Nothing new, but there is some lovely texture in this dark fable.
Once upon a time, these houses used to be homes. Inside, jars and cutlery are arranged on open shelves, and books are placed on the kitchen table next to the empty fireplace. There are boxes, boxes and bundles of things-maybe clothes? -Huddled together, as if someone was going to leave. They wait for the owner who will never come back.
Today, most of these houses are in ruins. The walls have collapsed, and the missing slabs have left large holes in the roof. Sometimes, but not often, you will see a crimson splash on the broken plank and know that something terrible is happening here. The once warm and lively village is now damp and dark, only echoing the endless rain outside and the sound of your brisk footsteps.
The architecture of Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a clear reminder of what the end of the earth was before the rain of death came and destroyed the earth, flora and people.The people who once gathered here are now completely unrecognizable, transformed into trolls, skeletons, and pulsating beasts, seeming to concentrate on one thing and one thing; stop you.
Occasionally, you will defeat an enemy, because you have defeated them, they will be relieved-sad and exhausted-they will beg you to purify their souls before they die. In exchange, these released souls vowed to fight alongside you, although this sounds a bit strange-they must have just replaced one imprisonment for another? -Believe me, when you open more and more Land’s End, you will be grateful for their suggestions.
Of course, this crumbling town is not the only place you want to go. Although I don’t believe that the Switch version of Ender Lilies has the same visual impact as the PC version, it is a very beautiful game, only further enhanced with a sublime, lazy soundtrack. There are charming forests and underground mines, as well as ominous castles and water-soaked caves. It’s all dark, unwelcome places, dangerous environments and angry ghouls everywhere.
The only constant is Lily, which is a child with pure white light in the center of the screen. This is not a particularly novel conceit-the protagonists of Inside and Little Nightmares both bring a touch of color against an otherwise monotonous background (and arguably more successful in the case of Inside)-but it is still an effective choice, especially When you watch her for a long time, the white hair twists and darkens with every boss she defeats, as if every battle has left indelible darkness on her. It was as if she was carrying that burden—knowing that she must incapacitate the tortured soul and then purify it—with her forever.
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a Metroid-like Castlevania, this game requires you to methodically pass through a huge, interconnected map connected by open and secret channels. Just like the ones that appeared before—perhaps mainly the Hollow Knight and Ori in recent years—you will slowly unlock the path hidden so far with your skill combination, and when you realize that you can now jump high enough Always look back when you opened that box, maybe, or now you know you jumped into the water holding your breath. The map is vast, but not absolutely so, and since the fast travel system is unlocked very early in your adventure, moving between areas is not as frustrating as it might be.
She is a strange thing, but it is Lily. As the central figure, she neither said nor said much, just jumping, evading and spinning around the end of the earth, bringing the souls of the fallen to fight for her. When Lily is hiding behind them, you can summon the fighting abilities of a knight, crow, or witch to fight for her, or-usually-lie on the screen, avoid trouble forever, hoping to avoid getting hurt. It is not difficult to see why; Lily is not a strong opponent, and, due to the courtesy of a cold resurrection technician, she will only succumb to a small amount of damage.
Fortunately, she can use the relics left in this place to strengthen herself, and collect collectable fragments to improve her attack power and HP status. This is a perfect system, although you can’t modify it too much, because your battle and relic load can only be adjusted while Lily is resting at one of the predetermined save points around the world. Other collectibles-Blights-can also be used to enhance the power of your soul mate, you can customize and switch between two different configurations for this, allowing you to carry two kinds of equipment with you; one, maybe slow but serious The damage may be another set that can be used underwater.
I’ve written about my love/hate relationship with Galactic Castlevania before, mainly because my dexterity-or lack of dexterity-makes aerial acrobatics and boss fights extremely frustrating, but Andre Lily is more forgiving and possible than most people Is one of the most accessible people for those who are interested in this genre but have so far been postponed by those cruel, rogue death punishments.
It is described as soul-like on Steam, which is technically incorrect, because there is no soul collection mechanism, and there is no need to loot your own body even after you die. Every time you kill Lily, you will become stronger and stronger, which means that even if you collapse in a particularly cruel boss battle, the only progress you will lose is your position; your loot, relics, and-maybe Most importantly, your XP-will never be lost. You just need to start over from the last bench you saved.
Fighting occasionally feels slow, and you are often overwhelmed by the power and number of withered enemies around you.
However, moving in the world is not easy. Although Lily can jump farther than you think at first, dressing is an imprecise science. I often feel that I missed a jump not because I was bad, but because Lily did it. Fighting occasionally feels slow, and she is often overwhelmed by the strength and number of withered enemies around her. Some later bosses are also unnecessary tank damage sponges.
If you are looking for something that can be improved or built on the amazing work of Moon Studios or Team Cherry, you are unlikely to find it here. What to say? Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a surprising and fascinating adventure, it is carefully crafted and full of charm. Yes, it requires patience. Yes, it requires innate curiosity and willingness to ignore its occasional awkward control scheme. But I spent many nights wandering around Land’s End, staying up late than I expected, eager to unlock more stories and expand Lily’s impressive skill set. If you like Metroidvanias and are always looking for a new challenge that is not too demanding, I doubt you might do the same.
