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rynlingSorry I’m not done talking about Ender Lilies. This game is just so fucking made for me.
The conceit of Ender Lilies is that you play as a White Priestess named Lily whose job is to purify people who have been turned into monsters by a magical blight. Lily is a ten-year-old girl who just woke up in a clone tube, and she has no combat abilities. Thankfully, some of the creatures she purifies join her as spirits. With a few exceptions, she doesn’t “gain” their abilities. Rather, they appear beside her to attack, to break walls, etc. I know this may sound clumsy in theory, but it’s cool as hell in practice.
What this means is that every boss you fight becomes an attack + a navigation ability. This is especially cool because the bosses are, without exception, very difficult. So this wall you banged your head against twenty to thirty times – he’s your wall now. If you’ve ever developed a weird sort of affection for a tough video game boss as you learn how to fight them, as I often do, Ender Lilies has you covered.
Like I said, all of the bosses in Ender Lilies are extremely difficult, but the one that always gives me the most trouble is Knight Captain Julius. Julius is basically Kain Highwind. He’s very strong and extremely fast. He has a range of attacks that he uses in a very smart way, including one that will one-shot you while you’re healing. (The boss AI in Ender Lilies is incredible btw.) You have to be at the top of your game at all times as you fight him. The worst thing is that he has a high defense and a ton of HP, so you have to be on your toes for the entirety of a relatively long fight.
This boss is difficult so that players will bounce against the wall he represents and go do something else. I think you’re supposed to find the sewer level precisely because Julius is so hard. He’s not frustrating – none of the bosses in Ender Lilies is frustrating – but it’s clear that you need a bit of a level boost in order to have a chance against him. You’re thereby encouraged do a bit of backtracking and exploring, during which you’ll presumably find the sewer level. The sewer level isn’t hidden; it’s just not broadcast as loudly as Julius’ castle level. The sewer level needs to be a little off the beaten path for story and thematic purposes, so the game uses a difficult boss to push you off the main path.
So Julius is a very hard fight. But when you finally win, he becomes your ally. His navigation ability is an airborne super dash. The way this works is that he scoops you up under his arm as he flies forward.
And I just love it so much that the most difficult boss in a game of difficult bosses is now carrying you in his arms. Not in a creepy or sexual way – again, your character is ten years old – but in a way that demonstrates kindness and support. I appreciate that Lily doesn’t have to “become powerful,” and that who she is on her own is enough for other people to want to help her.
The conceit of Ender Lilies is that you play as a White Priestess named Lily whose job is to purify people who have been turned into monsters by a magical blight. Lily is a ten-year-old girl who just woke up in a clone tube, and she has no combat abilities. Thankfully, some of the creatures she purifies join her as spirits. With a few exceptions, she doesn’t “gain” their abilities. Rather, they appear beside her to attack, to break walls, etc. I know this may sound clumsy in theory, but it’s cool as hell in practice.
What this means is that every boss you fight becomes an attack + a navigation ability. This is especially cool because the bosses are, without exception, very difficult. So this wall you banged your head against twenty to thirty times – he’s your wall now. If you’ve ever developed a weird sort of affection for a tough video game boss as you learn how to fight them, as I often do, Ender Lilies has you covered.
Like I said, all of the bosses in Ender Lilies are extremely difficult, but the one that always gives me the most trouble is Knight Captain Julius. Julius is basically Kain Highwind. He’s very strong and extremely fast. He has a range of attacks that he uses in a very smart way, including one that will one-shot you while you’re healing. (The boss AI in Ender Lilies is incredible btw.) You have to be at the top of your game at all times as you fight him. The worst thing is that he has a high defense and a ton of HP, so you have to be on your toes for the entirety of a relatively long fight.
This boss is difficult so that players will bounce against the wall he represents and go do something else. I think you’re supposed to find the sewer level precisely because Julius is so hard. He’s not frustrating – none of the bosses in Ender Lilies is frustrating – but it’s clear that you need a bit of a level boost in order to have a chance against him. You’re thereby encouraged do a bit of backtracking and exploring, during which you’ll presumably find the sewer level. The sewer level isn’t hidden; it’s just not broadcast as loudly as Julius’ castle level. The sewer level needs to be a little off the beaten path for story and thematic purposes, so the game uses a difficult boss to push you off the main path.
So Julius is a very hard fight. But when you finally win, he becomes your ally. His navigation ability is an airborne super dash. The way this works is that he scoops you up under his arm as he flies forward.
And I just love it so much that the most difficult boss in a game of difficult bosses is now carrying you in his arms. Not in a creepy or sexual way – again, your character is ten years old – but in a way that demonstrates kindness and support. I appreciate that Lily doesn’t have to “become powerful,” and that who she is on her own is enough for other people to want to help her.
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Date: 2023-04-27 04:52 pm (UTC)