The Dark Souls franchise has become somewhat infamous for reshaping the modern action-RPG. So many games have sought to emulate the design elements found in Souls games that “Souls-like” has become a genre recognized by the industry.
These elements have become so well-known that it’s not hard to draw up a checklist, examine any given Souls-like, and find how much they relate to their inspiration. However, as the latest culprit ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights shows, that doesn’t mean its designs aren't unique in and of itself.
New Roads Abound
The first thing ENDER LILIES has in common with Dark Souls is the all-important world design. ENDER LILIES is a 2D metroidvania with checkpoints and fast travel points in the form of benches, an equivalent to Dark Souls 1’s interconnected 3D world and multi-purpose bonfires. The bonfire checkpoint system and the ability to find shortcuts to earlier areas are two of the most notable traits associated with Souls-likes, though the way ENDER LILIES and DS1’s worlds unfold are quite different. Whereas Dark Souls provides multiple paths that sometimes intersect if they travel in the same general direction, ENDER LILIES has a more classic approach to levels and progress. Certain abilities and movement options required to proceed are found only by defeating bosses.
Speaking of which, another similarity ENDER LILIES has to Dark Souls is how it deals with boss souls. After defeating a boss in Dark Souls, players gain a soul that can be made into a weapon, armor, or spell with the help of certain NPCs. ENDER LILIES harkens back to this, but instead transmutes souls into new abilities right away. The protagonist Lily isn’t trained to fight, so she has the purified spirits of warriors she faces fight alongside her. Even normal enemies can drop their souls for Lily’s use. These souls can be equipped at a bench, and they, along with assorted relics, serve as Lily's equipment. And of course, like in any good Souls game, these enemy souls and relics all have lore in their descriptions.
Happiness Amidst Horror
The fairly grim aesthetic and post-apocalyptic fantasy setting of Dark Souls is maintained in ENDER LILIES, but with a twist: ENDER LILIES has a subtle sense of hope. While both games take place in kingdoms that have fallen prey to zombie-raising ancient curses, Lily herself does not seem to be affected by said curse like all the Dark Souls protagonists. In fact, she seems able to repel it and sets out with the intent to do so. As mentioned above, most of the player's abilities stem from enemies who become sane and purified on death, pledging themselves to the cause. That’s considerably more convenient than needing to figure out whether players need to kill Ornstein or Smough first to get the desired weapon.
ENDER LILIES’ unique sense of hope can be felt immediately in its protagonist's design, and how she contrasts with the world around her. Lily is a young woman with white hair and nearly pure-white clothing, completely at odds with the dark, crumbling environments she often finds herself in. Indeed, there is even a subtle glow surrounding her at all times. This contrasts with the massive importance of The Abyss in Dark Souls and how fire is often presented as destructive and uncontrollable, and players quickly realize just how far-reaching this small design choice goes. It even opens the door to rare environments with bright colours and a peaceful, whimsical feeling, something largely absent in the Dark Souls universe.
Face The Undead Horde
Still, peace can only last for so long. Outside of both franchise’s occasional sidequests and NPC interactions, combat is still a central aspect. ENDER LILIES and Dark Souls are fairly close in this respect, focused on learning enemy patterns and dodging past them to attack when an opening presents itself. As always, a trusty Estus Flask-equivalent is at the player's side.
ENDER LILIES allows for more speed and maneuverability than the average Souls, with actions present both on the ground and in the air, but this comes at the cost of taking damage on contact with an enemy. Lily is an unarmored girl fighting abominations, after all. Regardless, once players get a handle on how to dodge enemy attacks, things start to feel a lot more manageable — though, due to its early access nature, fans have yet to see exactly how hard ENDER LILIES can get.
Despite all the similarities it has to Dark Souls, Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights still ends up feeling unique thanks to a few aesthetic and gameplay choices. The Dark Souls formula has proven to be a massive success for From Software, so it makes sense to use it as a base when constructing an exploration and combat-heavy action-RPG. ENDER LILIES still has a ways to go in Steam Early Access, with more areas and multiple endings (another hallmark of the Souls series) planned for the final release. Still, even in its present state, it is worth any hardcore Souls fan’s time.
ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights released on January 20, 2021, for PC via Steam Early Access.