A Plague Tale: Requiem

A fitting sequel that is even more beautiful than part 1. There are huge, stunningly gorgeous areas to explore, brimming with detail and directorial nuance. There is a surprisingly long and evolving story with more depth added to character development and relationships. And it gets quite extreme. For example, Amicia's PTSD is now fully formed, and it's a brutal and visceral experience. And, then, the horror can get very surreal indeed.

Unfortunately, there have been no real changes to the mediocre core gameplay: it's just somewhat frustrating stealth and a bit of combat, though I should note that a new system has been introduced that is immersive and wickedly fun to use. You can control the rats! Of course it's used sparingly. Still, as with A Plague Tale: Innocence I am left wondering why we even need all this action. I have would enjoyed the games just as much, if not more, if they were straightforward exploration/puzzle adventures, or even "walking sims". Requiem is at its best when it just lets you wander around a lovely locale at your own pace, basking in the views, and listening in on everyday conversations.

It looks so good. We finally get HDR here and it's done well and adds a lot to the beauty of the sun-kissed southern French countryside. A small concern is that the bump in environmental realism highlights flaws with people and especially faces. Animations are sometimes wonky.

My criticisms seem so insignificant when the game is considered as a whole. At many moments I felt in the presence of a monumental achievement by many artists working passionately together. While never quite transcending its own artifice, this is a great and memorable game. Play part 1 first (it's very good!) and then prepare to be wowed by this one.