Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy sees this beloved franchise take a huge leap forward. Following the stealth-focused adventures of A Plague Tale: Innocence and A Plague Tale: Requiem, you might have expected the team to plough a similar furrow, but Resonance pushes the series in a new direction: all-out action-adventure.
From reinventing core mechanics to exploring forgotten worlds, the project team at Asobo spent some time reflecting on what it took to break the mold after Requiem, and are here to share their insights on building a very different kind of journey.
After making two beloved games in a broadly similar style, why change now? And why stick with the Plague Tale lore rather than go with a wholly new IP?
David Dedeine – Co-founder of Asobo: There are so many aspects to this question, because I think it’s directly related to Hugo’s fate at the end of Requiem. It was a real ending for everyone, so it was pretty clear that an actual ‘A Plague Tale 3’ was off the table. We also felt the need to explore other types of topics, subjects, or moods.
So different ideas came up, but the whole team was in love with [Resonance lead character, and Plague Tale mainstay] Sophia. You know, it was one of those moments where you create a character and realize she’s just so good, even if she started as a sidekick. There felt like more we could do with her. Her personality, which is much more active, and somehow more aggressive in a way, was quite different compared to our previous lead, Amicia. Since we wanted to focus on more combat-oriented and active gameplay, she was actually a great match.
For example, a game centered on Basilius [a character from the Plague Tale backstory] would have felt too much like ‘A Plague Tale 3’, and we wanted to switch things up – the desire to push for more combat was already there. So, we kept that idea, but with a different duo, a different type of storytelling, and a different journey. Basically, we wanted to break the mold a bit.
At first, we realized we wanted the story to be lighter, maybe not as heavy. It’s definitely lighter, but it’s not a happy story, though! That’s just who we are, and at some point, the universe calls you back to what you know best. On the narrative side, we tried to keep a similar tone, even with a different character and journey. But the fact that it’s no longer a pure stealth game, with action and combat elements being much more present, really changed the formula. It impacted how we built the story, the level design, the cinematics, and the chatter, basically everything.
What challenges and opportunities did making that shift in genre offer you?
David Dedeine – Co-founder of Asobo: The fact that the universe we were describing didn’t really pre-exist, even if heavily inspired by the Minoan world – and even that is largely forgotten today. There were so many more things to create: the universe, the system, civilization. Everything the players are going to discover had to be designed and invented. In A Plague Tale: Requiem, if we put the rats aside, everything else was much more grounded in real-world places. So this was a huge challenge.
Carol Ann Bañuls – Lead Writer: The hardest thing was being able to respect the plague lore in Sophia’s story, because we were extending it. The macula [the plague itself] here has a different form, it’s new for us. So we wanted to fully understand how we’re going to make it work. It was interesting but also a challenge for us, because rats were such an important part of A Plague Tale Requiem.
Vincent Trinel – Level Designer: From a technical standpoint, it was also a challenge. With Amicia, everything in the maps was context-sensitive, we had to specify the spots where she could climb. It all had to be very clear, so we used white markers to tell the player, “You can climb here.” Here, it’s the opposite by default: the player can jump and climb anywhere. The challenge is the opposite now, we have to be careful about where the player can go and restrict that a bit while still giving them maximum freedom. We have a grappling hook now, so we can climb to heights of 10 meters. For example, during chase sequences in Requiem those reflex-based moments were scripted but now that we’re agile and it’s up to the player – we challenge the player more in those situations.
Aside from the story around it, what will Plague Tale fans recognize when playing Resonance?
Anna Demetriou – Sophia’s Actress: The tone is similar to Plague Tale, in the sense that for me it’s thematic, even if the content is different, the themes are the beating heart of the Plague Tale franchise. They are pretty heavy but relatable and even if they come in different shapes and sizes, I think Resonance still explores grief and so many different things.
Marco Puricelli – Character Artist: We’re showing things in Resonance that are very different from other Plague Tale games – that was intentional. It also lets us treat our fans a little, but at the same time, we don’t want to abandon what contributed to the franchise’s success. Our artistic style, our breathtaking vistas that look like paintings, our thick fog, and our volumetric lighting, these are things we always try to highlight and that we absolutely want to keep, because they’re part of the visual identity of the franchise as well as the studio.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy arrives on August 27 for XBOX Series X|S, XBOX on PC, and Game Pass. Play it on both console and PC at no additional cost with XBOX Play Anywhere.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy
Focus Entertainment
☆☆☆☆☆
94
★★★★★
Get it now
Set 15 years before A Plague Tale: Requiem, play as Sophia, a fierce young plunderer, on the run and determined to uncover the secrets of her past. Dive into an original story blending combat, myth and fate with a brand new take in the universe of A Plague Tale.
Sophia’s journey leads to the Minotaur' Island, where she faces deadly trials, navigates treacherous trails, solves puzzles, all while fighting and staying one step ahead of the army chasing her. But the true challenge awaits, as the terrifying creature hidden behind the myth will soon resonate with her…
As you journey deeper into the island’s heart, you’ll confront the truth behind a long-buried curse.
• Followed by many enemies, each drawn to the Island to reclaim a mysterious treasure, you must navigate a treacherous maze. Rely on your agility, tricks and sharp reflexes to outsmart enemies, perfect your parries, and unleash powerful strikes to survive deadly encounters.
• Shift between the Middle Age of Sophia and ancient Minoan times, where echoes of the past shape the battles of the present. Unfold a new story in the universe of A Plague Tale, through the entwined destinies of two heroes linked by fate and the Macula’s mysterious legacy.
• Guided by the knowledge safeguarded in your notebook, follow in your crew’s footsteps to explore a richly detailed world, unravel its secrets, and face deadly trials. Use a stolen Minoan sphere to solve ingenious puzzles by manipulating light – a force woven by Daedalus into the island’s very heart.
• It is said that only a few came back from the island. Lurking in the shadows lives a restless presence. It follows you around, seemingly knowing your every move, as it hunts through the island’s depths. Every step is a risk. Every pause, a potential end. You can’t stop, only hide, outsmart, and push forward.
Can you survive each trial and every step or will you join those who never came back?
For the best experience on PC, using a controller is recommended. Keyboard and mouse are fully supported.
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