map has multiple secrets, some of which are difficult to find. Additionally, it is highly appreciated that you can replay boss fights and engage in a boss rush, as well as the ability to modify all game parameters such as enemy and protagonist health and attack to create a greater personal challenge.

    CONS:
    The cons of this game are varied but highly subjective. Starting with the overly obvious inspiration from Hollow Knight and other Metroidvania games, such as Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, from which it borrows the combat style.

    RATINGS
    Gameplay: 8
    Music: 8.5
    Story: 7
    _    … Expand
  6. game1589
    Jun 23, 2023
    10
    THE SONGS , SCENERY EVERYTHING IS SO GOD DAMN BEAUTIFUL ,the jogability is good , the lore even though simple is so kindly and immersive
  7. Nabimeow
    Apr 1, 2023
    10
    30 hours on my playtime was worth it this the massive masterpiece you must try it yourself once
  8. Nitsan448
    Jan 15, 2023
    9
    I really enjoyed this game!
    I bought it mostly for the atmosphere, music and story, not expecting the gameplay to be amazing. But I was very pleasantly surprised by it.
    There are so many ways to play and customize the character. Many times I would be stuck on a boss, then strategize how to change my build to work against it and then beat it very fast. The fighting itself was also very    I really enjoyed this game!
    I bought it mostly for the atmosphere, music and story, not expecting the gameplay to be amazing. But I was very pleasantly surprised by it.
    There are so many ways to play and customize the character. Many times I would be stuck on a boss, then strategize how to change my build to work against it and then beat it very fast.
    The fighting itself was also very interesting, with a lot of different moves and enemies/environments that make you want to use all of them.

    The lore was also quite good and I absolutely loved the music.
    I feel like the sound effects were good, but were missing sometimes, especially in more cinematic sections.

    Overall I really recommend this game, it has all the elements Metroidvenia fans might be looking for, while also being creative and novel.    … Expand
  9. pcapinheiro
    Jan 4, 2023
    8
    Um bom game de plataforma metroidvania, com história bonitinha, chefes bacanas e bastante exploração, numa trilha melancólica.
    Pontos Positivos:
    + Visual e trinha sonora; + Bastante variação de inimigos e ambientes; + Muitas opções de habilidades e melhorias para equipar qual você gosta mais; Pontos Negativos: + Me incomoda a lentidão no movimento Ponto de atenção + Para ter o    Um bom game de plataforma metroidvania, com história bonitinha, chefes bacanas e bastante exploração, numa trilha melancólica.
    Pontos Positivos:
    + Visual e trinha sonora;
    + Bastante variação de inimigos e ambientes;
    + Muitas opções de habilidades e melhorias para equipar qual você gosta mais;
    Pontos Negativos:
    + Me incomoda a lentidão no movimento
    Ponto de atenção
    + Para ter o final "real", precisa praticamente ter quase 100% do mapa explorado e itens coletados. O game é bacana, mas isso faz ele durar muuuuito mais do que precisa.    … Expand
  10. Prietar
    Dec 13, 2022
    9
    Really good game, the visuals are gorgeus and the combat is really challenging, as a metroidvania is not as good as others but i really recomend to everyone to give a chance to this game
  11. Retro_Player_77
    Nov 15, 2022
    10
    Such an enjoyable Metroidvania with splendid graphics, tons of secrets, and fun gameplay. Definitely worth a buy in my book especially for those that own a powerful portable machines like Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and GPD Win 3.
  12. MetroidDatabase
    Oct 3, 2022
    4
    Ender Lilies is absolutely NOT a 10/10 game.
    There are a few things the game does incredibly well: graphics, music, and the dodge mechanic. The combat is also alright, but it's also its greatest downfall.
    I had such high hopes for this game but in the end, much like what you'll be doing the game's protagonist - a weak af little girl in a white dress - for 60% of the game, it just fell    Ender Lilies is absolutely NOT a 10/10 game.
    There are a few things the game does incredibly well: graphics, music, and the dodge mechanic. The combat is also alright, but it's also its greatest downfall.

