Enotria: The Last Song

Enotria: The Last Song drops players right in the middle of an enchanting world inspired by Italian folklore. It offers players sunlit yet dangerous landscapes brimming with intricate secrets and enemies who would stop at nothing to get at them.

The story revolves around the Maskless One, another special character gifted with a bizarre ability to break the Canovaccio, the eternal play that entailed the stasis of the world. Equipped with several masks and the power of Ardore, you finally uncover the mysteries of Enotria and set it free from these evil grips. At least, that's what you hope to achieve.

What makes Enotria immediately stand out is its refreshing twist on the Soulslike genre. Drenched in a bright, sun-scorched environment, it eschews the dark, foreboding tones of Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. This bright world conceals dark secrets underneath, creating this charming mixture of beauty and danger that keeps players both engaged and on their toes.

Masks of Power

Enotria has an interesting mechanic with its collection of masks, all having different abilities that provide varied playstyles. While these masks allow players to mix up their strategy in comparison with the weapons and armor seen in similar games, each having their own strengths and weaknesses will grant an actually adjustable way to fight and explore. This means there is space for depth, like Bloodborne weapon arts, but even more flexible and personalized.

This brings an additional layer of depth into the strategy of combat, keeping these encounters fresh and exciting. Be it for the brute strength of one mask or the nimble agility of another, it never forces you to be locked in a single play style. This versatility is refreshing compared to the rigidly defined combat systems often found in other Soulslike games.

A Sunlit Mystery

The world-building in Enotria is really, without a doubt, magnificent. With the help of Italian folklore, this game develops an atmosphere that is at once fascinating and eerie. Sunlit vistas, lush landscapes, and the contrasting bleakness of the Canovaccio all work toward painting a world that is alive, vibrant, and full of hidden perils.

The level of detail laid into the environments – from quaint villages to ominous ruins – stands at the height of intricacy in level design as seen in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The Italian inspiration also makes Enotria feel a bit like the popular Lies of P.

The real underlying factor at play here, though, is one of discovery, full of secrets and mysterious puzzles with a myriad of hidden pathways to further discover.

A Symphony of Strategy

Combat in Enotria is challenging and rewarding; it takes very finely metered, timing-based traits from its Soulslike predecessors before adding its unique twists through the magic lines and the Awakened buff system. Breaking an enemy's posture for a devastating riposte feels as good as ever – a reminder of the visceral attacks found in Bloodborne with a real flair.

Further enhancing the gameplay, the Path of Exile-style talent system holds an unrivaled degree of build diversity. In this game, no two playthroughs are ever the same.

Pros

• Innovative mask system offers dynamic gameplay
• Stunning, sunlit world inspired by Italian folklore
• Deep customization with a vast talent system

Cons

• Occasional difficulty spikes may frustrate some players
• Limited fast travel options can make backtracking tedious