Ender Magnolia Bloom in the Mist is a 2D Action RPG within a Metroidvania landscape and a spiritual successor to Ender Lilies. Developed by both Adglobe and Live Wire who brilliantly worked on Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights. Ender Magnolia Bloom in the Mist is currently in Early Access and limits access to more parts of the game since it’s still being worked on. Think of it like when Hades first released and was in Early Access. Give it time and I know Ender Magnolia Bloom in the Mist will be as amazing if not spectacular once it’s reached version 1.0.
Now that we’re dealing with Homunculi, I just need to lose my right arm and left leg, have my younger brother’s soul in a suit of armor, have a dead mom and look for a red mystical stone to break the laws of everything…wait…wrong series.
From Lilies to Magnolias
You play as Lilac, a young girl who is an “Attuner” that lost her memories and finds herself below the Lower Sanctum. After traversing through the dark surrounding of where she fell, you come across a homunculus that agrees to help you in your journey, but they’ll want something in return.
Venturing further in and you’ll encounter another homunculus that is hostile and attacks you for no reason. After defeating them, you attune to them and have them become a part of your party and see the memory they’ve had before being corrupted by the Fumes. Fumes being a gas that affects both humans and homunculi alike and causes them to be mentally unstable and mutated.
Lilac and her band of homunculi task themselves with trying to help others humans and homunculi along the way while trying to retrieve the lost memories of Lilac and Nola to get the full story on how they end up where they were.
Ender Luck and Stability
The soundtrack is phenomenal and I love the lyrics that appear in certain locations when going from place to place. Even the piano score gave me so many chills, I legit stuck around in one spot to listen to the music loop, but never knowing when the loop starts or even ends. There are times where I can’t tell if the songstress is singing in French, but I’m not sure yet. There are moments I’d expect some sort of sfx when you attune to the different homunculi you come across on your journey.
I also hope that they might go down the route of having the cutscenes read aloud because my goodness would that add some extra flavor into this mix.
After a Flower Wilt, It’ll Bloom Again
Now let’s talk about the art that was given life and graced our life by existing. Adglobe and Live Wire sank the entire ship with how alluring the background looks, the design behind each homunculus, and the well drawn effect we see when performing attacks. If I was thrown into Ender Magnolia Bloom in the Mist with no subtitles and only the animations done when you peer into the memories of the homunculi you attune to, and I feel like those memories tell you more than subtitles ever will.
I think the location where you fight Yolvan is top tier and has me hoping for a background that’ll make me want to know more about the world and why a broken clock tower is glowing red. There’s even the immense homunculi graveyard that is completely adorn with what looks like white lilies that even cover atop of different parts in of these three pillars of stones in the mine.
Machine Part, Spice, and Everything Magic
When it comes to the mechanics, it feels similar to people who’ve played Ender Lilies with some new things added to the mix. Instead of switching between two ways of fighting, you get to mix one homunculus to each attack slot you have access to. Then there’s the fact you have four attack options to do some crazy combos, like having Yolvan as my R1 slot and Nola to my ◻ where I can spam the living daylight out of her scythe.
Even the enemies’ way of attacking has me on my toes. Especially, a specific enemy who should not be named or spoiled so that you all can learn true fear again.
Attuning To The Early Mist
Like I mentioned earlier, Ender Magnolia Bloom in the Mist is in Early Access and you will reach the wall to continue to the next section since it’s not ready yet. Most people would stop there and wait for the next update to continue, but not I. I’m mostly farming materials (which is the world’s currency) and buying any items I could wear or increase the slots for my relics that I can equip.
There are already farming videos on both Youtube and the Steam Community for Ender Magnolia Bloom in the Mist if you want to start hoarding the currency to prepare you for the next update. I would say that if you enjoyed the experience you had when Hades was in Early Access, I’d say get Ender Magnolia Bloom in the Mist and enjoy the ride like I am.
Ender Magnolia Bloom in the Mist Trailer
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Written by Ruddy Celestial
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