Home > Aw, Rats: A Plague Tale: Innocence - Cloud Version Review
A Plague Tale: Innocence is in many ways an experience that transcends culture. Set in France, but translated into many different languages, and featuring a story that anyone can latch onto, there is something in this heart-wrenching story to appeal to every gamer willing to stomach its sometimes dramatic presentation. Recently, it was released for Switch using technology that allows players all around the world to stream to their console with a tiny download. Given how new this system is, how does it hold up compared to other methods of playing the game?
Platforms: Switch [Reviewed], PS4, Xbox One, Steam
Developer: Asobo Studio
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
Release: May 14, 2019
MSRP: $24.99
Press Copy provided by Focus Home Interactive.
Starting with the game, A Plague Tale: Innocence is a pseudo-horror game but lacks many common horror tropes. There are few if any jump scares, but the game does manage to create an unearthly amount of tension using its unique presentation. Heartbeats that headphone users will hate, shaky voices that display true fear, and the slow crawl from colorful to gray create an atmospheric experience that is truly one-of-a-kind.
Characterizing this game is hard, but it ramps up quickly. There is a sudden, jarring shift from semi-historical medieval fantasy to an intense fight for survival in a world of unknowns. Even before this shift though, it is clear that something isn't right from the beginning.
The narrative and story are fantastic. Yet, they are also very bleak and a little hopeless. Stick it through though, and a dedicated player will not be lacking for emotional impact from this remarkably artful tale. I had the feeling all the way through the game that this was a game to be played to appreciate quality, but not necessarily for a super exciting experience. Take it slow, the game certainly encourages it.
The gameplay is primarily a stealth/exploration hybrid. You feel truly powerless at points, which is the feeling the game is trying to bring forth, and sneaking around is the perfect means to replicate that sort of visceral emotion. You have shockingly few tools at your disposal to do anything, again providing a sense of profound fear which serves to support the plot.
But, A Plague Tale: Innocence is an experience that is meant to be savored, so how well does the cloud version hold up under this lens of scrutiny?
The cloud version is shaky in its presentation of the original game. Although it is remarkably easy to set up and play, there are some issues. The frame rate skips a lot for a Switch game, and it is sometimes distracting to the overall experience. Also, the audio sometimes gets cut out, and there is a very small but noticeable input delay.
However, all of that pales in comparison to its biggest issue: the inconsistent resolution. While playing this game on a wired connection, the entire environment began to blend together as the resolution would change gradually based on the connection.
The world felt and looked muddy, and even when it was pristine, it didn’t look quite like the visual juggernaut of the base game. Considering the amount of darkness in A Plague Tale: Innocence, this alone would qualify this version as an inferior means of experiencing the game.
This variant of the game is easily carried onward by the quality of the original version, and despite the advantages of allowing for quick downloads, it definitely doesn't hold up well. Even so, taken as a whole, the game is remarkable because it is has a great story, excellent visuals, and provokes intense emotions in anyone. No port can ruin those things, despite how much this one may try.
Pros:
- Excellent visuals
- Amazing audio presentation
- Emotional story
- Tense gameplay
- Easy to start quickly because of the cloud functionality
Cons:
- Visually muddled
- Poor framerate
- Audio sometimes interrupted by breaks in connection
- Extremely dark visuals accentuate problems
Verdict:
Great
Great games are generally good buying decisions and are recommended for those with an interest in the genre. There might be a few flaws that detract from the gameplay, stories, controls, presentations, or value, but the game is still an enjoyable experience that justifies a full playthrough.
Want to know what this score means? Check out our Scoring Guidelines page.
About the Author:
Collin Westbrook
Collin Westbrook joined in 2010 to help with Zelda Castle, and has since rejoined the staff multiple times throughout Nintendo Castle's existence. He is a lover of strategy games, platformers, and everything Nintendo. Look out for him editing guides, writing articles, and helping the site in whatever way he can.
