"Resonance" Pre-orders Are Now Open! Is the Prequel Still Worth It with a New Protagonist?

Compared with A Plague Tale: Requiem, the most noteworthy thing about Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy this time is not the visual upgrade, but the possible shift in the series’ overall tone. Amazon has already opened pre-orders for the physical edition at $59.99, roughly equivalent to RMB 409. That price is not outrageous for physical console releases in Europe and the US; but once converted into RMB, it is not exactly light for players who just want to give it a try.

This title is positioned as the official prequel to the A Plague Tale series, set 15 years before Requiem. Compared with the disaster-driven narrative of Amicia and Hugo, the new protagonist Sophia is a young, brave, and combative raider. During her escape, players will arrive at the mysterious “Minotaur Island,” where they will investigate ancient legends while also pursuing the mystery of her own origins. This framework feels more like a shift from a medieval fugitive drama to a myth-infused isolated island adventure.

If we compare it with previous entries in the series, the biggest question is whether the “rat plague tide” will still remain at the core. Reports suggest that this game may not feature the iconic rat plague swarms that made its predecessors famous, and that could have a significant impact on longtime players. After all, much of A Plague Tale’s identity comes from the oppressive feeling of those overwhelming masses of rats; without that signature element, it would be like the PS5 version lacking adaptive triggers—the game would still be playable, but it would lose some of its memorability. By contrast, the new title emphasizes combat, stealth, puzzle-solving, and an original story woven with mythology and fate, clearly pointing in a broader direction.

Viewed from another angle, Sophia’s character setup may change the gameplay rhythm. The first two games were closer to a blend of stealth puzzling and narrative adventure, where direct confrontation was usually not the best option. This time, however, the protagonist herself is defined as a raider with an aggressive streak, so the weight of combat will likely be increased. If handled well, it could expand the gameplay the way strong sequels in the same genre do; if handled poorly, it could easily turn into the kind of formulaic action-adventure routine that neighboring titles were already doing three years ago.

From a buying-advice perspective, I would not recommend that ordinary players rush to lock in the physical edition right now. The reason is simple: the game is planned for release in 2026, but the exact date has not yet been announced, and details about platform experience, performance, and physical edition contents are still lacking. Collectors can add the pre-order to their watchlist for now; longtime fans of the series, meanwhile, will want to see in future demonstrations exactly how that terrifying creature capable of “resonating” with the protagonist will factor into the gameplay.

From the perspective of players across all platforms, Resonance currently feels more like a gear shift for the series. It inherits the world of A Plague Tale, yet may downplay its most iconic rat-plague spectacle; it brings in a new protagonist who is more combat-capable, while also moving the stage from the road of escape to a mysterious island. At around RMB 409 for the physical pre-order, what you are buying is faith and anticipation, not an experience that has already been fully shown. Waiting until gameplay footage and platform details are released before deciding between PC, console, or collecting the physical edition is the safer choice.