    I had such high hopes for this game but in the end, much like what you'll be doing the game's protagonist - a weak af little girl in a white dress - for 60% of the game, it just fell flat. I got to the final boss and quit, because I absolutely lost interest.

    The game is one of the most grindy Metroidvanias ever made. But even worse, after you kill thousands of enemies and level up into the 90s, you STILL feel weak. The game gives you absolutely ZERO sense of accomplishment or empowerment. Yes, that's right folks, after 20-25 hours of playing this horrible lesson in frustration, you are still, ultimately, a little 14 year old girl in a white dress.

    I don't think anyone should play this game if they're looking for a good time. If you're looking for punishment, grinding, extremely confusing and boring level design with dark daaaaarrrrrkkkkk areas, a godawful map with no labels or text anywhere on it (they might as well not have given you a map at all), tons of enemies that can destroy you in 1 hit all the way til the end, extremely frustrating bosses that will take you hours of retries, and lore and a story that are just as boring, uninteresting and wretched as everything else in the world, look no further.

    For everyone else, stay far, far away. This is not the kind of game I will be spending my time on ever again. A Hollow Knight predecessor this game is DEFINITELY not. I honestly wish I hadn't even played it.    … Expand
  13. Myrlho
    Sep 14, 2022
    8
    Ender Lilies nos pone en la piel de una niña pequeña, una tierna doncella que, en un reino de caos y destrucción, tiene que superar pruebas para lograr su cometido en el mundo, y descubrir la verdad de su pasado. El tema es que, bajo tan delicada premisa, se esconden pasajes brutales, ambientaciones densísimas, monstruos abominables, y una estética digna de Lovecraft, que por cierto, nosEnder Lilies nos pone en la piel de una niña pequeña, una tierna doncella que, en un reino de caos y destrucción, tiene que superar pruebas para lograr su cometido en el mundo, y descubrir la verdad de su pasado. El tema es que, bajo tan delicada premisa, se esconden pasajes brutales, ambientaciones densísimas, monstruos abominables, y una estética digna de Lovecraft, que por cierto, nos recuerda a muchos fans de FromSoftware a la estética BloodBorne.

    En términos de jugabilidad, Ender lilies es muy rescatable, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta que se sitúa en el género Metroidvania.
    El combate es emocionante y frenético. Disponemos de muchísimas combinaciones debido a la gran cantidad de ataques que podemos desbloquear en el juego, y es que nuestro método de agresión es a través de espíritus, espíritus que vamos derrotando a través de nuestra travesía, los cuales podemos mejorar con esencias específicas que conseguimos en el juego, y que de la misma manera, nos hacen la aventura un tanto más pasajera, dinámica y menos dificultosa, además de un tanto más variable y personalizada, a diferencia de otros juegos.
    Dentro de este aspecto, la dificultad de Ender lilies está bien establecida; tiene una curva muy notoria, y, a diferencia de otros juegos, esta va en declive: mientras más avanzamos, más fácil se nos hace, al menos si es que tenemos sentido de la exploración. Esto no es malo en absoluto; este videojuego en sí tiene varios elementos que, a puristas de este género, podrían molestar.
    ¿Eres de los que les gusta moverse 20 veces por la misma zona para llegar a un boss, para devolverse a un rest, para regresar a donde tenías un objetivo? En ese caso, este videojuego te va a molestar mucho, pues dispone de facilidades como:

    - Viaje rápido desde el early game a básicamente todas las áreas del mapa (a medida que vas descubriéndolo).
    - Marcas del mapa automáticas, que nos muestran las zonas completadas al 100%, lugares a los que aun no hemos accedido, y zonas no completadas.
    - Gran cantidad de zonas de descanso para rellenar nuestras barras de vida.
    - Descansos directos antes de un Boss battle.
    - Botón de regreso en el menú de Start, para devolvernos al último descanso usado.

