@@Rusty._ I am missing a fewwwww rooms here and there and I still gotta do the final-final boss. Great game though. Has some real stand-out moments. The kind that I am always *hoping* to experience in metroidvanias.
@@Rusty._ how do you feel like playing it again. if there's something i hate about such games, it's that they end. how some ppl still play them afterwards
This game is such a masterpiece I find this game art style to be one of the most unique out there for a Metroidvania. For those who don't know, this game was actually inspired by a SINGLE piece of illustration made by miv4t back in 2017
The OST is absolutely beautiful! And the character too... Kawaii af! The affection, adoration, devotion, I feel for her draws me to want to see this game through to the end.
The effect of the corruption on Lily is made all the more effective by how subtly it starts before becoming pervasive. I didn't even notice the changes until beating the third main boss, and was startled again near the end of game when I finally realized her hair wasn't just getting darker but was actually sprouting tentacles. If anything could make me want to replay the whole game again it would be to pay closer attention to al the transition details.
it still slightly saddens me how genuinely underrated this game is. this is literally one of the greatest gems I've ever found. lowkey one of my, if not my top favorite game. absolutely gorgeous everything.
Something I love about this game is how the story never really feels like its "about" Lily herself until the very end. The entire main plot of the game can be boiled down to "Lily retraces the White Priestess' steps in an attempt to find her", which gives just enough motivation to continue exploring without getting in the way of the stories surrounding the other characters, which are vibrant and somehow get us invested in characters whose stories are, for all intents and purposes, already over by the time the game starts. Having a slew of faceless, nameless bosses is all fine and good, but nothing quite hits like finding pieces of lore in a new area that slowly flesh out a character's life, goals, desires, successes, and failures, only to find the boss at the end of an area and see that familiar name one last time. I was always excited to find a new piece of lore and, to me, it always felt like an even better reward for exploration than almost any other upgrade or resource
The BGM of the areas are so strong that you actually feel the impact of it being cut out when you fast travel. Also there's a dog mini boss that just follows you around and sits in front of you.
i.... didnt even realized it wasnt fighting back, i just tought i killed it before it could attack me... i feel so horrible now, it just wanted to interact and i slaughtered it withou even thinking.... at least she's with me now so i'm gonna make sure to walk her around and use her as much as i can because i feel bad
Hey Rusty, I remember seeing this video when it first came out and because of your words, I got to experience Ender Lillies. It's such a beautiful, sad game and, even now two years after it was released and one and a half years since I played it last, I think a part of me still loves it. I love Lilly and her spirits, I love that gorgeous haunted world and I love the story that it tells. And it was all because of a video that someone put out on the internet. I know that things have moved on in the world, and you'll probably never read this comment because you get thousands of new ones every day. But, on the random chance that you do see it, I just wanted to say thanks.
Memorable metroidvania. Top notch art, music and atmosphere. Interesting and emotional lore. Gameplay is good and fun. You really feel stronger and stronger specially when you get new abilities. Combat feels clunky at first but the more you progress the better it gets. Intuitive/easier platforming is also very welcome after some frustrating experiences with other metroidvanias. Difficulty/balance for me was perfect, not too easy, not that hard, something in-between. Some bosses offer a fair challenge. It was a delightful journey. Easily a 9. By the way, NG+ will come more soon than later. Devs already took note about this popular petition on Steam forums. I'm also so optimistic and I expect a physical Switch release. Game is already popular and it's selling ok so more good things will come.
Bro I don’t know what game you were playing lol I’m in the catacombs and I’m getting ASS RAPED. Lol literally. I made it to the second respite there and I can’t seem to make it any further. So many annoying little enemies down here lol
@@rocketscientist14 it's actually not hard and this is just my 2nd metroidvania, 1st being hollowknight I finished game in 18 hrs total at 100% completion
@@duckielove2286 this more combat>platforming Ori is platforming>combat Idk both this and base game Hollow knight was easy to me, but that's just me I also find Dark souls easy
Coming back and watching this again for the first time in a few years… so psyched for the sequel Ender Magnolia releasing late January! I can’t wait to fall in love with this universe again. The soundtrack is entrancing.
I love the comparison of how the atmosphere and music changing to become stranger and more chaotic the deeper you go, actually representing a slow descent into insanity that comes from the blight. That's some amazing atmospheric storytelling! The way it builds up to the abyss, where it just... crashes and drones, feels in an odd way way like Everywhere At the End of Time to me. The way it represents the mind reaching that final step of complete loss of control, both similar and completely different to losing yourself to dementia, is terrifying.
This game reminded me of hollow knight, the sadness of never getting to experience it for the first time again. Beautiful art style, solid gameplay (not as fast passed as hollow knight), and very interesting lore read all the collectables everything is important and the story will come together. On steam it has overwhelmingly positive reviews and for me it is a solid 9/10.
Damn. I finished all the endings to ender lilies only a few hours before watching this, and having two massive hits to the feels was… something else. This is definitely the video ender lilies deserves.
I love this game. Spent 3.5 hours yesterday helping out with the wiki, and now I consider myself a lore expert on the game. Any questions anyone has feel free to ask them.
@Rusty. We the internet, both need and deserve lore videos from you on this absolute gem of a game. Also, a boss ranking video, and a video about the most annoying mobs. Go full HK on this. Your videos were once a big part in my HK experience. This deserves the same attention from the community.
