Just how many Metroidvanias is too many? It really feels at this point like the Switch is being completely overloaded with titles from the genre, but if we continue to receive quality experiences like Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights, then that’s a-okay with us!
Despite its odd title (which is also a blatant nod to the stone-cold classic Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and its spiritual successor Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night), Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a strong take on the genre with a heavy focus on mood and tone above all else. It’s a sombre tale with visuals and audio to match, but make no mistake, it’s also chock full of challenging combat and vicious boss characters.
You take on the role of Lily, a Priestess who awakens in ‘Land’s End’, a dark, desolate kingdom that’s fallen under a curse known as Blight. The kingdom’s inhabitants - from brave knights to humble shopkeepers - have been transformed into grotesque creatures, and it’s up to Lily to purify and save their spirits.
On her own, Lily is completely devoid of any offensive abilities. She can run, dodge and jump just fine, but will cower in fear at the sight of the deadly ‘Blighted’; she is a child, after all. To rectify this she is joined by the Umbral Knight, the first of many spirits that join forces with Lily throughout her quest. Though invisible for the majority of the time, the Umbral Knight steps up to unleash a torrent of sword attacks whenever Lily commands it; this forms the basis of the game’s combat.
As you defeat the boss characters littered throughout the land, Lily is then able to purify and take on the enemy’s spirit, thus utilising their core ability to her advantage. This could be a giant hammer attack, a crow that fires long-range projectiles towards enemies, or simply the ability to swim underwater. You can wield up to six different spirits at once, split up into two groups of three that you can swap between at the press of a button. In essence, it’s similar to how Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night dealt with its own combat but, dare we say, Ender Lilies has actually surpassed this with a more elegant, customisable approach.
As you progress through the game you can also obtain certain items organically as you wander the twisting, labyrinthine environments. These items can be used to upgrade your spirits, boosting their effectiveness permanently. Additionally, relics can be obtained which grant specific perks such as improved attack power or an additional healing slot. These can be tricky to find but getting around the world is much easier as you progress, with an added fast travel feature to help you out.
Experimenting with different spirit sets is certainly encouraged, as Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is absolutely no pushover when it comes to difficulty. There’s definitely a certain Souls-like approach to the combat; while one enemy rarely poses much of a threat, a group of them together can easily overwhelm Lily if you’re not smart with your spirit abilities. Running in and button mashing rarely (if ever) works out; you’ll need to take a more cautious approach, wait for the enemies to run through their attack cycles, and swoop in to counter.
This is even more relevant when you come to the boss battles. Boss characters mainly follow a clear pattern of attacks, but as you chip away at their health they’ll gain additional strength as the battle progresses, boosting their attack power and shaking up their move sets. Dodging is absolutely essential to surviving these encounters, and thankfully the game places a save point near each boss, so you’re free to switch up your spirit abilities if your current load-out isn’t paying off.
Not only does the combat take some cues from Dark Souls, but the way the story is drip-fed via notes and environmental storytelling is very similar to the From Software classic. To be clear though, this isn’t a knock on the game at all; the focus on tone as you explore is absolutely exemplary, and it makes you want to go back and explore every possible nook and cranny, if not for useful items, then certainly for the extra scraps of information.
To bolster this, the game features a stellar soundtrack with a wide range of instrumental tracks, from sombre piano melodies to epic orchestral pieces. We’re not ashamed to admit that we had a track called ‘Harmonious’ stuck in our heads long after putting the game down; it’s certainly the kind of soundtrack that we’d be quite happy to stick on in the background during work hours.
The same care has also gone into the game’s visuals. While strictly limited to two dimensions, this only serves to benefit the fantastic art design on display. Everything from the intimidating enemy design right down to the ambient glow of the environmental fauna has been handled with incredible attention to detail. When you consider how poor a title like Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night looked at launch (on the Switch, at least), Ender Lilies is frankly head and shoulders above it.
Having said that, there are minor frame rate dips at numerous points in the game. It’s never severe enough to disrupt combat sessions or hinder your progress, but when the majority of the game runs at a smooth 60fps the dips stick out like a sore thumb. Nevertheless, this feels like a bit of a nitpick in the grand scheme of things; by and large, the game is a visual and auditory treat, with excellent gameplay binding the experience together.
