Following the rating of Mask of Deception earlier this month, ATLUS announced today that visual novel/strategy-RPG titles Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception and Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth are coming to North America and Europe this year. They’ll be priced at $49.99 USD each on PlayStation 4 and $39.99 USD each on PlayStation Vita.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception will first release in spring 2017, then Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth will follow in fall 2017. Each game will have English text and the original Japanese audio, and each will see a physical and digital release in North America on both PS4 and PS Vita. In Europe, only the PS4 version will see a physical and digital release, as the Vita version will be digital-only.
Here’s what to expect from Mask of Deception:
Mask of Deception follows the story of Haku, a mysterious amnesiac who awakens in an unfamiliar and hostile wilderness. However, he’s rescued by a beautiful girl named Kuon, who sports both adorable animal ears and a beastlike tail. They eventually team up, and 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.
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.
On the PlayStation Blog, ATLUS PR Manager John Hardin addressed the minor edit they needed to make in order to ensure the game was approved by ratings boards:
We did have to make a small content edit, but it was in order to comply with various regional regulations about the depiction of physical discipline to minors.
It’s a small edit to a minor scene and we worked with AQUAPLUS to reach a compromise to keep the original intent while not running afoul of said regulations.
In response to someone who suggested there’s still time to bring a physical Vita version to Europe, Hardin said, “That ship has sailed, unfortunately.”
[Source: PlayStation Blog (1), (2)]
