A Plague Tale: Requiem

[Maf]

Well that’s where it’s put me. I came in to the game fully willing and ready to enjoy but a bad balance of tedious but difficult has left me like iiiiiiiiii don’t care just let me pass and play the next video, c’mon. 

[Nag]

Go in to settings and enable the no deaths thing then... you big girl.😉

[Nag]

I'm part way through Act 11 with this now, still enjoying it immensely... thanks to a Crossbow upgrade my whole play style has changed though, up until recently the Crossbow was kind've a get out of jail free card, pretty much one shotted any enemy who doesn't have a shield. After getting an upgrade that allows you to retrieve bolts you've fired from dead enemies it's pretty much an unlimited Crossbow allowing me to go on all out murdering sprees.

 

I do still attempt to stealth (honest) but when I am spotted it's generally the guards who are fucked now, not me.🤣

[Nag]

Finished this around an hour ago, the last four or five chapters are fairly short... with the penultimate level really piling on the emotions...

 

It's fair to say that, in my opinion, this didn't put a foot wrong in its entire run time and it's probably my favourite game of the year so far. 

 

I'll not say anything about the ending other than it really did tug on the heartstrings a hell of a lot but felt inevitable and unavoidable and the right way to go...

 

Picture spam because of how damn good looking this thing was... Spoiler post will have some late game images.

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

[DisturbedSwan]

It's rare that me and @Nag agree on a game but this has been absolutely superb from start to finish and easily one of my GOTY contenders so far. 

 

I've just got into Chapter 12 and I'd say it's been nigh on perfect really, aside from the technical issues I've encountered (game freezing on start up, resulting in a lock up then me having to restart it one or two times before it's ok again) it's nigh-on faultless I'd say. It's perfectly paced, ambitious, full of fresh new ideas but builds off what made the first game good whilst forgetting the repetitious rat puzzles that plagued it (lol) during it's final half. 

 

It's got such a nicer flow to it, the first game (from what I can remember) was relentlessly dark and miserable, where as in this there are whole entire chapters of levity where you're just pottering about discovering a new location and clues as to your next destination. It's a much lighter game than the first which was almost always set in the dark, here the entire game pretty much has been set in the sunlight which sets a different mood and punctuates the moments where the rats do come out and the more miserable scenes do happen much more.

 

Everything is much more varied, the game doesn't repeat itself often and the new more elaborate stealth sections that inspire problem solving if you get in a bind are a nod to TLOUP2, things can be more frustrating here, especially at the beginning as if a armoured guard spots you he will most likely kill you, which means early on its often quicker to just reload your checkpoint than problem solve. But, as I said, the game spreads these out, you'll do one or two of these a chapter and then solve a puzzle, then a set piece moving into a bit of platforming or dialogue where the characters can just 'be'. 

 

There are other small niggling bits and pieces like the lips not being in sync but other than the freezing mentioned above I've not really had any technical issues throughout the game, I haven't really noticed the 40 (or 30?) fps either. This is a cinematic-style game where you don't need the higher frame rate so much in my view so it's more suited to this than (probably) something like Gotham Knights.

 

It just feels wholly more ambitious and has a bigger budget than the first game. I'd liken it to the jump between TLOU1 and TLOUP2 really, the first being a much more linear experience but the second opening up and giving you more interesting ways to stealth and murder people, with, dare I say it, a more interesting more complex story. There's also a bit of Uncharted in this game as well, once you get to that part of the game you'll be like 'ah yeah'. This is definitely the best looking game I've played on my XSX as well, it still maybe doesn't hit the highs of the PS exclusives like Horizon 2 and Demon's Souls but it comes damn close.

 

Can't really agree with anything @Maf has said. Not sure how far in you got but I just don't get at all how the first game, this or Uncharted are 'movie games', they're cinematic, sure, and obviously inspired by action blockbusters to some degree or another but I for me a 'movie game' is something like Heavy Rain or Detroit: Become Human etc. where you essentially just push buttons and do QTEs until the credits roll.