Conclusion
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is one of the strongest Metroidvanias of 2021, and easily one of the best examples of the genre on Switch to date. It boasts excellent visuals throughout, with bursts of colour lighting up the otherwise dreary kingdom, and a wonderful soundtrack that we guarantee will live rent-free in your head for hours. All of this is held together by strong gameplay, with a particular focus on customisable load-outs via the spirit abilities. It’s a tough game at times, and the minor frame rate dips hold it back from true greatness, but with a respectable playtime of roughly 15 hours this is an experience you’ll be glad to try out.
Comments 70
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I really don't see the problem with the genre being so popular and having more options to choose. If the person is tired of the genre then simply don't play these kind of games anymore.
@SwitchForce
It’s on other platforms...or did you mean that you want a physical copy?
It's crazy to think that not so long ago lots of people (me included) were bemoaning the fact that Metroidvanias were being neglected (with both Metroid and Castlevania MIA). I love the renaissance the genre is going through. Loads of great modern options. I agree with Roy130; more quality games can never be a bad thing. If this isn't for you then just skip it and play something else.
@SwitchForce If you’re willing to fund indie developers so that they can afford a physical run then go ahead.
Hadn't even heard of the game until now. Sounds terrific from the review. I'll be giving this a closer look!
@SwitchForce that's stupid. It costs a lot of money to do physical games, especially for a small developer. The risk is too high, if the game doesn't sell well it could bankrupt them.
If the review is accurate, then this game sounds like it’s doing everything it can to stand out on its own. Might give this a go when I get home, on PC, of course. If it’s good there and seems engaging then I’ll get the Switch version, later.
@SwitchForce I mean, that’s like 90% of games now
As long as they’re good give me more. I’ve heard amazing things about this game. Hollow Knight is one of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had it’s so good and controls so tightly. I just finished the first Ori game and can’t wait to start the second.
This kind of reminds me of some of the GBA Castlevanias or Bloodstained where certain abilities would summon a creature to do just a quick attack. It’s an interesting idea to have that be the main attacking method.
@SwitchForce Yeah, why stop at not supporting a small indie developer making great games solely on the medium that they can afford to distribute their game, may as well also give them bomb reviews for it too.
@Shadowthrone @Automated_Unit_4937
@Nessisonett To be fair, they are killing it on Steam, with 7000+ positive reviews after only being out since the 21st. If they want to go physical, I’m sure they can afford a limited run release. Sounds like the game is a sleeper hit, already!
I'm stuck on the Gerrod, the Elder Warrior boss. Frustrating
This is a really fun game. I just got the "bad ending" and need to go back through and explore some more.
For some reason I’ve had low expectations for this one. I’m glad I was wrong.
You can't have too many of a genre. I mean, I read reviews or check videos to help me avoid stuff that's uninspired.
Was waiting to see the reviews on this one, still not sold on it due to the Dark Souls comparison. Salt and Sanctuary wasn’t so fun for me, though I slogged through it, but Hollow Knight is one of my favorite games on Switch. This is an instance where, despite the positive reviews, I may still wait for a sale. I really like the art work though and would love to give full support to the developer. Hmm. Thinking about it.
Dammit. Smelter or this?
@Deady same, it reminded me of Gleamlight.
Glad it turned out for the better! One can never have enough good metroidvanias.
This gave me Momodora vibes, I was interested in it the moment i saw it. I'm glad it got a good review here, I think I may get it!
Looks really good, but noticeable framedrops are kinda a dealbreaker in anything action-adjacent when there are superior versions available. Seems like a great fit for the Switch, but I just might grab the PC version and play on my Laptop - less compromise this way. That Switch Pro would have really come in handy by now 🤷♂️
I was gonna pass on this but now I'm rethinking that. With so many metroidvanias it's hard to know which ones stand out or are worthy of your time.
People keep making these games because they're easier to make and program. Just like anyone can be a musician these days just by talking with a nasal voice over a crappy "beat". No creativity involved; just imitation.
@Kevember
Depends on your definition of easy, I guess. Surely, Super Metroid and Dragon’s Trap style games are more tedious to map out then simpler contained or gated level by level platformers.
Yeah I'll buy this.
@Kevember That’s a great comparison, I never thought of that. I think this game might look good though, as it seems to be trying to do it’s best to be unique. I plan on trying the Steam version later today, so I can refund it before the 2 hour time limit if it’s really bad.
@Ralek85 I'm usually turned off by frame drops and haven't noticed any in this game. I think they're very small. Hades is much worse than this game, so if you could play that on Switch this is much better.
@benchan I made the same comment a while ago. Constantly comparing every game to Zelda and Metroid can only lead to disappointment down the road.
