#50
Change YoY: -2 My Rating: 8.9 / 10
A wonderful example of a studio using limited resources to create an audiovisually gorgeous game that at times looks almost as good as big budget AAA games. Much of this is thanks to the art design that brings forth imagery that is often beautiful and gruesome in equal measure. In addition, A Plague Tale: Innocence was one of the biggest positive surprises I've had in recent years when it comes to video games. I was expecting to get a solid action-adventure, but what I got instead was among the most impactful video game experiences I've had.
The true power of the game comes from a combination of things, from its well told story and interesting characters, to the sense of threat and tension that permeates much of the runtime. However, perhaps the true star is the setting that comes to life in a very violent manner. I also like the thing I like to call guided stealth, where the stealth sections are very tightly scripted so as to make the player's escapes as close as possible. The gameplay is overall on the simple side, but it all serves the story and atmosphere, so I can't really complain.
Overall, A Plague Tale: Innocence is a genuinely excellent game. I have a feeling that this time next year it won't be on my list for any longer, though as I'm considering giving it a replay in the near future, it could just as well be higher on it instead. Still need to get to the sequel at some point though.
