Masquerada: Songs and Shadows - Early Preview

It always seemed like all the other kids liked Disney cartoons more than me.  I hated them. The singing always seemed so silly, the plotlines were predictable, and the sad songs always seemed so pointless.  They'd show them in grade school and it was like a bad broadway musical that would never end.  I was never sure if I preferred schoolwork or not.  And I hated schoolwork.

But when I played the press build of Masquerada: Songs and Shadows, I thought back to those movies with a slightly different take.

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows is an upcoming title, currently in alpha, from indie developer Witching Hour Studios. In terms of mechanics, it will be a refreshing throwback to famous RTWP titles like Baldur's Gate. The action unfolds seamlessly, allowing you to pause as you wish to implement tactics for your team. This might be a disappointment to those who prefer the nuts-and-bolts approach to turn-based combat offered by titles like Divinity: Original Sin, but the game presents a nice flow. Unfortunately, the game is too early in development for us to get a clear picture on how smart the AI will be, and whether it will cause us frustration as we attempt to hack our way through battles.

But I mentioned Disney cartoons, and there's a reason for that. Witching Hour Studios clearly drew heavily from Disney's Golden Age. Dialogue is heavily story-focused, fully voiced and with unique touches. When the characters engage in dialogue, a banner appears at the top of the screen as they speak their lines. These banners are frames, displaying fascinating characters rendered in sharp, top-notch animation in the best Disney tradition. Consider what would happen if Beauty and the Beast met Phantom of the Opera and saved us the cheesy music. Though while they've kept us from having to relive that third grade nightmare of sitting through singing dialogue, the love of music has clearly had a hand in the design of the game. The UI is cleverly designed and classy.  Spells and special abilities along the bottom of the screen have been displayed in what looks like a sophisticated piece of sheet music.  Animations of spells play out in a style almost reminiscent of Wind Waker, and combat animations flow nicely. The whole thing, for being so early in development, flows beautifully and has the feel of a game with a lot better budget. Someone loves their work and is determined to deliver a higher quality RPG. It's a pleasant surprise. I don't know what I was expecting. Obviously something not as well-made.

Lookswise, at least, this game is as sophisticated as the masques the mysterious, epee-wielding main character wears.

Sadly, I wasn't able to go far after the rescue of the beautiful, mysterious researcher, since the alpha build bugged out.  But I was able to come away with a few early impressions:

• Gorgeous graphics, excellent animation, and loving attention to detail.
• Combat is already in place but will need to be streamlined to be more entertaining and compelling.
• I am hoping the storyline itself will be far more fleshed out, lending an air of urgency that pulls you right in and never lets go. Currently, it doesn't have this.
• Controls also need to feel more powerful. It currently feels choppy, and clipping occurs in strange places.

Ease of play, compelling storyline, and tasty, heart-pounding combat have yet to become part of the symphony. Masquerada still has much early promise, though, providing fun abilities, a one-of-a-kind interface, and cutting-edge presentation.  I was sad to stop, and what I played left me wanting more.  We're excited to see how this one unfolds, and we'll keep you posted as more of this appealing title falls into place.