@roy130390 That's what I say. And there are so many titles in this genre because there's a huge target audience for them
"easily one of the best examples of the genre on Switch to date". Considering the Switch is full of metroidvanias, that's excellent news!
Gonna pick it up!!
@BloodNinja Perhaps the devs want to pay themselves in lieu of spending heaps of money on physical releases that is completely unnecessary when digital is just fine...
As a metroidvania addict, this is a no-brainer. I was simply just waiting for the NL review.
This came out of nowhere. Looks good, I guess I'll add it to the massive stack of games to purchase over the next 30 days : /
Well that's one more Metroidvania for me to play someday. I hadn't even finished the other hundreds.
@Deady same here. I initially thought it looked terrible in the Indie World showcase, but I’ll have to give it a go- I love a good metroidvania.
“We’re not ashamed to admit that we had a track called ‘Harmonious’ stuck in our heads long after putting the game down”
That’s good. Because why would you be ashamed of that?
@TMNHertl I wouldn’t presume to know how they want to spend their money.
It really is kind of funny and amazing to see the Metroidvania genre have such a resurgence. I plan to enjoy riding this wave for as long as it lasts!!
Also can I just say it’s REFRESHING that the Steam page has no mention of “Metroidvania” in their description? 2D Action RPG. Freaking BAM
The fact is that there are tons of new games being made, period. It's only natural with so many new developers nowadays that there will be quite a few making games in this genre. Thankfully there are a lot of excellent examples in the past few years.
I might just have to check this one out.
This game stands on it's own in so many ways. The story will tug at your heart, literally, the mechanics and gameplay are so so good! It's moody as heck and oh that soundtrack can be haunting as hell!! This is an incredibly polished game and it deserves the 9 it got!!
I only bought this game because my favorite musical group, Mili did the soundtrack for it. If I'm being totally honest, I thought the game itself was going to suck.
Having played it though, not only is the music as great as I hoped it would be, the game itself is really enjoyable as well!
@BloodNinja Clearly not.
This looks amazing, adding to my wish list. 15 hours is a little on the short end but I couldn't trek through the 60 hours of Hollow Knight so actually kind of excited for a shorter experience in the genre.
I wonder if this has HDR support on PC. If so I'll have to go that route, as badly as I keep hoping for a game I can take with me on the go.
Bought this based on my the trailer and absolutely think 9/10 is fair. Brilliant game and I’m not a metroidvania or souls fan really
I'd argue that the frame rate dips are more than minor. But otherwise, I've been loving this game.
@Kevember You have no idea what you’re talking about. Even if there is a middleware tool that’s helps a lot of the programming aspects, a full-blown game is going to have challenges scaling with those tools, and never mind testing everything.
Writing music isn’t easy either. Making something that resounds with people is difficult no matter how easy the tools are to use, and it doesn’t diminish the art or the real creative work involved.
People are making a ton of games in the genre because it is very popular, not because it is easy. This ain’t Flappy Bird.
I was already keeping an eye on this game, now can't wait to play it.
I am glad that the switch has a good number of metroidvania titles. I hope that Symphony of the Night make its way to the Switch too.
This one however certainly looks an amazing addi8to the genre
@MisterMan Yeah I think it's fair to say, Hades is more demanding, as the screen gets really busy regularly with tons of effects flying left and right, and precision being in high demand, so framedrops are even more obvious.
Anyways, thanks for the feedback, I'll keep it in mind. It's something for the wishlist once it goes on sales anyways - so it's no rush to decide, not to mention, that if I really like the game - like say Hollow Knight for instance - I'm totally okay with doube-dipping to show my support for the game! 😎
When is this game coming to Australia
Indirect combat and environmental storytelling suck! I'm also not a fan of this game's tone nor its excessive difficulty level.
Hard pass.
Ah good. Had this on my wishlist awaiting reliable reviewer clearance
Thanks for the review.
You had a feeling from the trailers it was going to be good
@Spiders I didn't say it's easy; I said it's easier. And I know what I'm talking about and how new devs seem to gravitate to this kind of genre. Funny you mention the music which tends to be forgettable at best.
I had this on my radar for a while but now I'm getting it for sure. I just gotta wait for a sale.
@Kevember Easier than what? I'll agree with you that every day it's gets easier to make shovelware, but that is true for literally every genre. Plus, this doesn't seem to be the case for Ender Lilies.
Devs gravitate to the genre because it is very popular. Indie metroidvanias and rogue-lites/likes offer a ton of hours of gameplay and replay value for the dollar. There have also been many very, very good entries in the genre over the last decade.
