A number of games have attempted to mimic Portal's straightforward inventiveness. Technically speaking, Quantum Conundrum, Q.U.B.E., Antichamber, and the others were fairly proficient, but they lacked individuality and ZING. In 2014, Talos Principle appeared out of nowhere. and firmly positioned its flag on that impregnable mountaintop. The creators of the brilliant but very mindless shooter phenomenon Serious Sam, Croteam, have crafted the best and most clever narrative puzzle game of the last generation. Yes, the Lord operates in strange ways. Talos was followed by The Witness and Superliminal, none of which made an effect. After then, there was a drought, and for a while, the chorus of players' insatiably curious minds was quiet. Thus far.

The Talos Principle 2 expands upon the first in a number of significant ways. The sequel has a much wider range of problems and is larger, bolder, and more ambitious overall. The deeper philosophical underpinnings also address post-apocalyptic retrospect from several angles. The game juggles a number of themes while almost never missing a beat and never fails to amaze you. It's a clever, analytical man's game. The sort you savor with a Cuban cigar and a drink of good cognac.

Humanity 2.0

The Talos Principle 2 is a narrative-based puzzle game, much like its predecessor. Elohim's virtual reality experiments were place millennia ago, and the game adopts the "best" conclusion as canonical. You know, the one where a player-led android defeated artificial intelligence and arose in a desolate, post-apocalyptic world where the deadly virus caused by melting permafrost drove humanity to extinction. If you weren't able to witness the first game, I highly recommend viewing at least a YouTube summary. If you have the time, it would be ideal to play it through.

In any case, Athena, that brave android, successfully launched the new society, reproducing its artificial siblings and erecting New Jerusalem, their bright metropolis on a hill. The robot paradise was deliberately created to avoid making the same errors that humanity has made. Unfortunately, Athena's refusal to grow or take any chances resulted in stagnation, and she eventually departed the city and was never seen again. Without the founder's leadership, the nascent society descended even further into indifference and slumber.

This was the way (artificial) life was until the creation of you, the 1,000th android on January. The visual phenomenon began as soon as you stepped off the assembly floor; it was a kind of nano-hologram that directed viewers to the far-off island with the peculiar megastructure. The ad hoc council decided at the last minute to launch an investigation since everyone was under the impression that Athena had attempted to communicate.

It's enormous and needs your feedback.

As a participant in The Talos Principle 2, you contribute to the group's endeavor to solve the biggest puzzle the emerging robotic society has ever encountered. The "collective" aspect is rather meaningless since you would be the one performing the majority of the effort, figuring out the riddles, and explaining the purpose of the challenge. As a narrative tool, the other androids on your trip assist you in experiencing and, to some extent, shaping the experience. Speaking with your fellow explorers can help you come up with new solutions, aligning your viewpoints or persuading them to adopt your point of view.

The massive island is separated into many zones that are reachable by railroad. The pyramidal megastructure is opened, permitting the entry, by solving the eight challenges in one region and doing the same in two other sub-zones. With each accomplishment and each audio, text, or graphic diary you start throughout the journey, the mystery becomes deeper. The game is replete with philosophical literary quotes that are deftly mixed with the previously described post-apocalyptic perspective. All the evidence points to Athena as the project's visionary leader, but what served as the foundation for this massive amusement park? Is this a physical replica of the VR exam Elohim once took? Perhaps its purpose was to serve as a vehicle for a story that would explain why all civilizations are destined to suffer the same end.

Troubles and lasers

The majority of Talos Principle 2 is spent resolving riddles. Many of them. They mostly consist of multicolored light beams and wall receptacles, but they are just the skeleton of an incredibly intricate system. You have an incredible amount of toys and technologies at your disposal. Pressure plates, portable cubes, fans, RBG light integrators and splitters, quantum tunnelers, teleporters, and even consciousness-switching clones will all be used in your experiments. At least one brand-new item is introduced in every new location, so before you know it, your plate will be piled high with possibilities that will blow your mind. Talos 2 is really large. It looms above other story-driven puzzle games, such as Imperial Star Destroyer, over a little rebel stronghold.

The majority of the problems are really clever and well balanced to allow for appropriate escalation. The first few are rather simple in each new place, but as the game senses your familiarity, it strikes you like Mike Tyson. If you're stranded for good, you may use the flame-token gadget to fix the problem right away or go to a different place, assuming it's unlocked. Since such are so uncommon, I highly suggest reserving some for the shocking conclusion. There are two more hidden riddles in each region if you're looking for more difficulties. They are usually more difficult than standard ones and are optional.

Unfocused concentration You will be forced to think—and not only in the useful, riddle-solving sense—by The Talos Principle 2. The game will draw you into an incredibly well written narrative with poignant, thought-provoking dialogue and unforgettable characters. It will toy with your emotions, enveloping you in a zen-like setting and frying your intellect over a slow fire, only to prod you with oscillating spurts of cautious, curious optimism and fatalism. It's difficult to put into words; you have to see it with your own eyes.I wish this clever, challenging game had released later in the Christmas season so I could give it the full attention it so well deserves. Like me, you will be seriously harming both the global balance and yourself if you attempt to fit it in between RoboCop, CoD: MW 3, and Alan Wake II.