The Most Underrated Series Began 7 Years Ago and It’s Getting a New Game Soon

by

Some video games become instant hits, while others build a following gradually through compelling stories, interesting characters, and consistently good gameplay. These often-excellent games can get overshadowed by bigger, more popular titles. In recent years, many story-focused games have received praise from critics without achieving the same level of sales or recognition as major blockbuster franchises. This is especially true for this remarkable series, which hasn’t yet reached the widespread popularity of comparable games.

The Plague Tale series is still one of gaming’s hidden gems, even seven years after the first game came out. A Plague Tale: Innocence, released in 2019, threw players into a grim medieval France filled with war, plague, and frightening supernatural events. Both Innocence and its sequel, A Plague Tale: Requiem, have been highly regarded for their compelling stories, immersive atmosphere, strong acting, and emotionally resonant characters. Now, Asobo Studio is continuing the saga with Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, a new game set 15 years before Requiem. This upcoming title looks set to significantly build on the series, demonstrating that Plague Tale has become much more popular and expansive than many initially anticipated.

A Plague Tale Never Got the Attention It Deserved

When A Plague Tale: Innocence came out in 2019, many huge games were already popular – big open-world titles, ongoing online shooters, and highly anticipated sequels. However, A Plague Tale quickly gained attention for its tight, story-driven experience and unusual setting, offering something different. Instead of following popular trends, Asobo Studio made a focused adventure game about surviving, staying hidden, and developing compelling characters.

Players loved A Plague Tale: Innocence, especially its immersive atmosphere, excellent voice acting, and beautiful graphics. The strong bond between the main characters, siblings Amicia and Hugo, was also a highlight. The game’s setting – medieval France during the Black Death – made it stand out from other action-adventure games, creating a dark and unforgettable world. The massive swarms of rats were a key feature, constantly building tension during exploration and stealth gameplay.

Released in 2022, A Plague Tale: Requiem solidified the series’ reputation for quality. The sequel was highly praised and received several award nominations. Players generally felt it was better than the first game, thanks to larger environments, more impactful emotional scenes, and refined gameplay. Despite this success, the series hasn’t achieved the same mainstream recognition as other popular story-driven games, leading many fans to believe it’s one of the most underrated modern gaming series available.

The Series Blends Stealth, Horror, and Emotional Storytelling

What makes A Plague Tale special is how well its gameplay and story work together. It doesn’t depend on constant fighting or big action scenes; instead, the game builds tension through the struggle to survive, scarce resources, and the ever-present danger the characters face. It reminded me of a unique mix of Dishonored and The Last of Us, borrowing elements from both to create a truly unsettling atmosphere.

In A Plague Tale: Innocence, you play as Amicia, a young woman trying to keep her brother Hugo safe while fleeing religious soldiers and a deadly plague. The game relies heavily on stealth – you’ll need to distract guards, use light and shadow to your advantage, and avoid massive swarms of rats that devour everything in the dark. While the stealth gameplay isn’t overly complex, it effectively builds the game’s tense and desperate mood.

What truly makes this series special is its heartfelt storytelling. The close connection between Amicia and Hugo is at the center of everything that happens in both games. Their relationship feels real as it grows through hardship, fear, and the need to survive. The writing avoids melodrama because the characters respond in ways that feel authentic to their terrifying circumstances. The second game, Requiem, built upon these strengths, offering bigger levels, more ways to fight, and smarter enemies, all while maintaining that strong emotional core. Amicia becomes a more skilled fighter, but the story never loses sight of the impact of violence, creating a compelling balance between action and emotional vulnerability.

The game is stunning to look at and perfectly captures a dark, desperate mood. Asobo Studio has built incredibly detailed medieval worlds, from crumbling villages and castles to gloomy forests and cities ravaged by plague. Paired with a powerful soundtrack and lighting, these locations create a consistently unsettling atmosphere. A Plague Tale excels at building atmosphere – few games do it as well, and many scenes have stayed with me long after playing. The game’s intense chase sequences, especially when swarmed by thousands of rats, are truly terrifying and unforgettable.

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Could Expand the Series in Major Ways

The popular Plague Tale series is continuing with a new installment called Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy. This game is a prequel, taking place 15 years before A Plague Tale: Requiem, and features a new main character named Sophia. As a resourceful young adventurer, Sophia travels to Minotaur Island to learn about her family history. Players will navigate treacherous landscapes, solve puzzles, and face dangerous enemies while searching for a hidden treasure.

This new game focuses more on fast-paced action compared to earlier installments. Players control Sophia, a quick and capable fighter who excels in close combat. Success depends on well-timed blocks, quick reactions, clever maneuvers, and strong attacks as you fight through a treacherous labyrinth filled with enemies. The game also features a unique setting, seamlessly switching between medieval Europe and ancient Crete. This allows the developers to expand on the game’s rich backstory and lore like never before.

Solving puzzles is a key part of the game. Sophia uses a stolen artifact from ancient Crete—a sphere that controls light—to unlock the island’s mysteries and overcome dangerous challenges. Light has always been important in the A Plague Tale games because of the rats, and this new game builds on that idea with bigger, more complex puzzles. This also helps maintain the series’ scary atmosphere, as a mysterious and threatening presence will follow Sophia throughout her journey, keeping players on edge.

As a big fan, I’m so excited to see that Asobo Studio isn’t done with the world of A Plague Tale! It’s been seven years since the first game, Innocence, came out, and it’s amazing they’re still building on it instead of letting it fade away. What’s really got me hyped is that the new game, Resonance, seems to be going in a totally different direction – it’s giving me serious vibes of those older Zelda games! If they can pull off everything they’re aiming for, Resonance could finally get A Plague Tale the wider recognition it truly deserves, and I’m counting down the days to find out more about this incredible world.

Read More

2026-05-14 16:11