Masquerada: Songs and Shadows

But Why ThoCharles Hartford

60/10

I believe there are gamers out there who will find much to love in Masquerada. A compelling story, placed in a fresh and fully realized fantasy world, without the concern of struggling with unforgiving combat is certainly a description I can see being in some people’s wheelhouses.

Nintendo World ReportDavid Lloyd

9/10

The level of production found in Masquerada is above and beyond what I would have expected from a small team of 15 artists, programmers, and designers. From the impeccable writing to the beautiful music, everything about this game feels polished. Each and every character you meet is interesting and well developed, and the adventure is perfectly paced. Anyone with a passing fancy for RPGs and who loves a well thought out and engaging story would do well to give this title a look.

Game SkinnyKellan Pine

9/10

An exceptionally well made RPG with beautiful art, memorable characters, and an engaging story - Masquerada is a must play for any fan of the genre.

Playstation LifestyleTyler Treese

9/10

Check out PlayStation LifeStyle's Masquerada PS4 review to find out why the PlayStation 4 role-playing game is a must-play for fans of the genre.

Masquerada is a rare gem of a game in which everything about it comes together just perfectly to give plays a consistent and cohesive experience. Sure it’s possible to rue its relatively short running time (at 20 hours, this is a short RPG), particularly when the lore is so deep that you’ll want to dig deeper into it all. And, yes, it’s a hyper-linear game at a time where “good game design” apparently means “arbitrary open world.” But these “faults” drive home the point and purpose of the game, and as a narrative experience, Masquerada is truly wonderful.

TechRaptorRobert Grosso

6.5/10

For a freshman effort by an indie developer, there is just enough to really get your attention in Masquerada, and I look forward to seeing what Witching Hour Studios does next. Behind the mask of this game is a studio with a lot of heart, and while their first outing is ultimately flawed, their heart is sometimes all you need to make your mark in the gaming world.

Push SquareRobert Ramsey

6/10

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows is a fully voiced, story-driven, tactical role-playing game set in a flamboyant fantasy land that takes inspiration from various European cultures. It's an interesting and colourful adventure that can be completed in around ten hours or so, and its brisk pacing is enough to keep you playing. However, those looking for the kind of depth that's usually associated with the genre may come away disappointed.

TheSixthAxisJim Hargreaves

6/10

While there’s nothing particularly poor about Songs and Shadows’ story or battle system, the way they come together leaves an unwelcome void in between. When playing, it’s hard not to compare it to bigger, better games like Baldur’s Gate or more recent RPGs like Pillars of Eternity and Divinity. Masquerada just doesn’t have the same level of rewarding complexity or seamlessness, bogged down by constant stopping and starting.

Video ChumsA.J. Maciejewski

5.8/10

There has been a recent influx of indie RPGs yet few have captured what makes the genre special. Does Masquerada: Songs and Shadows have what it takes to stand out from the crowd?

Gamer EscapeJosh McGrath

5/10

As I mentioned, this game probably would have been much stronger as an adventure game or visual novel. Excise the combat and the codex, and you’d have a solid narrative-driven game. The shear amount of new vocabulary the game throws at you would’ve been a much smaller complaint if text and story were the only things I had to focus on.

MonsterVineMonsterVine Staff

Masquerada is pretty and plays well but I think it’s reasonable that we can expect more from a game’s story than just having one. Storytelling basics like pacing and ‘showing not telling’ are the difference between Masquerada and Journey. Jam packing a lot of story into a game is not the same as having a good story.

Checkpoint GamingCameron Honey-Swain

Unscored

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows is the debut PC and console title from Singapore based Witching Hour Studio — having previously worked on only iOS and Android games. The game had already launched on PC back on September 30th 2016 after they reached their modest Kickstarter goal in only 12 days earlier that year. Now the game is set to bring its isometric, action based role-playing to Xbox One and PS4.