Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy has found a new way to continue the story left in Requiem. After a bittersweet goodbye, there was still a story left to tell, and choosing Sophia as a protagonist to take the series in a new direction was a great idea. Set 15 years before the events of Innocence, Asobo Studio has managed to focus on a more combat-heavy approach without losing the essence of why people fell in love with the series. It’s a bold move, but one that pays off the more you explore and the more you fight.
After tragedy strikes Sophia’s home, she sets off on a voyage to an ancient Minoan island to uncover the secrets her father was driven to find. There are tons of puzzles to solve and consistently exciting and brutal enemy encounters. Sophia is a skilled warrior who continues to grow in strength the deeper she dives into the mysteries on the Greek island. It took me a while to appreciate the combat, just because it was surprisingly fast and at times unforgiving, but I soon revelled in the chance to take out a bunch of soldiers.
Sophia is able to build up a series of strikes with her blade. She can also hold the attack button to land powerful hits. Some soldiers have a defensive stance that can be broken by a powerful kick. Once you work out how enemies attack, there’s a satisfying flow to taking out the various soldiers you encounter. Parrying is a big part of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy. Each enemy’s guard can be broken, allowing Sophia to land a barrage of successful strikes and finishing with a brutal hit that never fails to feel good.
Archers can be disabled with your hook. Soldiers can be took out from above off a nearby ledge. Some soldiers are hulking menaces with spears while others are quick, brandishing dual daggers. Each encounter is different, and learning attack patterns and ways to take them out keeps combat feeling engaging. As you collect Resonance Points through discovery and successful wins, Sophia can learn new skills, becoming more powerful with every upgrade. I found them quite hard to come by early on, but they were flooding into my hands later on.
A big part of the story is how Sophia has visions of ancient times and specifically, Theseus. Who they are is a mystery at first, but they have a power that you unlock which allows you to unleash a powerful attack. On top of these intense fights, there’s a fluidity of movement as Sophia uses her hook to climb walls and swing across gaps. Occasionally, I would mistime a jump despite feeling like I nailed it. Movement is quick, and more often than not responsive, but there’s a little awkwardness to movement, especially later on when things get more intense.
One of the coolest aspects of Resonance is the creature lurking in the depths of the island. I’m not entirely sure just how much has been revealed, so I’ll try not to spoil anything. As you journey across the island, a huge, black, snake-like creature will chase you and try to kill. At times you’ll have to sneak around without being seen. Other times you’ll have to run for your life jumping and swinging, doing whatever you can not to become a victim. These encounters are thrilling, all coming to a head in the epic finale that was so beautifully written and acted.
A big part of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is the puzzles. The island is filled with them, and they revolve around using sphere that harnesses light in different ways. Sophia may need to use the light to reveal hidden patterns or clues; another use of the sphere comes in the form of a red, green, and blue light emanating from it which can be used to open doors by hitting the corresponding coloured panels. There’s another type of light that can be used, but it unlocks later on and due to story elements, I’ll let you uncover it for yourself.
Some of these puzzles are straightforward, while some aren’t as clear as they should be. Whenever it takes time for me to solve something in a game, I’m often annoyed once solving because it’s normally obvious. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy leans more towards this in terms of my success, however, at times some puzzles weren’t as clear as they could be. Sophia also utilises a book with plenty of clues in it, and it can be accessed most of the time. Pressing up on the D-pad also reveals hints, although they’re not exactly helpful and more pointing out the obvious.
What struck me with Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy was its story. I was captivated by the twists and turns; the emotional impact of certain decisions; the way it delves into the mythology of the island and of Theseus; the friendships and fallout; but most importantly Sophia’s growth as a character. Players don’t need to have played the previous games, but it helps to understand some reveals. Also, knowing what the siblings from Innocence and Requiem went through helps to understand the stakes and emotional impact towards the end.
The island is gorgeous. Not just because of the detail in its architecture of the gorgeous island setting, but in the way hulking statues loom above you and the way light is used. In an effort to make you see more of the island, there are various trinkets which can be found that offer minor buffs, artefacts that offer clues about the island, and new weapons that also give Sophia an attacking edge in a fight. Some of these weapons can be entirely missed, as can the trinkets and artefacts, meaning it’s always a good idea to explore.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is an exciting entry into the story, choosing to look back rather than see where the future lies. Sophia is a likeable character and an absolute bad ass, and her journey from a second thought by her peers to a pirate captain unravels through a well-written story and great acting. Combat is consistently fun, and most puzzles are straightforward enough. However, it’s story finds its way to keep you playing without keeping an eye on the clock, with a soundtrack that perfectly compliments its emotional weight.
