This is one of those games that you enjoy in its majority, wonder one or two times how close you are to the ending, and when you reach the ending you only wish there was at least one more chapter before wrapping up the story.
Because even with some of its cons, A Plague Tale: Innocence is nothing short of captivating.
The story is interesting, and the characters for the most part are engaging (although I would have liked the game fleshed out more in the background of characters like Lucas or the Mélie/Arthur).
The scenery, environments, and world-building of a France in ruins amidst the Black Plague are simply jaw-dropping, and the graphics to this day are top-notch, even more impressive considering this was done during Asobo's "AA phase."
The gameplay itself is mostly walking and hiding with some moments of action (especially towards the final chapters) and puzzles. The enemy AI works, but doesn't go beyond the chase-and-attack pattern, so it is relatively easy to evade and/or escape from (although I liked the dynamic dialogue while searching for you). The puzzle aspect is pretty straightforward, apart from two puzzle sections that were clever in their use of the game tools, the rest repeats the same pattern but with different variants (spoiler, you'll use light and fire a lot). The main highlight of gameplay is the interaction with the rats (more of an antagonist than the "real" antagonist IMO) and how they serve both as a tool in favor or a messy obstacle. You can get used to their presence, but they never stop being unnerving, and the technical aspects that made them possible are to be applauded. Although there is room for improvement in the gameplay department, it still delivers an enjoyable experience that may not elevate but neither affects too much the overall experience
The sound design, both in-game sounds and soundtrack, are in my opinion the best aspects of this game, as they blend along with the events occurring during the game to create from soothing moments of peace up to the most tense sequences I've experienced in a videogame. The voice acting is quite good as well, although it is a pity that the face animations don't go in parallel with the quality of these (understandable considering the AA status of the game).
Overall, a surprisingly good package that will appeal mainly to narrative-driven gamers or those looking for more of an "experience" rather than pure over-the-top gameplay. If you can get used to the slow pace of the game, somewhat simple gameplay, and the less-impressive technical aspects (face animations... yeah), it is a guarantee that you will find something to love or at least enjoy about A Plague Tale: Innocence. I did, and I cannot wait to try the sequel (well... at least until I get a capable-enough PC)
Because even with some of its cons, A Plague Tale: Innocence is nothing short of captivating.
The story is interesting, and the characters for the most part are engaging (although I would have liked the game fleshed out more in the background of characters like Lucas or the Mélie/Arthur).
The scenery, environments, and world-building of a France in ruins amidst the Black Plague are simply jaw-dropping, and the graphics to this day are top-notch, even more impressive considering this was done during Asobo's "AA phase."
The gameplay itself is mostly walking and hiding with some moments of action (especially towards the final chapters) and puzzles. The enemy AI works, but doesn't go beyond the chase-and-attack pattern, so it is relatively easy to evade and/or escape from (although I liked the dynamic dialogue while searching for you). The puzzle aspect is pretty straightforward, apart from two puzzle sections that were clever in their use of the game tools, the rest repeats the same pattern but with different variants (spoiler, you'll use light and fire a lot). The main highlight of gameplay is the interaction with the rats (more of an antagonist than the "real" antagonist IMO) and how they serve both as a tool in favor or a messy obstacle. You can get used to their presence, but they never stop being unnerving, and the technical aspects that made them possible are to be applauded. Although there is room for improvement in the gameplay department, it still delivers an enjoyable experience that may not elevate but neither affects too much the overall experience
The sound design, both in-game sounds and soundtrack, are in my opinion the best aspects of this game, as they blend along with the events occurring during the game to create from soothing moments of peace up to the most tense sequences I've experienced in a videogame. The voice acting is quite good as well, although it is a pity that the face animations don't go in parallel with the quality of these (understandable considering the AA status of the game).
Overall, a surprisingly good package that will appeal mainly to narrative-driven gamers or those looking for more of an "experience" rather than pure over-the-top gameplay. If you can get used to the slow pace of the game, somewhat simple gameplay, and the less-impressive technical aspects (face animations... yeah), it is a guarantee that you will find something to love or at least enjoy about A Plague Tale: Innocence. I did, and I cannot wait to try the sequel (well... at least until I get a capable-enough PC)