Masquerada: Songs and Shadows

 PC
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 24 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 24
  3. Negative: 2 out of 24

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  1. Tatar
    Oct 31, 2016
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I try this game didn't know anything about it and have very mixed feeling about it. Game starts in very interesting way and from every beginning we are absorbed what will be next ? We are curious about plot and complicated intrigue, but there is always something ... As we play we realize that this game is,t a game at all, and no rpg game for sure. In games we have some choices, we can do some decision not always crucial but some. In this game we dont do any decision, absolutely ZERO any choices. This is only a story and we "reading it" like a book. It will be ok if the story would be super interesting, and characters are complicated but plot in Masquerada is just avarange, far away from masterpieces like Planescape Torment or very good plot game like Shadowrun DragonFall.
    Graphic is very nice, maybe not perfect but nice and character models in XVII century suits are perfect. This game has potential and idea to be something very good and with no choices at all it's just 6/10.    … Expand
  2. rygar666
    Oct 31, 2016
    6
    I had high hopes for this game as RPG's are really my thing. However, this game failed to live up to my expectations. It's far too linear and limiting. There's some production values in the art and voice acting, but that doesn't make it a first rate game.
  3. IJL711
    Mar 6, 2020
    8
    If you want something quick, I would call this game an "isometric, rpg, interactive storybook". This was just such a good game, and I would even go so far as to say criminally underrated. It's not often that I find myself actually finishing a game, lately, but I had to finish this one. This is my list of the good and bad of the game:

    Good: -Story. The tag "story rich" isn't just for    If you want something quick, I would call this game an "isometric, rpg, interactive storybook". This was just such a good game, and I would even go so far as to say criminally underrated. It's not often that I find myself actually finishing a game, lately, but I had to finish this one. This is my list of the good and bad of the game:

    Good:
    -Story. The tag "story rich" isn't just for show. The story IS the game. I do like some political intrigue and this delivered. IT's also not often that a game brings me to tears multiple times, although that's because it struck some personal chords. Ha. "chord"
    -Music. It shouldn't comes as much surprise that a game whose lore is based around music should have good music. The compositions are a little unusual in their structure, instruments, notes, etc., however I think that worked for the game. Just listen to the trailer and you'll understand. I will admit that a few time the music was too light-hearted for what was happening, but overall it was beautiful and really added to the game.
    -Lore. Separate from the story is the lore of the world that is built. I'm sure going through a second time I might be able to find plenty of holes, but any of the main events/locations/people has a lore entry somewhere for you to find and dig into.
    -Voice acting. This is one of few indie games that has good voice acting. There's so much heart to the delivery.

    Bad:
    -Progression. To call this a hallway simulator would be reductive, but helpful as a descriptor. I suppose you might be able to refer to it as an interactive storybook. There are a few instances where you can travel off the path of the story, but they are few and far between and don't require a lot of effort.

    Meh:
    -Length. It's not a long game. At the time of writing, I finished at about 13.5 hours. The game certainly conveyed what it needed to in that time, but I'm left wanting more. Maybe that's a good thing.    … Expand
  4. Frosty1979
    Oct 6, 2016
    8
    Gave this game a shot without knowing anything about it and I must say I way greatly positively surprised by the quality of the game. From the mature story, to the fighting system, to the character interaction.

    Only thing I would criticize a bit, is that it is very linear. Usually I prefer to have more freedom of choices in my rpgs.
  5. Gemlock
    Oct 28, 2016
    10
    Very good plot, with slightly fresh setting. Nice characters, with some work done to make them complex (at least there not always a lot of time for that). Very good visual style and decent voice-work.
    The only drawback for me that they could make some of the party characters without plot armor. But anyway it is not a total happy-end for everybody.
    Will wait for a sequel and I hope it    Very good plot, with slightly fresh setting. Nice characters, with some work done to make them complex (at least there not always a lot of time for that). Very good visual style and decent voice-work.
    The only drawback for me that they could make some of the party characters without plot armor. But anyway it is not a total happy-end for everybody.
    Will wait for a sequel and I hope it will be done.    … Expand
  6. Hirsch
    Oct 10, 2016
    10
    Unique story experience. One of rare cases, when story is not standard fantasy copy - paste. Absolutely linear, yes, but memorable. Finishing game leaves hunger to read some books about this world. Fights are lightly tactical, fast and fun. Visuals are very colorful and vibrant. I want more like this, too bad there is not many similar rpg.
  7. Firesnakearies
    Oct 17, 2016
    10
    This is one of the best games I've ever played. I recommend it for virtually anyone. It's not just an exceptional game, it's also a work of art. Having just finished it, I am now going to immediately replay it from the beginning, which is something I've only done with a very small handful of games in my 30 years of playing computer games.

    I will be writing a full-length review and will    This is one of the best games I've ever played. I recommend it for virtually anyone. It's not just an exceptional game, it's also a work of art. Having just finished it, I am now going to immediately replay it from the beginning, which is something I've only done with a very small handful of games in my 30 years of playing computer games.

