Summary
Jyamma Games’Enotria: The Last Songis the latest in a series of Soulslike and Soulslike-adjacent games from new studios, joining the ranks of bothBlack Myth WukongandLies of Pas a breakout title for their respective developers. But whereBlack Myth Wukongerrs more on the side of being a traditional third-person action RPG,Enotriasits squarely alongsideLies of Pby being a dyed-in-the-wool Soulslike, acting as the sun-drenchedDark SoulstoLies of P’sBloodborne. Beyond both titles being Soulslikes that take inspiration from Italian folklore, though,EnotriaandLies of Phave less in common than one might think.
The story and setting ofEnotriadraw heavily from Italian history and folklore, beautifully recreating Italy’s famous Amalfi Coast and its unmistakable vistas. And whileLies of Palso pulls heavily from Italian folklore for its story and setting (specifically, Carlo Collodi’s timeless children’s novelThe Adventures of Pinnochio), its setting shares more in common with thegothic horror ofBloodbornethan the scenic beauty of the Mediterranean coast. Both games also happen to encourage players into a specific playstyle based heavily on parrying, but whereLies of P’s build variety served to strengthen this approach,Enotriaalmost crumbles under its nearly overwhelming amount of options.
Enotria and Lies of P Tackle the Soulslike Genre From Opposing Sides
The most obvious difference betweenEnotriaandLies of Pis undoubtedly the discrepancy between their settings. Beyond that,EnotriaandLies of Ptackle their attempts at the Soulslike genre from almost completely opposite approaches. WhereLies of Pcommits fully to the parry-heavy combat and horror-tinged atmosphere ofBloodborne,Enotriafeels like a riff on many of the ideas that FromSoftware presented inthe first and secondDark Souls. And that comparison holds true in each game’s approach to combat, as well.
Major Difference Between Enotria and Lies of P is in Combat Approach
WhileEnotriaemphasizes parrying over all other forms of defense like blocking or dodge-rolling, it never fully commits to it in the same way thatLies of Pdoes.Lies of Pmight feel like a direct mix between the aggression and speed ofBloodborneand theparrying inSekiro, but it also supports that combat model through the way that it handles elements like character movement, traversal, enemy placements, and gear. By comparison,Enotriasomewhat feels like the “catch-all” for different gameplay styles thatDark Soulswas and still is, despite encouraging its parry mechanic.
WhileEnotriaemphasizes parrying over all other forms of defense like blocking or dodge-rolling, it never fully commits to it in the same way thatLies of Pdoes.
Enotria’s Character Progression and Buildcraft Undermine its Parrying Rather than Support It
The multiple-build aspect ofEnotriais definitely one of the main draws separating it from other Soulslikes in an increasingly crowded subgenre, but it’s also the main undoing of the game’s parry mechanic. WhereasLies of P’s combatplaces parrying front and center regardless of player builds,Enotriasomewhat buckles under the weight of all the options it gives players. Certain boss encounters or fights against tougher enemies become nigh-impossible without parrying, and as a result, players will likely find themselves reverting to a favorite build that makesEnotria’s core mechanic obsolete.
Further,Enotriathrows a lot of options at the player in terms of what they can do in an encounter. There are three Masks to equip, each resulting in a different build and loadout, and beyond that, there are dozens of weapons,Mask Lines, and Path of Innovators perks that players can tinker with. Surprisingly, some of these actively go against the game’s emphasis on parrying, which is self-sabotage thatLies of Pnever commits asEnotria’s “Italian Soulslike” counterpart.
