Those of you that did not attend this year’s Pax East have probably missed out on a great opportunity to see Turtle Rock and 2K’s upcoming team-based FPS Evolve in action. Evolve’s gameplay revolves around a squad of 4 player controlled hunters that have to take down ferocious monsters that evolve during a match, becoming faster, stronger and tougher to kill. In a sense, we’re seeing something similar to Left 4 Dead’s Survivors vs Zombies, but instead of providing even teams and odds, we’re seeing a new, 4 vs 1 mode that initially seemed impossible to balance right.
Those fears are pretty much shun by now, as Evolve truly seems to have hit the nail on its head. Evolve looks absolutely fascinating to play, and I don’t see myself getting bored of it easily once I really get into it. To kill monsters, the squad needs some serious coordination, skills and team-work, otherwise individual players will easily be picked off. Lone-wolf mentality doesn’t work here, and the gameplay footage reveals that if you wonder too far away from your squad, you’re likely to become fodder. On the other hand, playing as the monster (in this case a Goliath), you’re not exactly up for an easy task either. You’ll have to know when to attack, when to feed, when to retreat, and you’ll have to use your environment to your advantage. Otherwise, a skilled squad will quickly drop you to your knees.
Speaking about Evolve’s environments, the level design seems fantastic. It’s not just fancy visuals and effects. You’ll have to keep your eye on your surroundings at all times. A moment of carelessness and you’ll end up eaten by the various inhabitants of the planets you’re hunting on. The monster can use the environment to its advantage, sending hunters flying into various deadly plants, or knocking them into ponds that hide threats of their own. Weapons seem varied, and you’ll have to know what, how and when to use to maximize the efficiency of your gear.
There is no exact release date for Evolve just yet, but the game is set for a late-summer/early fall period. It’s being designed for the PC, Xbox One and PS4, so if you’re limited to a past-generation console, you’ll have to upgrade for the experience. Feedback and buzz so far has been extremely positive, so you should consider doing so. Based on how polished the game looks already, it’s doubtful we’ll be seeing a delay in the game’s release, so save up for some upgrades should you need them.