    I will be writing a full-length review and will post it here when I've done so, but for now, I'll just say that Masquerada is incredible, it massively exceeded my expectations, it has one of the best stories in all of gaming, it has one of the most richly detailed and unique settings of any RPG I've played, it has a cast of amazingly developed and memorable characters, it has absolutely top-notch writing and voice acting throughout, and it features a huge number of creative, interesting, challenging, and epic boss battles. This game totally delivers on all counts. Buy it, buy it now.    … Expand
  8. magusimmortal
    Aug 17, 2017
    8
    Masquerada: Songs and Shadows renkli, geniş ve detaylı dünyası ile oldukça güzel bir oyun.

    Grafikler çizgi film tarzında, capcanlı renkler, detaylarla bezeli mekanlar ve kıyafetlerle oldukça güzel bir atmosfer sunuyor. Oyun ismindeki "Maskeli Balo" havasını her an size hissettiriyor. Hikaye, ana karakterimiz Cicero Gavar'ın sürgünden çağırılması ve yakın bir arkadaşının ortadan    Masquerada: Songs and Shadows renkli, geniş ve detaylı dünyası ile oldukça güzel bir oyun.

    Grafikler çizgi film tarzında, capcanlı renkler, detaylarla bezeli mekanlar ve kıyafetlerle oldukça güzel bir atmosfer sunuyor. Oyun ismindeki "Maskeli Balo" havasını her an size hissettiriyor.

    Hikaye, ana karakterimiz Cicero Gavar'ın sürgünden çağırılması ve yakın bir arkadaşının ortadan kaybolmasını araştırmak ile başlayıp sonrasında bu kaybolmanın arkasındaki sırları ortaya çıkarma macerasına dönüşüyor. Oldukça güzel ve sürükleyici bir hikaye yapısı mevcut. Bu macerada yanımıza katılan karakterlerin hepsi kendi kişiliklerine, farklı özelliklere, stillere ve detaylı arka planlara sahipler. Her ne kadar daha sonuna gelmemiş olsamda buraya kadar olan kısım yeterli izlenimi edinmemi sağladı. Bundan sonrasınında çok büyük bir süpriz yapıp hikayenin vasatlaşacağını düşünmüyorum.

    Oynanış klasik RPG tarzında ve türde genelde alıştığımızdan farklı çizgisel bir yapıya sahip. Hatta biraz fazla çizgisel ki oyunun benim için en kötü tarafı bu. Bu tarz oyunlardan alıştığımız gibi etrafla etkileşim (fıçı, sandık vs. bulma, kırma) yok. Hatta Maske kısmı hariç bir envanter kısmımızda mevcut değil. Maskeler ve maskelerin bize sağladığı güçleri geliştirebileceğimiz ufak bir yetenek ekranı haricinde karakterlerimizi özelleştiremiyoruz. O kadar çizgisel oyun ama bu çizgiselliği sizi sıkmadan hem görsel hem de hikayesi ile oldukça güzel hale getirmişler. Hikayeyi takip etmekten ekstra yapabileceğimiz tek şey etraftan, içinde bulunduğumuz dünya ve tarihi hakkında bilgileri toplamak oluyor. Bu kısımlar biraz daha geliştirilmiş olsaydı gerçekten oyunu çok yukarı taşırdı gözümde.

    Sesler ve müzikler oyunun en can alıcı kısmı olabilir. Yansıtılan dönem ve temayı destekleyen, her biri enfes olan müziklerle herşey çok daha güzel bir hal alıyor. Önemli karakterlerin hepsi seslendirilmiş ve oldukça da başarılı olmuş. Sesler bulunan mekana görede değişiklik gösterebiliyor bu da iyi bir ayrıntı.

    Genel olarak oyunu oldukça beğenmeme rağmen sıkıcı olmasada hissedilen çizgisellik herkesi tatmin etmeyebilir fakat oyunun hikayesi oldukça takip edilir ve güzel.

    Fiyatının uygunluğu ve Türkçe dil desteğinin mevcut olması da en büyük artılardan oyunu seçmeniz için. Türü sevenlere tavsiye ederim. Eğlenceli ve güzel bir hikayeyi sıkılmadan oynayabilirsiniz.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Games.cz
    Mar 18, 2017
    70
    RPG that has a remarkable and intriguing world, a good story and solid battle system. Unfortunately, its linearity is lowers its attraction as the players want to see much more from the game universe.
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  2. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Dec 19, 2016
    73
    You can’t just walk away from a hard fight to grind a little and bruteforce your way to victory, because Masquerada is totally linear. It’s for the best, however: Witching Hour Studios is a small team that had to secure funding through Kickstarter, so adding stuff like open world would definitely become an example of spreading resources too thin. But developers didn’t go that way, and as a linear game Masquerada truly shines, as it manages to successfully blend aesthetics of Italian feuds with a touch of fantasy. [Issue#215, p.73]
  3. RPGamer
    Oct 27, 2016
    60
    Those hoping for a solid all-around RPG experience will find Masquerada lacking. However, as a relatively quick narratively-focused experience — clocking in at a bit over ten hours, or more depending on how players approach the combat — the game does an entertaining job.
    Read full review
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