I've been an avid gamer since childhood, and I love looking at what makes a great game, well, great! My tastes in games are pretty varied, but I do skew toward RPGs, rogue-likes, city simulators, and anything with a great story. Doesn't mean I don't branch out to other genres though!
I focus on reviews of games that interest me, and my videos will often contain spoilers. I always have tons of timestamps, so those can be easily avoided. Feel free to comment with discussion points, as debating over minutiae in a story or game is one of my favorite things to do.
I also collect retro games, and I enjoy reliving some of the memories I have growing up playing NES, SNES, PlayStation, etc.
aren't this video a long one. i actually didn't follow you half of time. but i must say you are incredible, very high quality content. you really delved in, probably more than the writer, while i just touched by thier bond, never thought that much. i can see you truly love this game. i also wish they will continue this series, althogh it does have a complete ending of the de rune siblings. nevertheless, they did leave a big room for sequels in epilogue. it could be in modern time, or with the sister find next carrier and discover more about macula, even a pre sequel about basilius and adelia. all the possibilities
Long after finishing the game, I still hear Hugo and Amicia's voices in my head. Such is the impact they had. I miss the journey they went on. It was an epic tale with a heart breaking end. Well done on such an in depth analysis. I agree and felt that is how the macula worked
@@ArcanePath360 I hear that a lot. I was the same way after finishing the series. I needed to work through how I felt so I started digging into the lore. Making this video helped me come to terms with the loss. Great series that I hope continues
@@lordjlo817 Glad I'm not the only one. It's been days and I'm still trying to deal with it. I'm not sure it's helping watching the playthroughs by Charlotte McBurney on Anna's channel (who played Sophia and Amicia). They have hours and hours of streams to go through. And then also doing new game plus myself to try and 100% it and watching all the making of videos etc. I seem to be torturing myself but I can't get enough of those characters and the music and the scenery. Once I'm done I'm going back to playing Innocence through again since I'm getting nostalgic for the French accent, lol. In terms of the series continuing, they were supposed to be making a TV show from it, with a director announced 2 years ago but I've seen no news since. Asobo said if there's enough interest they may make another, and they have announced that they are working on something right now and are hiring, but won't say what.
@@ArcanePath360 They haven't announced the game but they've put up several hiring postings for "the plague team", so it sounds like they are underway. I enjoyed Anna and Charlotte's playthrough. They are both funny and it provided insight to the process of acting out the characters. The composer's playthrough is also worth watching as he focuses on how the music integrates with the story. I thought about replaying both titles, but I have all my footage so if I ever get the itch, I just watch the parts I want to revisit haha
@@lordjlo817 I'm only on chapter 8 with their playthroughs so far. Love those two together, they are such adorable people to see having fun, and it's true, it's very inciteful and I love hearing their anecdotes and the process, the whole thing. I can't get enough. I wish I worked for Asobo. So glad you told me there's another Plague game coming. I saw on their site they were hiring but didn't see it was for that. Next game I'm definitely going to full price it on pre-order. I feel this studio deserves my support. Normally I wait until games have been patched and come down in price abotu a year later (because I'm a cheap ass), but I actually feel bad only paying £6.99 for what I think is the most impactful game on my life ever. PS: Can you link to the composer's playthrough? The music in the game blows me away. It really should have won awards. I know they used the best mics in the world to record it and it'd be neat learning more. Only on my second playthrough am I noticing so many distinct tones and subtle ways it plucks at the heart strings.
@@lordjlo817 Right back at you - while rest of us just sit in a void after a great game is finished you restlessly work to squeeze more juice out of it. :D Hopefully there will be another PT soon to unravel more of the story.
@@sQubanaut I'm hopeful a third part will add to the overall story rather than rehash or play for sentimentality. There's a lot to play with and it would be easy to slide back into a game with big emotional impact without shaping the lore of the series
Im not the best in linguistics but genetally in spanish, french and latin there has to be gender concordancy between noun and adjective which is why the femenine wouldve been used for prima macula.
