.story
Beginning straight after the events of A Plague Tale: Innocence, Asobo Studio releases the conclusive chapter of Amicia's and Hugo story. Specific mention goes to the absolute absence of any kind of recap or summary of the events of the previous game, bit disappointed about this. Focus of our journey is to find a cure for the Macula, the mortal disease that affects Hugo. Through the game we are going to explore different cities and thanks to conveniently located clues we unveil, step by step, the mystery behind the Macula. Soon to say that the pure plot of APT: Requiem isn't the selling point, especially with this sequel, that I found a bit less inspired and focused on too many secondary storylines and quests. The bond between Amicia and Hugo becomes more and more broken the further you proceed in the adventure and eventually twist in a desperate struggle to find anything for the sake of saving him. I won't spoil much of the story.. but when you are going to play you will notice that most of our actions are rushed, enraged and hopeless...as it is hard to let someone go and accept their fate.
.gameplay
Not much has changed from Innocence. Requiem is basically a more of the same and just improves mechanics of the previous game. In APT Innocence most of the areas were corridors or very limited arenas with a single pathway. This time around, after a quick tutorial phase, we are going to approach a proper stealth game with multiple paths to reach the way out with or without killing. Going Rambo always punish the player, despite being more tha viable, for the waste of resources and the amount of preparation needed to overcome enemies with helm, and later even worse. This because Amicia is not a fighter and it will require both a combination of oil and fire to put them down. We can also counter enemies and take advantage of this to lose our track but overall is better to restart the checkpoint when detected, if playing stealth. Amicia's second offensive weapon is a crossbow for one shot kills but arrows are very, very limited. Also mention to the fact that once an enemy detect us or is killed will chain aggro all the surrounding enemies which will likely find you or make the escape a real hassle. Enemies AI is a rollercoaster and goes from diversify their patrol's path to stare at walls to let you pass easily. Overall it does a good job and later stages with both humanoid enemies and rats will prove a nice challenge to any players. APT: Requiem has a unique and smart skill tree that doesn't uses a classic point system but advances the progress by using different game styles between stealth, killing and alchemy to distract foes.
.sound
Asobo did a wonderful job investing on the VO and the music compartment. Story driven adventure games always need this kind of quality levels to allow more immersion in the world and emphatize with the characters. BGM is divinely orchestrated and range to the different tones of affliction, sorrow and loss of innocents of this sequel. VO is once again top notch with Amicia leading the game to high levels. When her or Hugo, who have the majority of the script, scream or whispers you will easily see the passion they spent on this production.
.graphics
APT: Requiem is one of the best story driven looking game out there. It improves the corridors of the first game and Asobo smartly shows they can handle much larger areas without any troubles. Unfortunately in-game animations are poorly executed and mediocre at best with characters showing little to zero emotions...apart from a very late game circumstance; in-engine animations are very good and of course Amicia and the other main characters are much believable and pretty much alive. Most of the southern france's outlook we are going to explore in the first part of the game looks pretty much standard without any specific mentions. "Fortunately" the rats are going completely out of control in this sequel and they are going to distrupt the environment in ways you can't imagine. Same goes for the late game stages which take back the recipe of the original game with gory views and darker tones, "thanks" the plague.
.verdict
Asobo Studio made a good conclusion to two splendind characters in a incredibly underused France. Storywise is not better than the first game but closes all the dots and leaves the player satisfied. Stealth and gameplay mechanics are much more refined but still, it is not the selling point.. Atmosphere and Amicia's resolution are what made A Plague Tale a great gem and I am sure they won't be forgotten.
Beginning straight after the events of A Plague Tale: Innocence, Asobo Studio releases the conclusive chapter of Amicia's and Hugo story. Specific mention goes to the absolute absence of any kind of recap or summary of the events of the previous game, bit disappointed about this. Focus of our journey is to find a cure for the Macula, the mortal disease that affects Hugo. Through the game we are going to explore different cities and thanks to conveniently located clues we unveil, step by step, the mystery behind the Macula. Soon to say that the pure plot of APT: Requiem isn't the selling point, especially with this sequel, that I found a bit less inspired and focused on too many secondary storylines and quests. The bond between Amicia and Hugo becomes more and more broken the further you proceed in the adventure and eventually twist in a desperate struggle to find anything for the sake of saving him. I won't spoil much of the story.. but when you are going to play you will notice that most of our actions are rushed, enraged and hopeless...as it is hard to let someone go and accept their fate.
.gameplay
Not much has changed from Innocence. Requiem is basically a more of the same and just improves mechanics of the previous game. In APT Innocence most of the areas were corridors or very limited arenas with a single pathway. This time around, after a quick tutorial phase, we are going to approach a proper stealth game with multiple paths to reach the way out with or without killing. Going Rambo always punish the player, despite being more tha viable, for the waste of resources and the amount of preparation needed to overcome enemies with helm, and later even worse. This because Amicia is not a fighter and it will require both a combination of oil and fire to put them down. We can also counter enemies and take advantage of this to lose our track but overall is better to restart the checkpoint when detected, if playing stealth. Amicia's second offensive weapon is a crossbow for one shot kills but arrows are very, very limited. Also mention to the fact that once an enemy detect us or is killed will chain aggro all the surrounding enemies which will likely find you or make the escape a real hassle. Enemies AI is a rollercoaster and goes from diversify their patrol's path to stare at walls to let you pass easily. Overall it does a good job and later stages with both humanoid enemies and rats will prove a nice challenge to any players. APT: Requiem has a unique and smart skill tree that doesn't uses a classic point system but advances the progress by using different game styles between stealth, killing and alchemy to distract foes.
.sound
Asobo did a wonderful job investing on the VO and the music compartment. Story driven adventure games always need this kind of quality levels to allow more immersion in the world and emphatize with the characters. BGM is divinely orchestrated and range to the different tones of affliction, sorrow and loss of innocents of this sequel. VO is once again top notch with Amicia leading the game to high levels. When her or Hugo, who have the majority of the script, scream or whispers you will easily see the passion they spent on this production.
.graphics
APT: Requiem is one of the best story driven looking game out there. It improves the corridors of the first game and Asobo smartly shows they can handle much larger areas without any troubles. Unfortunately in-game animations are poorly executed and mediocre at best with characters showing little to zero emotions...apart from a very late game circumstance; in-engine animations are very good and of course Amicia and the other main characters are much believable and pretty much alive. Most of the southern france's outlook we are going to explore in the first part of the game looks pretty much standard without any specific mentions. "Fortunately" the rats are going completely out of control in this sequel and they are going to distrupt the environment in ways you can't imagine. Same goes for the late game stages which take back the recipe of the original game with gory views and darker tones, "thanks" the plague.
.verdict
Asobo Studio made a good conclusion to two splendind characters in a incredibly underused France. Storywise is not better than the first game but closes all the dots and leaves the player satisfied. Stealth and gameplay mechanics are much more refined but still, it is not the selling point.. Atmosphere and Amicia's resolution are what made A Plague Tale a great gem and I am sure they won't be forgotten.