Masquerada - RTWP 2.5D RPG from Singapore!

[anus_pounder]

RTwP. Was shit from the start.

 

[Bubbles]

Finished LP: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYr41uPkYSPJIlQbBwbl4hUTneBgMVbDd

Seems to come in at around 11 hours.

 

[Bubbles]

It's now fallen out of the Steam global top seller list, which means it's currently selling fewer copies than KotOR 2, The Secret World, or Mordheim (none of them are on sale).

Still no reviews, Steam user rating still at Mixed.

 

[Bubbles]

Dev stream upcoming shortly, with a guest appearance by an RPG legend:

 

[Bubbles]

 

[Abu Antar]

Like everything else that involves this game...

 

[Bubbles]

Live:



Trial by Fire: A critique of "Masquerada" by Dragon Age's Creative Director

 

[Bubbles]

Finally a review from someone the Codex knows and trusts:

 

[Mazisky]

Game seems really cool altough they says it's a bit railroaded.....btw, i'm curious about the weird names they used, "Citte della ombre" means "City of shadows" but it's written like "Cite off Shadows"...the lower classes is "Contadani" which means "Farmers" but it's written like "Farmors", kinda nonsense ^^

 

[Roguey]

It's not Baldur's Gate though, more like cel shaded Knights of the Old Republic.

 

[Florian Gheorghe]

does it have multiple solutions or choices?

 

[ArchAngel]

does it have multiple solutions or choices?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Spoiler

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Spoiler

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

Spoiler

NO!

 

[Bubbles]

First review:

Songs And Shadows, Masks And Magic: Masquerada
October 4, 2016 5:03 AM | Thomas Faust

The RPG genre, often dragged down by the weight of its accumulated tropes and its lack of ambition when it comes to telling compelling new stories, is in need of some change now and again. Questing around in faux-medieval settings is perfectly fine, but the feeling of "been there, done that" sets in all too often long before your noble quest is over. If you feel the same way, Masquerada: Songs And Shadows, developed by Singaporean developer Witching Hour Studios, might come as a pleasant surprise indeed.

Masquerada takes place in the turmoil-ridden city of Ombre, where different factions compete for power using Mascherines - masks that grant their wielders the power to channel the elements and cast destructive magic. Not only is the city caught up in a class war between the mask-wielders and the lower classes, a bunch of renegades have gotten ahold of masks and are causing mischief. Ombre is one giant powder keg, and too many people are playing with matches.

And then there is also the mystery of the Mascherines themselves - where do they come from, and why is their supply dwindling? You play as Cicero Gavar, one of the finest investigators the city has in its ranks, returning from exile to solve the mysterious kidnapping of a friend. Of course there is a whole web of lies, treachery, and deceit waiting for you.

In terms of storytelling, Masquerada is a strange beast. It has some of the fullest, richest lore around, introducing its own terminology and expecting you to read up on it if you want to have any chance of following the plot. It is truly engaging and well-written, so I didn't particularly mind, but be aware that you'll spend quite some time staring at long log entries, which rip you right out of the action. Still, when the city's outlandish, vaguely Venetian charms shimmer through, you can see that a whole lot of care went into the world building.

On the other hand, the game almost completely cuts out the regular RPG fluff. I'm not sure if this is due to budget constraints or if it's a conscious design decision, but there is little small talk with NPCs, no inventory, no hotspots. Not including these elements makes the story feel ever more important, more epic, but painting in such broad strokes also risks underdeveloped characters. Thankfully, Masquerada masterfully avoids these narrative pitfalls. The game's cast consists of well-rounded characters and the story is fantastic. It might feel like a deviation from the genre norm at first, but you'll get used to the way Masquerada tells its story in no time.

The game is quite linear. Do not expect branching paths or any form of freedom in your actions. You closely follow the plot and fight whenever the game tells you to. Speaking of which: battles are fast and furious affairs, even though you can pause them at any time and give orders to your party members. If you don't pay attention, half of your party might end up on the floor unconscious before you know it. The fighting is fun, but it often feels chaotic beyond your control and there is an awful lot of micromanagement. However, if you just want to enjoy the story, there's an easier difficulty just for you.

