It is always interesting to see how some genres become more prevalent each year. Some years, we have a resurgence of roguelikes, others of souslikes, and so on. However, it seems 2026 is the year of action-adventure titles, and one of the best might be on its way. After playing a couple of hours of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, I’m convinced that Asobo Studio has taken the best approach to the franchise and is cooking up one of the most promising action-adventure experiences of the year that any gamer will enjoy.
Visceral Combat and Intriguing Puzzles
I had the opportunity to preview Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy and play two of its chapters, which dropped me some hours into the game as Sophia, whom many who played Requiem will recognize, alongside her friend Leni. Both of them arrive at Minotaur Island to complete trials that might lead to ending a mysterious curse, as well as shining some light on Sophia’s past. Of course, it is easier said than done because there’s an army chasing her, led by none other than Sophia’s adoptive father.
Since the preview was short, I can’t judge the overarching narrative yet, as there were some missing details given how far I was dropped into the game, but I really liked the characters and the setting it presented. I already liked Sophia in Requiem, so seeing her in the protagonist role was a treat.
Still, what really caught my attention was how well Asobo Studio translated it all into an action-adventure environment, which has the linearity of the genre, but also several unexplored paths for players to take.
In the first chapter I played, Sophia’s task is to reach the center of the island by gathering symbols in some trials. You start by making your way to where you need to put the symbols and face a few enemies on the way. Now, when it comes to combat, it is as visceral as one can expect from the Plague Tale series. However, it places a lot of emphasis on precise striking and parrying.
Sophia can execute her normal attack combo as well as a critical hit by holding down the attack button for more damage. Yet, it isn’t just spamming hits and blocking blows. She also has a skill tree that I was able to delve into for a bit to unlock a charged kick and even the ability to throw enemies away after dodging.
What made the combat stand out even more was the enemy variety. There was a healthy amount of enemy units in the preview, ranging from your normal ones with weak sword hits to ones that use a shield and need a good old kick to pass their defenses, and even a few pesky archers.
Sophia also has her equipment, which provides passive bonuses to some of the actions you perform in the game. Beads give you a chance to avoid arrows, while swords have different effects depending on the one you equip. It was a pleasant surprise to see so many options that I’m sure will get even better once the full game is out.
The second part, and one that I liked just as much, was exploration with puzzle solving. As I mentioned, the game has the genre’s linear aspects, but it gives a lot of player agency for you to choose how to tackle certain things. For instance, after reaching the area where you need to open the door, you have to look for four symbols. How you tackle them is up to you.
The first puzzle I encountered had me jumping through platforms in a specific order. The second one took me longer to solve, as I had to shine colored light beams on some medallions in order to uncover the symbols. The truth is that all of these puzzles provided a challenge, and while I’m a stubborn gamer who doesn’t like hints, the system will also help you solve these brain teasers by giving you clues, so you can go back to the story quickly.
All of the above happened in one chapter, but the second one, which I don’t want to spoil much, really made my jaw drop, as I was not expecting what happened in there. In short, and without spilling a lot of details, it had me hiding from certain dangers behind some environments, with some light platforming and jumping sections in between, which I really liked. Also, it dropped some interesting narrative beats and mysteries that I can’t wait to uncover once it releases.
Cooking Up a Proper Action-Adventure Experience
Overall, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy looks like a promising action-adventure experience that is truly an evolution of the series. I couldn’t help but feel sad when the preview ended because its story, characters, setting, and gameplay really hooked me. The silver lining is that the release date isn’t too far away, so I’ll finally get to see why Sophia landed on this island and what will happen after reaching the depths of this dangerous place. Still, what really excites me is that the genre is seeing a resurgence this year, bringing back single-player, narrative-driven experiences. Ultimately, I’m glad Asobo Studio is behind this installment, as it could deliver yet another classic title that everyone will want to play.
