Rats and plague: New game convincingly re-creates the Middle Ages

The plague is rampant, and the Inquisition is persecuting people: A Plague Tale: Innocence is not a particularly light-hearted video game. — Focus Home Interactive/dpa

A Plague Tale: Innocence takes place in Paris in 1349 and convincingly re-creates the Middle Ages, including a rampant plague and multitudes of rats.

The main characters are the orphans Amicia and Hugo. They are persecuted by the Inquisition and pursued through a dark and dangerous world. Their only weapons are a slingshot and their wits.

That's not much, considering that on every corner, danger lurks, not least in the form of rats. The two join other persecuted orphans and together they develop survival strategies using the simplest means, such as light and fire.

Players control the fortunes of 14-year-old Amicia as she cares for her 5-year-old brother, who suffers from a mysterious illness. She was trained to hunt by her father, a skill that becomes useful.

There are also plenty of demanding puzzles and tasks.

The gameplay is enthralling and challenging, the visual and acoustic design creates a dense atmosphere and the scare factor is high.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is available for the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One and PCs, and costs around US$45 (RM187). It's suitable for players aged 16 and older. – dpa