ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights

 Switch
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 69 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 69
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 69
  3. Negative: 8 out of 69

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  1. OuroborosWings
    Jul 9, 2021
    5
    I really want to like this game- it's slick and stylish and feels great to play -but after beating the game and seeing the true ending, I find I'm just left feeling angry and unsatisfied. It was such a frustrating, cheesy experience from start to finish. The difficulty borders on abusive at times, not because it's impossible- it's obviously not, I did everything eventually -but becauseI really want to like this game- it's slick and stylish and feels great to play -but after beating the game and seeing the true ending, I find I'm just left feeling angry and unsatisfied. It was such a frustrating, cheesy experience from start to finish. The difficulty borders on abusive at times, not because it's impossible- it's obviously not, I did everything eventually -but because it's just so stupidly implemented.

    I mean, there's a boss that literally does nothing but run away from you and summon endless minions. Beating that boss didn't make me feel like I was clever or skilled, it made me feel like I had cheesed my way past a game-breaking design error. I felt stupider for having overcome it.

    That was the worst offender, but after the first couple of major fights, they're all like that to varying degrees. The final boss is the most deeply lackluster of them all- it literally does nothing at all unless you move near its claws, except cough up an endless stream of very tanky flying minions that can two-shot you. The fight is literally just a matter of trying to kill the minions faster than they can spawn while dealing incidental damage to the boss when possible. I felt no relief or triumph upon beating it- just this kind of disbelief that that's really how the game ends.

    This game wants to be Dark Souls- aesthetically and philosophically -and totally gets it wrong. If it respected my time and got out of its own way, I think I would really have enjoyed it. The exploration elements are so good! The music is great! The art is lovely (even if it is way too Dark Souls adjacent)! But the miserable, miserable slog that the game forces you to deal with to experience all this outweighs all the good. I can't recommend this game.    … Expand
  2. he110me
    Jul 18, 2021
    7
    Solid game with a neat concept, but a bunch of nitpicks that bring it down. It's not a Metroidvania. The world progression is incredibly linear compared to other titles in the genre, secrets are few and far between, and there is no "I'll come back to this boss when I'm stronger" ability. It's more of a metroidvania-lite a la Cave Story. The art is pretty, but it doesn't work well for anSolid game with a neat concept, but a bunch of nitpicks that bring it down. It's not a Metroidvania. The world progression is incredibly linear compared to other titles in the genre, secrets are few and far between, and there is no "I'll come back to this boss when I'm stronger" ability. It's more of a metroidvania-lite a la Cave Story. The art is pretty, but it doesn't work well for an action platformer. Everything tends to blend into a jumbled blurry mess when the fights get chaotic. Background and decorative tiles are also hard to tell apart from functional platforms and environment objects at times. Hitboxes vary from passable to downright atrocious. There are several enemies whose attacks will register a hit on you despite your character being well away from the attack animation. A specific example that comes to mind is a dragon enemy that appears in late game. One of its attacks is a aerial backflip which strikes the character with its tail supposedly. However if your character is in the path of the backflip but the tail has not yet passed where your character is, your character will still get hit. The damage is also quite substantial. Many of your own attacks will also hit enemies despite the animations not hitting the enemies. This is not something I consider acceptable in an action platformer. All and all I'm not sure if I'm going to finish the game. It definitely has its moments, and the bosses are a lot of fun to fight, the issues with the game are definitely souring the experience for me.… Expand
  3. Mardithon
    Jul 9, 2021
    5
    My favorite game of the year and one of my favorite platformers ever. I’m obsessed with finding every object and exploring every hidden area. Stunning artwork and haunting score. Truly original and a pure joy to play. It really doesn’t get better than this.
  4. Jerg4n
    Apr 27, 2023
    7
    Visually and music-wise it is absolutely gorgeous, bosses are great, but other than that it falls a bit short.

Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Best Switch Game of 2021
38
#38 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. PLAY! Zine
    Sep 9, 2021
    80
    While looking gorgeous and dripping with atmosphere, Ender Lilies may not be the greatest metroidvania when it comes to level design and combat. Thankfully, it is easy to overlook if you are not of the nitpicking kind. But still, make sure to use the game’s momentum while it lasts, since a number of its bumps may spoil the ride for some players out there.
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  2. RPGamer
    Aug 31, 2021
    70
    Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a solid game all around, with a fun and always evolving combat system, a well-crafted world with tons of secrets to find, and a sober soundtrack accompanying its traversal acting as the title’s highlights. A word of caution should be given regarding the difficulty, since both regular enemies and bosses can prove to be quite hard to beat, especially during the final act. The story doesn’t shine for its originality but still manages to be well worth uncovering thanks to its characters and setting, making this bleak but ultimately endearing Metroidvania a strong recommendation for anyone that is up for the challenge.
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  3. Cubed3
    Aug 16, 2021
    60
    ENDER LILLIES: Quietus of the Knights is the definition of sky-high potential gone to waste. At first it will seem like this is a flawless diamond. It is beautiful, it controls like a charm, and the story behind it all is mysterious and dark. The more you play, however, the more you realise that, under the wallpaper-worthy vistas lies something that leans more towards generic than awesome, with combat in particular slowly turning into a repetitive slog. Sadly, this is nothing more an 'okay' metroidvania.
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