Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist (Xbox Series) Review
Release Date: January 22, 2025
Publisher/Developer: Binary Haze Interactive Inc./Adglobe Inc, Live Wire, Inc.
Platform: Xbox Series (reviewed), Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5/4
Price: $24.99
I've always enjoyed a good MetroidVania, frequently returning to the start and plugging away at Super Metroid or Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on my Switch or iPhone while on the go. Solid platforming, tight controls, and an ever expanding map are integral to this addictive gameplay loop. Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist (and it's prequel, Ender Lilies) are modern-day games in this vein that do an excellent job of pulling you in with intriguing stories, then keep you returning with a satisfying gameplay loop and customization options. Ender Magnolia also does a great job of respecting your time with ample rest/save spots, quick loading, and a fast travel system.
Lilac is a small girl in a seemingly apocalyptic setting. Certain souls have been morphed into homunculi, which historically have a part in why the world is so terrible. Lilac is able to attune herself to these souls, offering them a chance at freedom. They also help Lilac as she progresses, acting as her powers. Lilac doesn't attack, but she will command homunculi to attack in her stead. As you press forward, you run across homunculi that are twisted, and defeating them will let them help you, offering their powers for anything from ranged attacks to traversal assistance.
Homunculi and their abilities are assigned to face buttons, and you can customize your build with any combination you come across. Once you get enough for each face button, each new one offers new combo capabilities. Other homunculi offer simple powers, such as an early on one that allows you to instantly travel between save points. I was very pleased with this option, as often part of the frustration in MetroidVanias is simply trudging back and forth between areas.
The game is friendly with it's various sliders that allow you to customize your difficulty levels via multiple sliders, no just easy/medium/hard. Enemies will only respawn after you save, giving both a sense of ease for going back through tough areas, but also a risk/reward system as you decide whether to save and heal or plow on through.
Early on, controls feel smooth. As you add special moves for traversal like a double jump and an air dash, it becomes even easier. I had to learn how to use the evade button early, as sometimes with certain bosses I simply couldn't avoid or absorb the damage, leading to frequent deaths. Evading gives you a few frames of invincibility that make it easier to follow boss patterns and take them down.
I do tire of everything being so grim these days. Even though Ender Magnolia does live in the post-apocalyptic setting, it does a great job of keeping a bitter sweetness to the story as Lily saves homunculi and you learn about their past. The art style is gorgeous, fresh off of a painting. The music is beautifully scored as well, and the characters you meet have their own souls and vulnerabilities to share and discover.
Ender Magnolia is a wonderful, easy to pick up MetroidVania style game. I appreciate the beauty of the world, as well as the simple conveniences they offer the player to make it easier to navigate and be respectful of your time. Personally, I did not know going in that Ender Magnolia is a sequel; it's tight addictive gameplay will have me looking for the original, as well as anything else this developer may have put out.
Pros:
Beautifully designed art and music
Deep customization as you choose your homunculi that effect your abilities
Very friendly to newcomers or those with little time on their hands via teleportation
Cons:
Personally struggled until I discovered the power of the evade
The usual dark, post-apocalyptic setting is used a lot these days
Special thanks to Binary Haze Interactive Inc./Adglobe Inc, Live Wire, Inc. for providing a code for review!