Hello. Just to say I liked your video and have watched all of it! I could feel your passion for both of the games 😊 As a big fan of A Plague Tale univers, I was also devastated and heartbroken at the ending... I needed several weeks to recover and grief this game! As I'm a gamer, I always needed time to recover from a very good storyline game and an emotional one at that. But this one touched me more compared to others I have been playing to. I liked the thoroughness you put in your video. It was all very interesting! Always very nice to hear other fan's thoughts on a game we loved so much. I learned yesterday that a TV serie of A Plague Tale is on it's way! As it is a french game and it is happening in France, the serie will be in french with french actors and all. I live in Belgium so I speak french and I'm so glad the french director, Mathieu Turi, said he will respect the narration and all that is reflecting the story. I really can't wait for it 💛
I hope there will be an international release so all fans can watch the series. I'm very curious about where they take the characters and how far into the existing story it goes
@lordjlo817 Yeah, I hope every fans over the world will enjoy it. And eventhough it is only french language, there will always have the english subtitles for the international release, hopefully 😊 Yes, I can't wait to discover the scenarios and storyline 🙂
51:17 Ohh so thats the reason Hugo (or it in this case) doesnt hold Alicia's hand anymore after this. Damn Anyway, great analysis, watched it 2 times. Hope the best for your channel. Great work!
These games are two of my absolute favorites, growing up as a middle child I've been able to experience both the protection given by an older sibling and the need to protect a younger sibling. This video did a fantastic job helping me to understand some of the deeper symbolism in the game, amazing job
I haven't played Elden Ring. I'll look that up... *reads the Elden Ring wiki on Outer Gods* I gather the Outer Gods to be deities without direct contact with denizens or the physical world, but can greatly influence decisions or abilities of those who worship them. I could be wrong on that. If that's the case... I wouldn't think the Macula is like that. I say that because the Macula, IMO, has a bit more control once awakened but doesn't seem to have control of when or who it awakens within. There could more going on in the background, but it's hard to say. Although, it does bring up a fun thought experiment: What if the Macula is one of many of its kind? The Macula represents pestilence and maybe another entity represents a different malady or scourge upon humanity. Obviously, that's complete theory-crafting but interesting to think about.
@@Cod-w1s The changing of a woman's hairstyle is a well-established trope in literature and media, so you're totally right on that front. Short hair or the cutting of hair often represents renewal or rebirth. In Amicia's case, she's staying the next phase of her life and has found her true self.
I think the moment where Hugo "died" for me, was when he saw the slavers on the island where it was supposed to be full of nice people. I already knew that things there was too good to be true. But to a child's eyes, their innocence knows hope. That hope was lost, when he lost faith in humanity. It was bitter-sweet, but even Hugo knew his faith, when they were on Sophia's ship. In my opinion, Hugo would've still been alive, if he was just kept in his room from the first game this entire time. He would've been severely sheltered, and infantalized (all the way towards his adult life). But alive... I really hate myself by being "that guy", but Beatrice, Laurentius, Vaudin, heck, in some twisted way, even The Order, might've had the right idea from the beginning.dult life). But alive... I really hate myself by being "that guy", but Beatrice, Laurentius, Vaudin, heck, in some twisted way, even The Order, might've had the right idea from the beginning.
I would argue his innocence was shattered in that moment, but seeing the slavers definitely changed his outlook on humanity an irreversible way--much how the pool in the inner sanctum created doubt as to the true meaning of his dreams. I don't think Hugo would survive staying at home. He would be comfortable for a time, but Innocence shows the Macula was already spreading to the surrounding towns and countryside before Hugo even escaped. He would've live longer, but his quality of life would've been lesser. Although, he also would've killed far fewer people. I also believe Beatrice (or his father) would have killed him (like Amicia does) long before he destroyed everything around him. Beatrice knew what the Macula meant for him and everyone else; Amicia didn't know and that's why his and other's suffering dragged along.
love you man, you've deep dived alot and it all makes sense, you gave me a deeper meaningful perspective on the entire story and why the game goes the way it goes; also when amicia and lucas go back to their home for the Beatrice laboratory, Hugo's room is not at all touched by the rats, it stays as same as when they leave their house due to search for the hugo in the beginning of the innocence; what could be the reason tho 🤔
I'm glad you enjoyed the video! And there definitely is something to who/what is untouched when returning to the De Rune Estate. What it all means... I'm not sure. Maybe we'll get some answers if there's another game
I really love the video and how much effort you put into it, i also love games where its not all about shooting killing and being the first place, its all in the story and if you have any other games to suggest me that has a really deep and great story like this one let me know!
