As a sequel to Indie Darling A Plague Tale: Innocence, A Plague Tale: Requiem Ready to make the next chapter a family affair. Headstrong Amicia is ready to once again save her brother Hugo from a church that will try to use his ability to control a swarm of vicious rats for his personal gain. But while players primarily controlled Amicia in the first outing (sneaking around and hitting rocks to solve puzzles), her younger brother takes a more active role in the sequel.
my short time A Plague Tale: Requiem Two mid-game chapters were spent, consisting of set-pieces in cavernous tunnels filled with rats, a series of abandoned ships, and an open desert-like area covered in patrolling guards. Requiem That soon turned into the close-quarters stealth sequence that developer Asobo Studios had so intricately crafted in the first game. In this case, they appear in a range of structures used to dye fabrics. I crafted various chemical substances to ignite fire, distract attention, and even knock down a mighty armored enemy by hitting him in the back with explosive-laden rocks and bolts. This is in keeping with the tense, stealth-based powers of everyone. innocenceSure — but this time, with a slim margin of error, stealth becomes even more important.
Image: Asobo Studios/Focus Entertainment
Much of this difficulty stems from Hugo’s more active role, providing new abilities to experiment, but adding another level of vulnerability to both. Hugo can more accurately command a swarm of rats to make quick work of any enemy soldier—well-armored or not—that crosses his path. And unlike the first game, there’s a greater sense of crowd control – you can dive into first-person mode and go straight to where the mice go and consume. But while the more sophisticated control of the crowd may seem overpowered at first glance, there’s a catch: If Hugo uses his rat-order powers for too long, the swarm will go into a frenzy, resulting in an immediate game over. Will go
Hugo can also use Swarm to sense soldiers on paths ahead, with abilities somewhat similar to echolocation. This works great for confined spaces with enemies around every corner. In this way, Hugo is both your more powerful asset and your greatest liability. She’s not as intrusive as Ashley Graham resident Evil 4because he cannot be killed or abducted by enemies, and is not as insignificant mechanically as Elizabeth In infinite bioshock – He’s somewhere in the middle.
The bond between Amicia and Hugo is certainly as much a mechanical one as a narrative conceit. Because controlling rat hordes is such a difficult business, I’ve never really taxed Hugo that much. Amisia’s constant warnings amplified this decision tenfold, and the worry in her voice reflects the tension in my chest. These moments feel urgent and real, and add to the bond between Amisia and her younger brother. There’s a sense of genuine concern here, which made Hugo more than just an escort character with the powers to make my journey easier.
Image: Asobo Studios/Focus Entertainment
The dialogue between the two is still engaging, and when the clichéd knight Arnaud joins the party, Hugo helps defuse the tension between the newcomer and the sensibly guarded Amisia. He does more than just provide a means to an end for the player, adding leverage to the quieter moments between terrifying set-pieces. Generally speaking, Hugo still fills the role of “escort character”, but his honesty and interactions with his sister, combined with his sense of cynicism towards the world around him, help elevate him as a narrative linchpin. Is. Even though the dialogue is a bit clunky at times, Amicia and Hugo’s relationship (and their desperate attempt to fix Hugo of his affair with the herd) creates a lovely throughline.
Despite the dangers inherent in his powers, at least, this makes him a worthy companion. Because of how closely he is linked to both the mechanical narrative and the actual script, Hugo feels that he has been designed with intent, as opposed to characters who have filled the role of “sidekick” as an afterthought. It will be interesting to see if the game will survive landing on October 18th release, potentially further cementing and strengthening the bond between sister and brother that made the narrative beat. A Plague Tale: Innocence Such a standout to start with.
