The Talos Principle: Gold Edition

The Talos Principle is a first-person puzzle game much like the Portal games but at the same time not. The only thing the game has in common is two things: first person perspective and puzzle-solving. The graphical design and gameplay of the game is great, it's the CroEngine which we all know and love from Serious Sam but here put in a different context which definitely works out. Sure, it's a bit clunky but I think that adds to it. You are a robot after all. The worlds look great too, although maybe somewhat repetetive and not too much variation in things. However the environment is not really the focus of the game so it can be excused. The puzzles are everything from easy to frustratingly hard, but I don't think anything is unsolveable. As you progress in the game, you also unlock various new tools that helps you solve puzzles along the way through the different worlds. I think that's a nice touch and there is quite the variation among the puzzles, nothing feels the same. The story... while there might not be much story that happens directly there is a backstory that you explore and get to know more about the further in the game you get. You also hear voices and talk with someone on the terminals, everything hidden in mysteries and for you to find out. Something to keep in mind is that there are multiple endings including some hidden easter eggs :) I recommend this to all puzzle fans out there, especially if you want something similiar to Portal (but yet not!). It's a quite long game but since it's divided into various worlds and levels, it feels like you're making progress every time you play. DLC not included in the review.

Although some of the recorded double mechanics I found a bit frustrating due to the whole timing bit, overall I had a good time with this one. As is typical, I found myself overthinking some solutions, smacking my forehead when I realized a much simpler fix was in order. I couldn't be bothered to collect all stars though. I'm not quite that masochistic. ;) Anyway, the pleasant environments and soothing soundtrack also helped a lot in my enjoyment of Talos. The story is decent, but it's really the puzzles I came for, and the game quite succeeded here. On that note, I actually thought the writing in the Road to Gehenna expansion was actually better and more fun with these AI constructs trying to make sense of what the human world was like through the imperfect knowledge they had of it.

While like any puzzle based game, The Talos Principle can be occasionally infuriating, it is overall an amazing title. If you are one of the many people who loved their time playing the Portal games, I do not know how you missed this title. It is not nearly as light hearted (and in fact there are times this game can be downright depressing), but it is absolutely masterfully made and a worthy game to stand with Valve’s masterpieces. If you enjoy puzzle gaming, you need to get your hands on this title. It is one of the best of this genre and well worth your time to play thought. If you are looking for any kind of action adventure, however, this game is simply not for you.

OK, so there is that self-aware robot, which hears voices and sees QR encoded messages everywhere. He roams through the ancient ruins in order to collect static Tetris pieces. On his quest he struggles with Gatling guns and levitating naval mines and he fights them with vaping cameras. How, on earth!, can you put this all together into engaging game with immersive story, non trivial message and excellent puzzles (ridiculous ones are clearly marked) ?! There is only one way to find out: buy and play. A piece of advice: don't pay much attention to screenshots, posters and clips. Actual game feels much better than it appears.

Personally I did not expect to have such an amazing experience in the game. The puzzles, the story, the writing - everything is done so well. The music is so beautiful, it makes the whole experience much much better. Some of the puzzle are quite challenging, the game really pushes you to think outside the box and from what I saw there are often multiple ways to solve the harder and more complex puzzles - you just got to take your time and think/explore/try different things. I am really glad we got the entire gold edition on GOG that includes the soundtrack and the DLC - Road to Gehenna. The DLC is just as good as the main game - it has a story on its own, new puzzles, new places, there is a lot more to read in it. It does not introduce new game puzzles mechanics but instead it forces you to use the old mechanics in new clever ways that at first may bring confusion! The game also brings multiple endings and many secrets to uncover. I love all the Easter Eggs the devs have put in the game - one may say a bit too many but some of them were really entertaining. I even recommend after finishing a zone or after you beat the game to check guides for any Easter Eggs you may have missed - some of them are really worth seeing!!! There are few negative things I can think of. There was this one puzzle earlier on in the game that cannot be solved normally with what you have withing the game. You think you know how to solve it but you don't. For people who don't want to use any guides or help this may be quite the challenge. I couldn't solve it either and I wasn't very happy about it. Also when you restart a puzzle it resets the entire zone, not just the puzzle you wanted to reset. And finally I really hope Croteam will bring the full Deluxe Edition of The Talos Principle 2 on GOG!