Sophia is far more capable in direct combat than Amicia was, but vulnerability and danger have always been central to A Plague Tale. How did you make the player feel powerful enough to enjoy the new combat without losing that sense that Sophia is constantly in danger?

CARA: I think the key was to make Sophia feel capable without ever making her feel invincible. Amicia has to face violence later in her life, and she survives it; Sophia, on the other hand, was born into that world. She’s a plunderer, she learned to fight from a very young age, and we wanted the player to feel that through the gameplay.

But being good at fighting doesn’t mean you’re safe. Sophia can take on enemies directly, but she’s still vulnerable. She can be overwhelmed, surrounded, or caught off guard, and the world around her remains dangerous.

From a narrative perspective, we wanted that vulnerability to come from the character herself. Sophia is confident and capable, but still young. She can be impulsive, she can take risks and sometimes her confidence gets her in trouble.

So the feeling we wanted wasn’t “I’m playing a powerful warrior”, it was more, “I know what I’m doing, but I still need to be careful.” That balance was really important to us.

David : Our guideline was “every hit counts” and “the dagger wins the fight”. It was a way to be sure Sophia stays vulnerable, like her opponents, but also that her style of fighting was not about brute force but about being sneaky, directly connected to her plunderer background. The overall goal was to deliver a combat style as close as possible to the storytelling, and the general grounded tone of the series.

Because players who experienced Requiem already know the woman Sophia eventually becomes, what challenges did writing a prequel present when it came to giving her journey meaningful stakes and surprises?

CARA: That’s actually one of the things that made the writing particularly interesting. We didn’t want to simply create a ‘young Sophia’ who would have the same characteristics, but just younger. We needed to capture something of her, whilst also revealing a person who was still finding her way.

Because we already know the woman she becomes, we could pull on those psychological threads and ask ourselves: what happened to her? What experiences shaped her beliefs, her behaviours?

Her relationship with violence is a good example. In Requiem, she tells Amicia that she refuses to kill or even fight. So we could ask ourselves why someone who grew up among plunderers would draw such a strong line there. Maybe it’s because of trauma, or maybe because she’s already seen — or even experienced — that darker side of herself and absolutely refuses to go back there.

So the challenge wasn’t really about hiding where Sophia would end up. It was about making players understand how she got there.

Sophia and Theseus have very different styles of combat and movement. How did you make both characters feel mechanically distinct without effectively having to build two separate games?

David: We wanted Theseus to feel like a gladiator fighting against other gladiators involving armor and heavier weapons. We also needed to avoid making players lose their bearings during these sequences, as they are too short for them to learn entirely new gameplay mechanics. As a result the pacing is slightly slower to give more weight, and even though the gameplay is the same, the animation team did awesome work to make it feel different thanks to a new set of animations, very iconic, with this typical gladiator flavor involving a sense of show tied to the nature of the “Minos Games” she is participating in.

Minotaur’s Island exists across two vastly different historical periods. How did you design the locations so that players can recognise echoes of the same place across both eras while ensuring each version still feels visually and mechanically distinct?

David: It was a huge challenge. To summarize, we had to make it readable that Sophia, during the Middle Ages, was exploring ancient ruins and, at the same time, playing Theseus in the same places, but 2,500 years before. Our chance here was that we, contemporary players, tend to forget how colorful and clean these places were when they were built, so we played with that idea: ruins in Sophia’s time are like we know them; paint and ornaments are gone or washed out, and the colors of the stone and the materials are the only remaining visible things.

As we wanted to avoid the “guided tour” feel, we tried to bury them as much as possible, as the island had been abandoned for 2,000 years. Then, for the Theseus period, we made everything clean and neat, and gave back the very saturated colors used at that time on these buildings.

Ultimately, it was a very interesting journey for the whole team to dive into this historical subject.

Leni accompanies Sophia during portions of her journey. Companion characters can sometimes give puzzle solutions away before players have had a chance to think for themselves, so how have you balanced making Leni useful without having her become an automatic hint system?

