A Plague Tale: Requiem

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 10,972 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
A Plague Tale: Requiem Game Cover
A Plague Tale: Requiem is a massive step up from 2019’s A Plague Tale: Innocence in every possible way! Expanding the world and characters without losing its heart.
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"A Plague Tale: Requiem" is the sequel to the critically acclaimed "A Plague Tale: Innocence." Players control Amicia and Hugo, siblings on the run from the Inquisition and hordes of rats, using stealth and crafting to survive while unraveling a mysterious plot. Set in a dark, atmospheric medieval world, players must solve puzzles, navigate treacherous environments, and make difficult choices that will impact the siblings' relationship and survival.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 10,972 reviews
story3,832 positive mentions
optimization175 negative mentions
  • story7,858 mentions

    The story of "A Plague Tale: Requiem" is widely praised for its emotional depth and character development, continuing the harrowing journey of siblings Amicia and Hugo as they navigate a plague-ridden world. Many players found the narrative gripping and heart-wrenching, with themes of love, sacrifice, and resilience resonating throughout the game. However, some critiques highlight pacing issues and a sense of predictability in the plot, suggesting that while the story is compelling, it occasionally feels drawn out or less cohesive compared to its predecessor, "Innocence." Overall, the storytelling is considered one of the game's strongest elements, making it a must-play for fans of narrative-driven experiences.

    • “A rollercoaster of misery, hope that gets ripped out of your hands, horrific visuals, gut-wrenching plot twists, and in the middle a young girl's desperate struggle to save her younger brother from all but assured doom.”
    • “A Plague Tale: Requiem is a true masterpiece that stands out for its breathtaking atmosphere and storytelling.”
    • “The game weaves a deeply emotional story that explores love, sacrifice, and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.”
    • “Beautiful environments and music, but the story is all over the place and lacks the consistency that made Plague Tale: Innocence so much better.”
    • “The story is trying to be more grand and the stakes higher, but it's pretty much the same game, only longer.”
    • “The story feels all over the place, and can't seem to decide what it wants you to take from it, and don't get me started on the cut scenes.”
  • gameplay2,902 mentions

    The gameplay in "A Plague Tale: Requiem" builds upon its predecessor, offering a mix of stealth, puzzle-solving, and combat mechanics that are generally well-received, though some players find it repetitive and occasionally frustrating. While the introduction of new tools like the crossbow adds depth and variety, many reviews note that the core gameplay loop remains similar to the first game, leading to moments of tedium, especially in the latter chapters. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging story and stunning visuals, with gameplay serving as a solid but not groundbreaking complement to the narrative experience.

    • “The gameplay is engaging, the story is rich, and the characters are compelling.”
    • “With enhanced visuals, a more expansive world, and refined stealth gameplay, Requiem builds on the strengths of its predecessor.”
    • “The gameplay, while more varied than its predecessor, sometimes feels repetitive, which can detract from my overall enjoyment.”
    • “The gameplay can be a bit confusing in some scenes where it's not always clear what you are supposed to do to get past the current rat obstacle; in most cases, you can wing it with one of your tools, but there are some scenes that require a specific solution, and it can be a bit frustrating if you don't pay close attention to the environment.”
    • “Now let's talk about another most frustrating part: gameplay. In this game, you can just use a crossbow and knives (really hard to find) to kill armored head enemies.”
    • “The start of the story is quite good and feels like the emotion and feeling from the first game grabs you right back again, but midway through the story, it falls a bit flat, and together with the gameplay, you start to feel like you've experienced this already so many times that it gets a bit tedious.”
  • graphics2,779 mentions

    The graphics in "A Plague Tale: Requiem" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning detail and immersive environments, often described as breathtaking and top-tier. Many players noted the game's ability to create a haunting atmosphere through masterful use of light and shadow, although some experienced performance issues and optimization challenges on lower-end hardware. Overall, the visuals are considered a significant step up from its predecessor, contributing to a deeply engaging narrative experience.

    • “The graphics are absolutely top-tier, with stunning detail that brings every scene to life, making you feel fully immersed in the dark, medieval world of the game.”
    • “The visuals are spectacular, with meticulously detailed environments and masterful use of light and shadow, creating an immersive and haunting atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics are simply breathtaking, drawing me into a world that feels both haunting and beautiful.”
    • “This game crashed frequently, and I encountered many instances of graphic bugs.”
    • “Bugs such as flickering, sudden transient polygonal model distortions, frequent fps drops with stutters, and graphical artifacts.”
    • “While the graphics are truly jaw-dropping, the intolerable technical bugs and fundamentally broken shader caching won't let you play the game.”
  • emotional1,508 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "A Plague Tale: Requiem" is widely praised, with many players describing it as a deeply moving and heart-wrenching experience. The game effectively explores themes of love, sacrifice, and resilience through the poignant relationship between siblings Amicia and Hugo, often leading players to tears with its impactful storytelling and emotional depth. The combination of stunning visuals, haunting music, and exceptional voice acting further enhances the emotional weight of the narrative, making it a memorable journey that resonates long after the game ends.