 

Anyhoo, here's a small selection of pics from the 100s I've taken lol:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[mfnick]

Haven’t got much to add but just want to say I’ve started playing this, got up to Act 6 and it’s excellent so far. Acts 3-5 have been particularly exciting, as Nah says the set piece game has been raised dramatically. It’s also one of the best looking games I’ve played so far this gen. Turn off Chromatic Aberration and it looks even better so thanks for that @one-armed dwarf I also had no idea what that was until reading your post.
 

I strongly recommend playing in French too. It just sounds so much better and Hugo is nowhere near as annoying. 
 

Extra special mention to the sound in general actually too. I’ve got a decent 7.1 surround sound system & to be honest most games don’t use it very well at all. Some are just plain bad & for some reason strangely prioritise rear speakers for speech when you stand close to them even if they’re in front or you - this happens in a surprising amount of games. But not all or in movies which is why I know it’s not my set up. Anyway, this uses surround sound perfectly. It’s a real masterclass in it. It really sets you in the environments with insects, water, rats etc. moving all around you in very realistic ways. Puts a lot of very big budget AAA games to complete shame. 

[one-armed dwarf]

Nice one, now just turn the motion smoothing off on your LG and it will look even better 👍

[mfnick]

Get fucked 👍

Seriously though, this has a 60fps mode so I have turned it off actually 😁 Only have that for 24-30fps content. 

[mfnick]

Completed. 
 

What an absolutely fantastic adventure that was. I can’t really fault it to be honest. One of my favourite adventure games this side of Naughty Dogs best. An almost perfect ending too. 
 

Also in French the word Count sounds like Cunt.

 

9/10

 

 

[Maf]

I started playing this again yesterday. Up to chapter 5 now. At the start I was really liking this game and having a much better time with it. But already I can feel the same frustrations I had before kicking in. I'm trying to play looser and trying not to care about having a 'ghost' playthrough. Which is less satisfying, but does make the game easier when you just run at things killing whoever and throwing bombs around. But I still think this game is a little on the hard side and I haven't even really started yet. I'm still dying a few times each section and having to restart checkpoint a lot when plans go tits up.

 

It really comes down to the enemies just have really annoying patrol patterns. I guess on the one hand it's good design, but on the other hand I kinda wish they'd just fuck off.

 

I'm trying to play looser and more relaxed, and it's working but hmm. I had a really good time playing the game yesterday, and a bit of less today. 

 

I also kind of forgot how stunning this game is. I'm also playing with headphones this time and that's increased my enjoyment of it as well. Really helps with the atmosphere. 

[Maf]

I've reached chapter 12 and taking a break. Hopefully I can finish this tonight, but not sure how many chapters there are. 

 

This is a weird one because I'm very much liking the game, but not sure what I'm really liking about it. 

 

I've come to the conclusion I just don't like the stealth gameplay. Which is probably not the game's fault, I think I just don't like stealth games in general anymore. Ran out of patience. Thankfully it's not really the bulk of the game. In fact when thinking what is the main gameplay here it's hard because it's divvied up very evenly between stealth gameplay, puzzles, light exploration and and walky-talky story chapters. There's no primary dominant thing. 

 

I'm also lightly intrigued by the story but kind of have the feeling it's going nowhere. They keep piling on more and more fiction, world building, deeper lore to the Macula and these twins but every resolution so far ends with rats destroying everything, the kid going "I ruin everything, Amicia! We're all going to die" to which he's sister always responds "No, Hugo! You will live and everything will be fine" to which I'm sitting here like 🤔 you sure about that? I know he's your brother but I think you should just kill him, because I don't think there's any way out 

 

If the game ends with a grand finale that ties this whole adventure up neatly and gives purpose to any of these actions these characters take I'll happily eat these words, but as of chapter 12 it reeks of they have no idea on how to end this story, just digging deeper and deeper hoping something clicks. Or it could also be they're trying to fill a game's worth of story and simply don't have enough material

 

Nothing these characters have done so far has proven worthwhile or really furthered the overall story or bought them closer to their goals. It feels like not a single step has been successfully made. Or even that they've learned anything valuable or which is helpful. They try something, they end up with no answer, then they just run blindly in to the next thing hoping this will provide an answer. I wonder if this is reflective of the game's writers processes. Because it really feels like they don't know what to do.