CARA: We wanted to leave that control to the player. When Leni has something useful to say, the player can choose to interact with her and ask for a hint. If they don’t want one, they can simply ignore it and figure things out for themselves.

So Leni never automatically gives the solution away. That way she can still be a helpful companion without taking away the feeling of discovery.

You’ve said that the Macula manifests differently in Resonance. Beyond what that means for the story, did this new interpretation also allow you to create gameplay mechanics or situations that simply wouldn’t have been possible with the rats in Innocence and Requiem?

David: Yes, we knew that, at least in a Medieval setting, it would have been hard to keep the light vs. rat mechanics fresh, both visually and in terms of gameplay. We also needed something more dynamic and interactive than the rats to match the more action-adventure mood of Resonance, compared to Innocence and Requiem, where the rats are quite often used as puzzle elements from a gameplay perspective.

The new manifestation of the Macula in Resonance is closer to a blind and deaf creature, only able to detect recent motion as if it were a scent. As a result, these sequences give more freedom of action to the player, permanently wondering what the best next move is, knowing that it can switch from stealth to a chase and vice versa at any moment.

How much will Resonance change or deepen our understanding of the Sophia we eventually meet in Requiem, and can longtime players expect it to recontextualize any elements of the wider Macula storyline?

CARA: I definitely think players who know Requiem will see Sophia differently after playing Resonance. You get to see where some of her strength comes from, but also where some of her emotional defenses come from. She’s not born as the very controlled and confident woman we meet later. She has to become that person.

As for the wider Macula storyline, yes, Resonance adds another piece to the puzzle. In particular, Resonance confirms that the Macula can manifest itself in different ways; this gave us the opportunity to explore another aspect of this phenomenon. So hopefully, longtime players will come away with more questions as well as some answers.

The PlayStation Store lists Resonance as PS5 Pro Enhanced. What specifically can PS5 Pro players expect in terms of resolution, image quality, ray tracing or frame rate compared to the standard PS5?

David: PS5 Pro gives players the opportunity to play with the best resolution and graphical settings at 60 fps.

What are the targeted resolution and frame-rate modes on PS5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S? Will players have a choice between quality and performance modes?

David: Players have the choice between two modes (on PS5 and Xbox Series X): Native and Performance. PS5 and Xbox Series X run in Quality mode at native 1440p, upscaled to 4K at 30 fps, and in Performance mode at native 1080p, upscaled to 1440p at 60 fps. Xbox Series S is limited to 30 fps, or 40 fps on 120Hz displays, at 1080p without high-end performance mode toggles.

On PC, your recommended specifications currently target 1080p/60 FPS at Ultra without upscaling or frame generation. What support can players expect for technologies such as DLSS, FSR or XeSS, frame generation, ultrawide displays and unlocked frame rates?

David: Resonance supports DLSS 4.5/5 depending on the hardware. FSR is also fully supported, providing an alternative for non-Nvidia users. XeSS, Intel’s upscaling technology, is also supported. Regarding in-game Frame Generation, we support both Nvidia and AMD cards. Framerates are fully uncapped, allowing high-refresh-rate monitors to run well past 60 FPS depending on your GPU. Ultrawide displays are supported natively.

Resonance supports DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers on PS5. How extensively are those features being used—for example with sword combat, parrying, traversal or the Minoan sphere puzzles?

David: We really love the DualSense and how it really improves immersion. So the list is pretty long: in combat, a successful parry causes the DualSense to vibrate in a distinct way, mimicking the sensation of blades actually clashing, while the controller also provides feedback when Sophia draws or sheathes her sword, and naturally, when she lands a strike.

During exploration, you can feel spikes bursting from the ground or the sound of petrified ground cracking apart. Interactions such as opening a chest or using a Minoan mechanism, the prism, or the lenses all trigger DualSense vibrations.

The controller vibrates on the right or left side depending on a creature’s distance from Sophia and its position relative to the camera; this logic is applied to the vast majority of cutscenes as well.