If I was being cynical, I would say the success stories of Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, Axiom Verge and others are why devs are saturating the genre, not the ease of development.
@Spiders Of course they wouldn't make as many Metroidvanias if they didn't think people will buy them; that's part of my point. Most of them are just more of the same and lack originality.
@Kevember I can agree with you there - this game looks too much like a Tohou Hollow Knight for me, I’d rather just play HK again or wait for Silksong - but that’s a problem in every genre isn’t it?
Is this the surprise star of the year? It certainly might be!
So much quality here.
@Kevember I agree about mumble rap. Have you ever heard the world's greatest rap, though? If you are not interested in hearing it due to any sort of closed mindedness, I will not yell you who the artists are. But if you are interested, I will. It is far from mainstream, so unless you are an underground hip hop officianado like me, you probably won't know that good rap even exists, let alone the best.
@Retrogamindaddy I'm sure there are many good rap tracks (I'd be interested in listening to the ones that you mentioned) and I do listen to some old school stuff sometimes. I'm talking mostly about the modern SoundCloud rappers; there are just so many of them, since pretty much everyone has access to a PC and a mic. I live in a big coastal city in the US, so you can probably imagine how fed up I am with the self promoting lightweights I hear in the street everyday.
@TMNHertl Digital is only "just fine" to those that don't collect physical editions. We want to be able to replay these games in 15-20 years. Go ahead, tell me how Nintendo will let you re-download your games in 15-20 years....
@PoliticallyIncorrect The carbon footprint of physical games is absurd. Certainly before digital it was awful and it's a progressive step forward to just have downloaded games. So the earth has to pay for your desired nostalgia in 15 years and just to show off your gaming library to your friends. It's flat out selfish.
@TMNHertl Ok, why don't you link to a study that proves Switch cartridges are the woe of the world and enlighten all us wicked, wicked physical collectors? Exactly what are the numbers corresponding to Switch cartridges and their carbon footprint? Obviously, you must know these numbers off the top of your head, being you seem so sure of yourself. Remember, facts are important. Do you drive a vehicle? Vehicle emissions are off the charts when it comes to environmental impact. Don't forget, those vehicles are loaded with plastic and a battery too. Don't be a hypocrite, sell your vehicle. Don't use taxis or ride the bus either. Nobody enjoys a hypocrite. I myself have a car for around town and such that runs on vegetable oil. Do you drink from plastic bottles? I do not. I use only solar and wind to power my house and outbuildings. Do you? If you use standard electricity delivered to you, you are using electricity that was produced by burning coal, natural gas, and petroleum. If you are using standard electricity delivered by a utility company, I suggest you have it turned off immediately, and do your part to help the environment! I also give free electricity to my elderly neighbor, which elimates her carbon footprint in the use of electricity, as well as use a greywater system for my property. Do you do this as well? Do you use cellphones? I don't. The carbon footprint left behind by the use of cellphones is immense (mostly being embodied carbon)! I've never been into getting attention so I've never really "shown off" my Switch collection to my friends. You know what they say about people that assume, right? You know, your Switch has a few batteries in it as well as a load of plastic... better get rid of that too bud! Lead us from darkness, oh Great Purveyor of Wisdom! I'm betting you never even link to a study. There's plenty more that I do for the environment, and I'm willing to bet they dwarf your efforts. The only difference between us is I do what I do and don't try to force my beliefs onto others. I'll be waiting for your reply. If you don't reply, I'll just go on with my life knowing I killed the debate. Also, if you don't do as much as I do for the environment, it's flat out selfish. So... tell me that story about my carbon footprint again, will you? Or does it not fit your narrative? If you're going to lecture me about environmental issues, you had better be doing as much as me, if not more, for the environment. Some day you'll realize that you just cannot do everything that can be done in order to help the environment, and that you still need to lead an enjoyable life. In fact, if you were doing everything you could, you wouldn't be on the internet at all. Because the carbon footprint of the internet is far more absurd than the carbon footprint of physical Switch games. Checkmate...
https://www.webfx.com/blog/marketing/carbon-footprint-internet/
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@Wavey84 If that's how you do things, go for it. I'll just keep buying my physical editions as I seldom buy consoles for every generation. Have a great day man!
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Removed - flaming/arguing; user is banned
@roy130390 yep this people bitch just for the sake of bitching, miserable people in general
@BulbasaurusRex ok buddy thanks for letting us know you suck at videogames...
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