A Plague Tale: Innocence Story Analysis

[@elizabethsmith5520]

I went slack jawed when I saw your subscribers. This video is phenomenal, exudes dedication and attention to detail. Easy to understand, follow and occasional funny commentary. Amazing job my dude

[@siwa9878]

I just stumbled upon your channel while searching for some deeper analysis of both A Plague Tale games, that I discovered recently. Phenomenal! I love storytelling and your analysis of Innocence is so elaborate. Thank you! I can not wait to watch your take on Requiem.

[@TheTuubster]

1:08:00 The nightmare level in "Innocence" felt right at home for me, having played the "Max Payne" games by Remedy, beginning in 2001, who feature nightmare levels going into the subconscious of the protagonist, using the unique abilities of a game engine to show twisted realities. Remedy then went further and combined reality and dream state with their games "Alan Wake", "Quantum Break" and "Control".

[@KingDayDayDay00]

That's exactly what it reminded me of!!!!

[@EthanTexidor]

Your channel deserves far more attention then it does this video is absolutely amazing i hope you dont stop uploading

[@Linnir]

I was so interested in the story of this game, but the gameplay left me cold and I did not finish. So glad to have this video to fill the gaps.

[@praveenkumargadigeppagol3856]

Thank you, your videos are really inspiring and thoughtful. This channel is very much underrated.

[@coreyrachar9694]

I like watching videos like this about games i'm never going to play.

[@meganmcdonald3333]

You now have a new subscriber because I just finished watching your story analysis on A Plague Tale: Requiem because you go into so much detail on the characters, the story, the lore, and the emotional roller coaster that we all went through as we play these games!

[@ArcanePath360]

The first game had me pining for the second game for so long. It had an emotional impact on me, but after finishing the second one I'm now totally broken. Part of me wishes I never played it. I finished it a week ago and I still haven't come to terms with what happened. Was not expecting that outcome at all and the music as well as voice acting should have won major awards. It is such an underrated game and the most beautiful I've ever seen. I'm a 50 year old man and am not ashamed at how emotional I got when it ended.

[@FrankFreezy_]

Beautiful well crafted video. I absolutely enjoyed reliving this story with you. I had to subscribe instantly. Thank you for all the work you put into making this video🙌🏾

[@AE_Sunset-Nutrix_AE]

Regarding the boss fight against Nicholas, I would say that his sword and armor are covered with a thin layer of flammable liquid. They may not always be, but when he goes on a mission where he has to deal with rats, his armor and sword are probably dipped in this liquid before he puts them on, as a safety measure in case they actually pounce on him. At least that's my theory. But the armor seems to be a special construction anyway, because even the Devorantis bounces off his helmet ineffectively when you use it against him in the boss fight.

[@Primus1243]

About the pushing the rats towards the one soldier, many players missed it the first time. The reason being, the torch holder is hidden away behind the doorway as you pass through it. So they end up pushing the rats towards him. And even miss the torch near him at all. The only way you notice is if someone else does it and you notice it while they play or you suddenly get a 'random' prompt to place it in the holder that you wonder what it does and makes you turn and look. So really, if the torch was on the wall along the way and the embers of the dead torch a little brighter, many would have made a choice there properly.

[@mistingwolf]

Any time I need my heart broken, APTI and APTR are my go-to games.

[@ottozumkeller]

I also think that the problem with the historical inaccuracy of the baths built by a Roman governor is not a problem in retrospect. In Requiem we learn that the laboratory was built by the Order and that the Order was indeed widespread in large parts of the world at that time, as you even mention in your video about Requiem. So if we connect the two, we can say that the laboratory was built in the 6th century by someone from the Order and that person or group was simply referred to as a Roman governoer for the next 800 years, which is what Amicia says. I think this shows very well in retrospect how some historical details can be lost over centuries. Edit: Also, when the Inquisition alchemists talk in the bastion, they talk about Roman nobles worshipping the wearer. By which, as we now know, the Order and Basil are meant. So it makes total sense; we and Amicia just had inaccurate information and didn't know the whole truth.

[@mk_wizard]

The hairless rats always gave me the ick. They look almost like maggots which I think was intentional.

[@danielchoi6149]

Your videos are so high quality and amazingly in-depth. Your channel deserves SOO much more attention

[@Rayman_Budgie84]

Amazing! Well done. Love this story so much.