    • “Deeply emotional, it builds incredible relationships between the characters, especially between Amicia and the adorable Hugo.”
    • “The game weaves a deeply emotional story that explores love, sacrifice, and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.”
    • “All I can say after Requiem is wow, what an emotional journey.”
    • “Beautiful and very, very boring: boring story, boring characters.”
  • music1,207 mentions

    The music in "A Plague Tale: Requiem" has been widely praised for its haunting beauty and emotional depth, significantly enhancing the game's narrative and atmosphere. Many reviewers highlighted the exceptional soundtrack composed by Olivier Deriviere, noting its ability to evoke strong feelings and complement the gameplay seamlessly. While some felt it didn't quite reach the heights of the first game's score, the overall consensus is that the music is a standout feature, contributing to an immersive and memorable experience.

    • “The music is another standout aspect, enhancing the emotional weight of each scene in the most magical way.”
    • “The soundtrack pulls you into the experience, adding layers of intensity and making every moment feel even more powerful.”
    • “The sound design and musical score are hauntingly beautiful, enhancing the game's emotional impact, while the voice acting is superb, bringing the characters' struggles to life.”
    • “You will probably get sick of hearing the same death scream over and over, and repeating boring sections with super tense music which whilst is very good quality, it gets fatiguing after hours of this without relief.”
    • “Soundtrack wasn't as captivating as in the first game, but this one was still more than a good medieval soundtrack fitting the gameplay well, so still way on the positive side.”
    • “The music was also a bit of a miss.”
  • optimization741 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering and frame drops, even on high-end systems. While the graphics are praised for their beauty, the overall performance is often described as lacking, leading to a frustrating experience for some users. Despite recent patches aimed at improving performance, many still feel that the game requires further optimization to run smoothly across various hardware configurations.

    • “Need to work on optimizing stutters and performance as even RTX 3080 is struggling at 1440p medium-high settings to even get stable 60fps.”
    • “The graphics are also very good, especially now that this game supports HDR. It could be optimized a little better, because it did put my RTX-4080 to the test at 4k60, but a few tweaks and it was alright.”
    • “Despite its performance issues, the game is a triumph that showcases the talent and skill of its developers.”
    • “I thought I've seen some poorly optimized games, but this is a new low.”
    • “The worst optimized game I've ever played, I just got a RTX 3070 and it still makes my GPU wet the bed, it makes the game completely unplayable.”
    • “Absolutely disgusting level of optimization.”
  • atmosphere406 mentions

    The atmosphere in "A Plague Tale: Requiem" is widely praised for its breathtaking visuals, immersive sound design, and emotional depth, effectively capturing the dark and tragic essence of medieval France. Reviewers highlight the game's meticulous attention to detail, with stunning environments and a haunting soundtrack that enhance the storytelling experience. While some note pacing issues and a linear structure, the overall atmosphere is described as gripping, evocative, and a significant improvement over its predecessor, making it a must-play for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “The visuals are spectacular, with meticulously detailed environments and masterful use of light and shadow, creating an immersive and haunting atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is heavy with sorrow, each scene meticulously crafted to evoke a sense of dread and sadness.”
    • “A masterclass in narrative game design, A Plague Tale: Requiem is one of the most atmospheric and beautiful games you could ever wish to play.”
    • “The generally creepy psychotic horror-themed atmosphere throughout, the desperately sad storyline, or the horrifically long dragging boss/battle fights... not sure what was worse.”
    • “The game's atmosphere is heavy with sorrow, each scene meticulously crafted to evoke a sense of dread and sadness.”
    • “The presence of rats everywhere might appear peculiar or even off-putting at first glance, but it quickly becomes apparent that they play a crucial role in shaping the game's atmosphere and driving the story forward.”
  • character development168 mentions

    Character development in "A Plague Tale: Requiem" is a prominent aspect, with many reviewers praising the emotional depth and growth of protagonists Amicia and Hugo as they navigate their traumatic pasts. While some critiques mention inconsistencies and forced elements in character arcs, the overall narrative is lauded for its rich storytelling and well-crafted dialogue that enhances player investment in the characters. The game successfully builds on its predecessor, offering a compelling exploration of relationships and moral dilemmas, though some characters could benefit from more development.