Haptic features are also utilized with the dagger: the haptics indicate the charge time, stopping once the charge is complete. The grappling hook makes use of this too; when pulling in enemies, there is resistance up to the midpoint of the trigger, which initiates the hook’s release, at which point the resistance vanishes completely.

Finally, we also used the controller’s speaker to enhance the connection with Arianne; for instance, the stronger the resonance, the louder Arianne’s voice becomes. These are just examples of the incredible work done by the team on this topic.

And lastly, are you done with Amicia? Requiem ended with enough hints for a future, no?

David: There are several hints in Requiem and Resonance of what could be explored. And we have lots of different ideas to continue to develop the A Plague Tale universe. We just want to be 100% sure that we will bring something fresh and authentic while creating an even better experience than the previous ones. It takes time, and I can’t say any more right now.

That being said, rest assured that Amicia has been alive in our hearts since Innocence. We will see.

Its second Anniversary Update is live and brings a new Siege Mode that puts you in control of the Chaos faction and pits you against Tyranids and Loyalists alike. The Crucible is another major attraction alongside a host of new Heroic armor pieces, a very cool-looking Thunder Hammer to use in battle, and great cosmetics for Season Pass 3 owners centered around the Space Wolves and Exorcists.

The Tactical Class is also getting a rework, which should please those of you who like what it brings to the table, along with more additions the developers want us to discover for ourselves. Like the new One-Handed Thunder Hammer.

All in all, that’s quite a nice bunch of additions, and the good news is that there’s more to come from a title that has continued to be a treat for Warhammer fans and one that we’ve always been rooting for. There’s also that new Class, the Apothecary, to look forward to in Q1 2027, but for now, this new trailer should give you a nice peek at what the latest update has to offer.

Despite the low budget, it received some critical acclaim. Word of mouth praised the writing and characters, not to mention the stellar production values and attention to detail that made it impossible to believe it was made by the same team behind Fuel. Which wasn’t the worst game ever, but…come on, now. It’s Fuel. A little over a year later, it was announced that Innocence had sold over one million copies – a happy ending for the studio but also the start of something more.

Fast forward to August 2026, and Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is out. Asobo Studio, having already shipped a sequel, clearly hankered for something completely different, even teasing a follow-up set in modern times. The answer seemingly lay in the past – specifically 15 years before Innocence, where players instead controlled Sophia. As a side character in Requiem, she was received pretty well, but her backstory – besides owing Arnaud a favor – remained shrouded in mystery.

Resonance dives into that, showcasing the trauma she endured as a child before growing up. The gameplay, however, goes in a completely different direction. Think hacking and slashing, taking on enemies with blades rather than skulking in the shadows or sending rat hordes their way (though Requiem had plenty of direct combat as well). Dodging and parrying are almost as essential as using the environment, whether it’s pulling them off ledges or executing assassinations from above. It may start simple, but soon enough, Sophia’s repertoire will include tossing enemies into each other and kicking enemies into the abyss, not to mention the different swords with unique perks. Want to discard the dagger in combat entirely? Inflict more stun damage with parries in return for not being able to block? How about tailoring sprint attacks to pierce shields? It’s not the biggest arsenal of blades in gaming, but they still change up combat in interesting ways.

Then you venture into Crete Island’s ruins, and it becomes more like Tomb Raider with its puzzles and platforming. Perhaps veering a little too much in that direction, which can bog down the overall pacing in specific chapters and get in the way of the genuinely interesting story. You explore more about Minoan civilization and Sophia’s connections to it, even venturing to the past and embodying Theseus to take part in gladiatorial combat. Despite how disconnected it feels from the other Plague Tale titles, the strings slowly pull taut, and all is revealed. And make no mistake – there’s a lot of suffering, even some survival horror elements thrown in for good measure.

Couple this with Asobo’s excellent visual design, environments and soundtrack, and you have a potent action-adventure title. It’s even $50 – a pretty reasonable price, especially since it delivers between 12 and 17 hours of gameplay, depending on how thorough you want to be. So why doesn’t it feel like Resonance has really garnered much attention since launch?