[@ShadmehR_23]

I have a gaming long form analysis playlist (about 500 videos +1hour to even 10hours) and when i saw views and subs i said to myself maybe i shouldn't save this one.. but when i started talking i knew this one is definitely worth saving. Good work man❤️🔥 by the way.. I subscribed and saved all of your work lol

[@justinpeterson9734]

The story analysis was just as good as the game itself. Good job!!

[@RosiesTunes]

Your channel is one of my new favourites. Long form content needs to make a come back

[@custardgannet4836]

Great games for sure, surprised they aren't talked about more tbh.

[@arpadszabo661]

I hope your channel gets a huge boost soon and you continue to make videos because these are one of the most entertaining analysis videos i’ve seen in a while. You have a good voice for storytelling, you speak properly, you criticize things when its deserved, but respectfully. Shared these videos with a few friends who enjoyed playing through innocence and requiem, and they loved your videos too.

[@avalon5957]

Lol, I notice the *weirdest* things sometimes. 20:21 That white tree. That's the exact same tree as the Resin trees in Green Hell! I've collected enough resin and birds nests from it to recognise it anywhere. Guess the studios shopped tree models at the same store 🤣It even has the same colour and texture. Edit: Also! Great video! 😁

[@riamus7258]

Take a shot everytime he says Stealth Gauntlet.

[@philsplayground3755]

I have nothing to say, just leaving a comment to boost reach and visibility because I like your video. It ain’t much but it’s honest work.

[@sagnikchakraborty1613]

Just completed this ❤ Your analysis is on point !

[@thediamonddust]

Such a good video! I couldn't get very far actually playing the game because I found the pacing and gameplay a little boring but I'm really happy for this video to have been given a thorough explanation on the plot. Great work.

[@PS4Pat]

Before I watched a playthrough of this game, (to see how it was before getting it, to know whether I'd like it or not) I honestly thought they were mother and son. But being siblings instead, older sister and younger brother, it actually made me like it a little more. Like them being siblings and not mother and son makes it better somehow.

[@moshake8221]

I came here from your Horizon Zero Dawn videos, just watched the prologue this looks awesome! I'll come back when I've played the whole game (don't want spoilers)

[@amandasniadecki3479]

This was amazing video im so glad that i stumble on to this. I played both games and love it. Im going to watch the second one right after this is finished.❤❤

[@its_saber1525]

Just bought this and requiem today, almost done with Innocence I think. At chapter 15 Just beat it, was very fun. I was absolutely blown away by the soundtrack

[@safirecityable]

In regards to the servants and father not being eaten by the rats, my theory is that Beatrice had likely tested her elixirs on the servants (and likely the father volunteered to try as well) while she was trying to figure out the elixir that would slow down the stages/phases of the macula. Its a bit of a reach but I feel like its perhaps a most plausible theory but really only the writers would know of course

[@safirecityable]

I also must add that this video is excellent work and is very entertaining/engaging. I had finished playing both plague tale games a while back and since I was going through withdrawals it feels good to watch people talking about the games extensively and giving them the appreciation they deserve

[@Ingydar_]

Lore youtubers: highly recommend you play this game before watching this video My pc after opening paint: 💥💥💥🔥🔥

[@TheTuubster]

57:00 The reason why the mystery of the untouched bodies is never solved is likely more worldly: Due to very bad reviews of a test group, Asobo stopped the development of "Innocence" mid through and restarted it. This included an overhaul of already completed levels and restructures of the story and gameplay. The untouched bodies are likely a leftover from the first iteration of the game left intact because while not perfect this kind of '"mystery box" does not break the overall story. ... in my head canon this is the result of an antidote test by Beatrice using the adults in the house which was successful and kept the rats away from the bodies (by mixing it into their food for example). Later a potion mixed together by Lucas in Beatrice's laboratory stops the rats.

[@drakenfist]

This background on the focus testing is fascinating. Do you have a source for this that gets more into detail what the game was going to be before the restart?.

[@TheTuubster]

@@drakenfist Search for the Eurogamer article "How A Plague Tale came back from the brink" about an interview with series director Kevin Choteau.

[@jaegercat6702]

My headcanon is that since Hugo is the carrier, the Macula has an instinct to not “touch” the things he likes, thus why they didn’t touch his room or the servants.

[@TheTuubster]

@@jaegercat6702 Well, it certainly touches Amicia, so I don't know about this theory. ;)

[@jaegercat6702]

@@TheTuubster that’s because she’s actively trying to stop the macula. While Hugo can influence it, the macula does have a mind of its own, and it can supercede his will if it needs to.

