Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth

Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth is a sweeping visual novel and tactical RPG hybrid that delivers a deeply emotional and richly layered conclusion to the saga that began with Mask of Deception. Developed by Aquaplus, it blends poignant storytelling, memorable characters, and strategic combat in a way that few other games in the genre manage. As the final chapter in a long-running narrative, Mask of Truth not only provides closure but elevates the entire series, weaving together political intrigue, romance, war, and philosophical questions with remarkable finesse. Picking up directly after the cliffhanger ending of Mask of Deception, the game throws players into the heart of a fractured empire, now teetering on the brink of all-out civil war. With the death of Emperor Mikado and the emergence of false heirs, tensions rise as factions compete for dominance. Central to the story is Haku, the once-ordinary man now forced to don the mask and identity of Oshtor, becoming both a symbol of resist...

TL;DR: It’s the best of the trilogy and did a fine job as the “last one.” When I decide what to read, play, or watch, I usually try to go in knowing as little as possible to make the overall experience more unique and pleasant. Going into this, I had the mindset of “a Visual Novel with some gameplay aspects here and there to complement the experience.” My expectations were something like Little Busters! or even Noctuary—where gameplay is just the “icing on the cake” and the story itself is the main attraction. But I didn’t quite get that feeling with Utawarerumono and its trilogy. Don’t get me wrong: the story did a lot of things correctly throughout the trilogy, and it got much better as it went on. But the more I played/read, the more I found myself getting into the gameplay and battles rather than the story itself (to the point where certain parts of the story even started to bother me haha). In the end, the gameplay was quite amazing, while the story was j...

I recommend the series but don't start with this one. This is a sequel to Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen and direct continuation of Mask of Deception. The story has a decent conclusion in this one. There were many points that I thought it would end but it didn't. It took longer to finish the story than previous Utas. It's mix of fantasy and sci-fi in its own historical setting. Artworks are good, UI is easy to use, the battles are simplified than other SRPGs and the music is excellent as always. The whole journey was too long for me but it'll stay with me for sure.