I’ve been diving into ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights by Live Wire and published by Binary Haze Interactive. Players rave about its stunning art style and smooth combat. For example, one user praised the variety of spirits and smart enemy design. Moreover, they said exploration never felt tedious because rooms hide secret nooks. Although a few players noted that map secrets sometimes feel oddly placed, that detail mostly adds to the thrill of discovery. As someone who lives for hidden paths, I find that tweakable in a patch or with a guide.
I went all in and hit 100% in about fifteen hours. During that run, I tracked down every lily, relic, and upgrade. Furthermore, Binary Haze Interactive clearly understands Metroidvania fans. They even built ENDER LILIES in Unity, which offers stable cross-platform play. I especially loved how the fallen knight spirits expand your skill list. The only hiccup was a boss drop I missed because of a hidden wall. Still, I applaud Live Wire’s commitment to deep world-building.
The core controls—attack, evade, dash, aim—feel rock solid. In fact, I love mixing melee strikes with ranged spirits. For example, recruit a poison spirit and kite harder foes. This setup reminds me of Hollow Knight’s fluid combat, but with more build options. In a Live Wire interview, developers mentioned they wanted each fight to feel tense and tactical. Without question, they nailed that. The layered dodge timing, therefore, really rewards precision.
When it comes to speedruns, ENDER LILIES shines. You can chain dash attacks to skip entire enemy rooms. In addition, the flooded forest offers a neat wall-clip shortcut. On PC, the Unity engine holds a steady 60 fps. On the other hand, the Switch version dips around heavy particle effects, but still works. A few fans even hit a sub-two-hour run by mastering early spirit swaps. Consequently, that replay tech keeps me glued to the timer.
Shifting to story, I felt pulled in by Lily’s awakening in a ruined church. Live Wire teased that Rain of Death holds a hidden purpose. Each boss you free adds lore through short voice clips and relic descriptions. Moreover, the pacing stays strong—dialogue never drags. The kingdom’s mystery unfolds just enough to keep you guessing.
I agree. I loved reading every relic entry since they drop hints on the kingdom’s past. It felt like a nod to classic RPG entries. Clearly, Live Wire’s narrative team studied Dark Souls’ minimalism. They use world detail to tell most of the tale. Ultimately, that subtle style suits exploration.
Dialogue stands crisp and purposeful. Because of that, you never slog through filler text blocks. Instead, you learn lore through item notes and brief NPC chats. It’s a smart mix of environmental storytelling and direct hints. That approach keeps players moving and guessing until the credits roll.
I’ll admit I skip some cutscenes on my second or third run. However, I can’t ignore Mili’s soundtrack. Tracks like “Quietus of Knights” cue boss fights perfectly. The tension builds before each clash, which helps me time my runs.
Visually, the game shines. The hand-drawn backgrounds mix dark purples and muted greens. As a result, enemies pop against that palette. Unity’s lighting effects add depth in the submerged forest. I even spotted pixel-perfect animations on every creature. Clearly, Live Wire values high-quality 2D art.
On PC Ultra settings, every water drop in the flooded forest sparkles. On Switch handheld, you lose some glow, but the core art holds up. I salute Binary Haze for solid optimization work on indie titles.
Character designs stand out. Lily’s movements feel fluid. Boss animations flow frame by frame, thanks to the team’s background in anime-style art. That animation depth ties directly into hit detection and combat feel.
The camera work helps, too. It always frames your dash combos so you can see incoming attacks. That consistency makes timing easier in tight sections.
The audio design pulls me deeper. Mili’s soundtrack blends piano chimes with haunting vocals. In the sealed cavern, low drones warn you of lurking threats. Live Wire chose every effect carefully to set tone.
Sound cues also hint at hidden walls or incoming ambushes. I remember rushing a corner only to hear a faint crack. That prompt let me bash through to a secret shop.
I’d add the lack of full voice acting keeps focus on music. It fits the dark fantasy vibe and invites your imagination.
And those audio cues help me skip fights. I listen for enemy aggro sounds, then dash past in record time.
Characters feel earned. Lily starts blank-slate but gains depth through every knight you free. Each spirit carries a tragic backstory you learn from short verses.
I adored the variety. From the knight who loved music to the one who sought truth. Their arcs tie neatly into the main plot. That scope deepens replay desire.
The game offers no character creation, but your build choices shape Lily’s journey. You decide whether to lean into magic or go pure melee. That player agency reflects modern RPG trends.
I usually pick speed-focus builds. A dash-heavy Lily cuts time and keeps me alive. That freedom to customize fits my style.
About challenge, ENDER LILIES balances combat, puzzles, and exploration well. Boss patterns feel fair but tough. I faced some spikes around the castle gates, but fair ones. Live Wire even hinted at difficulty tweaks in future patches.
User feedback mentioned a few bosses as one-hit kills on a slip. But training on the demo area handled that. The dodge window feels generous once you master timing.
Side paths offer easier loops to grind levels and materials. That grind can smooth difficulty spikes. As a completionist, I appreciate that safety valve.
The exploration feels rewarding, not punishing. You unlock shortcuts often, which scales with your map knowledge.
On replay value, ENDER LILIES excels. Multiple endings depend on your actions. You can aim for a true finale or rush a lighter one. Collectibles and relic combos push you to replay with new builds.
Speedrun routes differ dramatically if you skip secrets or chase full completion. I’ve run it three times with unique strategies each time.
I’m still hunting a hidden music box I missed. That alone tempts me back. The game’s length—around fifteen hours for a full run—sits just right for me.
ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights shines in the 2D action RPG genre with its fluid combat, rich lore, and deep build options. Fans of this dark fantasy adventure will also enjoy Hollow Knight for its mysterious exploration, Blasphemous for its brutal action and religious-inspired art, Death’s Door for fluid battles and memorable bosses, Salt and Sanctuary for challenging Soulslike progression, and Ori and the Blind Forest for stunning visuals and heartfelt storytelling. All of these titles share smart combat, strong art direction, and rewarding world design.
