A Plague Tale: Requiem (PS5)

Innocence Is Dead

A Plague Tale: Innocence was a surprise hit back in 2019. A dark, emotional tale from a small French studio that managed to feel like a big-budget AAA release. Set in 14th-century France, it followed Amicia and her younger brother Hugo as they tried to survive the Inquisition and an unstoppable rat plague. It mixed stealth, survival horror, and puzzle-solving with genuine heart and atmosphere.

The sequel, A Plague Tale: Requiem, picks up where the first game left off, and raises the stakes dramatically. Amicia and Hugo de Rune return, older and tougher. The world feels bigger, more dangerous, and more beautiful. The production value has taken a clear leap forward. The visuals are great, the score is still haunting, and the performances are once again excellent. Allthough Amicia seems to have lost a bit of her charming french accent.

Gameplay has evolved, too. Amicia now has more tools at her disposal, which makes encounters more dynamic and satisfying. Stealth still plays a major role, but the expanded options give you more freedom. You can choose to sneak past guards or burn through them with fire and alchemy. It’s tense, tactile, and consistently rewarding.

However, not every change works. The larger world means more room to explore, but it also dilutes the tight, focused pacing that made the first game so gripping. Long cutscenes and stretches where little happens slow the momentum, and by the final chapters, the story starts to drag. The characters, once easy to root for, begin to wear thin under the weight of their endless misery.

Still, when Requiem hits its stride, it’s powerful. The mix of stealth, clever puzzles, and emotional storytelling remains its strongest points, and the moments of quiet desperation are as memorable as the loud, chaotic ones. A Plague Tale: Requiem may not capture the same lightning-in-a-bottle magic as Innocence, but it’s a worthy and often stunning continuation. Darker, grander, and more ambitious, even if it sometimes doesn't quite hit the mark.

Final Rating: 8/10

Pros:

• Gorgeous visuals and atmosphere
• Excellent music and voice performances
• Tense, satisfying stealth gameplay
• Expands on the original’s mechanics

Cons:

• Some pacing issues
• Endless misery