[@TheTuubster]

The magic in "Requiem": It is a celebration of the old European tradition of allegorical story telling, that the world knows through Grimm's Fairy Tales: All timeless stories from the medieval times with compelling characters reflecting upon the human condition, teaching about ethics and morals. Especially "Requiem" is an allegory oozing with metaphors relevant to our times - you could see Amicia as a metaphor for Africa's child soldiers or the young women going into war in Ukraine from one day to another, fighting the inner struggle of staying human and compassionate while killing people, because it is not their true nature but it was forced upon them by outside forces - and you could see Hugo both as a metaphor for a learned sociopath due to experience of hate reflecting back this hate into the world, the rats being the metaphor for this hate, and as a metaphor for a WMD (an atomic bomb), desired by power seeking psychopaths like the Count, and going off as a result of hate against the world (and Amicia being the protector of the WMD who is going against what she once believed in after seeing it go off, like Oppenheimer acknowledging he has "become death, the destroyer of worlds" with his "love" for the bomb). "Requiem" is a masterpiece, and "Innocence" is indeed the foundation for it.

[@JorgeLopez-k2n]

As good as Requiem is, I think they dropped the ball in the characterization of the De Rune family (voice and looks). The way they sound, look and interact in this game seems more natural, more wholesome, and less like a Hollywood blockbuster. I have to suspend my disbelief hard to not see the change in characterization as a retcon

[@Spanluver]

Burning shores review pls!

[@simplysage3562]

I know this is super late began my playthrough of this game and finished 54:00 both guards can be spared using Odoris and Luminosa and Lacas comment about how u could’ve murdered them Amicia then says she has too much blood on her hands already

[@lesewski72]

Great Analysis Bruv, I can't Deny that I would Love to See Naught Dog & Asobo Studios do a Collaboration on a Game, both Fucking Masterpiece Workshops in their Own Right. The Last of Us, & A Plague Tale; Innocence, are the Best Narrative Written Games of all Time that have ever been Made & A Plague Tale; Requiem is a better Game than The Last of Us, Part ll. Especially Story Wise.

[@iamawesome4026]

Hey is there anyway to get all the upgrades in the game

[@NaturallyNavi]

I have only played innocence, are there spoilers for requiem in this video? Thanks :)

[@booboones3093]

Yes. Don't watch until you've played both

[@commentforthealgorithm]

comment for the algorithm

[@garnauklaufen6704]

Hm, this is not an analysis of the story, but rather a retelling of the plot with some commentary here and there. Regarding historical inaccuracies: The game is NOT set in medieval france, but in a fantasy setting based on medieval europe. For example: The inquisition would never have been able to work in such a way: Firstly it would need to have proper suspition of heresy (which is: of someone holding and spreading beliefs that stand in opposition to catholic theological doctrine) in order to persecute them. There are no such grounds for invading the de Runes family holding. Secondly, the inquisition could not just murder people. They had to do trials. By the way: Those trials were far more fair and objective then any other form of legal court of that time (given there was no forensic science), which were based either on the renown of the parties, or decided by duels. Inquisitions, on the other hand, had to actually prove someone guilty, usually by confession. Torture was possible, but regulated and limited. Thirdly: The inquisition had no soldiers. The inquisition was composed of priests or monks, who would employ secular forces, which means that the secular governments would need to remain intact for the inquisition to work. There are no standing armies, no police forces or anything of the sort in medieval europe, but only nobles with their men at arms and armed citizens who would serve to protect their towns. (Thats, by the way, why feuds existed: There was no police or law inforcement, so if someone would disregard someone elses rights, that person would declare a feud, which would make it legal for them to take violent actions within certain limitations in order to make the other party yield and admit to the legal claim.) So how would the inquisition be able to evict the population of an entire city? The city has it's own armed citizens, probably more numerous and powerful than any forces any inquisitor could command. (The inquisitorial forces could be mercenaries, but it's doubtful that an inquisitor would have the means to employ an entire army powerful enough to basically occupy an entire city.) The setting in the plague tail games is based on a fantasy version of the middleages, which, unfortunately, seems to be what many people seem to think represents the actual historical period. I'd like to make it clear that this image is wrong. I think it's important to know and understand that, so one does not think that (besides the obviously magical elements like the macula) things could have transpired in such a way. But this also means that the game does not need to concern itself with historical accuracy, it's a fantasy game with a fantasy setting, where some dates like the ending of the western roman empire might simply be different.