Enotria: The Last Song

« Enotria: The Last Song is a charming soulslike with such an attractive setting that it will win over even those who are not fans of the genre. It is impossible not to be impressed by the very well-constructed scenarios, on top of a bold theme, which culminated in a perfect match. »

« After the patching it’s undergone in the last several months, Enotria: The Last Long is a solid Soulslike for not just hardcore Souls fans, but for anyone that likes a third person action RPG with a beautiful visual and aural presentation. For me, it falls somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of Souls games that I have played; I liked the old, and new, Lords of the Fallen better, and Lies of P — but Enotria is significantly better above Mortal Shell and Thymesia. Ultimately, I’m happy to recommend it. »

« Tweet Share Share By Thom Stone on October 9, 2024 in Reviews (Italian) Chef’s Kiss HIGH Visual variety and fresh gameplay breathe new life into an oversaturated genre. LOW Lack of multiplayer. Some original ideas are underutilized. WTF You call that a final boss? Over the past decade, countless titles inspired by FromSoftware’s Souls have come and gone, but few have managed to stand out from the crowd or even meet the bar that’s been set, especially now that it’s been raised once again by the wildly successful Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. Enter Enotria — a new and soon-to-be classic third-person soulslike from Italian studio Jyamma Games that dares to be different by drawing inspiration not only from FromSoftware, but also the rich cultural traditions and aesthetic appeal of Italy. Enotria is a world populated by people trapped in a never-ending play, doomed to perform their roles according to a script they didn’t write. This fate is interrupted by the player in the role of the Maskless One — he enters the scene as a mere puppet, but will ultimately go on to liberate the unwilling actors. This theatrical concept works well as a device to explain the reason why NPCs are stuck in a loop of performing scenes on the shoreline or dancing in the street to a melody that can be heard in various forms throughout the city of Quinta. According to Jyamma Games, the city of Quinta and its surrounding area were inspired by Tuscany, and this can be observed in small details like traditional Italian dishes found on tables, and imposing structures like the Church of Maja where the player must face their first boss. The virtual tour of Italy continues with later areas that are reminiscent of Venice (Litumnia) and Sicily (Falesia Magna). The combat is fast-paced and requires not just skill, but patience. The third-person perspective allows the player to see a broad view of their enemies and surrounding environment which allows them to telegraph enemy move patterns, tactfully dodging or parrying their attacks before going in for a strike, but they must also know when to step back and conserve stamina. Landing an attack charges (at varying speeds) up to four “mask lines” which are special attacks that deal different kinds of damage known as Ardore, which can be especially effective against certain enemies. A crucial piece of the gameplay for players to understand and take advantage of is that they get up to three loadouts which allow them to equip separate sets of weapons, quick items, mask lines and masks. Unlocking certain branches on Enotria‘s skill tree allows the player to select abilities to suit their style, like staggering weaker enemies whenever they successfully dodge an attack. Although the player can only alter the equipment, skills and abilities for each loadout at a checkpoint, they can switch between their loadouts on the fly, which is helpful when facing different types of enemies in a given area. There are many masks that can be acquired throughout the adventure. Some will be received upon defeating a boss, but the majority can only be crafted after collecting a certain amount of mask shards. It was satisfying to piece them all together and make my first mask — the Gardener. I automatically received it after farming gardeners (an enemy type that appears in the first area) and one