Masquerada - RTWP 2.5D RPG from Singapore!

[Kem0sabe]

http://www.masquerada.com




https://af.gog.com/game/masquerada_songs_and_shadows?as=1649904300

Spoiler

From Witching Hour Studios, the creators of the Ravenmark and Romans in my Carpet! (such unbridled excitement) comes the glorious PC and console bound (and most likely mobile) MASQUERADA: SONGS AND SHADOWS an unfortunately titled RTWP 2.5D rpg.

What is Masquerada?

Masquerada is set in a Venetian-styled fantasy world, and our story takes place in the city of Ombre where rare masks are the key to casting magic. Players follow the Inspettore, Cicero Gavar as he returns from exile to solve a kidnapping that will shake the foundations of the city.”

Masquerada is to be the pièce de résistance of all the dreams and talent we’ve been building upon at Witching Hour. There’s not much we can show yet.

We can certainly tell you that we are building an isometric RPG inspired by the sophistication of BioWare’s Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights, draped in the awesomely vivid 2.5D visuals of Supergiant Games’ Bastion and Transistor.

Hopefully the above concept art is enough to give you a sense of what we’re doing. If you want to find out more, come see us at PAX East in 2015!

Screenshots

Spoiler

 

[Kem0sabe]

Here is the first piece of news about the game, from Pocket Tactics:

Brothers and sisters, put down your drink for a moment and dial your remember-o-trons to February 18th, 2014. On that day, Witching Hour Studios told us about Romans In My Carpet, a smaller game that the Singaporean devs were working on before they tackled their next big project. Well what exactly is that next big project? Please reset your remember-o-tron, because today is the day we find that out.

The creators of the epic fantasy wargame Ravenmark have been hard at work on Masquerada: Songs and Shadows, a pauseable real-time 2.5D RPG in the vein of Dragon Age and Baldur’s Gate. “We’re going for an vivid art style in the vein of a French comic book,” Witching Hour creative director Ian Gregory told me. And wow, he’s not kidding about vivid. If you take a look at the screenshots after the jump, you’ll see a game that might even be prettier than The Banner Saga.


Some water to put on those coals I may have just stoked: Masquerada is targeting PC and consoles first — but I wouldn’t rule out a mobile port. Witching Hour made their bones with tablet games, and action RPGs can work well on touchscreens.

What’s Masquerada about, exactly? Here’s what Ian Gregory says.

Masquerada is set in a Venetian-styled fantasy world, and our story takes place in the city of Ombre where rare masks are the key to casting magic. Players follow the Inspettore, Cicero Gavar as he returns from exile to solve a kidnapping that will shake the foundations of the city.”

Rare masks are the key to casting magic? That was my favorite Jim Carrey movie. But yes — Masquerada looks very lovely indeed, and if it has half of the attention to detail that Ravenmark did, it will be an essential acquisition.

 

[Roguey]

That's a vgl art style at the least even if this may end up being style>substance.

 

[ArchAngel]

I think this game will have awesome RTwP combat and I love the art style. I am certainly hyped for this.

The setting is certainly unique and interesting.

 

[Jimmious]

Combat reminds me of Aarklash: Legacy. Combination of MOBA style combat with RTwP RPG combat.
Generally seems interesting but not more than 15-20 euros of interesting.

 

[Mustawd]

Combat reminds me of Aarklash: Legacy. Combination of MOBA style combat with RTwP RPG combat.
Generally seems interesting but not more than 15-20 euros of interesting.

$20 seems fair for something like this if I hear some positive things about the combat. I like their approach to the game:

-Aware of scope creep and purposeful decisions to limit scope
-Attempt to make distinct art style
-Nonapologetic about some of its MOBA inspirations

 

[Drowed]

It looks nice. If the price here on release is good, I will certainly buy it.

 

[Beastro]

They say "Venetian style world" and yet it reeks of "Medieval Japanese world" in those screenshots.

 

[Lhynn]

They say "Venetian style world" and yet it reeks of "Medieval Japanese world" in those screenshots.

Trying real hard to see what you see as Japanese of any era.

 

[Excidium II]

is it a fully-fledged RPG?

 

[Roguey]

is it a fully-fledged RPG?

You could have watched the first 2 minutes of the video. :\

15-20 hours, linear. Transistor with a party.

Still looking pretty but oh boy, enemies that pop up out of nowhere and a health sponge boss that regenerates to full after you kill it once.

 

[ghostdog]

When I look at those screenshots, I think of Venice.

 

[Beastro]

Trying real hard to see what you see as Japanese of any era.

First reaction I had to the SSs was that felt more like they were in a Japanese castle than anything.

Then I noticed that looks like a Kanabo being wielded in one.

 

[Mustawd]

You could have watched the first 2 minutes of the video. :\

15-20 hours, linear. Transistor with a party.

Still looking pretty but oh boy, enemies that pop up out of nowhere and a health sponge boss that regenerates to full after you kill it once.

I think this is probably the best description so far. You can definitely feel the Bastion/Transistor influences, although it's hard to pinpoint what exactly.

 

[Jimmious]

I think this is probably the best description so far. You can definitely feel the Bastion/Transistor influences, although it's hard to pinpoint what exactly.

Well, as they say themselves, the 3D characters on 2D background is one specific resemblance

 

[ArchAngel]

Another cool video:

 

[Ulminati]

I like the art style but not much else. Pregenerated parties. Linear levels. RTWP. Not much in the way of exploration, puzzles or non-combat interactions. Transistor with a party seems about right.
Pity, because the presentation is nice. I don't see myself picking this up outside an indie bundle.

 

[Mustawd]

I don't see myself picking this up outside an indie bundle.

 

[Roguey]

It was pretty weird how that guy claimed he had died a bunch of times before when it took him completely by surprise when his fallen party members kept getting back up after x seconds. Real illusion of difficulty they have there, as long as you play well enough to keep at least one or two people alive at a time, you have infinite health bars.

Also why are they even calling this a role playing game? I guess it's good if they're holding off on customization options until the end as ~Josh Sawyer~ says you should do, but there was nothing remotely role-playing-like in the alpha build.

 

[abnaxus]

There was an obscure French game set in Venice: http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/casanova-the-duel-of-the-black-rose

It was buggy as shit but kind of neat, combat was similar to Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard

 

[Lhynn]

It was pretty weird how that guy claimed he had died a bunch of times before when it took him completely by surprise when his fallen party members kept getting back up after x seconds. Real illusion of difficulty they have there, as long as you play well enough to keep at least one or two people alive at a time, you have infinite health bars.

So they went the PoE route?

 

[Roguey]

So they went the PoE route?

This isn't the PoE route, there's no illusion of strategic gameplay here. It's arguably even more lenient than Sword Coast Legends and Dragon Age Inquisition since all you have to do is wait for them to pop back up with full health instead of taking one person out of the fight for reviving.

 

[Irenaeus II]

Looks really bad.

 

[Lhynn]

there's no illusion of strategic gameplay here.

Oh, then you are right. its not PoE.

 

[ArchAngel]

It is on KS: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/13978330/masquerada-songs-and-shadows/description
They decided to do a 14 day campaign to raise 45 000 £ so they can work on it for 3 more months and release it in super polished state.

Looks awesome and there is even a free demo on steam to try: http://store.steampowered.com/app/459090/