The Indie Informer

Ender Magnolia: Bloom In The Mist is as beautiful to play as it is to behold. I haven’t spent the time I’d like to with the game just yet, under an hour at this point, but I don’t need any longer to admire how darkly enchanting it is.

The gameplay glides under my hands as I jump, dash, and fight through stunningly animated environments. The progression is compelling, with my path unfolding hand-in-hand with the story. Out today from Early Access, Metroidvania fans should make time to immersive themselves in the shiver-inducing experience.

You don’t have time to look away once you boot up the game. The opening cutscene is as visually alluring as it is mysterious. Boasting a detailed hand-drawn aesthetic, Ender Magnolia could infect even well-loved anime with envy using its Gothicly luscious look. A defleshed skeleton stares back at me from the screen, glowing with luminous magic. A young face smiles at me reassuringly while distant voices dehumanize those around them. The budding of the story is elegant and funereal.

And the world rises to meet the atmosphere. The details in the foreground — rubble, bits of foliage clinging to life, etc. — enhance the entire production. It’s stunning to look at despite the wretched destruction. Our heroine climbs out of the chaos with only a dodge, jump, and healing ability. These are no use in dispatching the undead hostile creatures in her path. However, as the cutscene suggests, there is more to her than meets the eye.

A body — pieced through with a weapon — speaks. It asks, and I comply, for a touch of magic to regain its composure. In return, the figure grants me the use of its melee attack. Now, I can slice through obstructions — living and inanimate alike. It’s a common move, but the action slices through the air with extraordinarily velvety arcs.

I go on to quickly gain another ability coupled with a mysterious character. This one, however, requires a boss fight and unlocks a piece of the story. The cutscene is no more comforting than the first, though it’s equally impressive to watch, revealing glimpses of betrayal and calculated inhumanity.

It’s impossible to be sure Ender Magnolia‘s narrative will continue to blossom as perfectly with its gameplay as it has so far, but it’s promising. Having already played later stages of the game, I do know the action grows more sophisticated while remaining just as graceful. That alone makes it easy to recommend.