of its effects is that it makes a certain healing item more effective. Later in the adventure, players can gather enough boss mask shards to make their corresponding masks which allows the player to use some of their abilities as mask lines. Apart from the masks, one of the most important mechanics is the elemental system which functions much like rock-paper-scissors. Certain mask lines or weapons infused with an element will be especially effective against an enemy aligned with another. For example, Vis, a status effect that inflicts dizzying damage, is super effective against enemies aligned with the poison effect, Malanno. Midway through the campaign I fought a god named Veltha, God of Strife who was aligned with Gratia (holy damage) but weak to Malanno, so I maxed out my favorite Malanno weapon and took pleasure as I watched her stagger and suffer from poison damage every time one of my attacks landed. Leveraging this vulnerability didn’t mean the fight was quick work, but it was significantly easier to wear her down than by using the other weapons in my arsenal. The level of difficulty presented by bosses like Veltha (both a powerful ranged fighter and relentless swordswoman) was on par with other Soulsbornes, which is to say, very high. Thus, players who are new to the genre will need to learn the basics quickly if they are to progress. When it starts to feel impossible, they can always farm currency from enemies and use it to upgrade their equipment or level up before taking another stab at whatever boss they’re stuck on. Speaking of bosses, most of Enotria‘s were guilty of one cardinal sin or another, and for some, their vices manifest physically, such as the gluttonous cannibal Zanni who had feasted on fellow actors and turned into a balloon of a man with multiple mouths and an insatiable appetite. It was a delightfully horrifying and imaginative monster design. However, one of my favorite battles was the duo boss fight starring Balanzone and Pantalone. Rather than strong and silent types as many soulslike bosses are, they were a comically dysfunctional pair, often damaging each other when trying to attack me while bickering throughout the fight, voicing their self-interest and avarice. Shockingly, the final boss proved to be the most underwhelming boss fight of the whole campaign. His attacks were fairly predictable and not much changed during his multiple phases, except that a few ranged attacks were added. At no point did I have to significantly change my approach — it was mostly just a matter of pulling it off. While the majority of Enotria is excellent, this mediocre final encounter was just one of a few things that left me feeling underwhelmed when all was said and done. Even though I didn’t need any help on the final boss, there were a few that made me wish I did. Summoning friends and strangers alike is one of the things I enjoy most about soulslikes, as it adds to the feeling of “jolly cooperation” — a big part of what makes these titles so special to me. Unfortunately, there’s no online or multiplayer of any kind to be found here. There were also a few underutilized mechanics that are unique to Enotria, like the Ardore Burst — a stomp that staggers enemies and materializes platforms and ladders when the player stomps on a gold seal, allowing them to reach previously unreachable areas. Whenever I saw one, I’d be filled with the spirit of adventure and feel excited to see where it would take me. Sadly, they’re all too rare. It’s also worth mentioning that during my time with Enotria, I encountered some sudden difficulty spikes and observed some enemies with odd AI pathing getting stuck in certain places. The devs have since released a patch to address these issues and they plan to release more fixes in the near future. Ultimately, my time with Enotria: The Last Song was fantastic. The unconventional Italian theming swept me off my feet, and the gameplay was pleasantly familiar, yet offered enough differences and new ideas to let it stand on its own. If any Souls fans are looking for something to lighten up the dark autumn days that lie ahead, they should consider this summery theatrical adventure their remedy. »

« Enotria: The Last Song is a Souls-like experience that takes a lot of big swings, and while there are a few hiccups along the way, a lot of these risks pay off. The freedom to experiment with builds, plan ahead with pre-set Loadouts, and take on the roles of your fallen enemies are all standout features that set this title apart. Which Enotria backs up with impressive visuals, a compelling Italian folklore-inspired world, and several memorable bosses. Sadly, performance issues, a lack of genuine, consistent challenge, and some systems that flatter to deceive stop this game from being a truly iconic game within the sub-genre, but when the curtain closes, and the actors take their final bow, I feel plenty in the audience will be throwing roses and applauding regardless. »

« Inspired by the classics from FromSoftware, Enotria stands out for its deep connection to Italian folklore, celebrating the natural wonders of our land and its rich cultural, theatrical, and musical traditions. »

« Enotria: The Last Song tends to get lost in its own ambitions. While it breathes fresh air into the grim and hopeless apocalypses souls-likes tend to portray, the additions to the combat and character customization tend to weigh it down. Despite a generally more forgiving difficulty than many other titles, the sheer volume of things to keep track of make this a souls-like best suited for fans of the genre. »

« If you’re looking for a new Soulslike experience and willing to tolerate some notable negatives all the while experiencing a very unique setting, it’s a decent time. It’s a bit difficult to recommend to a more casual audience, but if you’re seeking a challenge, albeit not necessarily intentionally, Enotria is a decent time. Enotria: The Last Song has its share of issues, but I’d wager it’s a great first step for Jyamma Games in this style, and I can only imagine they’ll make something even better with the next release. »

« Despite some flaws (even significant ones) that we hope future updates can resolve, Enotria: The Last Song proves to be a souls-like game with a distinct personality, both in its artistic and environmental characterization and in its gameplay, which has several well-conceived ideas. Not everything shines as we had hoped, but if there's one thing the game doesn't lack, it's courage. »

« I loved *Enotria*; the meticulous polish of the art direction really impressed me. The game has its downsides, but after the patch, it has become a true gem. As an Italian, I really resonated with the landscapes. »

« Raising to a 10 from a 9. Maybe my favorite souls like game I ever played. Were there a few bugs. Sure. But for a relatively new studio what a fantastic game. Can not recommend more enough. Maybe 10/10 is a little high. But I really really really liked it. Souls like (or whatever they called the hardest difficulty) is pretty hard. But very rewarding. Never turned the difficulty down and I am glad I didn't. Some bosses you will want to. Just don't. Trust the process. »

« Looks and play great. It's a souls like with 2 different modes; one is extremely easy while the other is traditional dark souls. The world is one of the best looking in the genre, the abilities, elements, and weapons are all really cool and you can change things to play to the enemy's weakness. The story is interesting, but a little confusing per the norm. This game is a solid 8/10 and I have no idea why the hate but I had a blast from start to finish. »

« Až do bosse co je býk v colloseu je to ok ale pak se zbláznila obtiznost. Hra neni vybalancovana, problemy s animacema a rychlosti. Záseky, bugy, glitche. Bossové jsou tragedie jakmile to neni humanoid. Kdyby to mizna jeste rok ladili a nevysrali se na to byla by to obstojna hra. Italie tematu sedi ale zpracovani je tragedie. Hra pouze pro lidi co maji pevne nervy. »

« Un poco repetitivo, los jefes son casi todos iguales y generalmente fáciles. La ambientación está bien, hay zonas estilo Italia que se disfrutan. »

« Enotria è un gioco buono. Non è eccellente come altri titoli dello stesso genere, ma non è nemmeno così terribile da essere bocciato. Lo stile grafico di Enotria è senza dubbio il suo cavallo di battaglia, paesaggi e **** sono veramente ben fatti e memorabili e così come le OST che sono molto belle. Il doppiaggio (nel mio caso in Italiano) lo trovato ben fatto, anche se avrei trovato più coerente il doppiaggio di tutti gli npc. Orala parte dolente, i nemici e boss sono spesso riutilizzati o con skin diverse o passando da boss a classici nemici base. Le Maschere e i Ruoli cercano di rendere il gioco più vario e rigiocabile, ma sono spesso inutili e ti ritroverai a usare la stessa build dall'inizio alla fine. Inoltre gli effetti di stato risultano spesso confusionari con nomi altisonanti. Il gioco deve ancora essere migliorato su alcuni punti, tra alcuni boss che si bloccano e calidi frame-rate e bug minori, ma ha un buon potenziale. »

« Honestly this game is not bad. It got a lot of heavy criticism, but the gameplay itself is fun and interesting. The bosses are well designed. The weapon variety is good. It deserves a solid 7. HOWEVER, the big problem is the bugs. I experienced many bugs throughout my playthrough. I had to make a manual backup of my save file every time I stopped playing, and after every major boss. Because sometimes a boss would just randomly freeze, and I could not damage them, which would kill my game. I know this is not common for a Soulslike, but if they let us save the game manually before boss fights, it would help save the game from being a disaster that destroys your save file. I don't understand how there are still so many serious bugs. I played this game a year after it came out, and the bugs are still very disruptive. »

« 8/10 Não sei como estava o jogo no lançamento, bugs e outros erros, deve ser por isso as notas baixas, pois o jogo é muito bom, diversas mecânicas novas, magias divertidas, cenários lindos, level design incríveis, alguns bons chefes »