Games worth discovering

Who knew a puzzle game starring robots would make me question the meaning of life?

2K View2023-11-03

The Talos Principle 2

10.0

Lore-RichPost-apocalypticRobotsSci-fiLinearFirst-PersonRealisticAdventure

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SHOULD I PLAY THE TALOS PRINCIPLE 2?

Play it. Ever wondered what Earth would be like if humans went extinct? The Talos Principle 2 answers that question with robots roaming a part of the world and carrying on the legacy and lessons of humankind. In this game, I solved mind-bending puzzles while diving into thought-provoking philosophical questions about life and purpose. While The Talos Principle 2’s complex gameplay and tricky topics might not suit everyone, it’s easily one of the best puzzle games I’ve ever played.

TIME PLAYED

I played The Talos Principle 2 for three and a half hours, completing around twenty puzzles as I made my way through the tutorial, prologue, and first chapter. The hardest puzzle I encountered took me around thirty minutes to crack.

WHAT’S AWESOME ABOUT THE TALOS PRINCIPLE 2?

• Cracking a bunch of complex puzzles. The Talos Principle 2 is just as tricky as Cocoon, another recent puzzle game favorite of mine, and that surprised me. Every single puzzle I’ve worked through so far has been crafted masterfully, and the difficulty of these brainteasers has ramped up at the ideal rate. What has impressed me most about The Talos Principle 2’s puzzles is that the answers are almost never straightforward. Every time I thought I was cracking the code, the game forced me to rethink my approach. It’s an experience so mind-bending that it’s almost hard to put into words.

• A story that digs deep into philosophy. The Talos Principle 2 tackles a lot of intense topics like human existence, the balance of nature, and the risk-versus-reward of ambition. It’s not just the game lecturing players on these heady subjects though. I had to seriously consider my own opinions and pick appropriate answers to choice-based questions in the storyline and while interacting with side characters. While the choices didn’t immediately shape my destiny, I could slowly see my responses influence the way characters perceived me over time. It’s a thought-provoking way to determine how the world evolves.

• Getting started. For a game that has such complex puzzles, The Talos Principle 2 does a respectable job of presenting all the tools needed to understand the mechanics and figure out how to solve various puzzles throughout the game. After learning a few things in the tutorial, I had the fundamental knowledge to learn new, different mechanics as I got introduced to them later in the game. I appreciated this guidance, as it helped me figure out ways to creatively solve different problems.

• A futuristic look. Everything from buildings to characters and environments all look absolutely stunning and realistic. I admired the creativity in the architectural design throughout each part of this world and enjoyed seeing the futuristic places across The Talos Principle 2.

WHAT SUCKS ABOUT THE TALOS PRINCIPLE 2?

• It might not be for you. This isn’t a flaw or a terrible issue, but I think some people might not appreciate this game for what it is because it’s so complex. Puzzle games are naturally challenging, but The Talos Principle 2 doesn’t give players much of a chance to let their brains rest, since the story is so full of philosophical musing on artificial intelligence and the potential end of humankind. I wouldn’t recommend this game to people who are new to the genre because it might be too hard or a lot to take in.

💬 Will you play The Talos Principle 2 or are you going to skip it? Let me know down in the comments!