    • “This game not only deepens the character development, with Amicia and Hugo showing the lingering effects of the past game, but it also offers a more raw and emotionally resonant experience.”
    • “Character development is another strong point, with Amicia and Hugo showing significant growth and facing moral dilemmas that affect the player.”
    • “The character development that Amicia and Hugo go through was very compelling to watch.”
    • “Character development compared to the first game is very poor.”
    • “Terrible character introductions (I literally didn't know who a certain character was when they appeared and suddenly were in my party, even though Amicia and Hugo did) and even worse character development (a character you meet for the first time basically becomes your lifelong loyal guardian after introducing themselves, no questions asked).”
    • “Amicia's character development feels forced—she goes from wanting to protect her brother to becoming a ruthless killer too quickly.”
  • stability138 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent glitches, freezes, and crashes that disrupt gameplay and immersion. While some users experienced a smooth and enjoyable experience, others faced significant issues requiring restarts and system reboots. Overall, the game appears to be plagued by bugs, particularly during asset loading and in certain gameplay mechanics, leading to a generally unstable experience for many players.

    • “There were no glitches, no AI issues, no game crashes; the game ran smoothly on my meager 1070 Ti with no fault whatsoever on the first day.”
    • “The game is very stable - no glitches - no crashes.”
    • “The game played well, with no glitches.”
    • “Every once in a while the game just freezes, apparently when loading some particular assets.”
    • “The game is extremely buggy.”
    • “To add to this, this game is an unoptimized mess (runs badly on a GTX 1080 on low settings) and buggy (I softlocked myself so many times, skipped cutscenes by walking on the wrong side of the level).”
  • grinding135 mentions

    The reviews consistently highlight that the gameplay in this title suffers from significant grinding, particularly in the form of tedious combat and repetitive mechanics. Players often find the stealth sections and combat encounters to be frustratingly slow and monotonous, leading to a sense of fatigue as the game progresses. While the narrative and world-building are praised, many feel that the overall experience is marred by these tedious elements, making it a chore to complete.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “I find the gameplay extremely tedious...it's becoming a chore.”
    • “Every single combat sequence is tedious and frustrating, and the game shoves tons of combat down your throat.”
    • “Somewhere in the middle, the story starts to drag, the encounters begin to feel very same-y, and the combat-heavy final act is a tedious slog.”
  • replayability71 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players finding it limited due to its linear narrative and lack of diverse gameplay options, while others appreciate the potential for multiple playthroughs, especially for achievement hunters. Overall, many reviews suggest that while there are some elements that could encourage replay, such as improved mechanics and upgrades, the experience may feel more like a one-time adventure for most players.

    • “This game improved graphics, game mechanics, combat, replayability, and basically any other improvements you can ask for in a sequel.”
    • “Over all, the game to me has tons of replayability. I replayed A Plague Tale: Innocence four times on PC and twice on Xbox One because of how much I enjoyed it, and I can see myself doing the same with Requiem.”
    • “There are several ways to approach almost every stealth section of the game, providing a lot of replayability if you enjoy getting all of the achievements like I do.”
    • “Get it on sale, but don't expect anything replayable.”
    • “It has zero replayability.”
    • “This is bad enough on an initial play-through, but it must absolutely *kill* replayability.”
  • humor36 mentions

    The humor in "A Plague Tale: Requiem" is described as a rollercoaster of emotions, balancing moments of laughter with intense and emotional scenes. While some players found the voice acting to be overly dramatic and cringy at times, others appreciated the comedic relief amidst the darker themes. Overall, the game delivers a mix of funny moments and absurdities, though some critiques mention that certain character comments detract from the emotional impact.

    • “Prepare to laugh your tail off and squeal with delight because A Plague Tale: Requiem is a hilarious rat-packed extravaganza!”
    • “The intensity is well balanced with tenderness and humor.”
    • “A game that was wonderfully written and voiced; I was laughing like a madman one moment and sobbing like a baby the next.”
    • “Sophia's unfunny or instructive comments annoyed me from the very first moment and ruined a lot of emotional moments between Hugo and Amicia for me.”
  • monetization16 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some users expressing concern over the prevalence of microtransactions and in-game purchases that detract from the gaming experience. While many appreciate the heartfelt effort of the developers, there is a sentiment that the game may still be perceived as a cash grab, especially in a market increasingly dominated by multiplayer games with aggressive monetization strategies. Overall, players are hopeful for a future installment that prioritizes quality over profit.

    • “[i] Microtransactions - in-game purchases.”
    • “It's even difficult these days to get a great high-quality single-player game in this modern era since most video game companies have been making those trash multiplayer online games with microtransactions and loot boxes.”
    • “In this day and age where so many game studios sell out and destroy their franchises with in-game purchases and loot boxes, I'm scared to let myself hope that Asobo Studio will make a third game - Plague Tale or not.”
    • “It's even difficult these days to get great high-quality single-player games since most video game companies have been making those trash multiplayer online games with microtransactions and loot boxes.”
    • “This game is a quick cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

84% average critic score

Buy A Plague Tale: Requiem

Play time

19hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
17hMain story
27hCompletionist
14-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 28 analyzed playthroughs

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