We Love It's Guide to…
As exiled sleuth Cicero, investigate a diplomat’s kidnapping in a magical city and direct a party through pause-and-plan battles.
Released 30 Sep 2016
Pause-and-Plan Combat
Elemental Tag Combos
Channel Mask Magic
Masquerada is a single-player tactical RPG set in a Renaissance-inspired city of magic, where real-time combat can be paused to set up elemental combos powered by Venetian-styled masks. Come for gorgeous hand-drawn art; stay for the rich lore & a thoughtful, fully-voiced tale of intrigue & tragedy.
Developed by Witching Hour Studios · Published by Ysbryd Games







Cicero Gavar, an exiled investigator, is summoned back to the Renaissance-inspired city of Ombre to solve the kidnapping of diplomat Razitof Azrus. As he investigates alongside new companions, rivalries and a wider conspiracy complicate the case.
Lead a party through real-time battles that can be paused to position characters and choose their attacks. Masquerade masks grant elemental magic: apply an element to an enemy, then activate it with another to trigger effects such as crowd control.
The story unfolds in a linear sequence of environments and conversations, with world and character details also found in lore notes. Characters develop new skills and use different elemental abilities as the investigation progresses; the tale is fully voiced.
In this review sample, players often praise the voice acting, soundtrack, characters, and visual design, and some find the story and world compelling. Several also like that the straightforward combat and linear structure keep attention on the narrative, though others criticize the combat as simple and wish there were more to explore.

| Platforms | Windows, macOS |
|---|---|
| Achievements | 27 |
| Age ratings |
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| Controller support | Xbox |
| Controller required | No |
| DLC / extras | 1 listed on Steam |
| Content notices |
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| Metacritic | 64/100 View on Metacritic |
| Website | Official website |