Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Spinoff Trades Shadows for Swordplay, But Loses Its Identity Along the Way
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy trades stealth and rat swarms for sword-swinging action, delivering a competent spinoff that ultimately loses the unique identity of its predecessors.
Developer Asobo Studio is attempting to steer its narrative universe in a bold new direction with Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy. Set 16 years before the main entries, this combat-focused spinoff drops series staples Amicia and Hugo to follow the origins of smuggler Sophia. Instead of relying on the stealth and guile that defined previous adventures, Sophia wields a sword and knife with a surprisingly scrappy, melee-heavy style that lets players fling environmental objects and unleash brutal kicks. For a studio with little history in the action genre, Asobo has crafted a surprisingly competent and characterful fighting system that keeps its 12-hour campaign moving at a steady clip.
However, the pivot away from stealth comes with noticeable growing pains. Julian Benson's review for Rock Paper Shotgun notes that the game leans hard into a linear, rollercoaster design philosophy that heavily discourages open exploration. Straying off the main path frequently results in clumsy trial-and-error deaths, while poking around dusty corners often reveals that hostile soldiers have somehow beaten you there, entirely undercutting the narrative weight of Sophia's unique abilities. Even the combat pacing struggles to justify the body count, occasionally painting the protagonist in a more villainous light than intended as you clear out endless waves of pursuers.
Most crucially, Asobo made the daring choice to leave behind the trademark rat swarms that made the original games so distinct. While the team introduces a new subterranean threat that hunts you in the dark, it simply lacks the grotesque, skin-crawling impact of millions of rodents moving like liquid shadows. Resonance emerges as a technically proficient action game that measures up well enough against genre heavyweights, but in shedding its signature mechanics, it ultimately struggles to stand apart from the crowd.
Tags: A Plague Tale, Action Games, PC Gaming, Review, Single Player
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun