The RPG genre, often dragged down by the weight of its accumulated tropes and its lack of ambition when it comes to telling compelling new stories, is in need of some change now and again. Questing around in faux-medieval settings is perfectly fine, but the feeling of "been there, done that" sets in all too often long before your noble quest is over. If you feel the same way, Masquerada: Songs And Shadows, developed by Singaporean developer Witching Hour Studios, might come as a pleasant surprise indeed.

Masquerada takes place in the turmoil-ridden city of Ombre, where different factions compete for power using Mascherines - masks that grant their wielders the power to channel the elements and cast destructive magic. Not only is the city caught up in a class war between the mask-wielders and the lower classes, a bunch of renegades have gotten ahold of masks and are causing mischief. Ombre is one giant powder keg, and too many people are playing with matches.
And then there is also the mystery of the Mascherines themselves - where do they come from, and why is their supply dwindling" You play as Cicero Gavar, one of the finest investigators the city has in its ranks, returning from exile to solve the mysterious kidnapping of a friend. Of course there is a whole web of lies, treachery, and deceit waiting for you.

In terms of storytelling, Masquerada is a strange beast. It has some of the fullest, richest lore around, introducing its own terminology ...