I guess it depends on what you consider "deep" for a story, so I'll give a few suggestions. If you're wanting emotionally engaging titles that will pull on your heartstrings, I recommend: Final Fantasy 7 (OG, Intergrade, and Rebirth), Final Fantasy 10, The Last of Us, Yakuza Like A Dragon, Nier Automata, Life Is Strange, The Walking Dead (TT series), Tales from the Borderlands, Gone Home, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Red Dead Redemption. If you like the more fantastical side of Plague Tale, Returnal and Hellblade are great choices. I haven't played Hellblade 2 yet but the original is great. Shadow of the Colossus is a good one for that too. If you like games with absurd amounts of symbolism or reference material, I recommend: Death Stranding, the Silent Hill series, Returnal, Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth, Nier and Nier: Automata, the Xenosaga series and Xenogears. There are plenty more but those are the ones I've played. Some other mentions that have great stories but aren't really in line with Plague Tale vibes: Final Fantasy Tactics, Inside, the Metal Gear Solid series, the Yakuza series, Inscryption, Grandia 1-3, the Final Fantasy series, Chrono Trigger... I could go on 😂 I hope this helps you find a new great game to explore!
@@lordjlo817 wow thank you very much for giving up your time to give me such an ideas, i am gonna try many of them that you mentioned and again your videos are amazing you put so much effort for others, that the kind of human we want! Thank you for everything, you just made my day twice in a row. :))
Excellent video, wow! I loved the Plague Tale series & very much had a path like Amicia's. Having younger siblings myself I was very attached to Hugo & in denial the whole time, hoping chapter after chapter that he might be saved, despite slowly coming to realise that it would never happen... Don't think I've reached Rubedo, though 🤔 On another note, loved your analysis, it's super well structured and very easy to follow, and the points you've made make a lot of sense. It kind of helped me get through the grief of killing Hugo at the end 😥 thank you!!! Subscribed :))
I found Requiem to be a tough game to play since my son is the same age has Hugo. That final scene... yeesh. That was hard. One of the reasons I wanted to make this video was to work through my own thoughts on how the series made me feel. It helped me a lot, so I'm glad I could pass that along to you. Have a good one!
I just watched your entire video, your ideas seem really great and i love the prespective, also what the actual fuck, how do you only have 192 subs? The writing was great, the editing also, the research that went into it. 10/10 Really loved the game, the story, the design, the writing, tha narrative.. everything was on point, its a masterpiece. It can be interpreted by a milliad of ways, depending on how you felt before the game and what's going on in your life. I had 2 paralells closely resemble the story in the context of hope in my life. (wich i wont detail, who cares) I think this game symbolizes hope.. a hope that realistically doesn't exist. The acceptance that some things are out of your control cannot be changed, and you have to come to terms with it. If i had to summarize in 1 word: Hope. To some unrelated ideas i thought interesting: Idea 1: The game could also represent humanity as a whole, the cyclical nature of hardship and prosperity. War, Plagues, Disasters and all the horrible things that happen should happen to have a brief, but brighter future. What comes after war, plagues and disasters? peace and unity. This is also supported by the symbol of the phoenix, who also goes through hardship to be reborn again. And also what is the most iportant thing in hardship? What gets you throught it all? Love. Just like the love between Amicia and Hugo. ------------------------- Idea 2: (seems like an interesting paralell [its probably too specific to be tha case but eh] ) What else has 4 stages just like the macula, doesn't have a cure, breaks people around you and forces your relatives down the path of acceptance? This might be far-fetched but cancer.. Also the stages of acceptance consists of 5 steps (Amicia has to go through theese to come to terms with the truth) : denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and acceptance Denial: Mainly Amicia Doesn't want to believe that hugo cannot be saved, yet fights tooth and nail. This is mainly the entire first game and the beginning of requiem. Anger: Do you remember when amicia lost it multiple times against the count's men, and