Sales numbers have yet to be revealed, similar to both Innocence and Requiem in their opening weeks, though the latter hit one million units sold within a month. You would think the acclaim both received would deliver a much stronger reception for A Plague Tale Legacy. And hey, for what it’s worth, the Steam peak concurrent player count is better than Requiem…by about 541, topping out at less than 5400.

Compare that to Star Wars Zero Company, which released on the same day and nearly peaked at 78,000 concurrent players over the last weekend. And even if it has the Star Wars license, for all the good it offers nowadays (ask the makers of The Mandalorian and Grogu), it’s still a newish IP in a relatively niche genre. Let’s not even get into The Blood of Dawnwalker, another new IP that nearly hit 65,000 concurrent on launch day, even with several issues reported on PC. Keep in mind that neither figure is exactly mind-blowing, but they’re several times better than Resonance.

So what about A Plague Tale Legacy didn’t snare as many people as Requiem did? Maybe it boils down to the very premise. After how the latter ended, fans expected the next game to take a major leap forward with its setting. How would the Macula emerge in modern times, and what tragedies would unfold? Instead, they were presented with a prequel focusing on a side character who was appreciated, but far from the star of the show, at least compared to Amicia and Hugo.

Time also plays a pretty big factor. If Asobo had told this story as post-launch DLC for Requiem, it may have had significantly more takers because of the title’s relative newness. It’s been nearly four years since launch, and many may have moved on. The remaining hardcore may see this particular story as unessential, at least at launch for full price, because it’s a prequel.

Then there’s the hack-and-slash combat. Probably because it’s not as sleek and flashy as modern titles (much less forthcoming competitors like Phantom Blade Zero, Laufey and whatnot). Maybe the target audience isn’t feeling it based on gameplay, and prefers a more methodical pace with more stealth. Keep in mind that such sequences appear in Resonance, making it feel more like its predecessors, but it’s far from the core gameplay loop (and there have been some mixed opinions about this shift).

Of course, it may just as easily come down to the most obvious reason: Too many other games, which diminishes the chances of attracting new players. And if your built-in audience isn’t biting and spreading the good word, it gets pushed further down the pile. It’s less about price than the average player’s time. Even if Dawnwalker or Onimusha: Way of the Sword cost $20 more, they get priority, whether it’s because of their own gameplay hooks or the history behind them.

Call it bad luck or unfortunate timing. It’s a shame because Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is genuinely one of the best games this year. But if anything, that makes you question whether that’s really enough. If you take a peek at the other best-rated titles of the year, the competition is extremely stiff. Asobo Studio isn’t just battling to compete with other triple-A titles in the same genre, especially given its presentation and storytelling, but also against indies, spin-offs, viral co-op hits, early access titles, and so much more for attention. And unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like being on Game Pass is really helping with its discoverability.

Maybe we’ll learn in the next month or so that it’s sold one million units and everything is hunky dory. I wish I could say “For now, Resonance deserves a lot more recognition.” Yet, the number of high-profile releases is only going to increase in the coming weeks. Here’s hoping that it eventually finds the same success as Innocence and Requiem – and soon. You don’t just work on a new title in a beloved franchise for about four years and launch it to a relatively low-key reception, especially not in today’s industry.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Speaking to The Game Business, Sangha expressed a belief that some of the publishers in the market were attempting to take advantage of Maverick Games, offering deals that were quite lopsided and less favorable than the studio’s first deal. This was especially strange, since the team wasn’t looking for development funding. Instead, it was looking for a publisher with a release pipeline to help with logistics.

“As an independent developer… I think there were publishers that thought, ‘Right, we can absolutely take advantage of these guys,’ explained Sangha. “Even sometimes coming out with a rev share that was less favorable to our first deal, which is nuts, considering we didn’t need any dev funding. We were quite taken aback.”

