A Plague Tale: Requiem offers us the continuation of the adventures of Amicia and Hugo in the miserable Europe of the fourteenth century. An epic undercover fresco that seems to have captured the hearts of the press.
[Mis à jour le 19 octobre 2022 à 11h20] Although it is not the most famous franchise in video game history, A Plague Tale proves once again that we can do a lot with less. The series of stealth, action and adventure games from Asobo Studio presents its second installment, A Plague Tale: Requiem, the continuation of the adventures of Amicia and Hugo in the medieval fourteenth century. And if you’re a bit of a history buff, you’ll guess that times were…rather tough. A 100% French production which proves once again, according to the critics, that it is not always the most impressive releases that show the most assets.
Regarding the overall impression of critics about A Plague Tale: Requiem, it seems that our colleagues are on the whole perfectly convinced. The game accommodates a rating of 83 / 100 for its PS5 version on Metacritic, a representative average of the 53 reviews that have already been published on the game. An excellent score for an original title, which takes up and improves the formula that made the success of its elder, A Plague Tale: Innocence. This is at least the opinion of the French newspapers, with JVC who does not hesitate to offer him 18/20: “A Plague Tale: Requiem is the game of confirmation. That of a sister’s faith in her little brother when the world crumbles at the footsteps of their defeat. Then, that of the great talent of Asobo Studios. Offering richer gameplay without upsetting the formula, this sequel never forgets the essentials in relation to the genre it targets. Amicia’s desperate fight is at least as magnificent as the graphics and soundtrack that drive the work.“
Same opinion on the side of JeuxActu, the French magazine attributes 17/20 to the creation of Asobo, praising its soundtrack, its graphic universe, its deep characters and its richer combat system. We invite you to read Fabien Pellegrini’s review at this address. On the other side of the Channel or across the Atlantic, the reviews can sometimes be less complimentary, while remaining positive. This is what we find in Destructoid for example, which praises the gameplay links between the two games, and confirms Asobo’s progression to status as a major development studio. The newspaper gives it 8/10.
A Plague Tale: Requiem is available on Nintendo Switch via cloud gaming. A fact that could have been surprising, as the technical capabilities of Nintendo’s hybrid console do not seem sufficient to accommodate the graphic ambition of the latest title from Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment. But we are in the era of remote gaming and Nintendo does not miss the step. The game has been available in cloud gaming on Nintendo Switch since October 18, and requires a paid access pass. You also have the possibility to test the game, and your internet connection before buying it.
In this second part, we find our characters far from the Guyenne of the first opus, closer to the Mediterranean coasts in “new regions far to the south, where an island with two mountains calls”. Of course, Requiem continues its momentum by applying the same recipe, exploration, infiltration, rats and tears, all in breathtaking photorealistic environments. Requiem will also offer new mechanics, such as the ability to control rats or see through walls that we saw in the gameplay presentation. We also obviously expect a masterpiece in terms of writing and screenplay, and a historical reconstruction worthy of the greatest Assassin’s Creed.
Speaking of scenario, you should know that the events of A Plague Tale Requiem occur a little more than six months after the end of the plot of A Plague Tale: Innocence. Amicia and Hugo defeated Grand Inquisitor Vitalis Benevento and foiled his sinister plans. They both try to flee their past by going to green lands, to the south of Europe and its trading cities. Except that Hugo is still afflicted by an illness that is eating away at him, asleep since the events of the first part, but able to reappear at any time and awaken the chaos of rats and the black plague.
If you’ve never had Plague Tale Innocence in your hands, you might wonder what exactly the game is about. It is a third-person action-adventure game with a heavy emphasis on stealth, driven by a dramatic storyline revolving around the quest of Amicia and her brother Hugo, in the heart of fourteenth-century France. But the Middle Ages is not always very rosy, it is even rather dark in the fourteenth century, right in the middle of the worst plague epidemic in the history of Humanity and at the height of the Hundred Years War. Suffice to say that the context has something to keep you in suspense. Especially since Amicia and Hugo are pursued by the Inquisition who believe the latter responsible for the epidemic because of his strange illness which also gives him supernatural abilities.
This is information that has been confirmed by Xbox & Microsoft since the game was announced almost a year ago. A Plague Tale: Requiem will be released on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series, but also directly in the Xbox Game Pass. Members of Microsoft’s subscription service will therefore be able to enjoy the game in full as soon as it is released, provided that they are subscribers to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. As a reminder, the Game Pass is an on-demand video game offer offered for just over five years by Microsoft, and offering an ever-growing catalog of video games for a fairly reasonable price.
A Plague Tale: Requiem will hit shelves on October 18, 2022, Asobo Studio confirmed the exact release date during its presentation in June. We also know that the game will be available only on next-gen consoles and PC, with a release on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and on Nintendo Switch via Cloud. In the meantime, we are keeping a close eye on Asobo Studio’s side, and on this release which could well make a lot of noise. Also note that the game offers a collector’s edition that it will be possible to pre-order today on the next page pour 189,99 €.