Those looking to explore a world full of fantastical beasts, powerful magic, political intrigue, and unlikely heroes will be able to scratch their adventurous and unleash their inner strategist, because ATLUS will be publishing two new games from veteran storytellers AQUAPLUS! Two visual novel and strategy RPGs Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception and Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth will be released in the Americas on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in both physical and digital formats; the European PS4 version will have a physical release, but the PS Vita version will be digital-only. Mask of Deception will release in the spring, and the game’s direct sequel, Mask of Truth will release later in the year with English text and the original Japanese audio. For both games, the PS4 version will be $49.99, and the PS Vita version will be $39.99.
Originally known as Utawarerumono: Itsuwari no Kamen in Japan, Mask of Deception is a grand tale meant to enchant the hearts and minds of players in search of incredible journey. The game begins atop a snowy mountain where the protagonist awakens in an unfamiliar wilderness, surrounded by deadly creatures, with nothing but a hospital gown and a splitting headache. However, he’s eventually rescued by a beautiful girl named Kuon, who sports both adorable animal ears and a beastlike tail. Finding that the hapless man has no memory of anything, Kuon decides to take the amnesiac into her care, naming him Haku. As their journey takes them across the land, Haku will (reluctantly) encounter colorful characters (yes, that means more animal people), build deep relationships, battle ruthless enemies, and find himself inexorably dragged into the political machinations of the mighty nation of Yamato.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception features:
- An Unforgettable Story – Mask of Deception offers a story-rich visual novel experience (40-50+ hours long) that lets players shape the future of a fully realized world filled with fantastical lore and history! Mask of Deception sets up the story for a thrilling conclusion in Mask of Truth, and we’ll reveal more information about the final game at a later date.
- An Active SRPG Battle System – Players will need to defend Haku and his friends by engaging in intense SRPG combat with the various hostiles that populate the world. The battle system is a thrilling mix of turn-based tactics and Attack Chain mechanics. Players can remain active during combat by successfully completing timing-based charging rings to execute critical attacks or vital dodges/blocks.
- Fully Fleshed Out Combat – Unique combat features such as the rewind function, elemental affinities/weaknesses, unique character skills, and more add a layer of depth to fights. It’ll take true tactical acumen to emerge victorious in battle!
- Breathtaking Art – With a stunning art style and beautifully rendered cutscenes, the game is a feast for the eyes for Japanese visual novel and anime aficionados!
- Beautiful Songs and a Thrilling Score – The rousing music, recorded and remastered at the legendary Abbey Road Studios and EastWest Studios, is a perfect soundtrack to accompany a great adventure.
A brief note on content: While ATLUS is committed to bringing over games that are as true to their original forms as possible, in the case of Mask of Deception, a scene had to have a small content edit to comply with various regional regulations about the depiction of physical discipline to minors. We worked with AQUAPLUS to keep the scope of the editing to an absolute minimum, and we both agree the change made to the scene in the game still conveys its full meaning without running into issues.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception and Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth will both be available digitally and physically for PS4 ($49.99) and PS Vita ($39.99) systems in 2017. The games, originally published/developed by AQUAPLUS, will have their original Japanese audio.