Brown noted that the team presented Clutch to publisher as a project that had already been completed, with a solid release date already scheduled. “We came into it completely confident. As Harinder says, we’re not asking for any dev funding, just publishing services. And there was an option where we just say no to everybody and self-publish. That’s how I wanted them to feel. ‘We don’t need you.’ But some of the offers were actually offensive.”

Sangha went on to note that, “I just want to take the moment to say to all these publishers, we’ll be really happy to speak to you again with our next project.”

Clutch is set to be Maverick Games’ debut title, and was officially announced back in June. The studio made quite a showcase out of unveiling the narrative racing game, complete with a live countdown that, when it hit 0, gave us our first look at the title. The studio has described it as being about “a love of driving, a connection between car and driver, and the raw thrill of speed.”

More recently, Maverick Games took to the Future Games Show during Gamescom 2026 to showcase some of the development and gameplay from Clutch. The video revealed that each car in the racing game would feel unique enough to make it feel different from anything else in the garage. The handling in the moment-to-moment driving is also set to be quite punishing, in turn prompting players to get better at the game with practice.

The main story of Clutch will revolve around a pair of siblings who also happen to be racing prodigies. While competing in the R1K racing series – a “prestigious and historic” series of races – the two find themselves caught in a larger conspiracy that involves several other racing crews, like the Midnight Collective – a group that doesn’t care about money or fame, and instead is made up of driving enthusiasts.

Clutch is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, and will be out in Spring 2027.

It’s a good glimpse of the game itself if you’ve been curious to see what it’s like, while also showcasing how it nailed a bold new direction for the franchise after a successful couple of outings with the first two titles’ stealth-oriented approach. We were particularly fond of the combat and the way it ties into the franchise’s larger narrative in our review.

But those are far from the only strengths it offers, as Sophia’s a reason to dive headfirst into the adventure all on her own. Though shining in past appearances, we now look forward to seeing where the journey takes her next. Hopefully, her next outing is one that proves to be less agonizing (while remaining on brand).

All in all, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is a worthy successor and a strong new champion for the franchise thanks to how well it all comes together. Our tips and tricks for the early game should be useful if you decide to pick up a copy on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, or PC.

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.

Unlike Innocence and Requiem, Resonance places Sophia in the starring role and pushes the series in a noticeably different gameplay direction. The prequel is set years before Requiem and combines close-range combat with exploration, environmental puzzles, platforming, and cinematic sequences. It is also available through Xbox Game Pass at launch, making it easier for players to jump into Sophia’s earlier story.

We came away highly impressed in our review; Sophia proved to be an excellent protagonist, while the tighter combat, elaborate puzzles, and large-scale set pieces helped give the adventure an identity of its own. Lasting around 15 to 20 hours, we ultimately scored it nine out of ten, describing it as potentially the most enjoyable Plague Tale entry yet.

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is available now via Steam and the Epic Games Store on PC, alongside PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

However, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy – a spinoff that serves as a prequel to Requiem – chooses to deviate from its predecessors’ tried and true path, instead attempting something different. And even though the resulting gameplay experience is quite dramatically different from past Plague Tale experiences in some crucial ways, Resonance still ends up delivering a memorable experience- maybe even one that outshines its beloved precursors.

"Having already made a solid impression in 2022’s Requiem, as the protagonist here, Sophia really steals the show, thanks to mostly solid writing and an excellent acting performance."

Set fifteen years before the events of A Plague Tale: Requiem, Resonance puts players in the shoes of sea captain Sophia, who, at this point in her life, is much younger, less assured, and not quite so capable as we know her from the past game. Building on what little was revealed of her past in Requiem, Resonance expands on Sophia’s backstory and puts her centerstage in a thrilling, swashbuckling hunt story set on Island of Minos, the home of the infamous Labyrinth and the beastly Minotaur. Those mysteries form the heart of Sophia’s journey in Resonance, and form the backbone of a surprisingly engaging hunt, one that keeps finding ways to keep players interested and on their toes.

