I like to think of myself as a puzzle enthusiast, with multiple puzzle-oriented games scattered throughout my gaming résumé. Every once in a while, though, one comes along that changes everything about how I approach a puzzle and truly engages the mind. The Talos Principle 2 was that game for me most recently. Having missed the original title when it was released back in December 2014, I eagerly jumped into its sequel and haven’t looked back. Now that the original is getting the remaster treatment — titled The Talos Principle: Reawakened — along with brand-new content, there’s no better time to see where it all began and find out if I still have the puzzle bug.
I won’t spend much time on the original game, but the premise is quite simple at its core: you control a robot in the not-too-distant future and must solve various puzzles of steadily increasing difficulty while being forced to reconcile your place in the world as a robot — not a person. The philosophical implications implied — and, indeed, found — in The Talos Principle: Reawakened can make you question your own beliefs and how you see the world around you.
Essentially, you are led around the world by a disembodied voice that calls itself Elohim — the guide (for lack of a better term) that helps the player progress the story. Elohim speaks in philosophical musings and offers gentle prodding in the right direction should you become stuck for too long. There were many times when I paused to think through a puzzle’s logic, only to hear Elohim suggest that I could leave and come back later if it was proving too difficult in that moment. While I appreciate that The Talos Principle: Reawakened allows players to progress at their own pace, some gentle bullying from the voice meant to guide you is both appreciated and passive-aggressive.
As The Talos Principle: Reawakened continues, you progress through different areas and encounter puzzles that introduce new items to help complete the task. Sometimes, the objective becomes very straightforward; other times, it can take a while for the logic to click. For better or worse, that’s the gist of the game at its most basic level — although you could explore the philosophical implications and questions posed for hours or more if you had the desire. And that’s what I love most about this series.
“While I appreciate that The Talos Principle: Reawakened allows the player to progress at their own pace, some gentle bullying from the voice that is meant to guide you is both appreciated and passive aggressive.”
I want to move on to the brand-new content: the In the Beginning DLC. In the Beginning follows the same core tenets of gameplay — you wander through the landscape, finding and solving puzzles to progress the story. What’s interesting about this content, however, is that your character exists inside a simulation run by the last humans on Earth, who, facing impending doom, work tirelessly to create this world as a way to preserve their memory for the future.
In the simulation, you’ll come across small flashing red circles with a bug symbol in the middle, indicating an issue the developers need to fix. If you hover your reticle over it, it will display exactly what the bug is and what level of priority it holds for being fixed. It’s these fun little additions that make the series so enjoyable — moments where heavy, existential questions are being asked of the player, paired with lighthearted breaks that pull you back from the brink and offer a mental breather.
You’ll also find various voice recordings from the “developers” of the simulation as they speak their thoughts aloud about current issues faced during development, or share other amusing anecdotes.
“Visually, The Talos Principle: Reawakened is stunning.”
In terms of puzzle quality, this is where The Talos Principle: Reawakened and the In the Beginning DLC really shine. The puzzles are intricate and brutal, simple and complex — all at the same time. Some puzzles in this new content are downright diabolical and took me hours on end to solve. A few remain unfinished at the time of writing, so I need to go back and finish those up before doing anything else.
Visually, The Talos Principle: Reawakened is stunning. The landscapes are gorgeous, and there is something to behold everywhere you look. It is abundantly clear that the team at Croteam has given this game their very best.
The Talos Principle: Reawakened is a masterpiece of game design and thought provocation. From the landscapes to the puzzles, the story and beyond, I can find no faults in the game itself — apart from the difficulty of some puzzles, which comes down to my own inability to find a solution. The simultaneous sense of accomplishment and frustration is staggering, but there’s no better way to experience puzzle gaming. I cannot recommend this game enough to puzzle lovers everywhere.
