Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights was just the beginning.
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights was an absolute gem. In our opinion, one of the most fascinating and underrated Metroidvanias in the indie gaming scene, which still remains an absolute must-play for genre enthusiasts, as demonstrated by its recent outstanding success, having now sold approximately 1.4 million copies. A remarkable accomplishment for the developers, who eagerly embraced the chance to provide players with another beautiful story and further expand the saga.
During the Nintendo Direct, publisher Binary Haze Interactive and studios Adglobe and Live Wire unveiled Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, the sequel to Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights, with a dedicated trailer.
This decision is a response to the overwhelming love and numerous requests from thousands of players worldwide for a sequel to Ender Lilies, as revealed by Binary Haze Interactive CEO, Hiroyuki Kobayashi: “We teased a sequel to Ender Magnolia: Quietus of the Knights nearly two years ago, and we have received countless requests from our online community for a second adventure. It is an honor and a pleasure to announce our next title with the help of Nintendo during such a prestigious event. We have much more to share in the very near future, so stay tuned!”
So, without further ado, let’s find out everything we currently know about Ender Magnolia and anticipate what this new adventure from Adglobe and Live Wire has in store for us!
Lily’s Legacy
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist is set decades after the Rain of Death, in the Land of Fumes, where a once-flourishing country now sits atop a wealth of buried magic, inhabited by homunculi—artificial life forms created as the country flourished to pave the way for a brighter future.
As Lilac, you’ll have to reluctantly form bonds and journey side by side with an ancient homunculus, who will play a crucial role in the country’s demise. As the once-hidden magic beneath the surface becomes corrupted, citizens flee upwards to evade its grasp, leaving behind those lacking power and wealth.
The lore of Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist maintains the dark and enigmatic atmosphere of its predecessor, in perfect gothic fantasy style. Just like in the prequel, at the beginning of the story, our protagonist will encounter a key character, a guardian spirit who takes on the task of guiding and shielding her from the corruption and horrors lurking within.
In the footsteps of Ender Lilies
The gameplay mechanics revealed in the trailer for Ender Magnolia show a clear resemblance to those of its predecessor. In our view, this is a well-suited and intelligent decision aimed at maintaining a spiritual connection with the first installment, not only in terms of lore and atmosphere. In Ender Lilies, while the artistic direction and level design were undoubtedly the highlights, another aspect we particularly appreciated was the combat system’s design and the excellent spirit summoning mechanic. This departure from the typical combat phases seen in Metroidvania games is a smart and appropriate stylistic choice, but above all, it’s consistent with the protagonist’s physical characteristics.
So, we ask ourselves, why should the developers change a formula that is already effective and functional?
In addition to a new dark realm, brimming with deadly traps and entire legions of lost souls, Lilac’s mission will be to exorcise and purify the lost souls of the ancient homunculi. Once defeated, she can convert them into allies, expanding her arsenal to a total of 30 abilities (of which only 4 can be equipped simultaneously in battle). As mentioned earlier, combat will faithfully follow the mechanics of Ender Lilies. Therefore, it will not be Lilac herself engaging in combat, but rather her purified homunculus allies, who will undertake the arduous task of protecting her from the horrors that plague this world.
The summonings featured in the trailer appear to be even more diverse and and unique compared to those in Ender Lilies. Our impression is that if the developers handle this aspect well, the summonings and how players use them could truly revolutionize and redefine the gaming experience, perhaps even surpassing that of the first installment.
As for the lore, there were few details we could glean from the trailer, except that, similar to Ender Lilies, players will be tasked with exploring ruins, defeating bosses, and progressing through the story to piece together the fragments of Lilac’s mind.
The OST, just like in Ender Lilies, will be crafted by the excellent Japanese musical group, Mili, known for their exceptional compositions in Cytus, Deemo, and Goblin Slayer. The ensemble consists of highly skilled musicians and instrumentalists, including Cassie “Momocashew” Wei, Yamato “Hamo” Kasai, Yukihito Mitomo, Shoto Yoshida, and Ao Fujimori.
When will Ender Magnolia be available?
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist has been announced for Nintendo Switch and is scheduled to release in 2024. However, as clarified by the publisher Binary Haze Interactive, we’ll need to wait a few more days for further details, including (we believe) information on other supported platforms and a likely release date.
Additionally, if you visit the game’s official website, you’ll notice a prominent countdown in the center of the page, indicating that in 4 days, there will be another reveal providing further information about the game.
For now, all we have to do is wait patiently for further information. Furthermore, if you’re interested in Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist or considering adding the game to your wishlist, this is the perfect opportunity to play Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights!
That’s all for today. For more updates on Ender Magnolia, stay tuned!
