A Plague Tale: Requiem intertwines gameplay with character growth

Asobo Studio went to great lengths to tie A Plague Tale: Requiem’s character development to its gameplay style, lead level designer Kevin Pinson tells PCGamesN about the upcoming rat game ahead of its October release date. At the heart of Hugo and Amicia’s story isn’t just the fight to survive. It’s the struggle to balance Hugo’s increasing control over his rat powers with Amicia’s desire for them both to lead a normal life.

With Hugo gradually expanding his abilities, he gains a slight measure of greater independence and tries using his powers to help Amicia – sometimes with disastrous effects, as he still loses control. Amicia, meanwhile, struggles with the practical necessities of keeping herself and her brother safe in a hostile world, and it takes its toll, Pinson says.

Despite, or perhaps because of, everything Amicia went through in Innocence, she refuses to make violence part of her life and tries avoiding it at all costs. Pinson says Amicia suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder following the events of Innocence and that we should expect to see the effects of that unfold throughout Requiem.

On a practical level, it means that even with her combat experience, Amicia refuses to train as a soldier or even to make fighting and killing part of her life unless absolutely necessary. Rather than walking around medieval Europe with an arsenal of weapons or even some basic necessities, you have to find what you need to survive, including materials to craft arrow shafts and other weapons.

Pinson also says it means that A Plague Tale: Innocence isn’t an action game, though the recent gameplay trailer might suggest otherwise. There’s plenty of room for experimentation with your fighting style and which weapons you choose, but Pinson says you shouldn’t expect Amicia to be a combat master. He mentions the crossbow as an example. It’s a powerful weapon, but it’s hard for her to control.

If you can’t wait for A Plague Tale: Requiem, check out some of our picks for the best stealth games on PC to help tide you over until October.