Princess of the Water Lilies

About

Princess of the Water Lilies is a single player action game. It was developed by Why Knot Studio and was released on November 20, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Princess of the Water Lilies is a 2D puzzle-platformer where players step into the paws of an adventurous cat, exploring a world filled with secrets and magic. Raised by a family of frogs in a tranquil pond, she is gifted a magical collar that becomes the key to unlocking her unique powers. By purring, the collar releases magical energy that transforms the environment—causing plants to bloom, brid…

Genres & Tags

Adventure

Play Modes

Single-Player

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100%

Audience ScoreBased on 29 reviews

music8 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

The game features charming artwork and a delightful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
The gameplay is engaging with well-designed puzzles and boss fights that provide a satisfying challenge without being overly frustrating.
The visual storytelling is superb, with a heartwarming narrative that resonates with players, making it a memorable adventure.

Some boss fights can be overly challenging, leading to frustration for players, especially those less experienced with platformers.
The story can feel confusing at times, lacking clarity on the protagonist's background and motivations.
There are occasional control issues, particularly during intense moments, which can detract from the overall gameplay experience.

music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
42%
16%
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and quality, with unique background tracks that enhance the gameplay experience and evoke feelings reminiscent of classic titles like Zelda and Studio Ghibli films. Reviewers highlight the atmospheric and orchestral nature of the soundtrack, noting its ability to build tension and complement the game's art style beautifully. Overall, the music is described as enchanting, cinematic, and integral to the game's appeal.
- “Each scene has unique background music that blends perfectly with the art and gameplay, making for a very enjoyable experience.”
- “Yeah, I really found myself liking the music, even leaving it to play in the background while I swapped screens from the game to do something urgent for work; the strings and the wind instruments, all the feels of a classic Zelda game.”
- “The times where the music would go quiet or change to indicate a boss fight made me both anxious (in a good way) and excited because I could tell what was coming next.”
- “The music is motion picture and theatrical in nature.”
- “Atmospheric music that builds tension without overwhelming the scene.”
- “The backgrounds are ridiculously cute, and the music has this soft, enchanting vibe that sneaks up on you.”
story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The game's story is a blend of visual storytelling and simple fairy tale elements, focusing on animals saving nature, which some players find heartwarming despite its occasional confusion and lack of clarity regarding character motivations. While the narrative is engaging and reminiscent of Ghibli films, it is delivered without text, making it accessible and easy to follow. Overall, the story is seen as decent and adds to the game's charm, even if it has some rough edges.
- “This is such a heartwarming game with a touch of 'dark side' in the story.”
- “The story works well without any written dialogue.”
- “However, the story feels somewhat confusing, as it does not clearly explain where the cat comes from or why it needs to help others.”
- “While this isn't the game's selling point, it doesn't detract from the overall experience and is a decent story.”
- “Yeah, it reminded me of one of those Ghibli movies that starts off all picturesque and calm and tranquil, and then suddenly something to do with the antagonist appears and the plot twists and you're like what the heck is happening!?”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
29%
21%
The gameplay is praised for its engaging and intuitive mechanics, blending cute art and clever puzzle-platformer elements that keep the experience fresh and enjoyable. Each stage introduces new environmental mechanics, enhancing the overall richness and challenge, while emotional moments add depth to the gameplay. Overall, it offers a delightful platforming experience that is both accessible and rewarding.
- “The game features a cute art style and engaging gameplay, especially during each boss fight.”
- “I like how every stage introduces some new environmental mechanic that keeps it fresh and pulls you in to want to keep playing.”
- “The gameplay is very rich, but not repetitive.”
- “Finished in roughly 4 hours without collecting every collectible; gameplay picks up after the first chapter, it's quite challenging and fun.”
- “The mechanics are all well put, easy to learn, and actually really enjoyable even if I have to do them many times.”
- “When it comes to the overall gameplay, it's the usual platformer game in a good way, and it's something that I can play and enjoy in my free time.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's graphics are widely praised for their charming artwork and cute art style, complemented by expressive animations and fantastic level design. Reviewers highlight the stunning backgrounds and large, engaging boss designs, noting that the retro aesthetic harmonizes beautifully with the orchestral music. Overall, the visuals create an immersive and delightful experience that enhances gameplay.
- “I absolutely adored the art style and the expressive animations.”
- “The graphics are fantastic - especially the backgrounds and the nice large bosses are wonderful.”
- “The art work is just stunning.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes strong emotional responses through its whimsical premise of a frog society nurturing a cat, complemented by heartwarming narrative moments and a poignant exploration of transformation, particularly when mechanical creatures revert to their true forms. Overall, players find the emotional depth both touching and impactful, balancing lightheartedness with darker themes.
- “The idea of a frog society raising a cat is both whimsical and heartwarming, and there are several emotional narrative moments that made me go 'awww~'.”
- “This is such a heartwarming game with a touch of a dark side in the story.”
- “There’s a strong emotional thread too — especially the way mechanical enemies return to their true animal form after each fight.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is enhanced by atmospheric music that effectively builds tension while remaining subtle and not overpowering the scene.
- “The atmospheric music builds tension without overwhelming the scene.”
- “The game immerses you in a hauntingly beautiful world that feels alive.”
- “Every detail contributes to an eerie atmosphere that keeps you on edge.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be well-integrated and enjoyable, with many noting that it avoids feeling tedious or arbitrary, enhancing the overall experience.

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