went on a rampage? i think it represents anger in the chain. Depression and bargaining: Amicia feels broken, overwhelmed by the things that happened, in some sections about to give up. But somehow she overcomes them (usually through help from others), a new light of hope comes, that pushes her to do the unthinkable, a brief one, before coming to terms with the facts the macula presents. Acceptance: Basically the ending of requiem and the results of the story making her broken, yet she seems like she found herself, on a journey to help the next carrier and protector to come. --------------------- I still have some more ideas but im really bad at writing and its 1 am so yeah :D Theese ideas could be wrong, but if you think about it, any good story can be interpreted in multiples of ways. some might be a bit far-fetched but the most iportant thing is that the story made you think about some topics. and induced emotions. and thats the most important thing. 10/10, cried
There are definitely a lot of ways to interpret this story. Symbols are layered throughout both games, which lend nicely to different analysis methods. Originally, this video contained an entire section (around 6,000 words or so) about Amicia's battle with grief and how it ties to the series as a representation of a terminal illness in a loved one, but I cut all that to maintain length and continuity. I'm a big fan of viewing the series through this lens, and it applies to multiple characters too. In particular, Beatrice struggles with the inevitable death of her son. She is further along in her grief than Amicia, and that's why they clash on several occasions. Again, I made a whole other script for this, but you get the idea. I hope we get another title in the series, but I'm also content with what's presented. Thanks for watching, and have a good one!
It was very heartfelt video to watch. That is some god-tier content level. it is a shame that youtube algorithms don`t recommend this to a bigger number of people so we could share our thoughts about this amazing game. Thanks a lot
Thank you giving it watch! Definitely a great game that I feel is still underrated/underappreciated. Maybe a third game will finally launch the game into the mainstream.
I'm still riding on the emotional roller-coaster having just finished Requiem a few days ago and went looking for lore videos to see what I might have missed. Coming across this, it's an utterly impressive analysis that goes far deeper and into themes than anything else I've yet to cross -- Plague Tale or not. This was a fantastic watch, wonderfully put together, and so thoughtful to the journey of the characters and Macula alike. Bravo.
Thank you so much for checking it out! Definitely was something I needed to make to resolve how I felt about the series. Hopefully, if they make a third title, we'll have more information to dig into.
Minor correction. You'd use Prima because the subject "macula" is feminine. I like your theory but in romance languages if the subject is feminine than any linking word before it will also be feminine.
Something I love, is playing these amazing games, then finding my people in videos like this. I happened upon this game from the PS+ having really almost no preconception of what it was apart from a few second promo clip of rats on an IGN video. I’ve since played both games, and now re playing requiem. My favourite part about games like this, is playing them, then coming to RU-vid and listening to people more insightful than me, dive into the game that made them really feel something. Amazing work here mate :) thank you for keeping me within the world and those feelings! I’m so glad I played these games
I'm the same way! I love learning about new ways to view a title I enjoyed or think about long after I finished. Plague Tale is definitely a series that has more going on than most people might think. Glad you enjoyed the video! Maybe we'll get another title in the series to ponder 🤔
@@lordjlo817 I just finished the video - thanks for helping me see the game a bit deeper, I definitely wasn't engaged with this level of consideration on my first play through - I've just gotten to the island shrine on my second playthrough and I'm glad it is imbued with this extra meaning now!! Appreciate your work!
Haven't played Innocence, I jumped straight to Requiem because it was free on PS+ subscription. The story was weirdly great though, until the end of the game you're still left with a million questions about what the Macula is etc. This video helped me understand in a bit better, although we're still speculating...