Sophia herself is, of course, also a strong protagonist. Having already made a solid impression in 2022’s Requiem, as the protagonist here, she really steals the show, thanks to mostly solid writing and an excellent acting performance. She’s joined as well by equally well written and performed characters, allowing Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy to once again deliver a strong, well-rounded cast of characters that provides plenty of personalities that are easy to invest in, whether you’re rooting for them or against.

No, the writing isn’t perfect: the dialogue in particular can certainly feel a little clunky at times, from occasionally bland banter between the two leads to what has now become a common issue with writing in video games- a protagonist who has a weird habit of constantly talking out loud to herself. Even so, however, Sophia and those who join her largely remain a well written cast of characters.

"Shedding the stealth driven approach of Innocence and Requiem, Resonance instead takes a much more combat-centric approach."

Also central to the story is Sophia’s mysterious, inexplicable connection to Theseus, an ancient warrior who long ago attempted to brave the challenges and horrors of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur in an attempt to claim King Minos’ throne, and now keeps appearing to Sophia in visions and hallucinations as she makes her own way through those same trials.

Every now and then, players get to play as the mighty ancient warrior in sections set in the past; not only are these sections almost always a ton of fun to play, they also often bring impressive visual and narrative reveals. Experiencing the two intersecting stories and timelines remains one of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy’s biggest strengths from beginning to end.

Meanwhile, if you’re coming in as a fan of past instalments, another one of Resonance’s highlights is how its story connects to the series’ larger narrative- this is, after all, still a Plague Tale game, for all the many ways it differs from its predecessors. Though Sophia’s hunt for a secret of the Island of Minos is very separate from the story of Amicia and Hugo de Rune in the two previous Plague Tale games, as the game progresses, you learn more and more about how the central mystery is connected to the series’ overarching lore. That in particular is done quite well, and only serves to add to the game’s storytelling strengths. It’s especially fun to see how Resonance puts a Plague Tale twist on its take on mythology.

The game also deviates from the gameplay formula of its predecessor in significant ways, as previously mentioned. Shedding the stealth driven approach of Innocence and Requiem, Resonance instead takes a much more combat-centric approach.

"Combat is never too challenging, and you might not see anything here that you haven’t seen before in other parry-focused melee-based action games."

At its heart is a parry system that takes inspiration from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and the many pretenders it has spawned, with players tasked to finding openings in enemies’ stances and breaking their posture with sustained perfect parries to make them vulnerable to swift follow up attacks.

In addition to basic mechanics such as light and critical attacks, dodges, and parries, Sophia also has a roster of additional moves, from kicking enemies and pulling them with a grappling hook to unleashing a Theseus-inspired ultimate move and more.

In true Plague Tale fashion, Resonance’s core of gameplay mechanics always remains lean and focused and avoids bloat. That core, meanwhile, is slowly expanded throughout the experience with new variations, twists, and more, so that even with what seem like straightforward and simplistic mechanics on paper, the game ends up delivering an experience that never fails to keep things fresh, exciting, and varied from a gameplay perspective.

Combat is never too challenging, and you might not see anything here that you haven’t seen before in other parry-focused melee-based action games, but the execution of mechanics on display here deserves to be lauded. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy ensures that combat never gets repetitive, and always remains tight and enjoyable, with well thought-out combat scenarios, well-designed arenas, solidly executed mechanics, and decent enemy variety, among other things. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this the best-playing Plague Tale game so far- which, as those who’ve played past titles will tell you, is very high praise.

If there’s one combat-adjacent area of the game that doesn’t entirely stick the landing, it’s the progression mechanics. Resonance allows players to purchase ability upgrades and enhancements with Resonance Points accrued through exploration, while you can also equip one of a handful of different swords. That said, there’s not too much on offer on either front in terms of variety or flexibility.

The pool of upgrades available in the skill tree is limited and barebones, while the few swords that are on offer don’t differ from each other in terribly significant ways either. Some changes and unlocks are surely appreciable, but for the most part, the customization and progression mechanics on offer here feel half-baked and tacked-on.

