The Talos Principle 2
Developer(s)Croteam
Publisher(s)Devolver Digital
Writer(s)
Composer(s)Damjan Mravunac
EngineUnreal Engine 5
Platform(s)
ReleaseNovember 2, 2023
Genre(s)Puzzle, adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

The Talos Principle 2 is a puzzle-adventure video game developed by Croteam and published by Devolver Digital. A sequel to The Talos Principle (2014), the game was released for Windows, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S in November 2023 to generally positive reviews.

Gameplay

Similar to its predecessor, The Talos Principle 2 is a first-person puzzle game. In addition to the mechanics from the first game, it introduces gameplay features such as gravity manipulation and mind transference.[1] To complete the main story of The Talos Principle II, the player must complete 8 different puzzles in each of the 12 main areas.[2] The game features optional puzzles; completing them unlocks additional secrets.[3] Players can find "sparks" hidden in different parts. Utilizing a spark allows players to clear a puzzle without solving it.[4]

Plot

The Talos Principle 2 takes place some years after the first game, which occurred after humanity was wiped out by a virus released from the permafrost due to global warming; to salvage their knowledge before they died, a group of humans established a project to create sapient artificial intelligence by solving puzzles within a virtual space, with those that succeed inhabiting android bodies and continue to extend humankind. The first android to awaken (the player from the end of The Talos Principle) was Athena, who manufactured the first twelve androids (referred to as the first companions) who gradually built New Jerusalem, collecting resources to build more androids.

The game starts with the awakening of the one thousandth android, named "1K". 1K is brought to New Jerusalem, a city created by the androids, and welcomed as the completion of "the Goal" of having one thousand androids, as established by Athena (No. 001), who has since disappeared and gained the status among a portion of the androids as a religious figure. During the celebration, a holographic figure of Prometheus appears to the androids warning them of more challenges for them to face, while simultaneously, sensors detect a massive energy surge far from the city. As 1K is the newest android and free of the numerous political disagreements in the city, 1K is asked to come on an expedition to this location, discovering a pyramid-like megastructure, as well as several outlying areas that tie into it. These new areas are found to have similar puzzles as from the virtual space, and 1K is assigned to solve them. The androids are shocked to witness numerous technologies, such as matter fabricating from floating high-energy particles, massive power generators, and consciousness transference. When 1K completes a set of puzzles resulting in activating colored lasers, they are able to enter a portion of the central megastructure. They encounter holograms of Prometheus, who encourages the androids to "seek the flame," Pandora who is paranoid about the flame destroying the androids, and the Sphinx, who questions them about the follies of humankind and their quest for knowledge.

In addition to these messages, 1K encounters recordings and echoes of Athena and other early founders of New Jerusalem. Through these recordings, 1K learns that the megastructure and the surrounding areas were built by Athena after she and Cornelius created a child android, Miranda. After decades of study and research, the trio created the Noema Project, resulting in Athena discovering the theory of everything, which allows the numerous physics-defying technologies around the megastructure to work. However, during an experiment, Miranda was destroyed in a lab explosion. Grief-stricken, Athena entered the machine. While her initial intent was to use the technology to help New Jerusalem and her fellow androids, she became stuck in a logic loop.

After completing a large portion of the puzzles, Byron (No. 007) activates a terminal, becoming stuck in the loop, and Pandora violently drives off the other androids, declaring that they will never be ready to use the technology of the machine wisely. The team returns to New Jerusalem to report, but come back to rescue Byron. After completing all of the regular puzzles, Byron is freed, telling the other androids that Athena is stuck in the machine, and that Prometheus, Pandora, and the Sphinx are all projections of Athena's hopes, fears, and self-doubts respectively. While fleeing the megastructure again, 1K is struck with a massive electrical overload.

Awakening several weeks later, 1K awakens in New Jerusalem, having been repaired. Depending on the player's philosophical choices throughout the game, the leadership of New Jerusalem may have changed, and 1K returns to machine with a clear goal of either coopting it or destroying it, but to save Athena regardless. If enough puzzles are solved, Cornelius contacts 1K, imploring him to solve the twelve gold door puzzles which will allow him to access the machine's memory, where he believes Miranda's consciousness was saved as she was connected to the machine when her android body was destroyed.

