2.5/5 ★ – Aliliane's review of Enotria: The Last Song.

Date beaten: 24/8/2025 Time taken: 17 hours in 4 days I really wanted to like this game. A Soulslike inspired by Italian folklore with bright, theatrical visuals? I bought it without a second thought. Sounds like a breath of fresh air compared to the endless parade of dark Soulslikes. But after sinking time into it, Enotria ends up being another stylish but broken mess. I appreciate the ambition, really, I do. But they should’ve cooked more and polished it further. Beneath the gorgeous art-direction is a buggy, clunky experience that feels rushed and shallow. For those craving visual and thematic innovation, there’s a lot to admire, but if you’re burned out on Soulslikes, this probably won’t redeem the genre for you. Pros: -Unique mask system and environment-altering mechanics never seen before -Enjoyable Pokemon-style elemental system -Thanks to the previous points, you can go crazy with different builds -Nice level designs, especially Litumnia -Fighting enemies can be fun -Regardless of everything it’s still a (visually) special Soulslike experience Cons: -Serious and lots, LOTS of technical issues (poor performance and bugs. Talking to NPCs easily breaks the game) -Terrible bosses, I’ve enjoyed ONLY the final one (fighting Arlecchino truly felt like a dance, and without spoiling, the next guy is cool too) the mini-bosses are repeated and reskinned with a different element throughout the game -Janky combat which also lacks flow, with overemphasis on parrying. Dodging is pretty much useless sometimes -Markets itself as “inspired by Italian-folklore” when it doesn’t actually engage with the folklore beyond five Commedia dell'Arte characters and a few aesthetic nods (like carnival masks or Mediterranean architecture) Most of the NPCs, bosses and world elements are entirely fabricated with no clear link to the folklore or Commedia dell’Arte whatsoever -Punishes exploration after you finish Litumnia because if you talk to a certain NPC that’s standing literally right in front of you after teleporting, you get locked out of the secret ending, making all the NPC quests you completed an utter waste of time Gameplay: 5/10 I appreciate Enotria trying to shake up the Soulslike formula with its mask-swapping and Ardore mechanics. But after a few hours, the cracks show. Parrying (while satisfying) is basically mandatory, movement is too janky and the combat is mechanically muddy. Enemies often interrupt your attacks before you land them, this is especially annoying with the Mask Lines having no hyper armor so enemy hits can easily interrupt your casting, wasting the charge and leaving you exposed. I didn’t bother with Mask Lines most of the time because of this. A huge shame because there’s potential but it’s painfully undercooked. Add in the clunky animations, weird hitboxes, and constant bugs (soft-locks, broken AI, dropped inputs), and it starts feeling more like another half-baked Souls clone than anything fresh. There’s ambition here, but it’s buried under a pile of poor design choices. Soundtrack: 8/10 Definitely one of Enotria’s redeeming qualities. It nicely captures the theatrical, Italian-inspired tone the game aims for. The soundtrack adds a ton of atmosphere and does a lot of heavy lifting to make the world feel alive even when everything else is falling apart. Props to the composers for actually nailing the vibe, the use of traditional Mediterranean instruments, mandolin, lyres, colascione, viola da gamba and vocals is great, blending them well into the beautiful environment. Story: 4/10 While Enotria sets itself in a world inspired by Italian folklore and theatre, the story doesn't do enough to bring that inspiration to life. Beyond the inclusion of Commedia dell’Arte references, everything else from characters and lore are entirely made up, without much connection to Italian folklore. The plot is vague and cryptic, offering little engagement or payoff. Pulcinella is the only character that stood out. The worldbuilding is shallow, its story feels empty and the NPCs are forgettable with boring quests. Obviously if you’re looking for meaningful lore or engaging characters, this isn’t it. Moreover, for a game that markets itself on folklore, it rarely explores the deeper cultural roots that could’ve made the narrative truly compelling. Enotria leans more on fantasy and Soulslike tropes than fully honoring Italian folklore in its rich complexity. The game portraying the Canovaccio (the traditional skeleton script actors improvised from) as a symbol of authoritarian control that must be broken is terrible. Historically, the Canovaccio was not rigid or oppressive, it was a tool for creative freedom. Actors improvised dialogue, movement, and even entire subplots around it. It was the opposite of fixed fate. This misrepresentation flips the concept entirely. In Enotria, the Canovaccio becomes a metaphor for imprisonment, when in truth it was a vessel for freedom of expression. By turning folkloric masks into powerful Soulslike magical entities the game missed the inherently human and social nature of these characters. Italian folklore and Commedia characters are grounded in relatable flaws, their symbolism hold meaning and they were misused here in a very disappointing measure. Claiming folklore inspiration sets an expectation… I expected more than just theatrical masks and sunny piazzas. Enotria wears an Italian theatrical mask, but behind it lies a fantasy world that owes more to FromSoftware than to folklore. Sorry for being this critical, I know it’s not that deep, but it could’ve been SO MUCH better if it actually followed Italian-folklore instead of just using a Dark Souls formula. Gameplay ≠ Narrative. Visuals/Design: 9.5/10 I absolutely adored how stunning Enotria looks, it sets itself apart from other Soulslikes with its sun-drenched Italian vistas, vibrant palettes, and ornate costume design, leaning heavily into theatrical imagery with rich artistic direction. The overall aesthetic is bold, memorable, and consistently impressive. What I loved most is when you get high above and notice the shape of a huge statue at where you once were. While traversing that place it seemed to be just rocks. All of this made Enotria easily one of the most visually unique Soulslikes I’ve played and I’m grateful for that much. It seems like the artists were the only people who successfully cooked on this project… I wish the rest of the game matched the quality of this beautiful world, especially the narrative. The Mediterranean beauty enchanted me in all three areas. I found myself lost gazing at the sun of Quinta, the sea of Falsea Magna and the architecture of Litumnia with its starlit sky. What a magical experience. Definitely the game’s best aspect. Overall: 6/10 It was disappointing and left me underwhelmed. Enotria: The Last Song tries to be a fresh take on the soulslike genre, but then it’s just more soulslop in a prettier package. The sunny setting is different, and there are some cool ideas buried in there, but they’re constantly dragged down by janky performance, clunky mechanics, and baffling design choices. The game missed the opportunity by misusing the Italian-folklore inspiration, the story falls flat, and half the time you’re fighting the game itself just to play it. It’s ambitious, yeah… but also a buggy mess that reminds you why this genre is so exhausting lately. Regardless of everything, this is still an indie project. I appreciate the effort and understand the struggle. I hope the studio relies more on their own creativity and learn from their mistakes in the future.