Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is an excellent Metroidvania game with very impressive visuals and music. The story brings little new to the dark fantasy tradition, with many of its elements recognizable in other notable titles like Dark Souls, Darkest Dungeon and Soul Sacrifice. It can be easy to guess the progression and ending after finishing the prologue for one acquainted with the genre. There are multiple endings but not all of them prove equally impactful. The A ending feels poorly executed, not elaborating the dilemma as, for instance, The Last of Us did. A significant part of the backstory is introduced in a fragmented fashion (clues in item descriptions, fragmented messages and memories) but falls notably short in both style and substance compared to successful examples like Dark Souls. That being said, thanks to the stunning visuals and music, the narrative is nevertheless memorable.

The gameplay pulls its own weight. The level and exploration designs are satisfying, although a few collectables lack hints. The combat is mostly smooth and rewarding despite some minor issues. Enemy-collision damage might be annoying for some, and some skill effects (e.g. Sigrid and skills that create fogs) can be visually hindering. Boss fights are enjoyably challenging except for Hoenir, Miriel and the Blighted Lord, who offer small and unthreatening sets of moves. Skills and equipment are intuitive and allow a degree of variation in gameplay. Achievements are all progression-, exploration- or grinding-based. More skill-based ones might be preferred.

Overall, Ender Lilies provides ~20 hours of engaging experience and makes a relatively easy recommendation for anyone drawn by its dark theme or Metroidvania gameplay.

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is an excellent Metroidvania game with very impressive visuals and music. The story brings little new to the dark fantasy tradition, with many of its elements recognizable in other notable titles like [spoiler]Dark Souls, Darkest Dungeon and Soul Sacrifice[/spoiler]. It can be easy to guess the progression and ending after finishing the prologue for one acquainted with the genre. There are multiple endings but not all of them prove equally impactful. [spoiler]The A ending feels poorly executed, not elaborating the dilemma as, for instance, The Last of Us did[/spoiler]. A significant part of the backstory is introduced in a fragmented fashion (clues in item descriptions, fragmented messages and memories) but falls notably short in both style and substance compared to successful examples like Dark Souls. That being said, thanks to the stunning visuals and music, the narrative is nevertheless memorable. The gameplay pulls its own weight. The level and exploration designs are satisfying, although a few collectables lack hints. The combat is mostly smooth and rewarding despite some minor issues. Enemy-collision damage might be annoying for some, and some skill effects (e.g. Sigrid and skills that create fogs) can be visually hindering. Boss fights are enjoyably challenging except for [spoiler]Hoenir, Miriel and the Blighted Lord[/spoiler], who offer small and unthreatening sets of moves. Skills and equipment are intuitive and allow a degree of variation in gameplay. Achievements are all progression-, exploration- or grinding-based. More skill-based ones might be preferred. Overall, Ender Lilies provides ~20 hours of engaging experience and makes a relatively easy recommendation for anyone drawn by its dark theme or Metroidvania gameplay.