Masquerada: Songs and Shadows is an RPG about masks and magic

Here's an RPG with an inspiration list that includes Dragon Age and Baldur's Gate. No pressure there, then.

It's called Masquerada: Songs and Shadows, and it's a beautiful looking thing. Perhaps more pertinently for RPG fans, it's an isometric-style RPG that includes real-time "pause-for-tactics" combat.

Hark, a trailer.

"Set in the Venetian-inspired fantasy city of Ombre where rare masks are the key to casting magic, Masquerada is dressed in the colours and style of French comic books and vivid games like Bastion," explains the description. "Players follow the Inspettore, Cicero Gavar as he returns from exile to solve a kidnapping that will shake up the foundations of the city."

The game isn't due out until early 2016, but Pax East 2015 attendees will be able to check out a demo on the show's floor.

[NB: Cassandra Khaw, who is an occasional contributor to PC Gamer, also works for Masquerada's publisher Ysbryd Games.]

Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.