I think I have previously recommended to others here that they play The Talos Principle. It’s a somewhat unique idea, in that it’s a first person puzzle game. There’s not shooting like in a first person shooter, although there is a little violence because there are robotic enemies that you have to avoid or you will get “killed,” which means starting a level over. Most of the puzzles do not require quick action/reflexes, but a few certainly do (and are nerve wracking because of it) and the ending of the game is timed, which will also require you to learn what to do when to complete it fast enough. There is an interesting overarching story line tied into the game, which is somewhat apropos of current events with global warming and AI. These games also have a sort of “meta game” inside the game about exploring the open world in detail to find “easter eggs” and other hard to find hidden elements, as well as some intentionally “game breaking” exploits that allow you to do things you probably initially though were impossible (it’s really hard to explain what I mean without giving spoilers.)
Anyway, yesterday, November 2nd, The Talos Principle 2 was released. I enjoyed the first one so much that I pre-ordered the sequel “on spec.” In 8 hours last night, I completed what appears to be about 25% of the game. The story line from the first is continued in the second, sort of. (Trying to mostly remain spoiler free.)
I want to say, that if you like puzzles, or are logically minded, you should check out these two games. Ideally you’d play them in order for best impact. On Steam (and possibly elsewhere) each of them has free demo versions you can play. They’re also available on consoles (I liked the first one enough to have repurchased and replayed it a number of times on PS4.)
@Leo, you recently said you needed a new game (after the Viking one) and I’d love to hear your take on these games (or the demos at least.)
The demo of Talos Principle 2 is not downloadable now. It was only active until the game was released. I think they may have disabled the demo server side as well, from what I have read on the Steam Forums for the game.
Oh man I loved The Talos Principle! Didn’t even know there was a sequel on the way, I’ll have to make some some time for it. The puzzles are satisfying but that underlying story is what really grabbed me. Glad to hear they’re continuing it.
Well sh*t what a dumb plan that is. I know there were mods that could unlock most of the puzzles in the demo that were otherwise locked, so maybe that’s why. I just looked in my Steam Library and it’s not there any more either… although I think it’s still installed on my PC, which is weird.
I guess the demo for the first will have to do, it was specially crafted I think, and not a re-purposing of the whole first game which it seemed like the Talos Principle 2 demo was. There are a bunch of new mechanics in the new game, and it’s on the Epic engine instead of Croteam’s own engine, but if the first demo doesn’t sell you on the game play, the second one wouldn’t have been much more likely to have either.
I wanted to check something, but yes, the demo is unplayable for Talos 2 even if you had it installed. So I have to do the following from memory
Stuff I found different with the demo from the full game, so spoilers
When the game starts, until after the meeting with the major and some other robots, there’s no real difference. You wake up in the garden that was basically where the first game took place (different set of puzzles) and solve some puzzles there. You’ll boot up and go through the normal events. Once the meeting is over, here’s where there are changes. In the full game, there’s someone to talk to who seems to start a side quest that runs the length of the game. I didn’t think to check when I played the demo, as it didn’t prompt this was an option, but you can go explore the city in the full game (one building is closed during your first visit BTW, so I assume if you could have explored, you would have the same amount of content). The demo would then just jump to an island with puzzles. Full game, you make a stop at the hub area and have to unlock the way to the island first.
Now, the two islands you have access to have half the puzzles you are supposed to access (Assuming no mods), the ones labeled 1 through 4, and one of the extra puzzles. The demo also removed access to the labs as well. Also, the demo doesn’t have the folks who went with you on the island walking around talking to you.
The first island has more changes as a result of the locked content. There are two stars you can collect on each island, but the first island has them set up in a way that if they didn’t change them for the demo, you would be locked out from getting them. One where you use a beam is designed to a beam from puzzle 8 in the full game, but you don’t have access to that in the demo, so they added stuff, so you can use a beam from puzzle 3 instead. The other requires access to the bridge, but they don’t allow access to it on the first island, so a path you need to run removed that stop (other than that one time it stops on the bridge to the tower, the method to solve is the same in both the full game and the demo)
Second island, again, puzzles 1 through 4 and an extra puzzle. I think they removed stuff from behind the golden gate, or I didn’t look in that area while playing the demo (It’s the only one with no walls as far as I can tell), and the demo does allow you to get to the tower, but replace the elevator with the same exit from the boot puzzles, when ends the demo
Due to the engine change, I really hope they release a demo of the game just to allow people to make sure their PCs can run it before buying it. The game is really demanding.