This year saw the unexpected sequel to one of the biggest successes by developer Croteam. That was the 2014 release of Sci Fi title The Talos Principle. According to the game’s Steam listing it received a 95% Overwhelmingly Positive rating out of 24,735 all-time reviews. The recent reviews were very positive with 93% of 342 reviews being very favourable. So needless to say The Talos Principal 2 was given a strong base to improve on. We looked at the recent demo as part of the recent Steam Next Fest event as well. Though with both these being puzzle games, where could the developers take the sequel? As the original is very philosophical. To start you find yourself awake in a strange world filled with ruins. You had to solve puzzles which as you progressed became more challenging. Ultimately you’re trying to find who you are and what your purpose is.

So fans wondered where The Talos Principle 2 could lead. Well if we look at store listings provided on the official website we see the following. We have been “born into a new world where biological humanity is extinct but human culture lives on in a city of robots”. We end up on an adventure to explore a mysterious structure containing strange powers. The philosophical theme continues in the sequel. However, the choices you make on this journey can shape future events.

The Talos Principle 2 – Could It Be A Worthy Sequel?

The first thing that’s obvious early on is that the game is much more in-depth than its predecessor. Though the question is, is this a good thing or bad?

Gameplay

The game is primarily a first-person affair though you do have an option to toggle a third-person view. The controls are basic and simple which is what we can expect by looking at the first puzzle. We have a selection of areas each with various puzzles to solve to allow progress to the megastructure. That has it’s puzzles as well.

I’m terms of puzzles they start simple. Usually by using techniques like guiding a beam or using fans to open doors or traverse a level. Though if you played the original you will find the early puzzles pretty simple. As you progress the game adds new devices and puzzles do get more complex.

Graphics

The environmental side of things is high quality. Each of the various biomes are extremely well-detailed. The puzzle rooms generally match the biome and the devices we use or locks we open haven’t changed from the original game. Where this game takes advantage of the newer hardware is the world details and structure of the levels. The newer hardware allows for more going on. It’s also not a game I found would be enhanced by a 60fps option over 30fps.

All captures were in quality mode on PlayStation 5. Frame dips were rare and when they did drop enough to notice it wasn’t in a puzzle room. They could also be recreated. Otherwise, I encountered no issues whilst playing the game and new tools to help progress even without a tutorial are fairly easy to grasp the concept of what is needed.

Audio

The most noticeable part of the audio is the soundtrack. It’s very noticeable but eventually, you won’t notice it. It’s pleasant and suits the pace of the game but doesn’t distract. We can still hear birds chirping in the background.

The game’s sound effects are simple and work. Nothing much has changed from the first game. It’s a case of if not broken you don’t need to fix it. It has a good selection of voice acting with some high-standard results. Here the voice actors are not the main focus. It’s the puzzles and the subsequent story supported by the game’s cast.

Story

At heart, it’s a puzzle game. Designed to push your cognitive thinking. However, we do have a very deep philosophical story that can branch into what appears to be multiple outcomes. Though the story can be expanded on. So to explain further all the side quests can enrich the narrative content. These are usually bonus puzzles or locations not required for progress. By visiting and completing side quests or objects of interest we get further information. This can supplement the story and flesh out some areas.

To Conclude

Overall it was a really enjoyable experience. It’s one I found hard to put down. It may not have the muscle of a God of War or Spider-Man or Alan Wake release but it’s certainly a game worth considering. Though if you’re not familiar with the genre the first game may be worth a look first. For fans of the genre, it’s s yes from me.