Appreciation post

[Googlitch]

I've finished my first playthrough of the game yesterday, and I've been wanting to talk about how good I think it is.

 

First off I think it's a remarkably simple game. When you compare it strictly on individual gameplay elements, it doesn't have as great of a combat system as say a Souls, or stealth like in Dishonored, or even the exploration tools of Uncharted 4, for example. It's a very simple "crouch to hide, shoot your crossbow, use your sling for puzzles", and I find that a lot more relaxing (most of the time). It's that kind of game where it's not groundbreaking in anything, but does everything well. I love that in almost every new section, one of your companions has a new simple mechanic to keep things fresh. I love that there are only a few collectibles per chapter, with a few simple trophies from time to time.

 

It's also excellent visually. Every setting is beautifully detailed, while also feeling familiar. La Cuna, notably, gave me a lot of Toussaint vibes from The Witcher 3. Also, spoilers for the ending:

Spoiler

The desolated Marseille with waves of rats flowing reminded me of the Dreg Heap from the Ringed City DLC of Dark Souls III. And when you approach Hugo for the final time, I felt like I was in Berserk during the eclipse.

 

And most importantly, I did not expect the ending. Without going into spoilers, I went into the game expecting more of the first game, which it was in the first half. But the proportions that it takes towards the end, the incredible sceneries, the music, just the scale of what's unfolding, it's probably going to stay with me for a while.

 

In the end, I'd say that A Plague Tale as a whole has a sort of The Last of Us vibe. The characters aren't as interesting in my opinion, but I like the setting a lot more, and I found the game way less stressful, which was nice. I'm glad that I played the game, and I wanted to share it.

 

Also, since it was made by a french studio:

 

Edited April 30 by Venal