Princess of the Water Lilies

It is beautiful in every way, featuring superb music performed by a real orchestra and a story that, without saying much, manages to address the conflict between nature and machinery in a clear, moving way, full of explicit allusions to humanity’s impact on nature.

If you are craving a cute and whimsical fairytale to play, I urge you to give Princess of the Lillies a chance. Aside from the frustration of the difficulty spike and screen movement, I loved this storybook adventure. I really feel that developer Whyknot has created something really special here, and I am eager to see what they might create in the future!

Princess of the Water Lilies is a near‑masterpiece of handcrafted platforming: a game whose artistry, sound design, and core mechanic coalesce into moments that feel cinematic and earned. The magical collar turns levels into living puzzles, the hand‑drawn biomes are endlessly inviting, and the orchestral score elevates both quiet exploration and high‑stakes boss encounters. When the design clicks; a perfectly timed purr, a bridge unfurling at the right beat, a boss pattern finally read; the payoff is genuinely memorable. The few deductions come from sharp difficulty spikes and occasional readability issues in hectic fights, which can make some encounters feel more punishing than purposeful. Those are fixable with clearer telegraphs, checkpoint tuning, and a few accessibility options.

The hand-drawn visuals are the heart of the game. The environments shift between fiery forests, cool moonlit woods, and floating cliffs, each with its own mood. Nothing is overcrowded or noisy. Shapes and colours guide you through the world. The style reminded me of Ori’s gentle glow and Hollow Knight’s calm moments, mixed with the nostalgic charm of early Studio Ghibli films. The magical collar/purr effects are lovely too — plants blooming, fish deflating, dandelions lifting you into the air… Every change feels part of a natural, enchanted world.

Princess of the Water Lilies is beautifully crafted to become a lovely first choice for a platformer game. With intuitive controls, lovely art, and a clear, compelling story told without dialogue, it’s a small treasure of a game that will welcome both new players and gamers who love puzzles but struggle with platformers. The music and sound effects are equally lovely, coming together in a game that’s just really nicely put together all around. I may be bad at this game, but it doesn’t make me feel bad for that fact, and I found it encouraging to keep trying again.

Princess of the Water Lilies is a pleasant title, with intriguing ideas and an interesting world, but at the same time marked by numerous imperfections that compromise its overall quality.