Enotria: The Last Song PAX West Impression

Figuring out who’s behind the Canovaccio will be an interesting mystery to solve, and the game’s fun gameplay, bright visuals, and deep Italian folklore make this one to look forward to.

RPGs are take inspiration from every corner of the globe, including from many forms of mythologies and folklore.  Soulslike action RPG Enotria: The Last Song from Jyamma Games takes its cues from Italian folklore.  The masquerade masks were enough to get on my radar, but the smooth gameplay, challenging difficulty, precise movement, and the tale that’s being woven make this PAX West demo a delightful surprise.

One of the first things to notice when starting the game is that the player-controlled Maskless One has access to three different masks.  These masks are loadouts that are available to swap between at the press of a button and have different functions.  Of twenty-plus available masks, three can be equipped at a time, each having access to two different weapons, making for a wide variety of playstyles.  Each of these weapons feels unique, with a rapier’s quick jabs flowing quite differently than a warhammer’s powerful strikes.  Swapping masks does leave the Maskless One vulnerable for a few seconds, but switching weapons is instantaneous and can flow into an attack or parry effortlessly.  Dodging is a serviceable way of avoiding damage in Enotria: The Last Song, though not the game’s main option.  Rather, parrying is very responsive and in someone else’s hands mastering its timing could make the game’s difficult combat more manageable.

Parrying is broken down into three different types.  Half parrying just stops an enemy’s onslaught and brings things back to a more balanced state between the two combatants.  Perfect parrying is a complete block that knocks enemies off their game.  Finally, chain parrying is a near perfect block that is seamlessly turned into a flurry of offense by the Maskless One.  Some forms of parrying will be easier to pull off depending on the player’s equipped weapon or shield.

Enemies are littered all around the world of Enotria: The Last Song.  These enemies are not all antagonistic to the player off the bat, as everyone is part of a mysterious group known as the Authors.  The Authors have roped every living being into a twisted masquerade known as the Canovaccio, and assigned them unieque roles to play.  These are reflected in the combat as well; for example, a butcher masquerading as a soldier will flail about with their weapon since they are untrained. Unfortunately for these poor souls, the Canovaccio never ends for them.

Getting past the game’s enemies will not be an easy task, as everyone, including the Maskless One, goes down in just a few hits.  The Maskless One is encouraged to engage in combat, but sneaking around is possible too, with each successful kill netting more rewards.  Though not everyone in the Canovaccio has been set to be violent towards the Maskless One, but he can still attack them if he so chooses..

Enotria: The Last Song uses an elaborate skill tree called the Path of the Innovators.  This slots skills into the masks that have different weapon loadouts, making for yet another layer of customization.  It is through the Path of the Innovators that perks are unlocked as well.  These perks are added at the Corda Risonte, or restzones, which also reset the enemies.  There’s also a puzzle element, with symbols that can be stomped on to alter the surroundings and create platforms.

There’s a lot of lore packed into Enotria: The Last Song.  With many different sources to draw from, like commissioned novels, folklore, and mythology, there’s a story steeped in lore to be found.  The opening area is a four-hour-long village to explore, learning how the mechanics work before everything opens up into a sandbox with plenty of directions to go.  Every aspect is drenched in Italian references, from healing items to skill trees, and every character met along the way provides something new to learn.  Figuring out who’s behind the Canovaccio will be an interesting mystery to solve, and the game’s fun gameplay, bright visuals, and deep Italian folklore make this one to look forward to.  Enotria: The Last Song is looking at a Q2 2024 release on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.