The Talos Principle 2
Our verdict
9/10
- Difficulty: Hard
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 30–40 h
The Talos Principle 2 is Croteam's sequel to its philosophical first-person puzzler. Humanity is extinct and robots carry on its culture; you join an expedition to a mysterious megastructure and solve laser, connector and gate puzzles across large open areas, between conversations about what it means to be human. It suits solo players who want a long, thoughtful puzzle game without combat.
Steam reviews are very positive (about 94% of 8,612). Many players call it one of the best puzzle games in years and on par with Portal. They praise the natural landscapes and architecture, the new puzzle mechanics on top of the old ones, and the story, and several note that it runs well with few bugs. Older players like that there is no combat or twitch reflexes.
A few fans of the first game miss its sense of solitude and say bigger is not better, with more dialogue and walking between puzzles. It is long: reviewers report 30 hours or more. At its price, it is a strong buy for anyone who enjoyed the first game or Portal.
Pros
- Large set of laser and connector puzzles with new mechanics
- Philosophical story about a robot society after humanity
- No combat, so reflexes never matter
Cons
- More dialogue and walking than the first game
- Loses some of the original's sense of solitude
About
Born into a new world where biological humanity is extinct but human culture lives on in a city of robots, you find yourself swept up in a mind-bending adventure involving a mysterious megastructure hiding enormous powers.
The more you discover, the more you will be confronted with questions about the nature of the cosmos and the purpose of civilization. The broken promise of a better tomorrow, the fear of repeating humankind’s mistakes, faith in reason or renouncing humanity altogether - the choices you make and the sides you take will determine the course of events.A New Generation of Puzzles
Solve a wide array of puzzles with varying difficulty levels, including clever metapuzzles and highly challenging Gold puzzles. Finish the game without solving every puzzle, or pursue the rewards of complete mastery. A variety of new abilities, such as gravity manipulation and mind transference, join the established mechanics of the original Talos Principle, creating a fresh but familiar experience.A Philosophical Odyssey
Take the next step forward in the story of The Talos Principle in a thought-provoking, character-driven interactive story with multiple endings penned by returning writers Jonas Kyratzes (The Eternal Cylinder, Clash: Artifacts of Chaos) and Tom Jubert (The Swapper, Subnautica), joined by Verena Kyratzes (The Hand of Merlin, Serious Sam 4).Brave New World
Explore more than a dozen all-new environments, from a city on the brink of a paradigm shift to the varied landscapes of a mysterious island that holds the keys to the future. Take a break from puzzle-solving to discover long-buried secrets and strands of forgotten history.The Melodies of Creation
Immerse yourself in the rich, bittersweet world of The Talos Principle with a stunning soundtrack by master composer Damjan Mravunac (Serious Sam, The Talos Principle), with a guest appearance by Chris Christodoulou (Risk of Rain 1 and 2).
