Wow. Just wow.

I'll try to abstain from including any spoilers in this review - if you plan on purchasing this game I think you should experience the masterpiece that is it to the fullest extent; without having anyone ruin it for you.

Ender Lilies is set in a dark post-apocalyptic world full of ruin, despair, and a tragic history. You play as Lily; a priestess that has awoken long after the world has fallen and your mission is to purify the "Blight" from the world and essentially to save it; with the help of a knight and his abilities along with other sprits and relics you will obtain along the way. While progressing through the story you will unlock not only these abilities and spirits to aid you but also little scraps and fragments of game lore left behind by fallen individuals. This slow and piece-by-piece progression allows the player to appreciate the universe the game is set in and become more attached to the characters and plot while pressing forward.

The developers behind this game were able to expertly set the tone and mood for this game while also making it an incredibly fun and engaging game. I haven't dabbled too much in the realm of metroidvania games myself; but this one was absolutely stellar. The map is full of little secrets and collectibles along with puzzles and parkour; making for a game with not only an immersive combat system with many choices of abilities, spirits, and relics to use; but also a game with real depth lore-wise/mechanic-wise/story-wise - its own unique characteristic style. Essentially Ender Lilies is its own creation with plenty of thought put into it; and isn't just a copy of any other particular game or "just another" metroidvania game.

Another thing I want to mention as kind of a side note is how wonderful the soundtrack for this game is. The soundtrack is composed by Mili: if you aren't familiar with them they are a Japanese classical music group with some beautiful songs. Not only did the developers do a good job of maintaining the dark atmosphere of the game with the background, lore, enemies, and ambience; but Mili's soundtrack really pulls everything together with its twists of tones that can be at times melancholy, and at other points be full of dark twists and turns; sharp breaks and heightened pitch shifts in the music...

This may just be my favorite game on steam at the moment and I absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone that may be on the verge of purchasing this masterpiece of a game.