Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Proves That Slow Openings Can Lead to Great Combat
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Polygon reviewer Austin Manchester explains how pushing through the slow opening hours of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy pays off once the combat clicks and gravity becomes your best weapon.
Video game openings carry a heavy burden. They have to establish deep lore and teach basic mechanics all at once, which often leads to a sluggish start. Writing for Polygon, critic Austin Manchester noted that Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy suffers from this exact issue, dragging through its early hours with repetitive combat tutorials and a childhood prologue for protagonist Sophia that makes quitting tempting.
The turning point arrives when the combat system finally opens up, specifically through the introduction of a surprisingly satisfying kick mechanic. What starts as a basic tool to break enemy guards quickly transforms into the core gameplay loop. Whether playing as Sophia or stepping into the past during flashback sequences as the Greek hero Theseus, using the environment to send enemies flying off ledges turns routine brawls into pure sandbox fun.
That emergent combat style peaks during a later bridge setpiece where tactical parrying is completely abandoned in favor of pure, gravity-assisted chaos. While the lack of a camera lock-on makes crowd control messy, leaning into the boot-first approach delivers genuine gaming bliss. It highlights the value of pushing past a slow start, especially for a day-one Game Pass release where players might otherwise bounce off before the real experience begins.
Subscription services have completely shifted how we discover games, meaning titles need to hook audiences immediately or risk being abandoned for the next queue download. Resonance demonstrates both sides of that coin. It puts its worst foot forward, but players willing to grind through the preamble are rewarded with an inventive campaign and stealth design that honors Asobo Studio's roots.
Tags: A Plague Tale, Xbox Game Pass, Action RPG, Polygon, PC Gaming
Original article: Polygon