I was always wondering what the general order of events is, and if this is correct (sorry for the wall of text) [Spoilers ahead] From the notes, it seems the human kingdom invaded the Ancients and won, even though those Ancients had some immortal beings, possibly through Blight. There was also a war with the blighted, coming from the snowy area, and that war was eventually won too, with the help of the knights who were made immortal through the use of the immortal potion and with the help of a white priestess, who was also an Ancient. But, the experiments to make this immortal potion were carried in the Verboten Domain, which was already overrun by blight too. Also, the priestess became overcame with blight and was sent to the abyss, and then some fake children were also created through experiments, who attempted to take on part of the main priestess's blight, and possibly failed. There was also the constant rain, which also turned all of the normal people into the Blighted. So, I guess my questions are: 1. Was the Blight created by the ancients and when they lost they unleashed it on the world, or is it just an even older force that not even they could contain (but still managed to craft semi-immortality potions through it)? 2. In which order did these happen: The war between the ancients, the war between humans and with the blighted, the infection of the verboten domain, the abyss with the blighted lord being the main source of the blight, the rain. 3. Where did all of the blighted come from? Mainly from the Verboten Domain, from outside, or were they just infected citizens? 4. Who or what is the Blighted Lord? 5. Was the priestess sent down in the abyss just to purify the Blight Lord and failed? Is any of the abyss infection coming from her, or just from the Blighted Lord, if so? 6. Did the assassination of the king actually matter? 7. Why did the rain happen if most of the infection came from the lowest levels? 8. Are the fleshy blobby monsters in the Verboten Domain a result of experiments trying to combine humans / create the smaller priestesses, or just the blight doing its thing? Thank you in advance for any answers!
I picked this game up during the steam summer sale. The only reason I knew about it is because one of my friends stumbled across it and said it looked cool. As I visited the steam page I was blown away by the few frames of art I could see alone, and I immediately bought it. Upon completing all 3 endings in a short 3 days I can say this is one of those games that will stick with me. Few games are able to formulate such a potent atmosphere that tug at my heart and brain every so often, and I can confidently say that Elder Lilies is near the top of that list. Everything from the music to the art and to the dialogue compliment each other so beautifully. The twinge of sorrow in the music devolving into oppressive fear by the time you reach the Abyss is a process that hits hard. Collecting the memoirs of those fighting to protect Land's End, and ultimately witnessing the weight of their defeat when you fight them and purify them is such a rich way of building the world. Venturing to each new area and seeing the disarray all around, as the amount of blood and blight grows and the state of the world becomes more and more haunting. All three of these elements make Land's End the most engaging fallen dark fantasy kingdom I've explored. Not even Hallownest reaches the level that Land's End does for me. And I believe the reason for that is primarily due to the way we feel the struggles of the kingdom's people. Also a worthy note, the gameplay is just really great. I always go on these tangents about story, world, and music, and then forget that these great games are also just very fun lol. As mentioned, the game doesn't do anything outstanding when it comes to gameplay, but at the same time it reminds us that we don't need to reinvent the wheel. Give me Metroidvania fundamentals with an interesting way to fight (in this case the spirit system which I really loved) and cool enemies, and I'll have a good time. The bosses were also fun and felt very rewarding when you beat them. There was genuine excitement in seeing what new spirit and ability I would get. The number one thing I need to get off my chest however is how disappointed I am that it took me so long to find this game. It really is one of those gems that suddenly come out of the video game industry, and I really wish it was talked about more. Though, I'm glad someone like Rusty was able to come out and talk about it. I feel the same thing he expressed at the end of the video. I know this game wasn't massive, and I know it definitely isn't any bigger now over a year later when I'm playing it. But something in me demands that I talk about this game somewhere, and that is why I am leaving this comment now lol. There are still people like me who can find this game and enjoy it thoroughly even after so long, so don't stop talking about it. Let everyone know how special Ender Lilies is :)
Mili are great musicians. I got to them through Limbus company which is a... well the closest I can think of without an essay is a sci-fi, dystopian horror drama shit with elements of eldritch horrors? You can imagine this kind of music in a game like this.
On the "drive to move on" thing: If sadness and grief isn't a necessary prerequisite for a good Metroidvania for you, I have one word for you: Aquaria. This old gem is criminally underrated, IMHO.
Not just your opinion, IT IS criminally underrated, of all the times I've seen someone ask for metroidvania recommendations (on Steam at least) nobody ever mentions Aquaria... sad
Thank you very much, I'm getting really sick and tired of every single game in the genre needing to be melodramatic as hell. Ender Lilies in particular reached a darkness singularity since it lacked even a single moment of levity or non-bittersweet happiness for the entire thing.
I really hope this game reaches as many people as possible. It’s everything I ever wanted in a 2D MetroidVania soulslike- from before hollowknight, back in salt and sanctuary, the dozens of games that have come out none ever reached Ender Lillies. The music, the atmosphere, the absolutely gorgeous and perfect art. Each boss and enemy becoming an ally and weapon against the seemingly impossible. Thanks for doing a video on this one Rusty.
I just got this game and my favorite thing about it is that you can see the spirts when resting or when your idle idk why but that little feature brings me more joy than than anything
My personal headcanon is that the spirits that accompany Lily do so as a show of gratitude, and a way to pay her back for saving them by protecting her from the rest of the blighted. Some sort of a "oh crap, _this_ is the girl that has to save us from the apocalypse? Oh hell nah i'm not gonna let her go by herself into this hellhole." *grammar edit
This game was one of very few that really disturbed me to the core. The Verboten domain, the Abyss... Miriel, and especially her tragic end. It' one of the few games that left me with an empty feeling in my heart with such a bittersweet ending.
Awesome review, you summed up the game well! I got this game 3 days ago and 100% now lol, caught me off guard. The music, artstyle, talismans and spirits made the experience very enjoyable. The combos you can put together with the spirits and yourself are so good.
I'm so glad to see a RUclipsr I know talk about Ender Lilies! I bought it day 1 and fell in love instantly. Beautiful world, music, gameplay, it's so good
Just finished playing this game on your recommendation, very much enjoyed it. Definitely on the bleaker side, and it's unclear whether the other countries are afflicted or why the rain occurs, though the latter could just be magic I guess. Definitely let us know if you find any more like this, the depressing stuff is right up my alley.
To be fair, the full release has a few answers: 1) Other countries are extremely unlikely to be affected, for reasons that also answer the second question. 2) The Blight is born out of hatred. This is something unique to Land's End, where hate can manifest into a plague. This is seen from the Memory of An Ancient. 3) The Ancients could manifest this hatred into power, as seen with Relics like Aura's Ring.
