Released in the summer of 2021, Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is an excellent Metroidvania, driven by incredible artistic direction and some great ideas. In short, it can help hold off until the big games of 2022.
Descendant of a line of priestesses, a young girl wakes up in a dismal setting. The pallor of her skin and the immaculate white of her outfit contrast with the rest: she almost seems to glow in a dark environment. Very quickly, she realizes that she is going to have to accomplish a difficult task, consisting of eliminating the corruption linked to a cursed rain. Luckily, she won’t be alone. Unable to defend herself, she can count on a spirit bound to a fallen knight. She will need it, given what awaits her.
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is not a recently released game. It got early access in January 2021, through Steam. It was then not until last summer to see it arrive in its final version, accessible on PC, but also Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series X, PS4 and Nintendo Switch. And I would almost regret not having played it sooner because it has such serious arguments – while waiting for the big releases of 2022.
A Metroidvania dressed in a gothic dress
What is a Metroidvania? It’s a video game that inherits elements that feed two flagship sagas: Metroid and Castlevania. Concretely, we are talking about an experience based as much on action (a lot of fights) as on adventure (a lot of exploration), not to mention a touch of platform (jumping from one element to another).
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a pure Metroidvania since it invites the player to survey an extended map, in order to find and defeat several key enemies. Once defeated, they give access to new skills that open up new paths to take. The recipe is incredibly effective, even if we can blame Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights its lack of clarity on the direction in which to go (spoiler: the map is not of appreciable readability either).
Clashes that quickly become demanding
The action RPG component of Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights. The developers of Adglobe and Live Wire are clearly inspired by Dark Souls to give birth to clashes that quickly become demanding. Indeed, the enemies are able to quickly kill the heroine who, to compensate, can recover several other spirits coming to inflate her very generous arsenal (after having purified them beforehand).
It is also possible to make two sets of three powers, to modify at will through the save points accessible in certain places. Another ingredient related to the RPG genre, Lily is leveling up to become more and more powerful.
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights did not take into account all the punitive elements of Dark Souls. For example, nothing is lost by going from life to death, other than starting over from the last resting place crossed (spoiler: they are often located near an important boss, which makes it possible not to waste too much time after a game over).
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is sumptuously scary
Note that the first hours are relatively quiet – for regulars – but that an immense peak of difficulty ends up being felt after the first two thirds of the adventure. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights does not really prepare for it, and it may seem a little abrupt for the less informed. Especially since the gameplay sometimes requires a little skill, especially as Lily gains skills. It may also lack a hint of flexibility (the dodges are a bit sluggish).
Aesthetically, Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is sumptuous. The art direction with a gloomy accent does justice to the genre dark fantasy. She is driven by an ultra-depressed feeling, which leaves little in doubt as to the fate of the Farterra Kingdom if Lily fails to do what it takes to save it.
The environments crossed are varied, with castles, churches, forests, corrupt catacombs and even prisons side by side. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is so scary that it becomes poetic and charming. Especially since the soundtrack contrasts with its almost astonishing delicacy. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights Also manages to be cryptic all that it takes: the dialogues are rare (and it is necessary to read them) while the cutscenes are distilled in dropper. They are responsible for revealing the story, fragment by fragment, which makes the game ever more captivating.