Masquerada: Songs And Shadows will be hitting Steam on Sept. 30, which is good news for everyone who’s been paying close attention to this stylized, narrative-driven RPG fantasy epic. I’ve been following Masquerada for quite a while now, and every trade show or convention demo gave me a little more insight into a game that is, at the very least, among the most visually striking releases of the year. But, as with all indies, Masquerada faces an uphill battle for your time and attention so let me give you three reasons to play Witching Hour Studios biggest release to date.
A Beautiful Game
I’ll start with what is most obvious about the game - it’s gorgeous. Influenced by French comic artists, the style of Masquerada is fluid and vibrant and unique. From the stylized protagonists to the Fantasia-esque magic and spells, Masquerada will dazzle you with its amazing looks. Graphics aren’t the only thing that matter in a game, but if you’re the type of gamer who will play something on art style alone then you’ll get your fill with Masquerada . Of course, the game isn’t just about good looks.
Authentic Challenge
It would have been easy for Witching Hour to make a game as pretty as Masquerada and slap a basic button-mashing combat system on it. The first time I saw the game I thought it would basically be just a fancy French Diablo, with character classes unleashing spectacular attacks at the press of a button. But, instead, the combat system is more like Golden Age Bioware than anything else. Players are able to pause the action and stack attacks, switch between party members for tactical advantage or just battle it out in real time if they’re feeling twitchy. Obviously, I’ve got tempered expectations for the combat as I’ve yet to experience the full game, but from the numerous demos I played the game showed incremental progress each time, and the devs always had a lot to say when it came to the latest tweaks and improvements. At the very least it’s an ambitious, carefully considered combat system in a game that could’ve been a meat-and-potatoes button masher so I applaud the effort.
Top Tier Voice Talent
The level of voice acting talent in Masquerada: Songs And Shadows is far beyond what you’d expect for a relatively unknown indie title. Featuring Matt Mercer ( Resident Evil ), Jennifer Hale ( Mass Effect ) and Dave Fennoy ( The Walking Dead ) the dialogue and narrative will almost certainly be a cut above your standard storytelling. What makes me especially excited for the dialogue is that some scenes were recorded in shared sessions, meaning the actors were recording together and able to play off of one another for maximum chemistry. An indie game has an indie budget, so it speaks volumes about the quality of the script that such high-level talents were willing to give their time to the project. If you nerd out for great acting then Masquerada will give you plenty to pour over.
There’s a lot to like about Masquerada and if you’re the kind of gamer who likes to support the indie scene (i.e. the best kind of gamer), then Witching Hour Studios should be on your radar this week. The game launches Sept. 30, so make sure to check back with us at iDigitalTimes for our official review (and maybe some tips, too).
