With the release of A Plague Tale: Requiem Whether you’re familiar with the sequel or new to the series, you’ll naturally be wondering what technology is in store for this new installment on October 18th. Luckily for our impatient, plague-ready fighting spirit, Asobo Studio’s Nicolas Bécavin accepted our invitation to speak on the subject and share some of his lead engine programmer’s insights into the game!
Xbox Series X|S are the only Xbox consoles requiem will be published on. What is the reason for this choice?
We made this decision early in the process as we had a shared vision requiem; We wanted to create a next step in the adventure, a 2.0 experience, not just a recreation of the first game. So we quickly came to the conclusion that in order to take full advantage of the new generation, we needed to break free from the limitations of the old generation. The scope of the game has steadily increased in this way, with more content and better life expectancy, as well as improved game-specific features like the rats and environment, resulting in a much bigger game with a fresh feel.
All eyes are on the rats! We saw an amazing number of them in the extended gameplay trailer. Can you tell us more about this new generation of monstrous pests?
Rats are the focus A plague story, the horror of the game revolves around them, and we wanted to multiply that. The first big visual impression is the number of rats that appear on the screen. It has been increased from 5,000 to 300,000. We also reworked the aspect of the swarms they form; instead of creating vortices as in innocence, their movement will appear as a giant wave, something like a tsunami of rats. Many sequences were pre-calculated to best control this effect. They have also become more intelligent, they move in a more environmentally conscious manner and are better at avoiding light. We owe a lot to our own in-house engine that we have developed alongside our various projects, as it allows us to focus on such specific functions without having to rely on an external team.
What about character animation, how has your motion capture technique evolved?
requiem introduces full motion capture to A Plague Tale. innocence already used body motion capture; We now have facial motion capture at the top. A Plague Tale is a deeply moving story about the cruelty of the world and it is so meaningful that an actress puts a human face on Amicia and communicates the many emotions she is subjected to throughout the game. So we’re really excited to bring this new level of emotion to the game.
Will there be other important visual improvements?
The new generation allows for a much more immersive and dynamic visual environment. This includes an improved draw length that contributes to the sense of openness that characterizes them requiem from its prequel. Thanks to the power of the GPU, there will also be many additional details, from improved lighting to more detailed textures. So you can look forward to a far more vivid experience of the world of A Plague Tale!
Thanks to Nicolas Bécavin for taking the time to answer our questions! A Plague Tale: Requiem Coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC on October 18th. The game will also be available on day one with Xbox Game Pass for Console, PC and Cloud Gaming (Beta).
A Plague Tale: Requiem (pre-order)
focus entertainment
$59.99
Pre-order A Plague Tale: Requiem to get the Protector Pack DLC! Get on the right track in the next chapter of Amicia and Hugo’s journey, with an exclusive crossbow skin, additional cosmetics for Amicia, and bonus crafting materials. Far above the sea, an island is calling… Embark on a heartbreaking journey into a brutal, breathtaking world twisted by supernatural forces. After fleeing their devastated homeland, Amicia and Hugo travel far south to new regions and vibrant cities. There they try to start a new life and control Hugo’s curse. But when Hugo’s powers reawaken, death and destruction return in a barrage of devouring rats. Forced to flee again, the siblings pin their hopes on a prophesied island that may hold the key to Hugo’s rescue. Discover the cost of saving your loved ones in a desperate struggle for survival. Strike from the shadows or unleash hell, defeating enemies and challenges with a variety of weapons, tools, and otherworldly powers. ● Sequel to the award-winning adventure A Plague Tale: Innocence ● A spectacular story twisted by supernatural forces ● Use a variety of tools, sneak, fight or unleash hell and rats ● Stunning graphics combined with an immersive score