"Resonance, then, feels like an Uncharted game set with a medieval fantasy twist."

Combat isn’t the be-all-and-end-all for Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy’s gameplay experience, however. Outside of combat, you’ll be spending a good bit out time exploring environments and solving puzzles. As far as exploration is concerned, much like its predecessors, Resonance delivers a rather linear experience. Every now and then, levels do slightly open up, offering branching pathways, optional areas, hidden secrets and more, but at all times, the game remains incredibly focused and tightly designed.

Coming to the puzzles, this is another area where the game shines- and heavily echoes a classic Uncharted experience. That in particular shouldn’t come as any surprise. After all, an engaging hunt is at the very heart of Resonance’s story, while the Plague Tale series has always echoed the single player narrative-driven strengths of Naughty Dog experiences from day one.

Resonance, then, feels like an Uncharted game set with a medieval fantasy twist. You’ll frequently encounter large scale mechanical contraptions that serve as elaborate puzzles. These light-based puzzles (in true Plague Tale fashion) are consistently well designed and impressively varied, and solving them in by surveying the environment and using Sophia’s Nathan Drake-esque journal always remains one of the game’s most fun aspects.

Another area where Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy heavily resembles the classic Uncharted experience is its set piece moments and platforming mechanics. Though ultimately simple and none-too-complex, Sophia’s moveset of jumps, grapples, slides, and sidles allows for some fun platforming sections, as well as a number of adrenaline-fueled high octane set piece moments. Throughout the lengths of its experience, Resonance keeps throwing players into tightly designed, cinematic, breathtaking sequences that break up the moment-to-moment gameplay loop in spectacular ways.

On a visuals and technical front, Resonance is another impressive outing for developer Asobo Studio. Just as it did with past Plague Tale titles, the developer once again uses its relatively limited means and resources as an independent studio to deliver a game that, in terms of its tech and its graphics, can stand toe to toe with some of the best that the industry’s AAA side has to offer. Sure, I was, every now and then, met with some audio glitches, wonky animations, and the like, but those instances were fairly rare, and by no means affected my overall experience in any meaningful way.

I’ve been a big fan of the Plague Tale series since day one, and have loved everything that it has done up to this point, so it gladdens me to say that Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, its third and most experimental outing yet, might also be its most enjoyable and compelling. With both its narrative and its gameplay, it impresses and delights consistently from beginning to end, even if it doesn’t break any new ground. At the same time, it also tries to set itself apart from its excellent predecessors by offering a very different kind of gameplay experience, and succeeds spectacularly, perhaps even to the point of outdoing said predecessors.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

We already know what the story’s about, but the idea that it raises the stakes high enough to make the results of every race you take on matter to you is definitely interesting. Even more intriguing is the promise of each car feeling unique enough to set it apart from everything else in your garage, and the concept of the handling being punishing enough to make getting things right feel really good.

Of course, the cars and the recreation of Monaco and the French Riviera you’ll be driving them in are a sight to behold, with visuals that bring the roads and everything else to life with the warm glow of sun-soaked lands, where winding paths lead you to new opportunities as you attempt to balance out the double lives you’re leading as the game’s dual leads.

The diary in its entirety is below if you want to take a look at it.

Of course, the dream begins with just one truck and a burning desire to build something that lasts. That’s easier said than done on roads where the sound of your own thoughts could suddenly be disrupted by natural disasters, unfolding situations, or views that are going to make you stop to take in the sights. Anything can happen when you’re on the road, and only the smartest truckers manage to make the most out of that unpredictability.

The game just dropped a new trailer to lock in a March 11, 2027, release date for the game, with visuals that make us feel like it’s too faraway for comfort at this point. It was still good to see some glossy paint jobs on our truck, and we’re quite curious to see just how far we can make our vehicles look like extensions of our personal tastes. That fleet is certainly going to stand out once we’re through with it.

We can’t wait to step into the driver’s seat in this one.