Asobo Studio has delivered two consecutive narratively compelling and tightly designed experiences in the Plague Tale games, but with its third instalment, the series has shifted course quite dramatically. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy sheds the stealth driven gameplay of its predecessors, instead delivering a bombastic, action packed, combat focused adventure. The results, on the gameplay front, are quite different- and, thankfully, quite spectacular. And as players prepare to dive into Sophia’s journey in the action-adventure title, here, we have put together a handy list of tips and tricks that should help make things smoother in your early hours with the game, and perhaps beyond. With all of that out of the way, let’s dive in.
Dodges and Parries
With Sophia stepping into the spotlight as Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy’s protagonist instead of the de Rune siblings from past titles, the gameplay this time takes on a much more combat centric approach. The central loop relies primarily on a parry mechanic that challenges you to find openings and break enemies’ stances to land your own deadly blows- which, as you may have guessed, means mastering both parries and dodges is quite crucial. While Resonance is not a particularly challenging game for the most part (especially on its default difficulty setting), the combat definitely flows much better once you have the timing for dodges and parries down.
Focus on Parry upgrades
Let’s stick with the parry mechanic for a little bit longer- it is, after all, central to the game’s combat. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy employs a (rather straightforward) progression system, allowing you to spend accrued Resonance Points to make purchases from a pool of a handful of combat upgrades. The options available here range from dodging to improving your kicks (more on that in just a bit) and more, but we’d recommend prioritizing upgrades to your parrying. You can increase your parry timing windows and eventually even become able to parry previously attacks that couldn’t be parried, all of which can give you quite a leg up in most skirmishes, especially against more challenging foes.
Kicking enemies is always effective (and fun)
One of the most fun mechanics in Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy’s combat loop is the ability to kick enemies. It’s exactly what it sounds like- a button dedicated solely to kicking out at your foes. It’s useful, of course, in breaking their guard or stunning them for brief windows, among other things that become available as you progress further in Sophia’s skill tree. Best of all, if ever you see an enemy standing near a ledge – and that opportunity will often present itself to you – you can kick them into the abyss and to their deaths. So yeah, long story short, keep kicking people.
Your Grappling Hook is an excellent tool in combat
Sophia is a much more nimble protagonist than Amicia or Hugo from past Plague Tale games, with much of the gameplay centering around Uncharted-esque platforming sections, which also make the use of a grappling hook. But though said platforming sections are the grappling hook’s primary stage, it can also be quite an effective tool in combat. Sophia can use the hook to yank enemies toward her and open them up to attacks (though there are some that can respond in pretty deadly ways, so keep an eye out for that). Meanwhile, if an enemy happens to be standing in front of a ledge, you can use your grappling hook to pull them forward and watch them fall to their deaths.
Prioritize taking out the Archers
You’ll often find yourself facing groups of enemies in Resonance with varying threats, from brutes with larger pools of health and fast moving dagger wielders to spearmen who can attack from a range and more. Our advice, however, would be to make sure that at the beginning of every combat encounter, if you are faced with any archers in the arena, take care of them first and foremost. They are quick and easy to kill, but can be quite a nuisance from a distance when left unattended, especially when you’re trying to focus on other, bigger, and more immediate threats- so it’s usually best to just get them out of the way as quickly as you can.
There are ways to get the jump on your enemies
Resonance is not at all a stealth focused game, unlike the first two Plague Tale titles, but though there are no actual stealth mechanics to speak of, there are still ways for Sophia to get a jump on her enemies. For instance, if you’re approaching enemies who haven’t spotted you yet, you do still have the chance to land a deadly critical hit on at least one unsuspecting foe before the rest are alerted. Similarly, if you’re looking to get a drop on an unalerted group of soldiers, you can do just that by jumping and landing a mid-air critical strike on a foe. The game doesn’t really allow you to dispatch more than one or two foes quietly at a time, but you can still start out the way you so at least you’re facing fewer enemies in direct combat.
Farm Resonance points
Like its predecessors, Resonance is a pretty linear game with near constant forward momentum, but also like its predecessors, it does still allow for some farming opportunities every now and then. Occasionally, you’ll find yourself in comparatively larger and wider environments, with a fair few branching paths and optional routes to discover and explore. Doing so is definitely recommended, since that’s how you find enemies to take down, who also give you Resonance Points which is used to upgrade your combat abilities and more.
Keep an eye out for Tombs
One of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy’s best and most significant pieces of optional content comes in the form of tombs. These are large puzzle rooms where you have to solve elaborate light based puzzles, with the reward being an unlocked tomb that grants you a new sword. The puzzles are well designed and the rewards are pretty neat, so make sure you’re keeping an eye out for tombs to raid.
Choose your sword wisely
Speaking of swords, while there’s only a handful of them to find, each does offer its own unique advantage. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy isn’t big on customization mechanics, so don’t expect the combat experience to change too significantly based on which weapon you have equipped, but the perks that some of the swords bring can be genuinely useful- like giving you a boost in terms of breaking a foe’s guard, for instance. As such, it can pay to be attentive about which sword you’re using and how well it suits your preferred combat approach.
Keep an eye out for Theseus Charms
You will also come across several charms throughout the length of the game, with each enhancing Sophia’s combat abilities. From increasing parry windows to enhancing some of your attacks and more, charms can have a range of effects, which means it’s always recommended to explore environments thoroughly to find new charms. Most useful of all are Theuseus charms, which can be acquired by accessing Theseus’ memories. Each of these charms enhances Sophia’s focus bar, which in turn is tied to her ultimate attack, so make sure you keep an eye out for these charms- they can be quite useful.