Yeah... I wish we could get a little bit more information from the games, but I suppose we wouldn't be talking as much about them if they did. I'm sure APT 3 is in the works though
Hugo dying right after Beatrice makes that final walk and conversation between Amicia and "Hugo" make so much more sense. When I first played the game, I was taken aback at how much older "Hugo" seemed mentally; he felt much older than his age. Through your analysis, it's obvious now that it's the ageless Macula using Hugo's form and the siblings' bonds to lead Amicia to finish its cycle.
It makes sense to me as well, but I can see the argument that the whole experience has aged him beyond his years. Personally, I think Hugo in the death walk is a projection of Amicia, I also love how the series can be interpreted in many ways
I@@lordjlo817I think the developers said somewhere in January that the illusion theory wasn't actually what happened. But I saw it in Reddit so it might not be real.
@@booboones3093 I'm surprised they would respond to that. Seems like they'd want to keep the mystery alive until they make a sequel. I don't think the illusion theory makes sense, but I know a good chunk of people enjoy it.
As someone who has taken care of a loved one on their journey through cancer and death, I really identified with many aspects of this game. How Hugo accepts his fate and is calm, how Amicia fights against authority to take care of her brother, and how she herself finally accepts the only possible outcome - this game seems like a parable of our modern day journey through disease and acceptance.
I couldn't agree more. I've been there too, and my first script addressed this theme of critical/terminal illness. I think that's why I have a lot of sympathy for their mother, who tried to do her very best using the more conventional means available to her, but gets undercut by her well-meaning (albeit, in denial) daughter. There are a lot of layers to the story that I think get glossed over by the supernatural elements.
Duuude! Last entire year I spent listening to APT lore analasis and I thought I knew everything there was to BUT THIS CHANGED EVERYTHING I THINKED ABOUT THE GAME. I want to add that I don't plan to start a youtube chanel or something, but I really want to start analysing games I love myself and I am ,,taking notes" from marvelous people like you and many other!
Thanks! I appreciate the compliment! I decided to make this video only because I didn't see anyone else examining the series this way. Not sure if I'm way off or not, but it was a lot of fun (and labor) to put it together. It at least helped me process the experience of playing these two games
The Macula is neutral in the sense that it has neither benign or malicious intent. It’s evil because it’s understood to some extent as a corruption. That’s how you reconcile the two.
A definition of evil that is not explored enough is anything that falls out of step with its proper design. Since we do not know the origin of the Macula, we can speculate on whether it is a natural phenomenon or something that was never meant to be.
There's a lot of speculation based on the information presented. I'm not claiming to know anything besides that. I think the openness of this series is what makes it worth talking about. So, yes, you are completely correct; I do a lot of speculation once the groundwork for that speculation is paved. I wish we had more to go off...
I didn't even know Requiem was a sequel. Only downloaded it because it was free on PS Plus. Absolutely broke me at the end. Now i have to play Innocence
Personally, I think Hugo’s merging with the Macula changed him and gave him an understanding of his situation beyond what he would have normally had, which would explain his strange maturity during the nebula sequence. I think he is controlling the rats, and that whatever was happening at the center of the nebula was not complete. Killing Hugo didn’t complete a cycle, it stopped the Macula from completing whatever it is it has been trying to do. I don’t think it would keep sending tidal waves of rats if it was finished, if the nebula was the final stage of its plan, then it would just stop creating obstacles like the rats and let Amicia through completely unhindered. I think the Nebula is the cocoon, in that giant sphere, things are happening that would have eventually led to something even more devastating to the world.