    En un inicio, estas facilidades me molestaron, pero jugando el juego sus 18 horas me di cuenta que esta es una intención bastante grata, para que no nos movamos innecesariamente por las mismas zonas, para que no perdamos tiempo en lo esencial. Nuevamente, es una decisión de los directores; habrá muchos a los que les molesta este apartado, y, en mi caso, el único que me termina haciendo ruido sin una conclusión concisa es del mapeado y sus marcas, pues no existe una forma de dejar marcas personalizadas, y eso hace que nos perdamos en muchas ocasiones, debido a que no sabemos que objetivo tenemos en un zona en específico, solo recordamos que dicha zona no está completada.

    Ahora bien, las Boss battles son espectaculares; si bien es cierto que se nos hacen fáciles al tener todas las mejoras y encontrando una combinación exacta para desafiar a un jefe en las mejores condiciones, no dejan de ser peleas sublimes, en las que tienes que ocupar todos tus sentidos, y estar dispuesto a aprender patrones, y buscar métodos de pelea exclusivos para cada pelea. Por cierto, el final verdadero me parece una auténtica delicia, tanto narrativa, como sonora, como gráfica, como jugablemente hablando.
    Por otra parte, el plataformeo y la exploración están bien definidos. Si bien los Power ups no destacan en cuanto a innovación se refiere, son extremadamente funcionales para explorar el mapa, para completar los logros y para mejorar a nuestros espíritus, por lo mismo, el diseño de niveles y sus rasgos puzleros están más que bien definidos y construidos, así también como sus ambientaciones, tanto estética como sonora.

    En cuanto a la música se refiere, Ender lilies vuelve a su premisa; la disonancia, la dualidad. Tenemos canciones extremadamente épicas y otras tanto sublimes como nostálgicas e icónicas, una auténtica belleza sonora.

    Nos encontramos con un videojuego que definitivamente tiene falencias: hay cierto desbalanceo en algunos mobs y/o zonas, inexistencia de voces para ningún personaje, no encontramos en ningún momento algún sonido vocal, solamente ambientación musical, existen también efectos de sonidos que suenan sosos o incongruentes con ciertas batallas en cuestión, por ejemplo, si le pegamos a un caballero armado, puede sonar un sonido viscoso, siendo una situación bastante incoherente teniendo en cuenta que estamos luchando metal contra metal... Pero esos son errores menores; Ender lilies como un todo funciona más que bien.
    A pesar de tener una historia enredada, este título nos otorga horas de entretención y desafío, que extraña vez se encuentran tan pulidos como en este videojuego.    … Expand
  14. hoviadko123
    Sep 14, 2022
    10
    Ender Lilies really reminds me of Hollow Knight with its graphics and dark fantasy art style but I have to admit, I enjoyed it more.
    First i will start with soundtrack, which is beautiful and unforgettable (same in Hollow Knight), story is also beautiful. I also love design of each area and design of bosses, every one of them is unique and they yield very cool, challenging but fair fight.    Ender Lilies really reminds me of Hollow Knight with its graphics and dark fantasy art style but I have to admit, I enjoyed it more.
    First i will start with soundtrack, which is beautiful and unforgettable (same in Hollow Knight), story is also beautiful. I also love design of each area and design of bosses, every one of them is unique and they yield very cool, challenging but fair fight.

    Now things that are better than in HK:
    First, definitely combat. Combat here is way better because you can obtain a lot of great and unique skills or let’s say purified spirits who fight for you and most of them are actually really usable in different boss fights unlike in HK.
    Second, checkpoint placement before bosses is actually here, which was lacking in HK.
    Third, fast travel is also a little bit better, because you can use more fast travel points here.
    Only thing, which is worse is probably map because it doesn’t show where are you exactly in current area but it’s not that bad.

