ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist Review

ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist serves as a sequel to 2021's Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights, which was widely regarded as a modern classic. But with great success comes a high standard to live up to. Sure, the Early Access version seemed promising, but does 1.0 manage to flourish in the frost, or will it wither and die from the January chill?

Set a few decades after the events of Ender Lilies, ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist is a melancholy tale set in the mystical, resource-rich, yet deadly Land of Fumes. Here, homunculi—artificial life forms with human-like qualities—were created to aid humans in harvesting these resources but were soon driven mad by the toxins in the air.

Now, it is up to the pint-sized amnesiac protagonist, Lilac, to set things right in the world, perhaps even restoring her lost memories along the way. Lilac is an Attuner with the ability to cleanse the homunculi of their madness. Now, she must use her gift to save both humans and homunculi alike.

ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist begins with Lilac awakening in an underground laboratory, where you'll quickly learn—or relearn, if you played it in Early Access—the basics of gameplay. Much like the original title, Lilac herself is not an active participant in combat; instead, she enlists the homunculi she has purified to do her bidding.

Even though it's a Metroidvania, if you've been turned off by the "Soulslike" tag thrown around for both Ender games, fear not—there are several difficulty modes to choose from. Normal difficulty offers a balanced challenge, but if you don't find an option that fits your skill set or preferences, you can also create a custom difficulty in the options menu to maximize your experience.

This is the first of many ways ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist is an incredibly customizable experience. While it's easy to get hung up on the enticingly gorgeous music and visuals, the combat system is where the game really shines. You'll begin rather defenseless, with only the ability to jump and dash through obstacles.

But with each homunculus Lilac encounters and attunes, she gains new abilities, which can either assist her in battle or help her navigate the treacherous environments of this universe. The first of these homunculi is Nola, who lends her sword. These homunculi abilities range from a punishing sword attack, such as Nola's, to the option to wall cling or dive through murky underground waters.

And how do you obtain such abilities? Well, you're going to have to beat a boss. Defeating corrupted homunculi in battle allows Lilac to use her attuning ability to return them to their senses, enlisting them to join her journey. Some of these abilities can be leveled up to increase their power and range or provide new weapon options.

It may sound complex on paper, but learning how to approach each enemy and boss with the correct combination of attacks is part of the fun and is super satisfying to master. It's a surprisingly approachable experience, aided tremendously by the game's customizability. If juggling short-range attacks and projectiles isn't your thing, you can even equip a homunculus that will auto-fire for you, allowing you to focus on other attacks.

Inputting the combination of short-range and long-range attacks with guards sprinkled in for good measure feels like putting everything you've learned together in a meaningful way. It allows you to grow as a player, which isn't always the case in similar titles. Not only that, but as Lilac levels up along the way, you'll feel yourself growing stronger with each encounter—whether successful or not.

Are the bosses hard? Of course, they are. Did you think this was going to be a walk in the polluted park? Bosses are considerably tougher than standard enemies, but you almost always have the option to walk away, explore another section of the map, or gain some additional levels before approaching them again. With patience, time, and definitely some practice, all encounters are very doable, even for the average player.

Further adding to ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist's customization options are equipable relics, totems, and wearables. Throughout Lilac's travels, she acquires relics that provide stat enhancements, as well as other equipable items with various effects.

The game offers decently spaced checkpoints, serving as places to save progress, refresh health, change out and equip items, chat with companions, unlock extras, and more. Equipment, relics, and upgrades cannot be adjusted outside of these safe areas, so you'll need to navigate to them frequently to ensure you're properly equipped for upcoming challenges.

On the bright side, checkpoints also serve as fast travel locations, accessible at any time—saving you from excessive backtracking as the map expands.

While navigating between checkpoints, defeated enemies remain gone from the map. However, once you reach a save point, they all return to their original spots. This has its pros and cons—it's annoying to take down the same enemies again, but it also works in your favor, allowing you to gain additional experience. Boss encounters are often preceded by a checkpoint, though, so your relief from these safe areas may be short-lived.

Visually, ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist is a real smoke show—literally and figuratively. Environments are dark and rich, with a visible haze from the fumes covering nearly everything. Even through the darkness and fog, there's a glow that makes the scenery pop, especially around Lilac. The enemy and character designs are deeply original, each location featuring distinctive flora and mutated beings.

The humans of the Land of Fumes have a pale complexion, making them appear ghostly against the destruction of their own creation. The homunculi are so fascinating to examine that unlocking all their character art in the extras menu becomes a must. The game also features grainy, anime-style cutscenes that reveal memories, adding to the overall atmosphere.

If you played the original Ender title, you were probably expecting a gorgeous soundtrack from Mili featuring piano, electronic beats, and haunting vocals—and you certainly wouldn't be disappointed. The tracks seamlessly flow between areas, with the intensity ebbing and flowing at just the right moments. Fans of the NieR franchise's musical stylings will find themselves drawn in instantly.

There's no voice acting, but it isn't missed. The music, visuals, and production quality offer more than enough personality to fill in the blanks. In fact, the lack of intrusive sounds and voice acting makes this a surprisingly zen experience for a genre not typically associated with relaxation.

Is there frustration to be found here? Absolutely. Take on a boss that's too advanced for your current level and skill set, and you'll certainly feel your blood pressure rising. But as an overall experience, it's a delight for the senses.

If you fell in love with Ender Lilies for its smooth and precise gameplay, gorgeous dark visual style, haunting soundtrack, and original creature design, you won't want to miss ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist. This sequel is every bit as mesmerizing as the last game—if not more so.

It's exactly what you'd hope for in a sequel—an improvement in nearly every way. The combat engine is rich and rewarding, the customization options for both equitable and difficulty make it accessible to players of all skill levels, and the satisfaction of beating a boss and cleansing them of their fume-fueled rage is unmatched.

While bosses present their fair share of challenges, the overall experience is incredibly rewarding, leaving you wanting more—even with an impressively large map to explore. I had a great time playing ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist and exploring its lore to the depth. While the movement could use a bit of work, especially double-jump, the game is still highly addictive. Believe the hype and give this a game a go—if you love Metroidvania or just well-made, thoughtfully crafted games in general.