The first Plague Tale came out of nowhere and at times neared AAA levels of production values, with strong video game storytelling and fun puzzle-stealth gameplay. The game was ripe for a sequel, and Asobo returns with a worthy follow-up which expands on the gameplay ideas of the first game for another rat-infested adventure.
A Plague Tale Innocence got pretty crazy toward the end with the plot, and Requiem continues veering into that supernatural side pretty quickly. The escalation worked for me, though I could see how some players might have appreciated a narrative that was a bit more grounded overall. The game definitely drags in places, with odd pacing issues here and there. There are some big tense setpieces early on and then things grind to a halt when Amicia and Hugo reach a sort of safe haven. The 16 or so hours it took me to get through this one never wore me out, but there were definitely some exploration-focused chapters that dragged on too long. Still, the sibling bond between Amicia and Hugo runs strong as ever and the game packs a real emotional punch in its dramatic conclusion.
Gameplay is quite a bit expanded from the first game. While there are still plenty of puzzle-solving areas where there is only one way forward, there are more open stealth combat oriented sections. While Amicia doesn't have all of her tools off the bat (there are some early chapters where she's like "I forgot about this tool" and I rolled my eyes a bit), but she at least acquires all of her old abilities pretty quickly. My favorites sections of the first game were at the very end where you had some freedom with how to get through a hostile area. Requiem gives you so much freedom to craft different types of ammunition for your sling and wreak havoc on your foes. I loved working my way through each section by trying different things, and the game encourages experimentation by not making the act of getting spotted an instant death like the first game.
Sometimes the game throws you into full-on combat arenas which are super intense, though the implementation could be better. Amicia has a crossbow now that takes out most enemies with one hit, and I wish there was more to these fights than just trying to strafe around the arena waiting to see crossbow ammo respawn to take out more fools.
The whole experience feels more game-y than last time, all the way down to Hugo's new ability to sense enemies around the environment. Overall I appreciated the variety of the gameplay, and we still get plenty of the linear environmental puzzles of the first game.
The presentation is excellent here and Asobo has really pushed the game into a AAA-feeling experience akin to something you'd play from PlayStation Studios. The game is not cross-gen (though is on Switch lol) and feels like a technical showcase. It even makes a lot of use of the PS5 controller gimmicks like the rumble and shoulder buttons. The score is fantastic like the first game. I played the game in French like I did the first one, but hear the English voice acting is excellent too.
I'd definitely recommend playing A Plague Tale Innocence before hopping into Requiem, but this is a pretty worthy sequel. It loses focus and drags in places, but ultimately brings it home with a really excellent sequel that expands on the great ideas that made the first game a standout.
A Plague Tale Innocence got pretty crazy toward the end with the plot, and Requiem continues veering into that supernatural side pretty quickly. The escalation worked for me, though I could see how some players might have appreciated a narrative that was a bit more grounded overall. The game definitely drags in places, with odd pacing issues here and there. There are some big tense setpieces early on and then things grind to a halt when Amicia and Hugo reach a sort of safe haven. The 16 or so hours it took me to get through this one never wore me out, but there were definitely some exploration-focused chapters that dragged on too long. Still, the sibling bond between Amicia and Hugo runs strong as ever and the game packs a real emotional punch in its dramatic conclusion.
Gameplay is quite a bit expanded from the first game. While there are still plenty of puzzle-solving areas where there is only one way forward, there are more open stealth combat oriented sections. While Amicia doesn't have all of her tools off the bat (there are some early chapters where she's like "I forgot about this tool" and I rolled my eyes a bit), but she at least acquires all of her old abilities pretty quickly. My favorites sections of the first game were at the very end where you had some freedom with how to get through a hostile area. Requiem gives you so much freedom to craft different types of ammunition for your sling and wreak havoc on your foes. I loved working my way through each section by trying different things, and the game encourages experimentation by not making the act of getting spotted an instant death like the first game.
Sometimes the game throws you into full-on combat arenas which are super intense, though the implementation could be better. Amicia has a crossbow now that takes out most enemies with one hit, and I wish there was more to these fights than just trying to strafe around the arena waiting to see crossbow ammo respawn to take out more fools.
The whole experience feels more game-y than last time, all the way down to Hugo's new ability to sense enemies around the environment. Overall I appreciated the variety of the gameplay, and we still get plenty of the linear environmental puzzles of the first game.
The presentation is excellent here and Asobo has really pushed the game into a AAA-feeling experience akin to something you'd play from PlayStation Studios. The game is not cross-gen (though is on Switch lol) and feels like a technical showcase. It even makes a lot of use of the PS5 controller gimmicks like the rumble and shoulder buttons. The score is fantastic like the first game. I played the game in French like I did the first one, but hear the English voice acting is excellent too.
I'd definitely recommend playing A Plague Tale Innocence before hopping into Requiem, but this is a pretty worthy sequel. It loses focus and drags in places, but ultimately brings it home with a really excellent sequel that expands on the great ideas that made the first game a standout.