    It is my favorite metroidvania so far and it deserves more attention.    … Expand
  15. NyanFish
    Aug 26, 2022
    0
    Такс, дропнул я игру под названием Ender Lilies потому это пиздец какая душная хуета, в начале было норм даже нравилось, но после 12 часов пошла какая ёбля собаки, в плане того что игра зависела не от моего скила, а какую атаку сделает моб, та которая меня шотнет или та от которой я могу увернуться, но ладно это терпимо и я ещё смирился и поиграл ещё часов 6, А ДАЛЬШЕ ЧТО НАХУЙ? локацияТакс, дропнул я игру под названием Ender Lilies потому это пиздец какая душная хуета, в начале было норм даже нравилось, но после 12 часов пошла какая ёбля собаки, в плане того что игра зависела не от моего скила, а какую атаку сделает моб, та которая меня шотнет или та от которой я могу увернуться, но ладно это терпимо и я ещё смирился и поиграл ещё часов 6, А ДАЛЬШЕ ЧТО НАХУЙ? локация на которой ты находишься и получаешь постоянный урон блять!!!!!! Так этого стало мало и они в неё засунили ебейших мобов от которых не возможно увернуться и которые убивают тебя с двух атак и ебейшим аспидом ударов (ну и конечно некоторые из них стоят в яде) ТАК ОНИ ЕЩЁ И ЖИРНЫЕ ПИЗДЕЦ и ресаются, ну вот и я сдался, потому что такая душка это пиздец нахуй надо, я лучше пройду чёт интересное чем буду душится… Expand
  16. Daitya
    Apr 30, 2022
    10
    Music, story, art and gameplay are perfect. Makes you immerse yourself in the world. I in love with this game!
  17. Verlassenheit
    Apr 1, 2022
    10
    I tried Ender Lilies on a whim and was continuously impressed by its gorgeous art direction, tense combat, haunting melodies, and well-realized world with a surprising amount of lore and characterization. Although hardly revolutionizing the "metroidvania" formula, Ender Lilies is incredible example of how engrossing storytelling, a wonderful soundtrack, and refined combat can elevate anI tried Ender Lilies on a whim and was continuously impressed by its gorgeous art direction, tense combat, haunting melodies, and well-realized world with a surprising amount of lore and characterization. Although hardly revolutionizing the "metroidvania" formula, Ender Lilies is incredible example of how engrossing storytelling, a wonderful soundtrack, and refined combat can elevate an otherwise derivative gameplay experience. This remains one of my favorite games to date.… Expand
  18. Leontorres7
    Mar 8, 2022
    10
    This game is gorgeous, amazing combat, the ambient is super immersive and so is the music and the art and color, there is something special about this game the way the implemented metroidvania formula is really well done and user friendly the map even lets you know if you are missing stuff in a certain area which I think is something all games like this should have, a must buy.
  19. Arserg
    Feb 1, 2022
    9
    Спасибо разработчикам за эту удивительную игру. Она прекрасна, удобна, интересна, даёт умеренный челендж, чтобы игра не начала раздражать. Рекомендую всем.
  20. cser
    Jan 4, 2022
    10
    The one of greatest metroid in this world. I like it very much. Game of the 2021 year.
  21. huntbryanm
    Dec 10, 2021
    10
    Great game. Not a fan of hollow knight or most metroidvania games. This one was different.

    The story was well weaved into the duration of the game and I like how much more important it became as you got into the later game. There was a lot of optional text to read which I thought made the game much better. The plot was well written. The music was very passive and eerily soothing    Great game. Not a fan of hollow knight or most metroidvania games. This one was different.

    The story was well weaved into the duration of the game and I like how much more important it became as you got into the later game. There was a lot of optional text to read which I thought made the game much better. The plot was well written.

    The music was very passive and eerily soothing while also sad. I appreciated how the music amped up during boss fights.    … Expand
  22. MowMow
    Nov 14, 2021
    9
    What an incredible gem. A very good game with beautiful art and a beautiful soundtrack. If you're a fan of Metroidvania games, this is a must have.
  23. Argenamla
    Oct 17, 2021
    10
    For me is the one of the best metroidvania I played, it's true that is similar to hollow knight. the music is a masterpiece and in the final credits the music is so relaxing and ejoyjable
  24. elibom1221
    Oct 17, 2021
    10
    The game is very fun and engaging, Music is spot on and very alluring. It creates a distinct atmosphere to locations even if there's only a handful. Boss fights were average still they were very fun. The difficulty is balanced and adaptive to the strong gameplay.

