A Plague Tale: Innocenceis a historical action-adventure title developed by Asobo Studio, and it also draws on some horror themes. The game was a critical and commercial success, owing to its character-driven story, mature exploration of dark subject matters, and stunning visuals. With over a million copies sold, it’s a title that has proven its value in a somewhat saturated genre, and one that’s definitely worth checking out before it leaves Xbox Game Pass.
RELATED:A Plague Tale: Innocence Captures What Being an Older Sibling Is Like
An Exploration of Tragedy
A Plague Tale: Innocencefollows Amicia de Rune as she tries to save her brother Hugo from illness, avoiding swarms of rats and hostile guards during their journey. It’sset in medieval France against the backdrop of the Black Deathand the Hundred Years' War, depicting the period with all the morbid gloom to be expected. The story received praise for its exploration of its themes of family and tragedy.
In terms of gameplay,A Plague Tale: Innocenceis a refreshingly challenging take on thethird-person stealth genre. Amicia’s combat options are limited to a mostly non-lethal slingshot, while enemies can kill her with one hit if she is discovered. Instead of feeling unfair or frustrating, these mechanics really sell the feeling of being a teenage thrust into a dangerous situation, with the added stress and responsibility of caring for a child.
Stealth sections are broken up by unique puzzles that utilize swarms of plague rats. These sections can get repetitive, but they’re somewhat infrequent and still add to theunsettling horror atmosphere. The visuals and sound of these segments help to add some variety to the gameplay, without feeling like filler content or sacrificing the tension built around them.
Preparing for A Plague Tale: Requiem
The sequel toA Plague Tale: Innocence,calledA Plague Tale: Requiem,is set to release on July 13, 2025. The sequel will continue the story of Amicia and Hugo, but that doesn’t mean it’s just more of the same. Director Kevin Choteau has gone on record sayingA Plague Tale: Requiemwill be set apart from its predecessor by features that onlynext-gen technologycould make possible.
Gameplay details revealed at June’sXbox and Bethesda Games Showcasealso showed off some things that have changed between games.A Plague Tale: Requiemseems visually livelier thanInnocence,but still maintains its macabre atmosphere. Amicia also seems to have gone through some interesting character developments, touting a wider arsenal of weapons that point to her being a more capable fighter than before.
A Plague Tale: Innocenceis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:A Plague Tale: Requiem - How Much Time Has Passed Since Innocence Took Place
