A Plague Tale:
Innocence Review

A Plague Tale: Innocence (2019) follows Amicia and her little brother Hugo as they use stealth to escape soldiers and swarms of rats. Against the stark threat and darkness of the world, the sibling relationship develops as the two learn to trust one another. This plight of the innocent is extended as the pair call on other children to help them on their way.

Play involves working through the world while keeping both siblings safe. You work individually and together to solve puzzles, fight enemies and find ways forward. You must carefully search for materials and resources to enhance your abilities and make the later levels easier.

Fights are quite tough and involve targeting enemies multiple times. The auto-aim can help this, but it is still a challenge for newer players. You also flee from the infestations of rats, using light for different sources as a means of safety which leads to more complex puzzles.

The result is a game with surprisingly convincing chemistry between the children, and a compelling story to discover as you interact with the world and inhabitants you find. The unique game-play with the siblings combines with survival elements from other games like The Last of Us to create a compelling experience for older teenagers.

On PlayStation 5 the game has improved visuals and makes extensive (and nuanced) use of the haptic feedback vibrations. Most successful is feeling the movement of the younger brother's hand fed through the right trigger when you grab it to run.

Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked A Plague Tale: Innocence 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Ben Kendall and updated 7 months ago.