When you thought January was a bit dry for superb new video games and that each one the good things would start to roll out in February, suppose once more. After a stint in early entry, Metroidvania sequel Ender Magnolia has simply hit 1.0 and it’s drowning in reward. This darkish fantasy journey already boasts an eye-watering 98% score on Steam, glowing evaluations from the critics, and is having fun with a giant inflow of gamers.
With its predecessor, Ender Lillies: Quietus of the Knights, already one of the crucial revered Metroidvania video games round, there was a reasonably excessive bar for Ender Magnolia: Bloom within the Mist to hit – effectively, think about that bar comfortably cleared. Ender Magnolia is a 2D sidescroller that mixes the darkish fantasy backdrops and themes of video games like Blasphemous with an anime artwork type for its characters. In contrast to Ender Lillies, it incorporates a talking protagonist, Lilac who has the ability to repair rampaging beasts often called Homunculi that terrorize her world.
This world, often called the Land of Fumes, as soon as turned to magical forces to advance its civilization, and within the course of the Homunculi have been created as a legion of artificially clever mechanical life kinds. A catastrophe fell upon the Land of Fumes, which allowed the Homunculi to go rogue and go away the world damaged and desolate.
Now, Lilac should traverse this Metroidvania world, meet and save human survivors, and tackle the Homunculi in epic boss battles. To reinforce Lilac in fight, you’ll steadily decide up new expertise from the companions you purchase, discover new gadgets, and improve your tools.
Even in its incomplete type all through early entry, followers have been going loopy for Ender Magnolia, however now that it’s hit 1.0, it’s experiencing a recent wave of gamers and reward. On its opening day as a full launch, it peaked at round 6,800 concurrent gamers, which is spectacular for any new single-player sport of its stature.
Its total Steam evaluation rating additionally sits at a mighty, ‘overwhelmingly constructive’ 98%, which places it on a par with all-time greats like Stardew Valley and Portal 2. Nonetheless, in the event you have a look at current evaluations solely, it’s obtained a fair mightier 99% score. Wild stuff.
Whereas not broadly reviewed by the press, its Metacritic common is an especially spectacular 89 out of 100, comfortably making it the best-reviewed sport of 2025 to this point (sure, I do know we’re solely three weeks in). Certain, earlier than the yr’s out, it could have a run-in with the most-anticipated Metroidvania of all of them, Hole Knight Silksong – if that sport ever exhibits up… Regardless, Ender Magnolia has already cemented itself as one of many greatest PC video games of the yr.
If it wasn’t ok already, builders Adglobe and Reside Wire plan so as to add three key options in future updates: a boss rematch setting, a boss rush mode that sees you struggle the entire sport’s massive bads back-to-back, and a New Recreation+ expertise.
Ender Magnolia Bloom of the Mist is out proper now in 1.0 on Steam. You may decide the sport up for your self or study extra about it right here.
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