    Unironically, I like this more compared to Hollow knight (Hollow K. is still better technically, but there's something within    The game is very fun and engaging, Music is spot on and very alluring. It creates a distinct atmosphere to locations even if there's only a handful. Boss fights were average still they were very fun. The difficulty is balanced and adaptive to the strong gameplay.

    Unironically, I like this more compared to Hollow knight (Hollow K. is still better technically, but there's something within EL that speaks for me more. A sweet 15-hour game that can entertain and convey a simple story. Very good indeed    … Expand
  25. Osama7676
    Sep 23, 2021
    10
    10/10 soundtrack 10/10 boss fight 10/10 story
    10/10 art style Must play if you like metroidvania
  26. Juan525
    Sep 15, 2021
    9
    El juego es simplemente increíble, sus escenarios son extraordinarios, sus enemigos variados, y en especial lo que más me encantó del juego, fue su banda sonora, es lo más increíble y hermoso que he escuchado, lo único negativo es que el juego es demasiado corto para ser un metroidvania, y además sus jefes tienen un patrón fácil de descifrar, pero el juego es 100% recomendable
    No dudes en    El juego es simplemente increíble, sus escenarios son extraordinarios, sus enemigos variados, y en especial lo que más me encantó del juego, fue su banda sonora, es lo más increíble y hermoso que he escuchado, lo único negativo es que el juego es demasiado corto para ser un metroidvania, y además sus jefes tienen un patrón fácil de descifrar, pero el juego es 100% recomendable
    No dudes en comprar este hermoso juego, te encantará si jugaste otros juegos similares    … Expand
  27. DarthGabriel
    Aug 24, 2021
    10
    This game is literally a gem. Loved every bit of it, the art style, the combat, the graphics and soundtrack. Even compared to Hollow Knight it's just a lot shorter, but filled with high quality moments of fight and exploration. Even the dark and beautiful story is told in an elegant, light way that never bores. Hope the devs get the credit they deserve and give us a bigger sequel or a newThis game is literally a gem. Loved every bit of it, the art style, the combat, the graphics and soundtrack. Even compared to Hollow Knight it's just a lot shorter, but filled with high quality moments of fight and exploration. Even the dark and beautiful story is told in an elegant, light way that never bores. Hope the devs get the credit they deserve and give us a bigger sequel or a new game. Buy it, you won't regret it.… Expand
  28. Splinter
    Jul 29, 2021
    6
    It's an OK metroivania. Just don't expect high quality like Symphony of the Night or any other Castlevania for that matter. It's a pretty bare bones experience from a company I'd expect is pretty green. Not bad, just really not that great either.
  29. nickolaslr
    Jul 28, 2021
    10
    Loved every minute of it. Great gameplay, beautiful music and amazing art. The map seems a little confusing at first but you get used to it. Congratulations to everyone involved in the making of this game!
  30. pillowmantis
    Jul 26, 2021
    7
    To be perfectly clear, the game itself is not bad. Movement is pretty intuitive, with none of the unlockable mobility upgrades feeling hard to use. Combat is satisfying, and offers enough room for personalization that each player can find their own methods. The map could use work, but I appreciate the clarity in communicating which rooms still have secrets to find.

    Where Ender Lilies    To be perfectly clear, the game itself is not bad. Movement is pretty intuitive, with none of the unlockable mobility upgrades feeling hard to use. Combat is satisfying, and offers enough room for personalization that each player can find their own methods. The map could use work, but I appreciate the clarity in communicating which rooms still have secrets to find.

