As a seasoned veteran of the Souls series, I find myself utterly captivated by the versatility that Enotria offers. The ability to switch loadouts on the fly is a game-changer, allowing for strategic adaptability that has been missing in many previous titles.
Developing a game in the vein of “Souls-like” series may pose challenges for developers, as they must contend with the significant acclaim and high standards set by FromSoftware’s RPGs, which can sometimes weigh heavily upon emerging developers trying to carve out their own niche.
In recent times, novel intellectual properties (IPs) have been adapting the Souls series format and making minor adjustments to offer a unique and creative spin, all the while maintaining respect for the original concepts.
As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve been quite impressed with the fresh arrivals this year, like Nine Sols and Black Myth: Wukong, which deliver intense Souls-like experiences that are hard to resist. Now, it looks like Enotria: The Last Song is set to join the fray, promising an equally captivating journey for gamers like me!
Explore the captivating world of Enotria: The Last Song, an adventure rooted in Italian folklore and brimming with spectacular visuals, intricate gameplay mechanics, and challenging boss battles. It seems tailor-made for fans such as myself who crave a tough challenge. However, one cannot help but wonder, is this game the next Souls-Like sensation or merely an echo of its illustrious predecessors? Join us as we delve into the review of Enotria: The Last Song to uncover the truth.
A Sprawling, Sun-kissed Setting
Delving into the captivating realm of Enotria, I must admit that this game masterfully designs three stunning and vast territories that are an absolute pleasure to traverse.
The initial game setting nestled in the lower commons, reminiscent of a charming alpine village on Lake Como, presents a picturesque scene. Conversely, the Maja Monastery, encountered later, showcases a stark contrast with its decaying ambiance. It’s evident from the start that this game boasts a wide variety of visual appeal.
However, this Canovaccio-cursed landscape is not merely visually appealing but brims with tangible presence due to the frenzied characters who inhabit this troubled realm. The roads are adorned with abandoned set pieces and stage props, lending a vibrant touch to every nook and cranny.
In this setting, you’ll encounter actors delivering narratives reminiscent of Shakespeare, shedding light on the surrounding world. Additionally, there are numerous reference sections available for those who wish to pause and delve deeper into the lore, away from the main action and immerse themselves in some of the written works.
The game captivates you instantly with its compelling storyline and visually appealing elements, providing numerous exaggerated and fantastical attractions that keep you engaged.
However, the game sustains its initial allure through a captivating world structure reminiscent of Miyazaki’s work, complete with secret passages, linked shortcuts, and cunning surprises that keep players on their toes.
While meandering across the rooftops in Lower Commons, I experienced a sensation reminiscent of my adventures navigating the narrow streets and rooftops in Leyndell. Although it doesn’t quite match the grandeur of Elden Ring’s Capital, rediscovering that sense of exploration was incredibly refreshing.
Plagued By Performance
In Enotria, the scenery is visually appealing, especially when you gaze upon the multitude of sunflowers in the Fields of Beginning. The game’s world, indeed, is a delight to traverse. However, the overall enjoyment is somewhat dampened by the noticeable performance problems with the game. I can confirm that these issues were not related to my gaming setup, but rather, they seem to be inherent to the game itself.
Throughout the game, I encountered minor annoyances like certain sounds not playing as expected – for instance, no noise would come from sliding down a ladder or when a dog-enemy barked. Moreover, there were instances where enemies seemed to stand idle, suggesting a need for improvement in their AI behavior. However, these issues are relatively insignificant and can be easily disregarded, given that they’re likely to get addressed in an upcoming patch post-release.
Despite the occasional dip in performance due to frame rate drops, I couldn’t ignore how smoothly Enotria runs at its peak, performing flawlessly and humming along beautifully.
However, with an increasing number of events unfolding on the screen, it can be frustrating when the game stutters or freezes – often during cutscenes, at other times randomly, or even after you die and reload your character. It’s not rocket science to understand that in a Souls game, such glitches can be as fatal as a real death.
It might be somewhat disappointing that Enotria follows a Souls game like Black Myth: Wukong, which has exceptional accuracy. As Black Myth sets the bar high in terms of faithfulness, and while Enotria holds its own in visuals, I’m not convinced that the trade-off for high fidelity justifies this uneven performance.
The game Enotria wasn’t something that would significantly hinder my enjoyment overall, primarily because it’s less challenging compared to many other Souls games available. However, it did lead to some difficult moments while I was playing.
A Focus On Flexibility
In terms of Enotria’s influence on the Souls formula, it’s evident right away that this game aims to provide the player with a variety of choices and possibilities, enabling them to tinker and adapt strategies in real time.
It’s a novel idea that I have seen implemented rather poorly in recent Souls-Likes like Deathbound. But thankfully, in Enotria the systems are rather well implemented.
In this new setting, many iconic elements from Souls games have been subtly adjusted to make them fitting and recognizable to avid fans of the genre, providing a sense of nostalgia or familiarity.
Nevertheless, the game refuses to bask in past successes, instead introducing intriguing deviations from typical Souls-Like games through unique gameplay components, status effects, character roles and dialogues, and the Trailblazer’s journey.
In simpler terms, the second feature is an outdated but useful skill development system where players can specialize in a specific primary attribute. The status impacts provide innovative alternatives to classic options such as poisoning or bleeding, for example. Functionally, Roles work like Classes and Lines function similarly to Spells.
Everything blends seamlessly well, providing numerous options for players to customize their character and select a style that matches their gameplay preference. Moreover, the feature of having three pre-configured Loadouts enables players to quickly switch strategies during gameplay, ensuring adaptability according to the changing situation.
This emphasis on adaptability was warmly received by an experienced Souls series player, who has typically taken on the role of a massive weapon-bearing behemoth in nearly every Souls title offered to date.
Starting off with a wealth of weapons, characters, roles, and items at your disposal right from the beginning can make it seem harsh to narrow things down when you eventually decide to focus on a specific area later on, given the many other excellent choices out there.
Putting On An Act
I thoroughly appreciate the systems that Enotria develops, and it’s the innovative, experimental method they use for character development that likely sparked the initial adoration for Elden Ring and continues to draw players to explore The Lands Between now.
Nevertheless, while each system boasts its evident advantages and every mechanism is user-friendly, there seems to be a subtle sense that they all tend to mislead just a bit.
Instead of focusing on just one notable aspect at a time, let me explain using an example. In this game, the skill tree may seem like it’s designed for specialization, but upon closer look, you’ll find that you can unlock all possibilities because of the richness of resources available in the world.
The status effects, while feeling fresh, have clear flaws, with the dizzy effect feeling like a punishment rather than a boon, for example.
In regards to the pre-defined Loadouts, their purpose is to facilitate exploration and flexibility, which they indeed achieve to some extent. However, since you can modify your loadout only at a checkpoint, your agility to adapt in real time is limited by how well you plan and anticipate in advance.
Frankly speaking, the overall assessment is that the game is rich in promising concepts and mechanisms capable of delivering on them.
To put it simply, although I found the gameplay delightful and highly engaging, there were moments that felt slightly off-balance or awkward compared to the smooth, polished experience provided by my beloved FromSoft games.
But as they say, to shoot for the moon and end up among the stars isn’t exactly a bad thing.
Closing Comments:
Enotria: The Last Ballad – A Souls-like Journey with Bold Moves
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2024-09-13 17:09