Oh, thanks, Rusty. This was going to be the only month where my game spending was going to be reasonable. But now, You went and sold me on this game and I have once again spent more money on games this month than I should have. Thanks, you masterful salesman of macabre, atmospheric delights.
it's honestly the first time i watched one of ur video's. I like how you express to good points, even withing the game itself and comparis with other games. It's something you don't see everyday that a youtube is truly honest about what he thinks of a game. Most of the people do it for themself or for vieuws. Your honesty gives me the impression that you speak the truth for yourself but in the first place for the game Ender Lilies Quitus of the knights. Personnely i played the game just a week ago and i fell in love in it myself especilly the music. Thnk you rusty for the video i wanna say more but i am gonna leave it whit this
i picked this game up about a month ago for switch. interestingly, the actual reason i picked it up was because i found out that Mili had made the soundtrack for it and i'm a fan of them. after finishing the game, i'm glad i did buy it since it was very enjoyable experience. who knows, i might pick it up later on steam and do second playthrough since the switch is serviceable, but for a game like this dripping with atmosphere, i feel it didn't do it justice.
That small community ended up being me and my friends. Like gosh looking at these videos now just before the sequel comes out, something that I'm physically having trouble waiting for, is just amazing. This has, and probably always will be, my favorite game of all time; unless it's successor can do anything close to it's greatness. The only other game to have come close so far has been Celeste.
I’m so grateful I found this video last summer. It is absolutely tied for my favorite metroidvania I’ve ever played with Hollow Knight. It’s criminally underrated. The sound track is absolutely incredible. If your even considering thinking about playing it…. Play it… I promise you won’t regret it. I was much more emotionally invested in this game than I was in Hollow Knight. Lilly is a amazing protagonist… and she never even utters a word. She doesn’t have too.
My biggest regret from this game is that I hadn't heard about it until about 3 years later. And even then, it was just randomly offered to me as a free game from ps plus. I was like "hmm, guess I'll try it since its free". A few hours later and I am completely absorbed by this game. My biggest gripe with the game (SPOILERS) Is that the abyss was basically just about 3 zones with barely any challenge. The atmosphere is great, and I agree "suffocating" was what immediately came to mind, despite how easy this area was. I would have really loved to see some pure forms of blighted monstrosities (other than just the floating fish)in an even more difficult level than the previous zone. Felt like they could have done so much more with this area. Big missed opportunity 😕
SPOILER AHEAD One of my favorite moments in the entire game was finding the last upgrade to the Umbral Knight. Deep in the kingdom, you find a thick wall of toxin, and even though you have the mask, it still does a lot of damage. So you decide to come back later. Much later, after exploring basically everything, you come back to the wall, and try to make it past it. You probably die after making it a good distance down and still being in poison, so you try to think of a solution to get past. You remember all the healing upgrades and realize what the game wants. You put on every healing thing you can, and you go through again. It might take a couple tries, but you make it to the bottom, finding the final umbral knight upgrade and a bit of lore. That area of the game was my favorite because while it doesn’t give any direct hints as to how you make it past, it shows that with the intense amount of infection, and it not instantly killing you, that it is possible to make it past. That feeling of happiness I got when I figured it out and made it to the end was amazing.
One aspect you got wrong about the lore is that when you save the people infected with the blight, they do not live through that. What happens is that there souls are separated from their blighted body so that they can finally rest. The spirits that join up with you are not the person themselves. It's more like the shadow of the person that once lived in the body that has now been infected with the blight. That means that throughout the entire kingdom there are really only three people that are alive and are in control of themselve throughout the game. However if you complete the true ending this number goes down to one. The priestess of the fount dies and the umbrole knight has completed the vow of protecting the priestess so there soul is set free. That mean that the young priestess is the only person in the kingdom that is still alive. Jesus that is depressing.
I first didn't pay attention when I saw it somewhere but I just saw the screenshot you posted, hooked me immediately and i got so scared that it wasn't in the ps store, thankfully it's in 6 days so W and thanks Rusty!
@@davidvila5053 Oh really? I haven't been to it in a week. Be nice addative. Few other games should have it to. Forgot the name. That one RpG game where your a guy with short white hair. A action RPG. Get other party members. Elemental dragons are part of the story. As I remember A or the villian is on the cover, A female.
This was free on ps+ and now I'm here. This and hollow knight will now forever be my favorite games. The only gamez I've ever wanted to play all the wah through
Hey Rusty just wanted to say that it's actually thanks to you that I discovered, bought & played the game. I saw a post from you on the community tab with a screenshot of the game & I knew that was my next game. Thanks again for the video & spreading the news about this fantastic game 👍🤗
I bought this after seeing a comment from you praising it, loved it and completed it today. Highly recommend. The ulv boss fight was my favourite, I haven't had that much fun fighting a boss since sekiro, awesome game. I'm not an animu guy but I am also not opposed to the artstyle and it lends itself to a really atmospheric and sorrowful theme in this game which was really enjoyable
I started playing ender lillies a few months ago and i love everything about this game the music the graphics and the concept that a litte girl gets protected by a cool ass knight in a Land with no normal humans anymore
Although i think a bit to much was said in some places, i feel that this is a wonderful description of what all that played ender lilies felt Wonderful works
I appreciate you making this video. I was on the fence about getting the game. But knowing that you and other creators I respect really enjoyed it makes me more willing to give it a try.
I just finished this game with 100% completion and loved almost every second of it. The beautifully bleak environment really hooked me! I’m glad I watched this video and your glowing recommendation of the game!
Rusty, thank you so much for this video!!! I had no idea about this game and I just bought Bloodstained to scratch my Silksong itch and was SUPER disappointed
Got the game because you speak so highly of it and after 20 hours and 100% it I agree that this is beautiful and really is it's own game no matter how many inspirations it takes from other games.
I just watched the 1st 3 minutes of the video, got sold, went & got the game, finished it & now I finished this video; Thx for introducing this game, it was the 1 of best metroidvania games I've ever played after hollow knight; & the soundtrack, atmosphere, graphics & visuals of the game are really great.
