Soulslike Games are known for its unrelenting difficulty and getting used to the fact that dying is the best way of learning. So it's no surprise that the protagonists of these games tend to be hardened warriors, samurais or knights. However Ender Lilies introduces us to a frail little girl, just awoken from an eternal slumber as our main protagonist. A spirit of a strong knight stands by her side and informs her of the fate that has befallen the world outside. The whole world has been infected by the blight and she is the only one who remains in this decaying world. Even the knight himself is but a spirit whose only duty is to assist our protagonist aka Lily on her quest. And so it falls on Lily to rid all the poor souls of the blight that has infected them.
The world itself is very intricately built with each room holding plenty of secrets. And as you progress in the world and unlock new powers, new pathways open up for you and these secrets become attainable. New powers come in the form of spirits freed from the Blight, and given the variety of powers you receive, each player can create their own unique fighting style. Of Course there are main skills you unlock on your journey that are necessary to navigate different areas of the world, but to use them as your main combat skills is totally up to you. By the time I reached the end, my 6 combat slots were all equipped with main skills, just for the fact that they were the most powerful abilities at my disposal. However, if and whenever I were to start my second playthrough, I am sure I would go with a completely different combination of abilities. The combat itself can feel challenging at times which is to be expected of a soulslike game, but at no point did it feel frustrating. As the bosses become increasingly difficult the deeper you delve into the world, Lily’s progression and growth always feels natural as she too gets better equipped to deal with every incoming challenge. The platforming in the game is pretty standard and doesn't offer much in terms of a challenge. In fact combining platforming and battling can often have frustrating outcomes which is a shame considering the mobility skills are pretty fun especially in the later parts of the game.
In terms of Story Ender Lilies is excellently paced out with a heartwarming story. Lily is the last remaining princess of this empire that has been infected by the blight. People and animals alike have been transformed into monstrous beings with the sole purpose of getting in your way. Their existence itself is a hollow one, and it falls upon Lily to free their Blighted souls. With every major boss that you defeat, you are rewarded with a beautiful chunk of Lily’s past, particularly relating to the soul you just freed. One of the most unique things Ender Lilies does is make you feel attached to the characters you spent a fair amount of time dying to before barely getting the best of them. I remember the first challenging battle I had in the game was with this blighted knight named Gerrod. After dying to him around 5-6 times, I started cursing him whenever he managed to get a hit on me, and finally killing him felt oh so sweet. However, once I finished watching Gerrod’s cutscene right after, I was left heartbroken by the sad reality that had befallen the Elder Knight. My fiercest enemy in the game until then had already become one of my closest allies. This is a trend Ender Lilies follows right up till the end of the game as you free even stronger blighted souls on your journey with just as heartfelt a past as Gerrod. Each knight and warrior you defeat offers you their skills, to further assist Lily on her quest. Lily might have the strongest resolve around but she is still just a frail princess with no particular combat skills of her own. Even her basic dash involves her tripping over her own feet right at the end of it. However it is these nuances that make Ender Lilies stand out among the soulslike genre. Even though Lily is our main protagonist, she is never the one actually fighting, further establishing the purity and serenity of her being. Each of the combat buttons materializes the spirit of a defeated warrior/knight as they go on to perform their unique skills. These spirits become your most trusted allies and the strength of your bond with them can be felt throughout. One of my favorite instances in the game happened when I stood still in one spot for more than 10 seconds. All the spirits that I had actively equipped to my combat abilities appeared around me as if watching over Lily or maybe just to give her some company.
As a big RPG fan, I have a habit of exploring every nook and cranny present in the game. Feeding that compulsion of mine, it took me about 39 hours to reach the end. The game does not take a linear approach giving the player the freedom to explore it however they would please. So much so that even the end was something I randomly stumbled upon as I was exploring one of the rooms. However even after 39 hours, there are still secrets left to be discovered and souls that need to be purified. Given the players skill level and their desire to explore, the game can be finished with different percentages of completion. The world of Ender Lilies is hauntingly beautiful, and each new region invokes a completely different feeling in the player. In my entire playthrough, at no point did the gameplay loop feel repetitive or forced. It was a joy to explore the world, every step of the way. The music of Ender Lilies is commendable in itself. Beautifully composed, each track is tailor made to the scenario you are playing, immersing you deeper into the world. The game employs no voice acting for its characters, but the music is so well crafted that it becomes the voice of the world and the characters residing in it. I honestly wouldn't be able to do justice to how good the music really is in just a few words, so be sure to give it a listen.
However one of my only gripes with this amazing game would be its depiction of the map of the world. It feels extremely bland compared to the world itself which is overflowing with life. The map seems to lack any sense of structure, and considering the amount of times you end up referencing it, it is more likely to get you lost rather than help you find your way. Given how different each region looks in the world, I would have appreciated some distinctive features in the map too rather than a bunch of rectangles connected to each other. In the end it is but a small feature of the game and doesn’t take away from what is truly a masterpiece. It might not rank high in terms of difficulty among its genre, but it is definitely one of the most beautiful Soulslike games I’ve ever played and had the desire to see it through to the end. This is a must play for fans of Soulslike and Platformer games alike. This being the first game published by Binary Haze Interactive makes me incredibly excited, both for the future of the company and the innovation being shown by the indie sector of the Industry. Absolutely Stunning!
Review Score: 8/10
2nd July 2021