A Plague Tale: Requiem continues Hugo and Amicia's story, and the Prima Macula continues to be a problem. The game brings back stealth gameplay that fans will be familiar with, and it also sees many major characters from the prior game making a return. Strangely enough, Melie, who plays a large role in A Plague Tale: Innocence does not come back in A Plague Tale: Requiem, and she is sorely missed.
Melie is a mysterious character who doesn't reveal much about herself. She and her brother Arthur are talented thieves who have had to rely on their sticky fingers to survive. After meeting Amicia and Hugo, they become friends, but tragedy splits them apart. It would have been nice to find out what happened to Melie and how she continues to survive.
Melie in A Plague Tale: Innocence
Following the outbreak of the rat plague and the invasion of the Inquisition, Amicia and her little brother Hugo are forced to flee. France is a dangerous place during this time, especially when there are flesh-eating rats around and soldiers looking for Hugo. However, by working together and sneaking around cleverly, players can overcome the obstacles in their way. Amicia and Hugo are also lucky enough to meet a few friends along the way, and they help them learn new tricks.
In A Plague Tale: Innocence, they meet Lucas, who is the apprentice of the great alchemist Laurentius. Using the power of alchemy, he teaches Amicia how to craft more weapons against the Inquisition, and he makes a return in Requiem, serving as Beatrice's apprentice. Amicia also befriends Rodric, a burly man who is useful to have around when a locked door needs to be shoved down. The most memorable friends Amicia makes are Arthur and his twin sister Melie.
Arthur and Melie are very close, and they survive by stealing. Melie is a talented lock-picker, and this comes in handy several times. As Arthur and Melie spend more time with Hugo, Amicia, and Rodric, they form a strong relationship. Unfortunately, disaster strikes when Arthur is killed by Lord Nicholas. After this, things aren't the same anymore and Melie grows cold toward the group. Not unexpectedly, she eventually leaves without much of a goodbye, and that is the last that players ever see of her.
Melie's Story Remains Open-Ended
In A Plague Tale: Requiem, many characters make a return, but fans of Melie will be disappointed to discover that she isn't one of them. Consequently, there are still many questions surrounding this character. Though it is not quite clear exactly why she left, Hugo does mention that she looked at him funny before her departure. This suggests that she may blame Hugo for her brother's death, and this may have made it too painful for her to stay.
Melie's absence does not seem like an oversight, however, and the game feels like it was designed to make her absence felt. In Innocence, Melie teaches Amicia how to craft Devorantis, which is a form of ammunition that forces enemies to take off their helmets. In Requiem, there are new weapons, and Amicia can use a crossbow and knives, but there is no Devorantis. For gamers who are familiar with Innocence, this is a poignant reminder of Melie's absence.
Developers have stated that Requiem is the end of the series for now, but this doesn't mean that fans won't get to explore the world of A Plague Tale anymore. It has also been announced that A Plague Tale: Innocence will receive a television adaptation. This could be an opportunity for Melie's character to be fleshed out a little more.
A Plague Tale: Requiem is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