Six months after watching the first minute of this video and I finally played the game lol. Thank you very much for introducing this. I loved it, especially with how intimidating many places could be even if there were no real consequences for dying. Getting to a respite genuinely felt like I could breathe again sometimes. The catacombs and the stockade were such a bitch to find an entrance into, but looking back I almost like that? I can't really recall another game where an area that in-lore was meant to be hard to access actually felt like it. Finding the entrance underwater and swimming through hazard filled sewage actually made it feel like that.
Man I just stumbled onto this video/channel by chance watching many game related things and I have to say absolutely excellent. I don't game as much as I used to being 37 and having 4 kids but still find them endlessly fascinating. Really need to say that your break down of the game was great and made me want to play it, also your points outside the game and about games overall I completely agree with. Sometimes it can be easy to forget games are an experience and escape and there are so many out there that can fall by the wayside in this endless competition for popularity. I actually ended up on this video from your one about most modern 2d platformers being compared to hollow knight which was also awesome, keep up the great work dude.
You summed up my thoughts exactly with the game. I've been looking for more metroidvanias like SOTN or Bloodstained and tried playing so many that people said were like them. All have been disappointing until I picked up ender lilies. They either look like crap or have some combat mechanic that I really dislike. Some claim to be metroidvania and there is no exploration or back tracking or real upgrades. Some don't even have branching paths and they still list them as metroidvanias. I can't stress how amazing ender lilies really is. The music, ambiance, controls and play style was exactly what I was looking for.
Absolutely fantastic work, using the Abyss' music in the Nier Automata section was a stroke of genius. Not just because of the thematic similarities, but also because of the feeling that's just... urgh. Nicely done!
Well said Rusty! I agree, we need to get this game to all metroidvania lovers out there. I'm still in the early game and I can't put it down. This deserves to be played and recognized by all gamers!
Yo I didn't know you made a vid on this game! I just picked it up, immediately 100%'d it, and it may have just toppled Hollow Knight for my favourite game ever. Can't wait to watch this!
Hey! I absolutely adored this video. I watched fire’s stream and was quite attracted by the game. Seeing your video just made me like it more and get more invested in a game im yet to play. I also got into searching stuff regarding NieR Automata after i saw this video, and was incredibly impressed about it too and about the story behind it. Thank you for that!! Would also love to see a video regarding your full opinion on automata, since i throughly enjoyed everything about this one. But either way you’ve gained someone who deeply appreciates your content. Keep it up!
Join the server and talk to us. We're cool, I promise.
discord.gg/tsf-rusty
Can confirm, everyone there is really cool
as someone who is in the server, this is incorrect.
I am not cool
Your shaking, melancholic delivery makes my heart vibes resonate as such. I love it and I hate it. Stop making me feel dammit.
Sorry, I'm not joining you, because you're boring. I do like the game though.
Great server. I enjoy the community.
This video comes just in time, since I finished the game literal minutes ago.
I 100%-ed it a couple days ago and I'm already feeling like playing it again lol
@@hydro0___ do you guys seriously have a discord? link me
@@Rusty._ I am missing a fewwwww rooms here and there and I still gotta do the final-final boss. Great game though. Has some real stand-out moments. The kind that I am always *hoping* to experience in metroidvanias.
@@Rusty._ discord.gg/VT6ACWMtJe
@@Rusty._ how do you feel like playing it again. if there's something i hate about such games, it's that they end. how some ppl still play them afterwards
This game is such a masterpiece
I find this game art style to be one of the most unique out there for a Metroidvania.
For those who don't know, this game was actually inspired by a SINGLE piece of illustration made by miv4t back in 2017
Any chance you could link it if you find it? I'm curious now
@@gabrieltomal1788 having 100% completed the game, I can definitely see where the inspiration came from!
The OST is absolutely beautiful! And the character too... Kawaii af! The affection, adoration, devotion, I feel for her draws me to want to see this game through to the end.
for me everything that has it's a masterpiece
Any chance you could link it if you find it? I'm curious now
The effect of the corruption on Lily is made all the more effective by how subtly it starts before becoming pervasive. I didn't even notice the changes until beating the third main boss, and was startled again near the end of game when I finally realized her hair wasn't just getting darker but was actually sprouting tentacles.
If anything could make me want to replay the whole game again it would be to pay closer attention to al the transition details.
alright, you’ve sold me. this’ll be the next game i buy. great work all around!
Two questions is it out? And what platforms is it on
@@pugtornado7895 it's out for every platform except playstation but it will arrive in July 6 I believe
@@boxerheadninja4281 :)
I got sold too. Just repaired my drifted nintendo switch joycon, gonna buy this asap.
@@boxerheadninja4281 we have to wait even longer now and I’m pissed
it still slightly saddens me how genuinely underrated this game is. this is literally one of the greatest gems I've ever found. lowkey one of my, if not my top favorite game. absolutely gorgeous everything.
Amen same I played dozens of Metroidvania and this is up there with the best
Just got this game today from ps plus and my god is it good.
Something I love about this game is how the story never really feels like its "about" Lily herself until the very end. The entire main plot of the game can be boiled down to "Lily retraces the White Priestess' steps in an attempt to find her", which gives just enough motivation to continue exploring without getting in the way of the stories surrounding the other characters, which are vibrant and somehow get us invested in characters whose stories are, for all intents and purposes, already over by the time the game starts. Having a slew of faceless, nameless bosses is all fine and good, but nothing quite hits like finding pieces of lore in a new area that slowly flesh out a character's life, goals, desires, successes, and failures, only to find the boss at the end of an area and see that familiar name one last time. I was always excited to find a new piece of lore and, to me, it always felt like an even better reward for exploration than almost any other upgrade or resource
Just how a great story/ game should...
I knew how much you loved this game when you played the demo only. Such a gorgeous little game
what demo? i tried to google to find a demo for it
@@CrankyBonesGaming it was back before the game released, he'd played the demo of the game and wouldn't stop talking about it
@@SilverChaser its too bad there is no demo now
For me?