Entering the machine, 1K reaches Athena, who gives 1K the ultimate choice to take over or shut down the machine. Depending on the leadership of New Jerusalem, the ultimate fate of the machine, and whether or not Miranda is returned to life alters the epilogue of the story.

Development

Developer Croteam announced that they were working on a sequel, The Talos Principle 2, in May 2016.[5] On September 23, 2020, one day before the release of Serious Sam 4, Croteam writer Jonas Kyratzes confirmed that The Talos Principle 2 was still "definitely happening." Kyratzes explained that The Talos Principle 2's story was "challenging" to create due to the original's plot having "wrapped up so well". Kyratzes also explained that work on the game had been slow due to the development of Croteam's other two games: the aforementioned Serious Sam 4, and The Hand of Merlin. He also stated that The Talos Principle 2 would be the company's next focus following Serious Sam 4's release.[6]

In May 2023 at the virtual PlayStation Showcase livestream event, it was announced that the sequel will be released by the end of the year.[7] The sequel builds on the first game's origin story of robotkind by exploring the newly emerged robotic civilization.[8] It was showcased at Gamescom 2023.[9] The sequel was released on 2 November 2023.[10] It is powered by the Unreal Engine 5, as Croteam decided to move away from their in-house engine following the release of Serious Sam 4.[11]

Release

From its release on November 2, until November 19, the game sold 100,000 copies. It reached the highest number of concurrent players on Steam among games published by Devolver Digital in 2023.[12]

Reception

According to review aggregator Metacritic, the PS5 version received universal acclaim,[14] while critical reception of the PC version was generally favorable.[13]

Will Borger from IGN praised the game's puzzle design, its exploration of philosophy themes and its story, describing it as "thoughtful, heartfelt, and deeply moving".[4] Dominic Tarason from PC Gamer compared the puzzle design to Portal and how the game gradually introduces new mechanics to players. He enjoyed the game's larger emphasis on narrative, praising the game's dialogue for being "deeply compelling and fully worthwhile". He concluded his review by writing that The Talos Principle 2 is "not just a great sequel, but a thoughtful and human narrative adventure wrapped in a satisfying and beautiful puzzle game".[16]

References

  1. ↑ Romano, Sal (June 8, 2023). "The Talos Principle II 'Gameplay' trailer". Gematsu. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  2. ↑ Hornshaw, Phil (November 9, 2023). "The Talos Principle 2 Ending Guide". GameSpot. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  3. ↑ Hornshaw, Phil (November 4, 2023). "The Talos Principle 2 Pandora Statue Guide - All Pandora Puzzles And Stars". GameSpot. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Borger, Will (November 5, 2023). "The Talos Principle 2 review". IGN. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  5. ↑ O'Connor, Alice (20 May 2016). "The Talos Principle 2 Discreetly Announced". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on 21 May 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  6. ↑ Young, Roy (23 September 2020). "Serious Sam 4 Developer Confirms Talos Principle 2 'Definitely Happening'". Game Rant. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  7. ↑ Romano, Sal (May 24, 2023). "The Talos Principle II announced for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  8. ↑ Hunski, Davor; Kyratzes, Verena; Tomičić, Davor; Kyratzes, Jonas (7 August 2023). "Exclusive Interview: The Talos Principle 2" (Interview). Interviewed by Joel Goodwin. Thinky Games. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  9. ↑ McClure, Deven (28 August 2023). "The Talos Principle II Has "A Lot More" Characters, Says Developer". Screen Rant. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  10. ↑ Moon, Mariella (27 September 2023). "The Talos Principle 2 will hit consoles and PC on November 2". Engadget. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  11. ↑ Hugo, Hayte (26 September 2023). "Puzzelgame The Talos Principle 2 verschijnt op 2 november voor pc en console" [Puzzle game The Talos Principle 2 will be released on November 2 for PC and console]. Tweakers (in Dutch). Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  12. ↑ Obedkov, Evgeny. "Talos Principle 2 hits 100k copies sold, reaches highest CCU of any game published by Devolver in 2023". Game World Observer. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  13. 1 2 "The Talos Principle 2 critic reviews: PC". Metacritic. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  14. 1 2 "The Talos Principle 2 critic reviews: PS5". Metacritic. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  15. ↑ "The Talos Principle 2". OpenCritic. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  16. 1 2 Tarason, Dominic (November 3, 2023). "The Talos Principle 2 review". PC Gamer. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
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