Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy marks the series’ most significant reinvention yet. Rats are nowhere to be seen, and stealth no longer dominates every encounter. Instead, a pair of new protagonists bring intense swordplay and light RPG progression. Beneath the sweeping changes, however, is the same focus on environmental storytelling and light-based puzzles that defined its predecessors. Ahead of release, here are fifteen things you need to know.
Stealth No Longer the Main Focus
In Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, the series’ signature stealth mechanics take a backseat for combat, which has grown into a much bigger part of the experience compared to previous A Plague Tale games. That’s not to say stealth is gone entirely, but now you’re more likely to leap out of the shadows to tackle assailants with a dagger than sneak past them undetected.
Sophia Replaces Hugo and Amicia
Resonance switches up the protagonist too, with adventurer Sophia – whom you’ll know from A Plague Tale: Requiem – filling the shoes of Hugo and Amicia. What’s more, there is another new character in your command: Theseus – the Minotaur-slaying king of Athens Theseus, that is. At set narrative points, the game transports you back centuries to wield Theseus’ sword in Gladiatorial battle flashbacks. There’s a historical mystery tying these two protagonists together; one you’ll slowly unravel the deeper you trek into Minotaur’s Island.
Both Protagonists Bring Unique Combat Skills
Theseus’ segments are intense, with his aggressive close-quarters melee skills enabling him to dominate Coliseum arenas. Wielding a weighty sword in official gameplay footage, he breaks his opponents’ guard with strong parries and counters. His brutal style contrasts with Sophia, who is more methodical in her approach. She’s equally skilled with steel, bringing a pair of blades to the fray, yet her movement is more agile. From everything shown so far, she’s seen leaping onto enemies and launching flying kicks. Hands-on previewers note each character has a skill tree to pursue too, unlocking further abilities and manoeuvres – more on this later.
You’ll Block and Parry Alot
Whichever combatant you’re in command of, the flow of Resonance’s fighting appears skewed toward a defence-first mindset. In other words: you’ll be blocking, parrying, and dodging before you’re swinging your steel. Only once you’ve borne the brunt of your assailant’s attack does the opportunity for retaliation present itself, where satisfying counterattacks reward patience over careless aggression.
Combat Has Hidden Depth
Alongside sword-fighting, there is hidden depth in Resonance’s combat. Charged attacks, for instance, sees Theseus’ blade glow white before he deals a devastating strike. Then there are the aforementioned guard-breaking attacks, indicated by a stagger meter below an enemy’s head which fills with every successful parry. Sophia, also, is equipped with a grapple hook, which she uses to great effect dragging enemy soldiers down off their elevated perch into the dusty ground below.
The Grapple Hook Is Useful During Traversal
Sophia’s grapple hook, in fact, comes in handy during traversal too. In the official gameplay footage, we see her careen down ziplines, yank obstacles out of the way, and remove barriers. It’s a simple, perhaps expected addition, but one that should make moving through the environment feel more hands-on than simply strolling from point to point.
Extra Swords Can Be Collected
Throughout the campaign, you’ll stumble across a handful of swords, rewarding off the beaten path exploration. Each blade, too, augments combat with unique finishers and combo options, and in some cases can meaningfully shape your approach if combined with powerful area-of-effect attacks. See, switching Sophia’s primary blade’s length results in her executing a different finisher, which could be decisive in fights where she’s outnumbered.
Collectables Grant Passive Bonuses
As well as collecting swords, you’ll come across various detritus that can be collected and stored for passive bonuses. Trinkets, like the one we see Sophia collect from a chest during the gameplay reveal, decreases the chance she’ll succumb to a killer blow. Elsewhere, Arm Bands widen parry timing windows, Bracelets increase the chance a Critical Strike deals more damage, while Beads reduce the chance Sophia gets hit by an arrow. Seals and Pierced Coins round out the collectables, and what is clear is that these items foster a sense of buildcrafting beyond weapon choices and attribute upgrades.
Light RPG Systems Feature
We alluded to it earlier, but Resonance features light progression systems for both characters. By collecting Resonance Points through exploration and combat, you’ll have the currency to spend on new skills and abilities. Confirmed upgrades for Sophia include boosts to parrying and guard breaking, while a third specifically rewards aggressive finishers like critical strikes with energy absorption bonuses. For Theseus, you can expect upgrades to his area-of-effect attack, plus shield and sword charges.
Environmental Puzzles Return
While Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy places greater emphasis on melee combat than its predecessors, exploration and environmental puzzle-solving still remain core experiences. Once again, you’ll need to manipulate light sources to navigate the world and uncover the way forward. It’s a familiar mechanic, sure, but one that has been expanded with new tools – more on that next. All in all, the result preserves the thoughtful pace of earlier titles, where storytelling was embedded into the environmental puzzles themselves.
Sophia’s Mysterious Orb Serves Multiple Purposes
And that tool Sophia carries around is a mysterious sphere capable of manipulating light in several different ways. In some instances, it can be used to reflect beams of light to activate mechanisms or solve puzzles, while elsewhere it functions as a portable light source capable of illuminating dimly lit tombs. The official gameplay even suggests the two functions can be combined – we see Sophia illuminating otherwise invisible symbols before carefully redirecting light beams. It’s another example of Resonance building on A Plague Tale’s defining mechanics away from rats.
Sophia’s Journal Keeps Track of Important Clues
As you explore Minotaur’s Island and its forgotten crypts and tombs, Sophia will keep a record of your discoveries in her journal. So, rather than the game expecting you to memorise every ancient rune, mural, or environmental clue, she documents important iconography and sketches for future reference. It’s a straightforward quality of life addition disguised as a visceral mechanic, but either way it should make the game’s suite of puzzles feel more intuitive.
Companions Can Give Optional Clues
We know from the gameplay footage that Sophia has a companion by her side for at least a portion of her journey. Leni, however, isn’t just there to lend a hand during combat encounters but she can offer puzzle assistance – but only if you choose. Taken together with Sophia’s note taking, we could surmise that Resonance’s puzzles are set to be tougher than the typical action-adventure. Either way, companion assistance being optional is a welcome addition which eschews the usual pitfall of having everything spelled out for you before you’ve worked it out.
Combat Animations Are a Noted Concern
Now, this one is subjective, but gameplay footage indicates that there’s a certain, shall we say, unnatural poise to both Sophia and Theseus’ defensive moveset. Plainly, they appear to be able to change direction to deflect attacks near-instantaneously, and it’s a quirk that’s been noted by community commenters. Now, it’s important to hedge this concern with the build showcased in the footage isn’t the version that is set for release. We’ll have to wait and see if this concern bears weight when the game launches.
Release Date, Platforms, Price, and Pre-Order Bonus
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is set to launch on August 27th, with PS5, Series X|S, and PC via both Steam and the Epic Games Store the confirmed platforms. The title will be enhanced for PS5 Pro, and will be available day one on Game Pass. If you pre-order the game you’ll receive the “Heritage Pack” DLC, which includes a cosmetically decorated sword, an equipable accessory, and a digital artbook.
