Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights was a game that didn't blow up like other indie games, but it was still very well regarded by those who did discover it. Its dark but anime-inspired aesthetic got people intrigued, but its difficulty and distinct combat mechanic got people hooked. Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist is the sequel and, as expected, it comes with a few changes and tweaks that make the experience feel better than before.

The story takes place several decades after the events of the first game. You play the role of Lilac, an Attuner who seems to have the power to heal the artificial life forms known as Homunculi. While you aren't suffering from amnesia, your knowledge of things is still limited, as you start the game by waking up in a metal vessel that has landed underground in the Land of Fumes. As you move on, you find more Homunculi that need help, and soon your party decides that the only way to find any answers is to visit the upper city, where the sorcerers live.

The game's Early Access status means that there are still large parts of the story that have yet to be revealed, but the preview build shows some improvement in how the story is being delivered. Unlike the first game, there are cut scenes when encountering some people, and even though they're scarcely animated, it is better than just gleaning the story from various documents in the world. The game also presents an opportunity to have optional dialogue when resting at a checkpoint, further giving the story an opportunity to flesh out when not in combat.

The core gameplay remains largely unchanged. This is a Metroidvania through and through, as you'll find many obstacles to block your path and many opportunities to revisit areas to get what you need to unlock the next door or roadblock. Leveling up is done automatically, so you don't have to worry about allocating points for stats, and the action is all done in real time, with some platforming challenges thrown in for good measure.

If you're unfamiliar with the original game, then there are two elements that make Ender Magnolia feel different from other titles in the genre. The first is the Dark Souls-like nature. Enemies hit hard enough that two to three hits are enough to outright kill you. Saving at certain locations ensures that all defeated enemies get to respawn, and boss fights are tough as nails, even if you think you've figured out the pattern. There's no emphasis on parrying, and there's no stamina meter to restrict your movement or attacks, but the inclusion of some mechanics from the Soulslike genre makes for an interesting twist to the classic Metroidvania experience.

The second element actually makes this feel like a creature collection game. Lilac can't fight on her own, so she ends up recruiting Homunculi to fight for her. Everyone you get has completely different moves that differ in things like speed and strength and even cooldown timers. You can equip up to four Homunculi at a time to be called upon at the push of a button, and they all act in real time to perform attacks for you. They can also be powered up as the game progresses, giving them more moves to work with. It is an interesting system that feels very Pokémon-like in nature — something you never really see in this genre.

With all that said, the gameplay mechanics have received at least two fairly big tweaks. The first is that your character is more nimble thanks to the inclusion of a double-jump and an airborne dash, which gives you the ability to cover a ton of distance, especially since both moves can be combined. The second thing is that the roster isn't as large as in the first game. You don't recruit as many of the mini-bosses and bosses; it might seem like a downgrade, but it also means that you've got a concentrated and memorable cast to power up, versus a bloated roster with half of a cast that you won't remember by the end.

With all of those positives mentioned, there are some questionable elements, even if they are intentional. While you get a roll move early in the game to dodge some steam vents, that roll gets removed later in favor of a dash that can't seem to prevent damage — something you'll likely learn during a big boss fight. You also can't skip any dialogue that appears before the fight, and while these sections aren't long, it can be annoying to go through the same scenes when you just want to get back into the skirmish. Finally, the game has the tendency to repeat all of the boss fight stages after death, so dying at a boss' second phase, for example, means you have to go through the first phase fight all over again.

The presentation matches the previous title almost exactly. Although the game is presented from a 2D viewpoint, it's rendered with a 3D engine, so there's an opportunity to play with depth and smooth character movements. The environments feature loads of dark fog, grime and other particle effects, but the hints of lights in the distance make this a less dreary game than the previous offering. The music is overall awesome, with a good mix of haunting melodies and ones perfect for combat. You will be divided on whether the lack of voices is a good thing, especially during cut scenes, where it feels like it would've been nice to have something more than subtitles.

So far, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist does everything that a good sequel is supposed to do. While this is just a glimpse of a small part of the game, there are enough improvements that show it can be a better experience than the original. There's a better method for telling the story, and the cast reduction feels better due to each character possessing more moves to work with. The preview build may not get too many updates at this point, but the full release will be available before long: Jan. 22, 2025.