*The main thing that makes this game stand out from the rest of its similar counterparts is the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.*
The BGM of the areas are so strong that you actually feel the impact of it being cut out when you fast travel.
Also there's a dog mini boss that just follows you around and sits in front of you.
That miniboss was such a gut punch
I slaughtered that poor dog so fast after the boss name popped up I was wondering why it didn't fight back
i.... didnt even realized it wasnt fighting back, i just tought i killed it before it could attack me... i feel so horrible now, it just wanted to interact and i slaughtered it withou even thinking.... at least she's with me now so i'm gonna make sure to walk her around and use her as much as i can because i feel bad
Hey Rusty, I remember seeing this video when it first came out and because of your words, I got to experience Ender Lillies. It's such a beautiful, sad game and, even now two years after it was released and one and a half years since I played it last, I think a part of me still loves it. I love Lilly and her spirits, I love that gorgeous haunted world and I love the story that it tells. And it was all because of a video that someone put out on the internet.
I know that things have moved on in the world, and you'll probably never read this comment because you get thousands of new ones every day. But, on the random chance that you do see it, I just wanted to say thanks.
Memorable metroidvania. Top notch art, music and atmosphere. Interesting and emotional lore. Gameplay is good and fun. You really feel stronger and stronger specially when you get new abilities. Combat feels clunky at first but the more you progress the better it gets. Intuitive/easier platforming is also very welcome after some frustrating experiences with other metroidvanias. Difficulty/balance for me was perfect, not too easy, not that hard, something in-between. Some bosses offer a fair challenge. It was a delightful journey. Easily a 9.
By the way, NG+ will come more soon than later. Devs already took note about this popular petition on Steam forums. I'm also so optimistic and I expect a physical Switch release. Game is already popular and it's selling ok so more good things will come.
Bro I don’t know what game you were playing lol I’m in the catacombs and I’m getting ASS RAPED. Lol literally. I made it to the second respite there and I can’t seem to make it any further. So many annoying little enemies down here lol
@@rocketscientist14 it's actually not hard and this is just my 2nd metroidvania, 1st being hollowknight
I finished game in 18 hrs total at 100% completion
@@rocketscientist14 oh boy, you'll have real fun the castle... if you survive the twin spires that is 😬
@@looots1320 would u say it’s easier than hollow knight? If so I can’t play this? Is it more like ori with it being easier?
@@duckielove2286 this more combat>platforming
Ori is platforming>combat
Idk both this and base game Hollow knight was easy to me, but that's just me I also find Dark souls easy
I feel like rusty might be really good at narrating horror/ tragedy stories.
Coming back and watching this again for the first time in a few years… so psyched for the sequel Ender Magnolia releasing late January! I can’t wait to fall in love with this universe again. The soundtrack is entrancing.
I can safely say that this game is a creative masterpiece. So happy I played it
I doubt you'll see this, but I wanted to say thank you for introducing myself and many others to this amazing game.
I love the comparison of how the atmosphere and music changing to become stranger and more chaotic the deeper you go, actually representing a slow descent into insanity that comes from the blight. That's some amazing atmospheric storytelling! The way it builds up to the abyss, where it just... crashes and drones, feels in an odd way way like Everywhere At the End of Time to me. The way it represents the mind reaching that final step of complete loss of control, both similar and completely different to losing yourself to dementia, is terrifying.
This game reminded me of hollow knight, the sadness of never getting to experience it for the first time again. Beautiful art style, solid gameplay (not as fast passed as hollow knight), and very interesting lore read all the collectables everything is important and the story will come together. On steam it has overwhelmingly positive reviews and for me it is a solid 9/10.
I say the best description of the game is Hollow Knight's atmosphere and music, with Salt and Sanctuary's gameplay
Out of interest, Is it as lengthy as HK?
@@convergeman7825 no. The true ending is about 20 hours or so casual 100%.
@@convergeman7825 maybe 10 hours to beat casually, 15 for true ending, and 20 for 100%
People don’t talk enough about chasing the Hollow Knight high, its a problem 😔
Damn. I finished all the endings to ender lilies only a few hours before watching this, and having two massive hits to the feels was… something else. This is definitely the video ender lilies deserves.
I love this game.
Spent 3.5 hours yesterday helping out with the wiki, and now I consider myself a lore expert on the game. Any questions anyone has feel free to ask them.
I'd be down for a lore vid or two honestly
@@Rusty._ I'd love to be able to help! Any particular questions?
Also here's the discord link: discord.gg/ynEpRe9sUJ
@@Rusty._ pls do
@Rusty. We the internet, both need and deserve lore videos from you on this absolute gem of a game. Also, a boss ranking video, and a video about the most annoying mobs. Go full HK on this. Your videos were once a big part in my HK experience. This deserves the same attention from the community.
I was always wondering what the general order of events is, and if this is correct (sorry for the wall of text)
[Spoilers ahead]
From the notes, it seems the human kingdom invaded the Ancients and won, even though those Ancients had some immortal beings, possibly through Blight. There was also a war with the blighted, coming from the snowy area, and that war was eventually won too, with the help of the knights who were made immortal through the use of the immortal potion and with the help of a white priestess, who was also an Ancient. But, the experiments to make this immortal potion were carried in the Verboten Domain, which was already overrun by blight too. Also, the priestess became overcame with blight and was sent to the abyss, and then some fake children were also created through experiments, who attempted to take on part of the main priestess's blight, and possibly failed. There was also the constant rain, which also turned all of the normal people into the Blighted.
So, I guess my questions are:
1. Was the Blight created by the ancients and when they lost they unleashed it on the world, or is it just an even older force that not even they could contain (but still managed to craft semi-immortality potions through it)?
2. In which order did these happen: The war between the ancients, the war between humans and with the blighted, the infection of the verboten domain, the abyss with the blighted lord being the main source of the blight, the rain.
3. Where did all of the blighted come from? Mainly from the Verboten Domain, from outside, or were they just infected citizens?
