A Plague Tale: Innocence

Although they've spent most of the last fifteen years creating games based on all of Pixar's biggest movies, Asobo Studio is probably best known for their 2008 racing game Fuel. While critics were largely mixed on the open-world racer, it gave us a hint at what the studio might do if they decided to devote more time to original ideas. Finally, after eleven long years, Asobo is back with a new IP called A Plague Tale: Innocence, an effective stealth/action game that bummed me out. Not because of the depressing subject matter or upsetting violence, but rather because it suggests that this is a developer who has been squandering their immense talent on games like Ratatouille and Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties.

This is the story of Amicia, a teenage girl living the good life in 14th century France. But her reality is shattered when she and her five-year-old brother are forced to flee their small town when the Inquisition attacks. If that wasn't bad enough, a plague has been wiping out large communities and spreading disease (and distrust) all across the land. Amicia and Hugo quickly discover that this is a hostile world for a couple of stranded kids, especially when the Inquisition will stop at nothing to track them down.

Despite all the dead bodies strewn about and the depressing themes, this game isn't the bummer the title suggests. This is a stealth/action game with an emphasis on adventure. There's no time to wallow in sadness, because Amicia and Hugo are on the run and just hoping to live to see another day. Unfortunately, time is not on their side, because Hugo has a rare blood disorder that only seems to be getting worse. The race is on to find a cure, get to safety, escape the soldiers and not get eaten by the rats.

Oh, that reminds me; if you have a phobia of rats, you definitely should avoid this game at all costs. Forget the plague, the terrifying thing is how thousands of rats will band together to create a sea of rodents that will literally eat you alive. This isn't about getting bitten and spreading disease, because these rats will reduce you to bones in a matter of seconds. They are the ultimate killing machines and the only thing that can stop them is light.

Fire is just one of the skills at Amicia's disposal. All of her attacks revolve around a sling that can throw rocks and other objects. At first this is good for little more than breaking chains and knocking soldiers out, but she'll quickly learn new abilities that can light fires from afar, create a distraction for the rats and knock a soldier out with sleeping gas. She will also need to pick up loose items to craft more weapons and upgrades.

The nice thing is that Amicia seldom alone. What surprised me is how much help she ends up getting along the way, almost entirely from other kids. We'll run into a thief named Melie who is able to open up locked doors and chests. Rodric, on the other hand, uses his brute force to help out. And don't forget about little Hugo, who uses his small size to fit in cramped areas. The game does a great job of giving you different pairings from one chapter to the next, something that goes a long way to help the pacing and keep things from feeling too repetitive.

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As a stealth game, A Plague Tale is not very deep. It's usually pretty clear what you're supposed to do to get past guards, and it mostly involves throwing rocks at pots and pans. The emphasis here is on the story and the action, so don't go in expecting Splinter Cell or Hitman. There aren't multiple paths to take or tons of different ways to handle each situation; it's usually blatantly clear what you're supposed to do. As somebody who isn't that into stealth games, that's fine by me. I like how forgiving the game is and how much it wants me to get to the next story beat. But if you're looking for a deep stealth game with all kinds of options, then this probably won't be for you.

That said, it wouldn't have hurt the developer to make the maps a little less linear. This is the kind of game where you'll never get lost because there's almost always an obvious path to follow. Sometimes it's literally a straight line. If I'm being honest, it's a little distracting at times. It got to the point where it would occasionally pull me out of the game. The developers have created these richly detailed levels, but the trade off is that you're always pushed in the right direction. It makes the game too easy.

It's also worth mentioning that A Plague Tale starts out lot stronger than it ends. The first two-thirds are absolutely riveting, since we're constantly going to new locations, meeting new people, asking new questions and just trying to get away from the Inquisition. But there comes a point where the action slows down and things start to drag. The questions are a lot more interesting than the answers, and I'm still not sure how I feel about some of the late-game reveals. It's definitely a fun ride, but it gets a little cheesy at the end.

And then there's Hugo. This is a five-year-old who reminds me of every annoying kid you see in popular fiction. He knows that there are killer rats all around and soldiers out for blood, yet he constantly runs off and gets into trouble. I get it, he's young, but it often feels like it's at the convenience of the plot and not something a real five-year-old stuck in a life or death situation would do. You're going to want to send this kid to timeout more than a few times before the credits roll.

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One thing I can't complain about is the presentation. Despite the death and disease that is devastating the countryside, A Plague Tale is absolutely gorgeous. Everything from the towns to the forests to the castles are all perfectly realized, each with vibrant colors and all kinds of small details. I also think the characters look good, especially the main cast. I was a little thrown off by the voice acting at first, but I warmed up to it by the end. I feel that the women voicing Amicia does a great job, and pretty much everybody gets a moment to shine. The only weak part is Hugo, but that's the risk you take when one of the characters is five.

While it's a bit easy and way too linear, A Plague Tale: Innocence offers an effective story with an intriguing premise. It's a great looking adventure with memorable characters and some cool set pieces. Fans of stealth games may be disappointed by the shallow gameplay and straight-forward levels, but there's enough action and excitement to make this an easy recommendation. I hope that this is a sign that we're going to start seeing more original games from Asobo Studio.