Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy devs learned to make melee combat on the job
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy represents a significant creative pivot for developer Asobo Studio, abandoning the stealth-focused rat-swarm mechanics of its predecessor in favor of direct melee combat. What makes this transition particularly noteworthy is that the studio had no prior experience developing combat-focused games when undertaking the project.
Lead level designer Valérian Robert revealed the team learned combat game design fundamentals during development itself. “Nobody did a combat game before Resonance,” Robert explained, emphasizing how the studio had to master new design principles around combat mechanics and spatial layout from scratch.
Despite the inexperience, the melee system has been well-received. The gameplay delivers satisfying visceral moments—such as kicking enemies off cliffs—that satisfy players seeking direct action over stealth approaches. The deliberate absence of the previous game’s iconic rat swarms supports this new combat-focused direction.
This case study demonstrates how inexperience can drive innovation in game development. Asobo Studio approached combat systems without preconceived notions from prior work, ultimately delivering engaging melee gameplay. The successful transition suggests that developers willing to learn new genres during production can compete effectively with established combat game developers.