In 2019, A Plague Tale: Innocence took me on a tense and exciting adventure across mid-14th century France. I found wonder in its environments and tension through the obstacles that blocked you from your goal. I’d like to point out that it was the pacing that really grabbed me and made me a fan of not only the characters, but the world as well. I might not be the only one, because it appears developer Asobo Studio is leaning even more into shaping the identity of this nightmarish reality with its newest game, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy. After playing through two mid-game chapters, I’m captured by the game’s nostalgic action-adventure systems, but in that, the series has lost the tension introduced in the other entries. The trade-off is a more familiar dressing for this new adventure, one that forces you to rely more on environmental clues to progress, at the cost of a combat system with an identity crisis.
Demo Impressions – A New Protagonist
The demo of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy had me playing as Sophia, who is currently figuring out the powers of the Sphere in her possession, alongside a companion named Leni. I’m not entirely sure of the relationship between these two, but I guess we can call them really close friends. The demo encompassed much of what this new adventure aims to deliver to fans and new players. Still, movement continues to be awkward, as it’s unclear when you are and aren’t allowed to run. This is mostly frustrating near enemies, given that Sophia will enter an attack stance that can’t be broken out of until all the enemies in an area are defeated. This does hurt the battles where the last enemy is on a different level than you, forcing you to slowly strafe around and find them.
Exploration & Skill Progression
Still, the environments are well crafted to keep you moving without the need for a formal map. There were a few times when I wished I could ask Leni for a tip on the general direction I should go, but I rarely felt lost. Exploration in general is rewarded with Resonance Points that can be used to improve Sophia’s abilities. There are some interesting elements in this skill tree where players need to choose the general direction they want to lead Sophia’s power, but this early tree appears limited.
The problem is that I can see how this could be cool, but it comes across as needless bloat when you find artifacts that immediately add buffs to Sophia, only to have to go into the menu to see their effects. Further, you can’t turn off the effects, and you are forced to essentially make the game easier because you found a secret area. I just feel like that’s a little short-sighted for this equipment system. There should be player choice in equipment. Maybe they could limit the equipment Sophia can wear so it isn’t all stacked? I’m not sure, but every stat increase or new equipment piece should be celebrated in a way that forces players not only to stop and open their menu, but also to make difficult choices about their loadout.
Puzzles & Platforming – The Sphere’s Abilities
Thankfully, the puzzles don’t rely on combat as much as they rely on reading the environments. The Sphere contains various modes that allow Sophia to unlock paths. For example, one mode shoots out colored lasers that need to match colors in the environment. It’s a pretty fun puzzle, and there was a section that did stump me for a bit. However, platforming in these areas is a little wonky. It’s like the ledges are too far away for Sophia to make the jumps, but the animation then overcorrects, and she does. The movement could use some adjustments, including the jumping.
Combat & Time Mechanics – A Bold Shift
While my feedback may sound harsh, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is still in active development, so I feel this is the best time to address some of these quality updates. For instance, there are some time shenanigans where Sophia can transport to the past to relive a warrior’s scenes. However, they kept Sophia’s animations the same, causing this armored-out dude to lack any real punch. Regardless, I liked how they balanced Sophia’s frailty with cool abilities that compensate for any power shift dynamics. She can easily handle her own in these fights, and I wouldn’t mind if she were a little more agile.
Final Preview Verdict – Release Date & Platforms
The interesting thing is that Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy isn’t trying to be A Plague Tale, which would have been the easier path. Trading stealth and tension for action-adventure, seemingly inspired by Prince of Persia, is ballsy, but I really like how this team builds a world, so as of right now, I’m letting them cook. There’s still a lot to discover, and the connective tissue that this game shares with the other entries is still just as much of a mystery, but I’m locked in and looking forward to the August 27, 2026, release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
