Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception Reviews
It's quite a step up to make the combat a core part of the storytelling experience.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception starts with a humble beginning and take huge proportions. With its engaging story, well-developed characters, stunning art and memorable soundtrack, this game has revealed itself as the biggest surprise of the first half of 2017.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is an amazing game and after playing it I understand why it got so much praise over seas. It was funny, exciting, charming, and so much more. I cannot wait for the second part to come here. If you are looking for a game that has a great sense of humor and amazing gameplay all throughout this is the one I would recommend. It is also one of those games that I had a hard time even trying to find a flaw with. It was great being able to have a refreshing experience that you were able to just sit back and really enjoy everything it offered without being overwhelmed or feel like there's just so much to do and so little time. By far one of the better games I have played so far this year.
I had a lot of fun with Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception. It features a very nice art style and striking cutscenes, which are always a big plus for visual novels, not to mention a solid story that will keep you engaged as you move forward. It's strategy, and tactics gameplay mechanics are a nice counterpart to the visual novel side of things, with a deep and rich battle system in which every choice you make can have a considerable impact on a battle's outcome if you play your cards right. I highly recommend this visual novel/tactical RPG on PS Vita and look forward to playing its sequel later in the year!
In the end, this game is pretty out there in terms of it doing what it’s doing, as while the SRPG elements are good, there are so few far in between the amount of good yet bloated story content there is it feels like there’s no real point these SRPG parts. That said though, the SRPG elements while not terribly difficult, are certainly fun to play.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is a great visual novel for fans of the slice of life genre and one that made me want the sequel right now.
The gameplay may be lacking, but the amount of depth that exists plus the fantastic story makes this an entertaining adventure.
Go in expecting a chill visual novel and not a grand strategy epic, and you’ll have a good time. There’s a lot here to like, so long as you don’t mind your strategy games with more drinking parties than battles.
If you don’t mind an adventure that lays the story on thick while keeping the gameplay to a minimum, then this is definitely worth checking out.
“Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception” is a well-done visual novel that features a chunky narrative as well as some tactical combat to help add diversity to the mix. Its incredibly long walls of text won't be for folks who are more interested in a dedicated tactical RPG. If you're looking for a polished visual novel experience with likable characters and a sprinkling of battling for diversity, however, Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is one amusing and entertaining journey that's worth embarking on.
Interesting visual novel with jRPG elements in world inspired by eastern beliefs. We've waited 15 years for this engaging adventure, which entertains and makes you think, and has a lot of fan service.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Endearing characters, twisty-turny plot and generous sprinkling of anime-inspired humor will leave you eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception functions well as a visual novel. Unfortunately, the rest of the game suffers, with a battle system devoid of difficulty or punishment and an agonizingly slow start. Be prepared for hours of boredom before getting to the good parts.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception features an interesting story and great cast of characters coupled with excellent 2D visuals and voice acting, making it an easily entertaining experience in spite of its few shortcomings. While those looking for a complex and deep tactical RPG experience may find themselves disappointed, fans of the visual novel genre and the Utawarerumono series will definitely enjoy Mask of Deception and will end up looking forward to Mask of Truth.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is definitely a game that'll appeal more to fans of visual novels as opposed to SRPGs. The strategy sections are a nice break from the game's mountains of dialog but they're not too memorable outside of being a short break from the bulk of what you'll be doing early on. The game is pretty long and does drag at the beginning, but fans of the visual novel genre should find a lot of what they're looking for.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception crosses genres, blending visual novels with a slick strategy role-playing game (SRPG) battle system. The game focuses more on the narrative side, so don't expect anything too deep in the combat. There are some highlights to it, including customizing the stats for characters and staying engaged with critical hits, but for the most part, you should experience Mask of Deception for the story.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is a good visual novel that blends that genre in fairly seamlessly with strategy RPGs. It's far more of a visual novel than an SRPG, but when the SRPG elements come in, they're well-done.
While the visual novel elements far outweigh its strategy side, the story - despite being sequel bait - had us enthralled till the very end. If you're looking to try something out of the ordinary, Mask of Deception is a fun romp. We would however suggest picking it up with along its sequel when that hits later in the year, rather than leaving the story halfway.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is a fantastic visual novel that integrates some great ideas with its turn-based strategy combat. While the game's story is highly enjoyable, the pacing of the game is terrible at times, leading to some dull moments that dampen the overall experience.
Jump into Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception expecting a traditional Japanese visual novel experience, and you'll no doubt be a little disappointed… but look past its intermittent battle sections and there's a fulfilling character-driven tale just waiting to be uncovered.