I yearn to give this game an 8. It fulfills many of its promises and I enjoyed my time with it. However—speaking for my Playstation 4 review copy (v1.02)—when you take the above alongside grammatical errors, UI errors, crashes, continually pausing to load, combat clunk, and perhaps its narrow interpretation of replay value, what could have been minor and forgivable grievances deal some objective damage.
The Station is short, simple, and sweet. It’s atmosphere-heavy and narrative-light; exploration-rich and challenge-impoverished. However, the attention to setting detail and aesthetic are top-notch, which (for those who come in expecting little more than an immersive walkabout) does much to alleviate the brevity and superficiality of the intended path.
This is a juncture where each player must decide for themselves: Even if overall a decent video game, is this a decent Dynasty Warriors game? Such is the risk of renewal; change that seems necessary to some is not even desired by others. The fans of yesterday won’t always be the fans of tomorrow.
Altogether average in every other respect, I would recommend it as a light trek for an off day, but the price tag (currently equal to the latest AAA titles on the market) is difficult to justify.
So I say with no reservations—and the aforementioned caveats—that for better or worse Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth is unabashedly the game it wants to be, and the game its fans will enjoy.
It’s not a game for everyone. As a remake of a cult classic with a reputation to maintain and loyal fans to come through for, the new White Day is a sound investment. Those enrolling blind may end up taking the withdrawal.
Still, it’s an above-average trek down a narrow and familiar path; a dalliance not to be furgotten. If you enjoy classic Zelda games, cute cats, and bad puns, give it a chance. (Especially if there are kids around.)
Yet while its objective flaws stand out, they don’t weigh Mask of Deception down quite enough to diminish its entertainment value. It lands awkwardly between a serious SRPG-VN and a quirky Aiun-inspired harem anime a mere stone’s throw from its eroge origins, yes. But will that do anything to turn off its target demographic? Probably not.
NieR: Automata admirably manages to transition from cult favorite to mainstream title without becoming over-ambitious...I would call this Taro’s masterpiece, but it’s practically his AAA debut, so let’s not go jinxing it.