Low budget games are usually expected to be mediocre at best in in their elements and gameplay. A Plague Tale: Innocence defies all expectations to deliver a truly beautiful gaming experience. Released across all Platforms, Asubo Studio’s Latest Addition has managed to prove itself to be so much more than its Adventure Genre label.
Set in one of the most horrific periods of human history, the game takes us back to France during one of its most gruesome periods, the Great Plague. With engaging elements from stealth to action, the narrative is extremely moving. The music perfectly matches the tone of the gripping visuals.
With under 10 hours of gameplay, the game reminds players of Hellblade with its elements. A tale of children banding together through the dark period of the French plague, the mystery feel to the game adds to its allure. The game sees the siblings face a sinister cult through their journey that takes them through a series of intriguing storylines. The will of the sister to find the cure sees her evade the cult which wants her brother as a key to the cure.
The game offers a brilliant mix of horror among its elements of stealth and mystery. Even though the stealth patterns used are nothing new, they are executed brilliantly. From using the sling to make distracting sounds to the stellar observation of patrolling patterns, the gameplay thoroughly imbues the players. Stealth is a major focus of the gameplay as combat mostly results in death. In times that it is required, an array of tools from knockout drugs to projectiles are available to use tactically.
Puzzles are also a major part of the gameplay with rats threatening to eat the character if the right move is not made. Using effective light sources and entrapments are necessary to progress through the puzzles. Even though the animations for the rats is not as smooth as it could have been, it adds an interesting element into the games overall experience. The music perfectly matches the occasion and adds to a thrilling horror feeling. The Boss fights resemble fights from typical horror games and effective evasive manoeuvres with strategy are essential for a positive outcome.
As a gameplay experience, A Plague Tale: Innocence stunningly brings the Plagued French 13th Century to life. The graphics are beautiful and go along great with the gameplay. The level of detail and effort put into the game is impeccable and is clearly visible in the elements of the game. From the blood running through the streets to the warm glow of the sun, the game truly feels like a great playing experience. Across our re-runs, the framerates were extremely smooth and remained consistently stable. The game goes beyond its Indie label and definitely presents itself as a solid well-packaged product. The lack of prior hype may lead to casual gamers missing out on the experience but we would definitely recommend giving it a chance for the surreal experience and intense gameplay.
The Anxious Gamer 