4. Who or what is the Blighted Lord?
5. Was the priestess sent down in the abyss just to purify the Blight Lord and failed? Is any of the abyss infection coming from her, or just from the Blighted Lord, if so?
6. Did the assassination of the king actually matter?
7. Why did the rain happen if most of the infection came from the lowest levels?
8. Are the fleshy blobby monsters in the Verboten Domain a result of experiments trying to combine humans / create the smaller priestesses, or just the blight doing its thing?
Thank you in advance for any answers!
I picked this game up during the steam summer sale. The only reason I knew about it is because one of my friends stumbled across it and said it looked cool. As I visited the steam page I was blown away by the few frames of art I could see alone, and I immediately bought it. Upon completing all 3 endings in a short 3 days I can say this is one of those games that will stick with me. Few games are able to formulate such a potent atmosphere that tug at my heart and brain every so often, and I can confidently say that Elder Lilies is near the top of that list. Everything from the music to the art and to the dialogue compliment each other so beautifully. The twinge of sorrow in the music devolving into oppressive fear by the time you reach the Abyss is a process that hits hard. Collecting the memoirs of those fighting to protect Land's End, and ultimately witnessing the weight of their defeat when you fight them and purify them is such a rich way of building the world. Venturing to each new area and seeing the disarray all around, as the amount of blood and blight grows and the state of the world becomes more and more haunting. All three of these elements make Land's End the most engaging fallen dark fantasy kingdom I've explored. Not even Hallownest reaches the level that Land's End does for me. And I believe the reason for that is primarily due to the way we feel the struggles of the kingdom's people.
Also a worthy note, the gameplay is just really great. I always go on these tangents about story, world, and music, and then forget that these great games are also just very fun lol. As mentioned, the game doesn't do anything outstanding when it comes to gameplay, but at the same time it reminds us that we don't need to reinvent the wheel. Give me Metroidvania fundamentals with an interesting way to fight (in this case the spirit system which I really loved) and cool enemies, and I'll have a good time. The bosses were also fun and felt very rewarding when you beat them. There was genuine excitement in seeing what new spirit and ability I would get.
The number one thing I need to get off my chest however is how disappointed I am that it took me so long to find this game. It really is one of those gems that suddenly come out of the video game industry, and I really wish it was talked about more. Though, I'm glad someone like Rusty was able to come out and talk about it. I feel the same thing he expressed at the end of the video. I know this game wasn't massive, and I know it definitely isn't any bigger now over a year later when I'm playing it. But something in me demands that I talk about this game somewhere, and that is why I am leaving this comment now lol. There are still people like me who can find this game and enjoy it thoroughly even after so long, so don't stop talking about it. Let everyone know how special Ender Lilies is :)
That video was beautiful, coming in here in 2024 to say I hope you're excited for Ender Magnolia
Im 26 hrs into my playthrough and loved it. I just finished leveling to 100 then got all 3 endings. Fantastic game. Loved every minute :)
Dude you sounded like you were about to burst into tears at any second.
Mili are great musicians. I got to them through Limbus company which is a... well the closest I can think of without an essay is a sci-fi, dystopian horror drama shit with elements of eldritch horrors? You can imagine this kind of music in a game like this.
time to hope that it gets a bunch of DLCs and updates to increase its longevity.
Ooo I really like the mechanics of you getting spirits and abilities from bosses. It seems like a very creative game!
On the "drive to move on" thing: If sadness and grief isn't a necessary prerequisite for a good Metroidvania for you, I have one word for you: Aquaria.
This old gem is criminally underrated, IMHO.
Sadness and grief is a necessary for me in most things honestly. I don't want it to make me feel bad, just sufficiently depressed.
Not just your opinion, IT IS criminally underrated, of all the times I've seen someone ask for metroidvania recommendations (on Steam at least) nobody ever mentions Aquaria... sad
Thank you very much, I'm getting really sick and tired of every single game in the genre needing to be melodramatic as hell. Ender Lilies in particular reached a darkness singularity since it lacked even a single moment of levity or non-bittersweet happiness for the entire thing.
I really hope this game reaches as many people as possible. It’s everything I ever wanted in a 2D MetroidVania soulslike- from before hollowknight, back in salt and sanctuary, the dozens of games that have come out none ever reached Ender Lillies.
The music, the atmosphere, the absolutely gorgeous and perfect art. Each boss and enemy becoming an ally and weapon against the seemingly impossible.
Thanks for doing a video on this one Rusty.
I just got this game and my favorite thing about it is that you can see the spirts when resting or when your idle idk why but that little feature brings me more joy than than anything
My personal headcanon is that the spirits that accompany Lily do so as a show of gratitude, and a way to pay her back for saving them by protecting her from the rest of the blighted. Some sort of a "oh crap, _this_ is the girl that has to save us from the apocalypse? Oh hell nah i'm not gonna let her go by herself into this hellhole."
*grammar edit
This game was one of very few that really disturbed me to the core. The Verboten domain, the Abyss... Miriel, and especially her tragic end.
It' one of the few games that left me with an empty feeling in my heart with such a bittersweet ending.
Thank you for covering this beautiful game Rusty.
I, too, fell in love with the game. The whole element of Protecting Lily is what drives me to love it.
Im so glad you gave this game some attention. It deserves it. It was wonderful.
I've been eyeing this game for a while. You've sold me. Lol.
Im so glad u reviewed this game. I noticed it a while back and was waiting for a small push to get it
Awesome review, you summed up the game well! I got this game 3 days ago and 100% now lol, caught me off guard. The music, artstyle, talismans and spirits made the experience very enjoyable. The combos you can put together with the spirits and yourself are so good.
I'm so glad to see a RUclipsr I know talk about Ender Lilies! I bought it day 1 and fell in love instantly. Beautiful world, music, gameplay, it's so good
Just finished playing this game on your recommendation, very much enjoyed it.
Definitely on the bleaker side, and it's unclear whether the other countries are afflicted or why the rain occurs, though the latter could just be magic I guess.
Definitely let us know if you find any more like this, the depressing stuff is right up my alley.
