Enotria: The Last Song review

It's been a good couple of years for soulslikes. Both Lies of P and Black Myth Wukong have continued to demonstrate just how far you can push this formula, adding smart new ideas, but transposing the fundamentals to an entirely new setting and mood. It's honestly the thing I love the most about this genre; how you can take this framework that players understand and use it as a vehicle to explore a new setting or mythology.

What is it? A soulslike based on Italian folklore
Release date September 16, 2024
Expect to pay $49.99/£39.69
Developer Jyamma Games
Publisher Jyamma Games
Reviewed on Windows 11, i5-12400F, 16GB DDR4 Ram, RX 6800 XT
Multiplayer No
Steam Deck Yes
Link Steam 

For Lies of P that was a dark and moody adaptation of Pinnochio, a children's story from the 18th century, while for Black Myth Wukong it was Journey to the West, an even older Chinese novel from the 16th century. I'm not sure what it is about the soulslike genre that allows developers to adapt such varied source material, but for my part I think it's the perfect combo of something you know and something you don't—a familiar set of mechanics in a fresh, unfamiliar locale.

It's for that reason I was particularly excited to play Enotria: The Last Song, a soulslike rooted in Italian folklore. It's something I know very little about, but as with Black Myth Wukong, I was excited to receive a schooling while murdering bosses and exploring sunny mediterranean-inspired regions, albeit filled with dogs, traps, and all the usual soulslike accoutrements.

The first thing to say about Enotria is that, despite its faults, it's a very pretty game. Whether it's the decorative masks and carnival costumes you don as the Maskless One—what your character is known as—or the sandy beaches and rustic towns you battle your way through. It's an entirely unique vibe, and one I haven't seen in a soulslike before. I do think it's a bit lacking on the NPC side for its genre, and its map design feels quite linear for the most