Josh Whelchel's amazing soundtrack deserves special mention. It's lovely, with choirs and woodwinds, and all sorts of good things. I caught myself running the game in the background, just listening to the music. It's that good. This is complemented by great voice acting. Witching Hour Studios brought some voice acting heavyweights onboard, and it shows.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say here is: Masquerada is amazing. It conjures up a highly detailed new world to lose yourself in, introduces a great cast of characters, and wins you over with some astonishing production values. I first played a demo version more than a year ago, and the wait was absolutely worth it. The game is a triumph, both for Witching Hour Studios and their publisher. With this being Ysbryd Games' second release this year, I can hardly wait what they come up with next.

 

[Jimmious]

So it seems that it might be a good completely -linear-rtwp-light-RPG ?
Then it falls down to the question: Do we like such games?
Do we, punks?

 

[bminorkey]

So it seems that it might be a good completely -linear-rtwp-light-RPG ?
Then it falls down to the question: Do we like such games?
Do we, punks?

i like it because of the nice music and graphics and the venetian setting

but it fails as an rpg. shouldve been branded as an adventure game with rpg elements.

 

[Abu Antar]

So it seems that it might be a good completely -linear-rtwp-light-RPG ?
Then it falls down to the question: Do we like such games?
Do we, punks?

For $1, I might like it.

 

[Bubbles]

but it fails as an rpg. shouldve been branded as an adventure game with rpg elements.

Well, it doesn't really have any gameplay except for walking to the next glowing circle and fighting whatever monsters block your path. Don't know what you would call that - maybe a Visual Novel with combat?

 

[V_K]

Isn't visual novel supposed to have c&cs?

 

[Bubbles]

Comparison of peak players on the first weekend (and likely all-time peak):

SitS wins by an inch

 

[Zanzoken]

I'm surprised it's selling so poorly. Game may be shit but it's pretty shit, that usually counts for something.

 

[Stainless Veteran]

I'm surprised it's selling so poorly. Game may be shit but it's pretty shit, that usually counts for something.

Benjanun Sriduangkaew's karma caught up with them, maybe?

 

[rado907]

So it seems that it might be a good completely -linear-rtwp-light-RPG ?
Then it falls down to the question: Do we like such games?
Do we, punks?

Only if they are good?

 

[Bubbles]

The second review ever, and the first with a score:

The split between story and gameplay is approximately 80/20. You’ll spend large chunks of times just watching events play out and listening to dialogue. Some chapters involved just walking around and talking to people. The game is also presented in a linear format, as well. Masquerada is not going to be for everyone. I admittedly, was disappointed with the gameplay, but found the story interesting enough to make it worth my time. It’s rare to see such production values in an indie title, and I applaud Witching Hour Studios for their attention to detail regarding the story and world building. Giving combat and gameplay the same level of detail could have made Masquerada something truly special. If you don’t mind micromanaging combat and love a good story, this is the game for you!

7.5
Decent
Compelling story driven adventure with a unique lore held back by it's gameplay. Put it on "Story mode", open a bottle of wine, and enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds.

http://thegww.com/magic-and-mystery-masquerada-songs-and-shadows-review/

Remember, it's a $24.99 game.

Steamspy's most optimistic Masquerada number was 2,500 owners, and the estimation has fallen back to half of that. The game had 2,112 backers on Kickstarter...

 

[Roguey]

It seems unlikely Lesi would spend money on this, but if she did, it would be on GOG and not Steam.

Twitter search shows she's said nothing at all about it, so it seems like their symbiotic relationship is a bit more parasitic.

 

[Bubbles]

Remember Stellar Tactics, that super-low-budget Early Access game that an ex-Wizardry Gold designer is making with help from his wife and daughter?

Here are its current player numbers:

And here are Masquerada's:

I can't imagine how the dev team is feeling right now.