ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist

With so many Metroidvanias coming out, it's no surprise that some amazing ones are falling through the cracks. I'm worried that's happening to Ender Magnolia. But let me tell you this, this game is something special. it has everything you'd expect: a huge map that slowly unfolds, cool new powers that let you reach new places, and combat that feels just right. But where it truly shines is in its soul. You can feel the love in every aspect of the game. The gorgeous hand-drawn world, and the music will stick with you long after you put the controller down. Trust me, if you're a fan of the genre, you owe it to yourself to experience this one.

A metroidvania with a Souls feel and the sequel to Ender Lilies. Like its predecessor your arsenal is made up of spirits you summon to attack on your behalf, though your pool of possible spirits is smaller. They do each have 3 variants, though some also feel unappealing to use and it doesn't feel like you get as many ways to mix and match, though that's more of a personal thing probably. They are still fun to use however and combat in this game remains exciting. And an upside of the new system is your smaller pool of spirits become more like party members you collect as you go along and you have conversations with them occasionally throughout the game. The art and animation are gorgeous once again, and so is the music, and they all work well together to give the game a dark and mystical vibe. If you liked the first game or metroidvania in general then I can strongly recommend this too.

Ender Magnolia is everything I would want from a sequel to Ender Lillies. - Improved graphics, the original still has incredible animation but this one is a natural improvement - Quality of life editions including better mini map designs, menus with better visualizations and guides, no contact damage is huge. - More dialogue between the characters - Spirits are more innovative and fast paced offering a better experience in my opinion There are many more improvements and things that I loved about this game such as the more steampunk vibe, the different color outfit options. The only area that I feel mixed on are the boss battles, playing on normal i feel the bosses, with the exception of 1 or 2, are far easier than Ender Lillies. For me it slightly takes away the rush I felt from beating a boss in the first game, but at the same time there is custom difficulty in this game which is really cool. I would rate this game a very strong 4.5/5

Review is negative because there's no middle ground option. Every aspect of this game is nearly perfect: sound, music, art direction, exploration gameplay, etc. Except for one thing. Combat. Combat is bad... No, not like that. BAD. Its seems fine at a glance, but there are problems at its core that make fighting even simple mobs a torture. Enemies do tons of damage even if you have every single defensive artifact equipped. There are no invincibility frames after you get hit. And there are lots of enemies in this game that will exploit this with their poison clouds and projectile barrages. At times you are forced to rely on parry/block which is probably the worst parry/block in gaming because of how ridiculously strict the timing on it is. Sometimes you'll get some status effect on you. Most of them are pretty harmless. Except for burning which would drain your hp unless you remove it with dashes. The problem is - if you start dashing like that you'll likely get hit by enemies. I ha...

This game was played solely on the Steamdeck and I encountered no issues. Ender Lillies was my favorite metroidvania of 2021. The sequel does not disappoint and I found that it improves on the previous game in almost all areas. The game has a wonderful art direction and atmosphere. The controls are tight and responsive and I felt all deaths were my fault and fair. The bosses are enjoyable and bring unique mechanics. The bosses were challenging but felt fair. Overall I think enjoyed Ender Lillies more that could be due to the setting or summons but this is still a great game and I feel like the asking price is fair.

It is better than the first game in so many way, art, combat, world, story. Skill now have unlimited use the limit is only on cooldown Map is very legible World is bigger and more lived in, it doesn't feel so lonely anymore And for the thing that i don't really like. Now you can fast travel to any respite from anywhere You no longer able to change ability mid combat

[h1]"So you're the new kid? Alright, lets see if you have the moxie your predecessor did."[/h1] [spoiler]"Lily and I have deliberated, and after consideration, we agree, she do got that moxie."[/spoiler] --- It was a long wait for full release, but it was worth it. Just as great as the first game just in a notably brighter, less depressing setting.

I loved the the first game, but this one just kind of falls flat. It kind of feels like "more Ender Lillies, but not as good." Similar enough to not feel new, but the changes that are there make it not as fun. The art looks good, and crisper than the previous game, but the art style and direction isn't as interesting. The atmosphere was a big part of the first game's appeal, IMO, and it just feels absent here. While the areas, particularly the backgrounds in large open areas, look pretty, the level design just isn't that great or interesting from a game play standpoint. Just as I was thinking that the area layouts weren't that well thought out, I get to an area where you teleport from area to area, so the layout doesn't even have to even try to make sense. The combat while exploring mostly boils down to just holding down the "pressure" (ranged) attack button to shoot stuff from a distance. After a while, it gets to the point that a lot of enemies just shoot projectiles and AOE around,...

[h2]A Masterpiece of Atmosphere and Emotion[/h2] From the moment I stumbled upon its PV to the hours I've spent immersed in gameplay, this title has never stopped giving me chills. The music, the narrative, the emotional weight—everything is executed with remarkable finesse. The atmosphere is overwhelmingly strong, enveloping you from the very first scene. Visually, it’s stunning. Not just beautiful in a technical sense, but emotionally resonant in a way that lingers. The protagonist is a woman who’s unbelievably gentle. Every time she kneels down to “tune” those artificial lifeforms, it feels like the whole screen is overflowing with warmth. It’s quiet, but it hits hard. That kind of tenderness—it’s powerful. [b]Female protagonists are simply the best. And gentleness is the strongest force of all.[/b]

The well needed sequel improving on literally every singe aspect while keeping the core gameplay and exploration that made the first game fun intact First game was peak metroidvania, this game went beyond it