Skeptical at First, I Had to Admit I Was Wrong About This 95/100 Rated Game After 13 Hours – Glass Almanac
Player reviews are usually a solid benchmark for judging a game’s quality. But every now and then, they can be deceptively misleading. That’s exactly what happened to me with a 2021 indie hit that seemingly had everything I love—only to leave me frustrated and disappointed. Fast forward to 2025, and its sequel was getting even more praise. Against my instincts, I decided to give it another shot—and I’m so glad I did.When Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights launched in 2021, it was met with glowing reviews. Critics and players alike praised its Metroidvania-style gameplay, comparing it to classics like Castlevania and Metroid, and even considering it a solid title to pass the time while waiting for Hollow Knight: Silksong. Being a fan of the genre, I jumped in with high expectations—only to be let down almost immediately.While the gameplay had interesting mechanics, the execution felt clunky. The map design was a major frustration—just an uninspiring grid of indistinguishable squares, making exploration feel more like a chore than an adventure. Controls were another issue: movement felt sluggish, and combat was slower than I expected. Instead of traditional attacks, you relied on summoned spirits that had limited uses before needing a recharge—like Pokémon, but with a stamina system that constantly slowed things down.The artistic direction didn’t help either. While the gloomy aesthetic had its charm, animations felt stiff, and the repetitive music loops became grating over time. Ender Lilies wasn’t a bad game, but it never truly clicked with me. So when its sequel, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, was announced, I wasn’t exactly rushing to preorder it.Despite my lukewarm experience with the first game, I couldn’t ignore the wave of positive reviews for Ender Magnolia. When its early access version dropped in March 2024, players immediately praised it as a vast improvement over the original. Even so, I held off, skeptical of being burned twice.As the full release approached, I kept checking Steam reviews, waiting for the inevitable wave of criticism that would justify my hesitation. But that never happened. Instead, the praise only intensified. With each passing day, it became harder to ignore. So, reluctantly, I gave in—and within a few hours, I realized just how wrong I had been.Right from the start, Ender Magnolia felt like a completely different experience. The frustrating map design? Gone. Instead, the new game features a clear, well-structured map, making it easier to track progress, find secrets, and avoid pointless backtracking. It even marks inaccessible areas, preventing players from wasting time bashing their heads against walls trying to reach places they simply can’t yet.Then came the combat improvements. Movement felt crisp, abilities were responsive, and the addition of classic Metroidvania mechanics like double jumps, wall grabs, and dashes made exploration fluid and rewarding. Some abilities even felt directly inspired by Hollow Knight, like the horizontal dash between walls.The biggest change came in the combat system. While the original had a bloated roster of summons, Ender Magnolia focuses on fewer, but far more versatile companions. Each one now has multiple abilities, which can be leveled up using resources found throughout the world. You can equip up to four different powers, and swapping them on the fly becomes essential to countering different enemies and boss fights.After 13 hours in Ender Magnolia, I finally had to admit I was completely wrong about this series. What I once dismissed as overhyped turned out to be one of my biggest gaming surprises of the year. It’s not just better than the original—it feels like a complete reinvention, fixing everything that held Ender Lilies back.Even better, you don’t need to play the first game to enjoy this one. Story elements are revealed through collectibles, making it accessible to newcomers while still rewarding those familiar with the lore. Whether you loved Ender Lilies or, like me, found it underwhelming, Ender Magnolia is the game it was always meant to be. If you’re a Metroidvania fan, do yourself a favor and give it a shot—you won’t regret it.Comment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
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