A Plague Tale: Requiem review: Stealth meets horror in a worthy sequel

Rats invade a peaceful town, clogging sewage drains and smashing against walls as if it were an ocean. Citizens scream in terror, swallowed by the plague’s insatiable hunger. Amicia is horrified as her brother, Macula, has engulfed him and will eventually consume him. Despite the disease’s momentary absence, there is no escaping the horde.

But this isn’t how it works. A Plague Tale: Requiem begins. It begins on a slow note to show that Hugo & Amicia have achieved a temporary and welcome peace, following the events in The Plague Tale of Innocence. It is quiet and serene. Amicia, with Hugo at her side, wanders through the old keep’s ruins. Hugo imagines scenarios for being a goodly and kind King. Her brother races through beautiful fields of wildflowers. Asobo Studio, the developer, has done an amazing job of creating a balance between these segments and their darker counterparts. They also weigh hopelessness and helplessness and allow the story to unfold in a way that keeps me engaged in every twist and turn.

Hugo dreams of healing waters on an island in the Mediterranean. His big sister and Hugo set off together to search for that cure. The island’s inhabitants welcome Hugo and Amicia with open arms when they reach it. Once Amicia realizes that they’re worshippers of the very curse growing inside Hugo’s body and thus worship him as a god, RequiemThe game quickly veers into folk horror. The game’s exploration of an insular, depraved pocket of an archaic religion is a welcome change of pace from Innocence’s focus on the governmental Inquisition. The islanders’ belief system was formed when they first encountered ancient frescos beyond their comprehension, and their society has since devolved into outdated practices and misguided rituals. Requiem also deals in the ideas of cycles of reincarnation and destiny, which the game touches upon briefly near the tail end of the narrative, but wasn’t necessarily as captivating as the presence of the cult and its culture.

Amicia sneaks through tall grass and aims her crossbow at a nearby enemy during dusk in A Plague Tale: Requiem

The actors’ excellent performances accentuate the heavier moments in the story, such as when Hugo (Logan Hannan) expresses to Amicia (Charlotte McBurney) that he is aware of his own mortality, and that the Macula will claim him if a cure is not found. Amicia’s expression is one of shock, even if she knows the truth of it herself, and the facial capture illustrates these moments with clarity. It’s the subtleties that make Requiem work, and allow the story to excel — especially when combined with the impressive and melodramatic score, which consists of beautiful violin work, the storytelling is somber yet propulsive, and the relationship between sister and brother reveals new layers throughout.

However, I do wish there was a bit more time dedicated to Amicia overcoming and facing her trauma from the events of the last game; it sort of just comes and goes, and Amicia’s fear is replaced with a red-hot anger, which feels more like narrative justification for brutally murdering members of the Inquisition, rather than actual emotional compensation.

As the game progresses, it does an adequate job at introducing meaningful mechanics. As the game opens up, so does Amicia’s access to a greater range of alchemical substances (such as the ability to light and extinguish fires through the acquisition of powders and resins) and weapons, with their inclusions mostly feeling well placed and earned. Some feel that their intended uses are limited. Odoris is a temporary distraction that you can use to stop plague rats from blocking your path. The only time I actually used the substance was once or twice throughout my playthrough. It felt more like an optional tool than an integral one.

Hugo sits on Amicia’s shoulders as they move through an applauding crowd in a city in A Plague Tale: Requiem

Hugo’s control over the vast swaths of rats also feels somewhat inconsequential, as it can only be used a handful of times throughout the entire game in any effective way. Upgrading Amicia’s skills and weapons also feels unnecessary at lower difficulties, which is great for those looking to jump into the game solely for its narrative. But those seeking a challenge will want to jump into the higher difficulties right away, since you’ll need to plan around resources and upgrades to avoid certain death at the hands of the Inquisition.

This being said RequiemHugo, Amicia and Amicia have a lot of fun meeting side characters. These ephemeral companions feel all the more significant for how well they’re deployed in service of the story: Arnaud can quickly make up-close work of any templars that cross your path, but he’s also crucial to a major plot beat further into the game. Sophia may be able to distract guards and light tall grass fires, but Sophia also helps Amicia or Hugo explore the mystery of the island. They are far more than mere stops along the march towards Requiem’s finale, these travelers are integral cruxes between the plot and the inner workings of the gameplay.

A Plague Tale: RequiemIt is a great example of how a studio can achieve if it has enough resources and trust. It’s a concise experience that didn’t waste my time, but it also scratched an itch I didn’t even know I had: a well-crafted stealth title meshed with folk horror elements that I had been craving since Siren: The Blood Curse’s release in 2008. A well-written script that is emotionally strong and a skilled flow of stealth, horror and exploration. A Plague Tale: RequiemFeels like the sequel Innocence deserves.

A Plague Tale: Requiem The game will release on October 18 for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Windows PC. Xbox Series X is available via Game Pass. Focus Entertainment provided a prerelease code for the game. The PC review was conducted using that code. Vox Media is an affiliate partner. They do not affect editorial content. However, Vox Media might earn commissions for products bought via affiliate links. Here are some links to help you find. additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.