    Where Ender Lilies falls flat, in my opinion, is its presentation. People call it a mix of Hollow Knight and Dark Souls, but it felt more like a reheated meatloaf of the two. Tastes good, but lacks memorable charm. Storywise, I was interested at first, before I knew what was going on. But as I discovered the lore, it turned out to be a lot of reused concepts from its main inspirations. They were executed competently enough, but a copy is still a copy. It simply didn't feel as meaningful the second time around.

    The bosses, with a few exceptions, are generic knights that fail to leave much of an impression. The flash of red that almost every attack in the game is preceded by hurts their memorability, since you spend less time actually examining foes and learning their animations than you do simply reacting to the color red with a quick dodge or parry.

    Despite the plethora of unlockable attack abilities, called spirits, you won't wind up using most of them more than once. Since you need collectable resources to upgrade them, a player will naturally only want to stick to the ones they've upgraded even if they get a cool new one. On top of this, each change in spirit composition necessitates a period of relearning muscle memory. While I appreciate what they were going for with the system, it still ultimately harmed my experience.

    The art style and environments look pretty, but in that generic soulslike gothic way that doesn't stand out. Even now, only a day after 100% completing it, I wouldn't be able to describe most of the locations in great detail. This is despite combing through the world several times to obtain every last optional item and scrap of lore.

    As for the music... I was disappointed. I like MILI, so I was really looking forward to the OST. But even now, looking at the OST on its own, barely any of it actually stands out. I wouldn't be able to tell you when these songs actually play in the game, and most of the boss music seems to be going for the Dark Souls "Gwyn's Theme" vibe. That would be fine, if it wasn't EVERY SINGLE BOSS THEME. When all the music has the exact same feeling to it, no tracks really get a chance to stick in the mind.

    Jumping back to the combat, a lot of the basic enemies are very uninspired. Throughout the entire game there are these slime things that just walk at you slowly and periodically leap forwards. Generic zombie archers shoot at you unerringly, only really a threat when one is busy with another enemy. The unique enemies for each area, meanwhile, almost all fall prey to the simple strategy of dodging into their body when red flashes and then hitting them. Repeat until dead. As I said earlier, if it weren't for the flashes of red it might be more interesting. But since the actual animations barely matter to learning their moves and timing they all end up feeling the same aside from how tanky and damaging they are.

    For someone that wants an easier game in the genre, I would heartily recommend Ender Lilies. In fact, I think it's a great introduction to the genre. But, having played far more interesting titles with far more interesting stories and settings, I can't say I really enjoyed it. Oftentimes I'd find myself wishing I was playing Blasphemous or Hollow Knight instead.

    If I were to rate this game more accurately, I would probably call it a 7.5/10. A fun way to spend your time, but not one that you'd keep coming back to.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Best PC Game of 2021
52
#52 Most Discussed PC Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. RPG Site
    Oct 4, 2021
    90
    Ender Lilies is an emotional sidescroller RPG with a well-told compelling story, beautiful music & art, and solid gameplay. Its hauntingly beautiful style and satisfying world more than makes up for some slight combat blemishes, leaving a lasting impression as one of the most remarkable games of its kind.
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  2. CD-Action
    Sep 1, 2021
    90
    Ender Lilies is one of the best metroidvanias of recent years. What immediately caught my attention was its unusual combat system based on summoning spirits that attack your enemies, but I also enjoyed the dark, oneiric and slightly melancholic atmosphere of this beautiful, varied world. Hunting down bosses, discovering shortcuts, and a checkpoint system that resembles Dark Souls’ bonfires give Ender Lilies a distinct soulslike aftertaste. [09/2021, p.64]
  3. IGN Japan
    Aug 30, 2021
    90
    Ender Lilies is a game that might not have any revolutionary mechanics, but its graphics, music, battles, exploration and worldbuilding all contribute to an experience that has more polish than almost any other game in the action RPG genre. While the leap in difficulty near the end can definitely be overwhelming, the beautiful graphics and stellar presentation provide multiple fantastic moments and heart-pounding fights you won’t forget any time soon.
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