Side missions have never looked favorably in most video games for a long time. The infamous part of Ashley's protection in Resident Evil 4 has caused some trauma in the community, and with good reason: an NPC who can't do anything but yell "HELP" isn't very helpful, especially when hordes of Monsters, zombies, and Enemies are in your glue every square meter. Too many problems, right? In 2013, two games in particular changed my understanding of how a game can turn excruciating companion missions into a decent and satisfying co-op model. Bioshock Infinite and The Last of Us showed the world that Elizabeth and Ellie weren't useless AIs but rather allies that made the plot much more fun simply because we hadn't. to ask us if they were in danger or not (as well as helping the player at different times). Plague Tale bases its entire gameplay around this concept, assembling a team of NPCs who are there to help you instead of ruining everything. While some pieces must be related to the narrative (the protagonist's little brother, named Hugo, must be near the character almost all the time), the game works like a giant escort mission in which stealth is paramount for the character. . the success. First impressions were worrisome - keep an eye on a 5-year-old, but after finishing the match, everything went as planned, despite some minor hiccups.
Hope in war
In a thirteenth-century medieval theme, El cuento de Pague tells the story of the brothers Amicia and Hugo. Belonging to a flourishing family called De Rune, Amicia lived a quiet life with his parents. Hugo, on the other hand, was a separate matter. The boy, just five years old, spent most of his time in the care of his mother, Beatrice. The little boy seems to have a rare disease that requires intensive care, although the game does not make it clear in the first chapters. The plot begins to unfold when the Inquisition invades and attacks de Rune's home, slaughtering the family's servants and guardians one by one. Amicia and Hugo manage to escape, even if we can't tell much about their parents. Devastated and aimless, the brothers must join forces to find answers to what has happened to their families and uncover the secrets of Hugo's illness, as well as to deal with the terrible rat infestation that is rampant throughout the region. . . This era also marks one of humanity's darkest periods. A Europe devastated by the Black Death and persecuted by the Catholic Inquisition that, ironically, hunted down and massacred the so-called "heretics" and opposed the ideals imposed by the Church. All of De Rune's intrigue is mixed into this theme, bringing twists and new characters to help you on your journey. Although the entire story is concise and brings countless memorable moments, the tendency to use children to create an emotional impact is a very simple way of wanting to be relevant, while it is completely flawed. Even if it's not something that screams, or that the studio needs to abandon this concept for the story to work, it's a detail that needs to be considered when creating this type of story. Hugo manages to be a complete character without the need for this call, but it seems to be unavoidable just to create drama.Run, my daughter, run.
As I mentioned, stealth in The Tale is no longer a necessity to basically be the only way to play. Amicia is a teenager who does not have much physical strength and her brother is just a child. Explaining this seems like the impression that the game can be boring or have a distro mechanic, but luckily the developers have managed to solve these problems in a very creative way. Possessing a harness as her primary weapon, Amicia can use various types of ammunition to distract guards and even kill them, while still making for a satisfying weapon to wield. The profession is also widely used, as are other third-person action games. Amicia can upgrade her canvas to reduce noise, increase inventory and carry more crafting ingredients, discover new ammunition, upgrade her outfit, and upgrade other types. It is possible to find secret areas with more ingredients (such as alchemy carts) and the operation must be considered every time you enter a new environment and A new environment, factors that have reminded me too much of The Last of Us. How to deal with hordes and more hordes of rats and a legion knight, carrying swords, shields and halberds, with only a slingshot? Our protagonist is not alone and has several helpers on the journey, such as the thieves Melie and Arthur, the blacksmith Rodric and the young alchemist Lucas. Each character plays an important role in the game and will help Amicia fight against the Inquisition and the rat infestation. In some parts of the game, the player can command his allies to perform actions such as silently knocking over guards, opening doors and chests, and other special interactions. Everything works in a coherent and fun way, even if the puzzles are extremely simple and contextual. The clear intention is to explore, focus on crafting, and turn Amicia into a fighting machine. The final chapters build on another cool mechanic that I would have liked to have used throughout the game, but it wasn't there for obvious storytelling reasons. In the end, Plague Tale surprised me with simple gameplay that can turn problematic situations to the player's advantage.The black plague
The story contest captivated me from start to finish, with unusual mechanics that worked well and a sequence of positives that added value to the game, though not necessarily original ideas. The inspirations were clear and served to tell a good story in which problems can be alleviated. However, it's important to note that there was no million-dollar budget mega-production; the character's voice acting is inconsistent and ranges from moments of time. Clear emotion to something totally wrong. The facial and body animations are not exceptional and sometimes there are bugs and actions in the scenarios. That said, it's important to level expectations. It's always nice to see new IPs with interesting themes and a solid foundation of gameplay and design. If you enjoy adventures from the Middle Ages, Pague's tale deserves to stay on your radar.
Plague Tale: Innocence has been reviewed from the distributor-supplied PC version.