 

But there's more game to go, so we'll see 

 

[Maf]

Finished the game last night/this morning. Just rounded up some of the achievements I missed. Some collectibles and a couple of chapter specific things. Just have these left which is going to require to play through NG+

 

Hopefully won't take an entire playthrough, and I'll skip the cutscenes which should save a lot of time. The one that's going to be most annoying is the secret chests because those aren't marked on chapter select. So I'll have to have a guide open as I go to make sure I get them. Annoyingly they're mostly 'hidden' in stealth encounters.

 

 

No spoilers but in terms of the way the story went, it had an effective ending but it still came across as very juvenile and basic to me. The ending was effective because of course it is. But it isn't helped by all the bad writing and lack of meaningful actions that come before it. 

 

It sort of stinks of God of War Ragnarok in a sense where everyone is annoying and dumb and the worst outcome always happens because it has to for the plot. Except this game is sub Ragnarok because in this game the character's have no reason to try anything they do, and then effectively unrelated miserable shit happens to them anyway. 

 

Like the biggest motivator in this game for the characters to go where they go is a dream. And yeah the dream ends up leading to something, but at every turn the resolution for that event should make the characters say "this isn't working" the sister then grapples on to the next fart and shouts "that direction, it has to be!" 

 

I suppose you can write the story off as a theme of desperation which would fit with the rest of the game. Characters running around, doing nothing, achieving nothing and suffering for their troubles. But it's annoying after 12-15 hours and the repetition of makes the characters seem really stupid. 

 

I also think some of the writing is just dribbly crap. Near the end of the game there are 3 characters that are like "If we stick together we can do this!", then literally immediately a cutscene happens where they all fall down and one of the characters says "Ow, my leg. I can't go any further. Sorry" 

 

And there's lot of dumb, convenient, repetitive, functionless story in this game and trying to power through to the end last night was like being hit on the head by a hammer at every cutscene. 

 

The ending is effective because of course it is. But getting there is a fucking trudge and a half 

[Nag]

I hope none of those achievements unlock for you.😤

[Nag]

In all seriousness though I'm guessing you know how to progress the three skills @Maf?

[Maf]

Yes, thanks. I read about it earlier. Have to kill different percentage of people per combat encounter. 

 

Should be really easy now I know being spotted doesn't matter. 

[Nag]

This helped me out no end...

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/APlagueTale/comments/ybh7xs/detailed_opportunism_skill_upgrade_malignant/

 

[Maf]

Ah, thanks. I’ll use that for sure

 

my stealth level is almost there, but aggressive and opportune is only about 50%
 

I think I’ll use that guide and level them up in reverse order (opportune, aggression, stealth). Stealth will be easier later because I can just blind people and run by now I know being seen doesn’t mean anything 

[mfnick]

I’m surprised you’re going for the achievements considering you’re not that hot on it. I adored this game and even I said “fuck that” to the achievements. 

[Nag]

Get stealth done first while you don't have the crossbow... once you get that the other two become a cakewalk. 

[Maf]

Ok, I guess that makes sense. I already have the upgrade that lets me reuse bolts. 
 

@mfnick the achievements look super easy, just a bit time consuming. But with a guide for the chests, running by enemies without caring about being seen and skipping cutscenes. Shouldn’t take too long 

 

EDIT: For the record I don’t hate this game. I think it’s just very light weight with a bad story