There seems to be a new type of narrative game that is developing into its own incredible sub-genre. Storytelling is blending perfectly with third-person action games. While it was the success of Uncharted and the Last of Us that created a foundation, this narrative-driven, character-focused experience has been recently evolving with two Norse adventures Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and God of War. Yet another stellar release has arrived, with this one taking place in 14th century France, but this time not from the AAA space. After finishing the game in just a few sittings due to being captivated throughout, I can firmly say that A Plague Tale: Innocence deserves a spot next to these giants.
Coming from the French development group Asobo Studio, A Plague Tale is the story of siblings Amicia, a young lass coming of age, and Hugo, a much younger and sheltered boy who suffers from a strange illness. While exploring the forest with her father, Amicia witnesses the brutal death of her dear dog and feels a general air of unease in the woods. Returning home to tell her mother what had happened, their castle is suddenly attacked by the Inquisition who murder everyone in sight, calling for the boy to be brought to them. Amicia and Hugo barely escape, only to see the ground burst and spill waves of relentless swarms of black rats.
Their adventure starts in tragedy and practically stays there throughout the game. Amicia is thrust into the responsibility of protecting Hugo, all while being shunned by the surrounding villages who fear the plague and the rats. While the moment to moment gameplay involves using light to avoid being eaten alive by the rodents and sneaking around the violent Inquisition, A Plague Tale is a human story at its heart.
Players see a breaking world ravaged by death through the eyes of children just trying to survive and escape their pursuers. While at first I found the characters fairly annoying due to their bickering with each other and making awful choices that nearly get them killed, there is growth here that few games come to. There are a few odd cuts in the story, especially with the passing of time, but overall it’s a tale that I was thoroughly engaged in. Each scene was immediately memorable.
Outside of a graphic dog death early on, which could deter some players, A Plague Tale: Innocence is a game that I can recommend to just about anyone.
The gameplay is built upon tightly designed stealth and minor action scenarios. Amicia is armed with a sling that she can use to throw rocks and various special ammo types. There is also a simple crafting system that feels really similar to what was done in The Last of Us. Each segment rarely had me scratching my chin to come up with a solution for what was presented as it all flowed nicely, pointing to well-tested and carefully considered level design.
That said, there are some moments that felt like it required precise and particular steps that didn’t have much margin for error. There are some later levels in particular that just had me resetting the checkpoint over and over again until I finally got it. Thankfully, death is sudden and reloading a checkpoint takes mere moments, even on a standard PS4.
Aside from stealth, there are a few chase scenes which call for quick choices, as well as a few boss fights. Those battles, while perfectly placed in the game’s pacing, did seem like a different type of challenge that didn’t mesh as well with the other stealth mechanics. There is one fight in particular that forces Amicia and Hugo to hide behind meager huts and stone walls in a small arena, somehow in such a way that the enemy loses track of them. Luckily, each of these scenarios takes place in a well-crafted world that really show off how much meticulous care was put into each segment.
A Plague Tale nails atmosphere. The forests are tangled with webs of underbrush, light spilling through from above. Corpse covered battlefields are strangely beautiful and haunting. City streets wind in ways that make it challenging to map them out. Graphically, A Plague Tale is almost always beautiful, even when the subject matter is oppressively bleak.
Adding to the atmosphere is the game’s perfect musical score. Shrill notes accentuate desperate kills. Long, droning tones build to crashing climaxes. Honestly, I regret not playing the game with headphones. It probably wouldn’t make the best listening on its own, unlike many other video game soundtracks, but that’s because it fits so well with what’s happening onscreen.
Honestly, there are few criticisms that I have of Innocence, aside from the rare graphical hiccup and some poor design choices in some combat sections. Looking too closely at the rat swarms can also take away some of the fear, but the way they move like water and their ability to pick bodies clean to the bone will always make my skin crawl.
I actually have a pretty big fear of rats and things like this is one of my worst nightmares. Thankfully the story was so engaging that I had to keep going and I’m glad that I did. All in all, A Plague Tale: Innocence is an artistic game that carries itself gracefully and spins a yarn that doesn’t hold back. It’s a gripping, disturbing, heartwarming ride that I really hope players just jump into. Try not to watch too many gameplay videos before going through it, there are some amazing moments that are worth experiencing. It’s also worth noting that aside from collectibles and a few alternate events that can be triggered, there isn’t much in the realm of replay value. That said, this is definitely the type of game I can see myself playing every now and again. It’s definitely a game I want to pick up later as a physical copy to put on my shelf and keep forever.
By the time the credits rolled, I was ready for more and I can only hope that the game’s subtitle hints at a possible sequel.
Really if there’s one game from this year that I hope people give a chance, it’s A Plague Tale: Innocence. Asobo Studio has created an instant classic of a story. This is definitely the best game that Focus Home Interactive has published.
Please, play this game.
For more information on A Plague Tale: Innocence, check out the official website. A digital PS4 of the game was provided for the purpose of review.
