Don't be alarmed by the playtime, I've finished both games on the PS Vita and bought them on PC because I just love the series so much.

I found out about Utawarerumono by complete accident through a random pic of Kuon on Telegram, the name sounded somehow... familiar, so I looked into it and found the games, started playing the first one on PC and it was love at first sight, it is now my absolute favorite game series of all time.
I'll make a proper review of the first game once the remake comes out on Steam, but I'll say it's absolutely necessary to play it first in order to enjoy Mask of Deception to its fullest, so either play the original 2000 game, or wait for the remake.

It's a VN game with some tactical battles, the gameplay has some neat mechanics and I enjoy it quite a bit, but it's absolutely not the core here, don't come in expecting a fully-fledged strategy RPG, the focus here is on the story, and some stretches can go for dozens of hours of reading with no combat happening for a good while, so know what you're getting into beforehand. However, I was never really a big VN kind of guy, and Utawarerumono completely changed my mind, so if you don't usually play VNs, still try getting into it with an open mind, and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Mask of Deception hooked me as much as the original did, the characters are instantly likeable and the world-building is top-notch. Haku is a very lovable idiot and Kuon feels like a mom.
It's a slow-paced game, but in a very good way, you'll come to appreciate the "slice-of-life" like moments much more when things really start kicking into gear, the character development and interactions are just amazing.

The ending to this game is one of my absolute favorite endings out of any media ever, and is one of the most brilliant sequel hooks I've ever seen. Mask of Deception, in the end, sort of feels like a MASSIVE PROLOGUE to Mask of Truth, and I admit I was slightly disappointed by the fact it has fewer battles than the original, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's not a worthwhile experience. It's still an absolutely amazing game with memorable moments on its own right, and the fact that it takes so much time to develop the world and the characters, is what makes Mask of Truth such a delightful experience. Mask of Truth wouldn't be nearly as good as it is, without Mask of Deception preparing the ground for it first.

The two games should be taken in as a whole, Mask of Deception being the AMAZINGLY GOOD prologue that is only made even better by how absolutely brilliant Mask of Truth is.

This is more like a 2-parter, and I'll talk more about the games in my Mask of Truth review.

Don't be alarmed by the playtime, I've finished both games on the PS Vita and bought them on PC because I just love the series so much. I found out about Utawarerumono by complete accident through a random pic of Kuon on Telegram, the name sounded somehow... familiar, so I looked into it and found the games, started playing the first one on PC and it was love at first sight, it is now my absolute favorite game series of all time. I'll make a proper review of the first game once the remake comes out on Steam, but I'll say it's absolutely necessary to play it first in order to enjoy Mask of Deception to its fullest, so either play the original 2000 game, or wait for the remake. It's a VN game with some tactical battles, the gameplay has some neat mechanics and I enjoy it quite a bit, but it's absolutely not the core here, don't come in expecting a fully-fledged strategy RPG, the focus here is on the story, and some stretches can go for dozens of hours of reading with no combat happening for a good while, so know what you're getting into beforehand. However, I was never really a big VN kind of guy, and Utawarerumono completely changed my mind, so if you don't usually play VNs, still try getting into it with an open mind, and you might be pleasantly surprised. Mask of Deception hooked me as much as the original did, the characters are instantly likeable and the world-building is top-notch. Haku is a very lovable idiot and Kuon feels like a mom. It's a slow-paced game, but in a very good way, you'll come to appreciate the "slice-of-life" like moments much more when things really start kicking into gear, the character development and interactions are just amazing. The ending to this game is one of my absolute favorite endings out of any media ever, and is one of the most brilliant sequel hooks I've ever seen. Mask of Deception, in the end, sort of feels like a MASSIVE PROLOGUE to Mask of Truth, and I admit I was slightly disappointed by the fact it has fewer battles than the original, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's not a worthwhile experience. It's still an absolutely amazing game with memorable moments on its own right, and the fact that it takes so much time to develop the world and the characters, is what makes Mask of Truth such a delightful experience. Mask of Truth wouldn't be nearly as good as it is, without Mask of Deception preparing the ground for it first. The two games should be taken in as a whole, Mask of Deception being the AMAZINGLY GOOD prologue that is only made even better by how absolutely brilliant Mask of Truth is. This is more like a 2-parter, and I'll talk more about the games in my Mask of Truth review.