Developer interview: Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy (Gamescom)

With Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, Asobo Studio has taken its A Plague Tale universe in a noticeably different direction. The new game shifts the focus to Sophia and takes place years before the events of A Plague Tale: Requiem, introducing a more action-driven structure built around combat, exploration, puzzles and Greek mythology. Ahead of release, we spoke with lead writer Carol-Ann Bañuls and lead level designer Valérian Robert at Gamescom about the thinking behind the change, the importance of preserving the series’ identity and the challenge of combining new gameplay systems with the emotional storytelling that has become one of Asobo’s trademarks.

According to Bañuls, the starting point for Resonance was the desire to give players a genuinely new experience rather than simply repeat the formula of Innocence and Requiem. The team wanted to retain what makes A Plague Tale recognisable while changing the gameplay mechanics and making the new entry accessible as a standalone experience. Robert explained that the opportunity to explore new mechanics, particularly combat, made Sophia a natural fit for this new direction. The challenge was therefore not whether the franchise should change, but how far it could change without losing the narrative and emotional DNA that had defined the previous games.

That emotional identity remains particularly important in the way Resonance approaches Sophia. Loss continues to be one of the recurring themes in the series, but Bañuls explained that Sophia experiences vulnerability very differently from Amicia and Hugo. Where the earlier protagonists were more openly vulnerable in the face of overwhelming circumstances, Sophia is someone who struggles to relinquish control or reveal her weaknesses. Her journey therefore explores similar emotional territory from a different perspective, with a protagonist whose strength and independence become part of the story rather than simply defining her as an action hero.

The conversation also highlighted how closely the different departments at Asobo work together. Bañuls and Robert described an environment in which writing, game design, level design and visual storytelling constantly overlap, with the player experience acting as the central goal. Rather than developing the narrative and gameplay separately and attempting to connect them afterwards, the team tries to consider from the beginning how story can be communicated through levels and mechanics. That collaboration extends to the visual side as well, with the art and technical art teams helping to create Resonance’s interpretation of an ancient civilisation inspired by both history and myth.

Finally, the team discussed the audiovisual side of the production, another area in which the series has consistently stood out. Bañuls explained that the game’s cinematics were brought to life through motion-capture sessions, with her involvement extending to directing the actors during those performances. The experience gained from the earlier games has also helped Asobo refine the expressive character work and close-up cinematics that have become such an important part of the series’ storytelling. For Robert, Resonance ultimately represented a balancing act: introducing a new protagonist and a broader range of gameplay mechanics while still delivering the strong narrative and emotional impact that players associate with A Plague Tale. Based on what the team has achieved, that balance was clearly at the heart of Resonance’s development.