Masquerada - Impression - PAX West

RPGamer checked out Masquerada: Songs and Shadows at Pax West. The game will be released on September 30:

Witching Hour Studios' Masquerada: Song and Shadows is inspired by cRPG classics and set in a world where magical power is bestowed by mystical masks. Anna Marie Privitere got the chance to check the game out at last weekend's PAX West event.

Not being a big fan of WRPGs, I walked into Masquerada: Song and Shadows with a bit of trepidation. Hailed as an action RPG inspired by games such as Dragon Age and Baldur's Gate, yet streamlined, I jumped in and ended up having a really good time.

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There’s no experience, no levels, and no inventory. Instead, skill points determine how you build your character; in addition, weapons can be customized with inks and engravings for a streamlined character progression experience. Combat is also fairly streamlined, players have four skills that can be activated with number keys on the keyboard (controller support is also available); other characters auto-attack when not being directly controlled. Combat looked hectic and at first I panicked, until realizing that I could pause the combat at any time with the space bar, look around the battlefield, and decide what attacks to run next.

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Thanks for the heads up, I totally forgot about this.

I played their demo when it was available. Combat was a borefest where characters you don't control do everything themselves (use special abilities when off cooldown).
I tried doing it manually but saw no point when combat lasts way too long, you spam them multiple times, the whole tactic is about using them when they are off cooldown and AI can do that as well as me.

It is very simple game with very little tactics, none of the abilities are game changers like in BG or (lesser) in DAO, the demo was definition of boring combat.

In the end I quit the demo half way when all you got to do is follow super linear path and fight same boring battles.

Can’t say the setting sounds very inspired either. Venice without the interesting bits. Just the tacky masks and a rather generic vaguely 1600s look to it.