I can definitely see that perspective and had those same thoughts examining my notes as I crafted the script. And there's no real answer to those issues since we don't know what happened directly after Hugo or Basilius' deaths. Basilius died without the help of anyone (that we know of), so does that mean he also didn't complete the cycle? If so, what's gestating in the "cocoon" beneath him and at the end? Why can't it survive at that point without the host? Does it need more resources? What is the cycle then? What happens to the host when whatever is going on in the "cocoon" is finished? Does the host just die? Get absorbed? If killing Hugo didn't complete/stopped the cycle, what does the phoenix mean? How does it reappear if the phoenix no longer means the cycle is successful? I don't know. I asked myself those questions and couldn't find satisfactory answers, which is what lead to my rabbit hole with alchemy, which, for the record, doesn't answer everything. Just a thought experiment, really. We don't how the rats form either other then those large gestating egg-things, which are obviously not how rats are born. Are they spawned automatically as long as the Macula is active? Are they a conscious effort by the Macula? If so, why doesn't it just spawn wherever it needs them and take what it wants? Why does the host even matter if the Macula can direct and spawn rats at will? Are they even physically there since they evaporate in light? The big question for me through all of it: What's the goal? If the Prima Macula's goal is to birth into the world and cause devastation, then it definitely is evil, which I disagree with. That's why I lean more into the metaphysical and alchemy. It makes more sense to me that the Macula is not of this world, and it needs both spiritual and physical resources to rebirth into its own world. If its goal is domination of some kind, why hasn't it succeeded in the past? Seem like it would be easier to succeed with fewer overall people, less technology available for defense, etc. BUT. I don't have any definitive answers. The series has soooooooo many areas that aren't explained in the slightest, which I enjoy. It means despite everything I've thought about and presented, your ideas are valid too. There's evidence to swing the pendulum of lore to a lot of directions. This video is just one swing in one direction. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!
It’s not fair! They deserved to live a happy long life after everything they’ve been through! Thank for your analysis, it’s definitely insightful and informative, but I wish we could all close the game and know those two will live happily ever after…
It definitely would be nice to see them in a happy life, but I suppose, if the games ended that way, would we be talking about it as much? There's definitely more intrigue and discussion when the creators are willing to press an issue the player doesn't necessarily want. Making me, the player, pull out the sling and target Hugo has a huge impact on how I view the story overall. If the game ended happily... I'm not sure I'd care as much. I certainly wouldn't have made this video LOL All that said, my heart would prefer them to be happy, but from a storytelling perspective, the game suffers. Thanks for watching!
Before starting this video myself, i want to give my own perspective on what the Prima Macula is. I probably won’t finish the video tonight but it’s looking good so far. My memory is admittedly a little fuzzy as it’s been a while since i’ve played. Starting off I don’t believe the Prima Macula is inherently a negative force. Rather it acts as a part of its host or rather a living being that lives on through others. But why does it manifest in the first place? You may ask. Well i believe it to be one of two things. It’s either a test/gift brought to the young, with the question if humanity has the intelligence and compassion to raise someone possessing such a thing into maturity. That or it’s the embryo of a being with wonderful potential with the goal of one day surviving to adulthood so they could shape the world in unison. This all correlates with the fact that those whom have the Prima Macula active within them have the power to *shape reality itself* as they grow more in tune with it. We witnessed it both first hand from Hugo where the world was nearly destroyed by him from his want of the suffering to end. During this process things from his dreams and nightmares spilled into the world and dreams of others. Not just the rats but the phoenix as well. We get to witness that very bird watch over his and his mother’s grave during the epilogue. There was also the case of the previous host. This child suffered a fate so tragic and painful that it left a very *scar* on the Macula. The rage, sorrow, and fear being so intense from them that even the most recent host felt it by proximity. This very suffering had led to the manifestation of the rats, a reminder of the very things that bit away at the poor child’s flesh as he rotted away from a world that rejected him. Sorry that this was so disjointed. I wrote down my thoughts on this after midnight so the organization of my intent was scewed for my hubris.
Those are some unique ideas. I agree with you about the Macula not necessarily being evil, which I stated in the video, and I also agree that it remembers the pains of its previous incarnations. That second point, I feel, is important to the events of Requiem. However, I disagree on the nature of Hugo's dreams as well the gravesite at the end. I don't think the series presents Hugo's dream as something manifested by him or that his dream affects reality in any meaningful way. The Dream seems fully originated from the Macula. The Nebula definitely affects reality, and one could argue that is a form of dream/nightmare concocted in part by Hugo. I'm not seeing the connection beyond that. Can you explain further? I never assumed the gravesite at the end was for anyone other than Hugo, especially considering how Amicia talks to it. But if you have something that shows otherwise, I'd love to examine that. It could change a few things in my head canon. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
