Evolve

But there's no denying that this is a classic game, marrying beautiful graphics and an imaginative alien setting with solid gameplay and some unique new ideas. Not for the faint of heart, but highly recommended if you have the patience and skill to take it on...

Turtle Rock Studios' brand of Asymmetrical Multiplayer in Evolve is right up there with the very best that we've seen, with a complimentary presentation to match. For anyone looking for a reprieve from military shooters, Evolve can be an exhilarating change of pace.

It’s rare for a big multiplayer game like Evolve to feel so considered and intelligent. Everything – skills, mechanics, and design choices – seem to interlock in a way that’s both natural and purposeful. That it’s so mechanically rich and still conveys the raw energy and fun of duking it out with huge monsters and action-figure-esque hunters is a real design feat. Its progression system stifles it a bit early on, but regardless, Evolve is a deeply rewarding multiplayer experience that packs both brains and brawn.

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When Evolve is at its best, it is one of the greatest co-op experiences ever crafted. Few games require so much teamwork and are as satisfying when everything falls into place. Conversely, it can be a complete mess when played with hunters that are incompetent or not playing their position. If you have a group of friends that are willing to put in both the financial and time commitment for Evolve then there is no reason not to buy it. Otherwise your mileage will vary.

Evolve is a game that perpetuates and demonstrates the fun of online cooperative gameplay. Whether it's the A.I. combatants or online friends there's excitement to be found. Since the game relies on its multiplayer as its bread and butter, it's going to have to do a lot more in the long run should it hope to sustain any longevity.

Evolve is fun when it works but has a habit of being hurt by its own ambition. Play with friends to get the best out of this game.

In a vacuum, Evolve is a game that had a lot of potential but is let down by a serious pacing problem and overwhelming finales. In the real world, it is a fairly competent shooter saddled with an unsettling approach to DLC, bolting on the MOBA costume DLC model to an already full priced game. Evolve is a mutation in the wrong direction.

It is a pointsfest, though. I keep jumping back into Evolve as I write this piece, which I guess means it's doing something right, but my interest is much more in unlocking the next monster than it is the joy of playing the two I've unlocked already. I want to be more excited about the fact I can already play a flying Cthulhu thing with tentacle for arms and which can shoot lightning, but between the unlock mania and the perma-gloom it's nowhere near as fantasy-fulfilling as it sounds on paper. So far, Evolve feels like a perfectly good action game in the modern paradigm, and with the added bo...

“In emphasizing level progression, skill growth, and unlockable characters, Turtle Rock smothers Evolve’s premise.”

Games are all about loops – the core actions that the player takes during the game. By definition, these loops repeat as the game progresses. The key to making an enjoyable game lies in making these loops as fun as possible. While running and jumping in a Mario game is always satisfying, other games have less success. Evolve is one of those other games, where satisfying parts of the loop are derailed by unfortunate design choices.

Evolve convolutes its simple idea with too many mechanics, dulling what should have been a great experience.