To be fair, the full release has a few answers:
1) Other countries are extremely unlikely to be affected, for reasons that also answer the second question.
2) The Blight is born out of hatred. This is something unique to Land's End, where hate can manifest into a plague. This is seen from the Memory of An Ancient.
3) The Ancients could manifest this hatred into power, as seen with Relics like Aura's Ring.
Oh, thanks, Rusty. This was going to be the only month where my game spending was going to be reasonable. But now, You went and sold me on this game and I have once again spent more money on games this month than I should have. Thanks, you masterful salesman of macabre, atmospheric delights.
I'm looking forward to saving up some money to purchase this game.
Love this game, strongly reminding me of castlevania sotn, would definitely recommend to anyone who is looking for a similar experience
it's honestly the first time i watched one of ur video's. I like how you express to good points, even withing the game itself and comparis with other games. It's something you don't see everyday that a youtube is truly honest about what he thinks of a game. Most of the people do it for themself or for vieuws. Your honesty gives me the impression that you speak the truth for yourself but in the first place for the game Ender Lilies Quitus of the knights. Personnely i played the game just a week ago and i fell in love in it myself especilly the music. Thnk you rusty for the video i wanna say more but i am gonna leave it whit this
Thanks for convincing me to give this a try. Very persuasive video!
i picked this game up about a month ago for switch. interestingly, the actual reason i picked it up was because i found out that Mili had made the soundtrack for it and i'm a fan of them. after finishing the game, i'm glad i did buy it since it was very enjoyable experience. who knows, i might pick it up later on steam and do second playthrough since the switch is serviceable, but for a game like this dripping with atmosphere, i feel it didn't do it justice.
That small community ended up being me and my friends. Like gosh looking at these videos now just before the sequel comes out, something that I'm physically having trouble waiting for, is just amazing. This has, and probably always will be, my favorite game of all time; unless it's successor can do anything close to it's greatness. The only other game to have come close so far has been Celeste.
I’m so grateful I found this video last summer. It is absolutely tied for my favorite metroidvania I’ve ever played with Hollow Knight. It’s criminally underrated. The sound track is absolutely incredible. If your even considering thinking about playing it…. Play it… I promise you won’t regret it.
I was much more emotionally invested in this game than I was in Hollow Knight. Lilly is a amazing protagonist… and she never even utters a word. She doesn’t have too.
This was definitely the saddest game ive ever played, and i absolutely love it for that
its more like she cant tho, but still really expresive
This game is so good , buyed it because of you, really enjoyed it so much and looking forward to finish it :)
My biggest regret from this game is that I hadn't heard about it until about 3 years later.
And even then, it was just randomly offered to me as a free game from ps plus.
I was like "hmm, guess I'll try it since its free".
A few hours later and I am completely absorbed by this game.
My biggest gripe with the game (SPOILERS)
Is that the abyss was basically just about 3 zones with barely any challenge.
The atmosphere is great, and I agree "suffocating" was what immediately came to mind, despite how easy this area was.
I would have really loved to see some pure forms of blighted monstrosities (other than just the floating fish)in an even more difficult level than the previous zone.
Felt like they could have done so much more with this area. Big missed opportunity 😕
SPOILER AHEAD
One of my favorite moments in the entire game was finding the last upgrade to the Umbral Knight. Deep in the kingdom, you find a thick wall of toxin, and even though you have the mask, it still does a lot of damage. So you decide to come back later. Much later, after exploring basically everything, you come back to the wall, and try to make it past it. You probably die after making it a good distance down and still being in poison, so you try to think of a solution to get past. You remember all the healing upgrades and realize what the game wants. You put on every healing thing you can, and you go through again. It might take a couple tries, but you make it to the bottom, finding the final umbral knight upgrade and a bit of lore. That area of the game was my favorite because while it doesn’t give any direct hints as to how you make it past, it shows that with the intense amount of infection, and it not instantly killing you, that it is possible to make it past. That feeling of happiness I got when I figured it out and made it to the end was amazing.
This game was on my radar and your community post sold me on it. I'm glad you made a video, it deserves a spotlight.
One aspect you got wrong about the lore is that when you save the people infected with the blight, they do not live through that. What happens is that there souls are separated from their blighted body so that they can finally rest. The spirits that join up with you are not the person themselves. It's more like the shadow of the person that once lived in the body that has now been infected with the blight. That means that throughout the entire kingdom there are really only three people that are alive and are in control of themselve throughout the game. However if you complete the true ending this number goes down to one. The priestess of the fount dies and the umbrole knight has completed the vow of protecting the priestess so there soul is set free. That mean that the young priestess is the only person in the kingdom that is still alive. Jesus that is depressing.
well I decided to follow your advice and give it a try , 3 week later I have 3 100 % complete save slot ,no I'm not addicted just obsessed
I'm so glad you covered this game. A true gem. Deserves all the praise you gave. This is one I'll be keeping close to my heart in the years that come.
Awesome! I actually can’t wait to try this out
I first didn't pay attention when I saw it somewhere but I just saw the screenshot you posted, hooked me immediately and i got so scared that it wasn't in the ps store, thankfully it's in 6 days so W and thanks Rusty!
I just finished ending c, holy god this game is fucking amazing
Yeah I have two more tablets to go, hoping the final boss gets a bit harder though
@@jamesgaskill4948 it slightly does
Alright conna buy it right now
Just looks so epic
Biggest problem of this game - there is no NG+ after true ending
They will add it more soon than later. Devs already took note of this popular petition on Steam forums.
@@davidvila5053 Oh really? I haven't been to it in a week. Be nice addative. Few other games should have it to. Forgot the name. That one RpG game where your a guy with short white hair. A action RPG. Get other party members. Elemental dragons are part of the story. As I remember A or the villian is on the cover, A female.
@@AllenTax "that one RPG game where you a guy with short white hair"
Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?
@@AllenTax persona 4?
@@Obsrange5176 No.
