Evolve Reviews
The previous limited releases of 'Evolve' have allowed Turtle Rock and 2K to fine-tune the server performance and gameplay. Everything hums along nicely now except for the occasional matchmaking drop, and the 4v1 cat-and-mouse formula works very well. Playing as a hunter is fun and playing as the monster is fun. There are some issues with repetitiveness, but this is one of the best asymmetrical multiplayer shooters in recent memory.
Titanfall breathed fresh air into online shooters before repetition quickly wore off the sheen. And unless Evolve is properly supported after release, it will likely suffer the same fate. But, as it stands, this is a brave new take on the genre. Its varied mechanics are quick to learn and hard to master, and it's worthy of attention from anyone tired of the endless cycle of military shooters.
If you're looking for a good story-driven game, this probably isn't for you.
When the pieces come together as they're meant to, Evolve is satisfying in a bone-deep kind of way.
It's not without quirks, but Turtle Rock's new alien-themed shooter makes for a refreshingly innovative entry in the lopsided shooter genus
We're still in the early days of Evolve. There are still free characters, weapons and abilities to unlock for most of us. While the lack of a real story mode may upset some, most people who purchase this game are doing so for the multiplayer, plain and simple. On that front, Evolve impresses when things go as planned. Get a group together, work as a cohesive unit, and have fun blasting those ugly aliens to hell and back. Or play as a Monster, alone but oh so badass. Evolve has a hint of greatness, but a lack of content at launch and a jarring amount of premium launch and planned DLC hold it back. What we have here is an evolution of the Left 4 Dead formula, not a revolution.
Evolve deserves its time in consumer hands and is a game that should not be so easily forgotten, but it does need some work to regain momentum.
Despite repetitiveness in modes and characters, Evolve offers replayability thanks, in part, to its addictive competitive nature.
Evolve is a content light asymmetrical multiplayer game that asks far too much from its players, often requiring an organised group to get the full experience. Without any singleplayer content, it is a hard sell to anyone individual.
Evolve offers an excellent mix of competitive and cooperative gameplay but it is buried behind a muddled progression system and lengthy matchmaking / loading times.
Evolve broke my heart.
Fun, if overly frantic, Evolve is a genuinely unique online offering. Its intriguing ideas don't always pay off, and content-wise the game is a little bare bones, but hey, monsters!
At its simplest, Evolve is one of the best new ideas to be turned into a game of recent times, invoking so many monster and alien films along the way. Its attention grabbing hook can only take it so far, though, and Evolve needs you to persevere through the first few hours as you get to grips with the hunt and learn how to play the game. Admittedly, it can be hit and miss when paired up with AI players through matchmaking, but as with so many games, it can be pure gold when played with friends.
[C]onsidering some of the subpar game modes, I can't help but feel this package could have been something bigger.
When 'Evolve' hits all the right notes it succeeds at delivering a tense and dynamic boss battles, but if just one thing goes wrong it loses its appeal rather quickly.
In emphasizing level progression, skill growth, and unlockable characters, Turtle Rock smothers Evolve's premise.
Some interesting new approaches to classes that are now familiar, the DLC brings some cool things to the table. While it can't fix the core issues with the game, it adds some fresh content for those who are still playing and looking for something new.
Evolve is brilliant in the right circumstances and with the right people, but it's hard to unreservedly recommend to everyone. Those with dedicated teams will get the most out of the game while those in matchmaking will find mixed results. Still, Turtle Rock deserves recognition for attempting - and almost nailing - such an ambitious project.
Much like Titanfall, Watch Dogs and Destiny, Evolve likely serves as a good proof of concept for what will probably be a superior sequel. Turtle Rock's unique title has enough novelty to capture player interest for the next few weeks, but it is not a Left 4 Dead level game that will keep everyone engaged for years on end.
In short: not quite the evolution in multiplayer gaming we hoped for. Get friends together or good all-round players and Evolve can be a blast, but anything less than that and you'll be bored in far too short a time.