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Mask of the Rose

Failbetter Games · Jun 8, 2023

PC · Switch

Teen

About

Welcome to Fallen London: a darkly hilarious gothic underworld where death is a temporary inconvenience, the rats talk, and Hell is only a stone's throw away. Thanks to an unknown bargain, London now resides in a vast cavern under the earth. Down here, the sun doesn't shine, and Parliament has sunk into the Thames. Queen Victoria never emerges from her palace. Cats spy on their owners and whisper their secrets abroad. The fabric of strait-laced Victorian society has begun to fray. New Masters are in charge. Why are they so… tall? And always cloaked? And why are they so interested in love stories? The possibilities for personal connection in London are different now. Thrown together in crisis, you might befriend or romance many of the characters you meet, from Griz, your assertive housemate for whom the Fall was a chance to break free of Victorian societal norms, to the infernally well-dressed gentleman at the Brass Consulate with the amber eyes. Even death itself has a twist here: the first murder victim since the Fall is feeling much better, and keen to see justice done. Unfortunately, as the doctor who treated him immediately before he expired, your housemate Archie is the prime suspect...

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PC

Critic 7.4 (3 critics) · Gamer 0.0

Nintendo Switch

No critic reviews yet · No ratings yet

Critic reviews

  • TechRaptor

    Courtney Ehrenhofler · Jun 08, 2023

    8.5
    Overall, Mask of the Rose is another strong addition to the Fallen London universe. With compelling characters, a complex mystery, and a variety of ways to play the game, it’s one of the best visual novels I’ve played in years. While the complexity of the game’s story system can get overwhelming, the plot is still accessible to newbies and veterans of the Neath alike and offers much to be enjoyed by all parties.
  • PC Gamer

    Joshua Wolens · Jun 08, 2023

    7.8
    Failbetter's London is a treat to engage with as ever, but between the time pressure, the repetition, and the foibles of its storycrafting system, the game holding it up in Mask of the Rose never really coheres properly. It feels a bit like a first draft, the prelude to an excellent sequel that will come out in a few years with the kinks ironed out and an easier-to-grasp set of mechanics. It feels like Sunless Sea, basically.
  • Euro Gamer

    Ruth Cassidy · Jun 08, 2023

    6.0
    As it is, it feels like it's bursting at the seams - with long quest threads without enough time to pursue them, character desires so subtle that putting on a flirtatious hat may condescend, and a conspiracy board that breaks the mystery if you have too much fun with it. Its writing takes the long-familiar - and long-evolving - Neath back to its roots, with evocative, thoughtful, and flawed exploration. It's this version of the game I can't stop thinking about, however - flawed for all the same reasons it fascinates.

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