This was free on ps+ and now I'm here. This and hollow knight will now forever be my favorite games. The only gamez I've ever wanted to play all the wah through
Alright God damn, you definitely have me sold! Your ability to display a game in the perfect way astounds me
Hey Rusty just wanted to say that it's actually thanks to you that I discovered, bought & played the game. I saw a post from you on the community tab with a screenshot of the game & I knew that was my next game. Thanks again for the video & spreading the news about this fantastic game 👍🤗
I bought this after seeing a comment from you praising it, loved it and completed it today. Highly recommend.
The ulv boss fight was my favourite, I haven't had that much fun fighting a boss since sekiro, awesome game.
I'm not an animu guy but I am also not opposed to the artstyle and it lends itself to a really atmospheric and sorrowful theme in this game which was really enjoyable
I started playing ender lillies a few months ago and i love everything about this game the music the graphics and the concept that a litte girl gets protected by a cool ass knight in a Land with no normal humans anymore
im so glad that i found this video, i love this type of game and i definitely gonna buy this one, i just hope it wont be to underrated
Glad I watch your channel; would not have known about this game otherwise.
I have always wanted to speedrun a metroidvania. This might be my chance!
Why not doing hollow knight?
@@hodorable6789 to optimized to be fun. I enjoy routing and creating my own strats
Go go go! Time's a-wasting!
Knowing you for your ER videos and then seeing you appear when I’m looking for obscure game reviews is always fucking jarring
Although i think a bit to much was said in some places, i feel that this is a wonderful description of what all that played ender lilies felt
Wonderful works
Beautiful review. The has an special atmosphere and this video captured all those feelings
I appreciate you making this video. I was on the fence about getting the game. But knowing that you and other creators I respect really enjoyed it makes me more willing to give it a try.
Ok I'll try it. Thanks for the review. I appreciate these videos. You never disappoint Rusty.
Got this game after seeing your rec post! So good!
I just finished this game with 100% completion and loved almost every second of it. The beautifully bleak environment really hooked me! I’m glad I watched this video and your glowing recommendation of the game!
Rusty, thank you so much for this video!!! I had no idea about this game and I just bought Bloodstained to scratch my Silksong itch and was SUPER disappointed
Such a good game, I just finished it recently
I love how your voice trembles whenever the emotion in your words is to powerful and beautiful
Got the game because you speak so highly of it and after 20 hours and 100% it I agree that this is beautiful and really is it's own game no matter how many inspirations it takes from other games.
Just beat this game. I was surprised how great it was. Graphics, gameplay, ost and world was amazing. Hope they continue with this series
I am in absolute love with this game. It's fantastic
I just watched the 1st 3 minutes of the video, got sold, went & got the game, finished it & now I finished this video;
Thx for introducing this game, it was the 1 of best metroidvania games I've ever played after hollow knight; & the soundtrack, atmosphere, graphics & visuals of the game are really great.
this game has been on my radar ever since it came out and i finally got to play it now, i love it so much. The atmosphere is beautiful
Beat it today and it is now my favorite Metroidvania, absolutely loved it from start to finish
Six months after watching the first minute of this video and I finally played the game lol. Thank you very much for introducing this. I loved it, especially with how intimidating many places could be even if there were no real consequences for dying. Getting to a respite genuinely felt like I could breathe again sometimes.
The catacombs and the stockade were such a bitch to find an entrance into, but looking back I almost like that? I can't really recall another game where an area that in-lore was meant to be hard to access actually felt like it. Finding the entrance underwater and swimming through hazard filled sewage actually made it feel like that.
Man I just stumbled onto this video/channel by chance watching many game related things and I have to say absolutely excellent. I don't game as much as I used to being 37 and having 4 kids but still find them endlessly fascinating. Really need to say that your break down of the game was great and made me want to play it, also your points outside the game and about games overall I completely agree with. Sometimes it can be easy to forget games are an experience and escape and there are so many out there that can fall by the wayside in this endless competition for popularity. I actually ended up on this video from your one about most modern 2d platformers being compared to hollow knight which was also awesome, keep up the great work dude.
So basically Bloodborne anime + Hollow Knight. That’s something I will definitely play someday.
I am still playing it, got it when you Alan announced it in your community post and im happy I did. Amazing game.
Oh dang the algorithm knows I got all the achievements in this last night. God this game’s good
You summed up my thoughts exactly with the game. I've been looking for more metroidvanias like SOTN or Bloodstained and tried playing so many that people said were like them. All have been disappointing until I picked up ender lilies. They either look like crap or have some combat mechanic that I really dislike. Some claim to be metroidvania and there is no exploration or back tracking or real upgrades. Some don't even have branching paths and they still list them as metroidvanias. I can't stress how amazing ender lilies really is. The music, ambiance, controls and play style was exactly what I was looking for.
Pretty sure a sequal is in the works called ender magolia i think
You are correct. It is being released this year
Absolutely fantastic work, using the Abyss' music in the Nier Automata section was a stroke of genius. Not just because of the thematic similarities, but also because of the feeling that's just... urgh. Nicely done!
for some reason ive been expecting you or any other channel thats known for HK content to cover this game and now i know why
Well said Rusty! I agree, we need to get this game to all metroidvania lovers out there. I'm still in the early game and I can't put it down. This deserves to be played and recognized by all gamers!
Yo I didn't know you made a vid on this game!
I just picked it up, immediately 100%'d it, and it may have just toppled Hollow Knight for my favourite game ever. Can't wait to watch this!
3:30 *spots small orange flying things*
*Hollow Knight PTSD intensifies*
Hey! I absolutely adored this video. I watched fire’s stream and was quite attracted by the game. Seeing your video just made me like it more and get more invested in a game im yet to play. I also got into searching stuff regarding NieR Automata after i saw this video, and was incredibly impressed about it too and about the story behind it. Thank you for that!!
Would also love to see a video regarding your full opinion on automata, since i throughly enjoyed everything about this one. But either way you’ve gained someone who deeply appreciates your content. Keep it up!
Legit saw this game in my recommended a few months back and played it for a couple hours. It’s pretty good
Alright, you got me getting this game now. Thanks :)
ENDER LILIES IS A WAY OF LIFE!