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The Perfect Evolution of Evolve

The Perfect Evolution of Evolve

Evolve is a unique FPS game released in 2015 to quite a bit of controversy. The game is a kind of re-vamped hunting game, an asymmetrical structure where five players (four playing as hunters and one as the monster) battle against each other in an industrialized alien planet called Shear. The hunters’ gameplay is based on the first-person shooter design, while the monsters are controlled from a third-person perspective. The hunters’ goal is to eliminate the monster, while the monster’s goal is to consume wildlife and evolve to make itself stronger. The game can be played alone or with multiple players, and it’s much better with your friends than without.

The idea certainly sounds wonderful on paper, but as many fans of the game have said, Evolve came with a lot of problems at first. However, in light of the many improvements Turtle Rock Studios has given the game, I can’t help but want to celebrate. Turtle Rock Studios has managed to re-invent Evolve in a way that can only be done in the gaming industry, with constant communication between developers and players.

One of the main complaints gamers had at release was the price. Evolve came out as a fully priced AAA game at $60, in addition to DLCs that cost nearly another $50. The game itself was average at best, and the DLCs were mostly skins and different colour options. Recently, though, Turtle Rock Studios made it free to play and released Evolve: Stage 2 . This was the much improved if not perfect result of gamers making no secret of their dissatisfaction.

The two most significant and very welcome changes Stage 2 brought were that all game content (including the nearly useless DLC) could be purchased with in-game currency, and the dome mechanic was made available to all hunters. The latter was the breath of fresh air the game sorely needed. Before, only the Trapper class could deploy the dome and capture the monster. Once caught, the monster could be defeated within a few very disappointing minutes. With Stage 2 , all classes could deploy the dome and the monster had a fighting chance to escape because of the dome’s visible timer. In addition, time is removed the more damage is done by either side. What better way to revive Evolve than to make it free and more balanced for everyone!

Another point of contention was the steep learning curve. Many players reported that they couldn’t just drop in and really get into the game, as it took until near the end of the hunt before things got exciting. Before the end, each round was a boring repetition of running after the monster until it gained all of its abilities. To solve this problem, Turtle Rock Studios added a training mode (tutorial) and Arena mode. The Arena mode arranged a best-of-three match, in which both hunters and monster are placed in a much smaller pre-determined map. The only goal here is to eliminate your opponent. This is made easier by the monster beginning at stage two of its evolution with 50% armor (putting more focus on escaping the hunters rather than evolving). In addition, the matches are shortened by the lack of a revival option – when a hunter dies, they are gone until the next match. Needless to say, Arena mode ensures that Evolve can be played as less of a running simulator and with more fast and dirty action.

The Perfect Evolution of Evolve

The best and most recent re-invention of Evolve is The Deepest Dark mode. This mode takes fast ‘n’ dirty to a whole new intensity. Hunters go up against an AI-controlled monster (the Gorgon Queen) and have to destroy its eggs before they hatch. If that wasn’t enough of a thrill, this Gorgon gains power from the hunters themselves – all amongst vegetation and wildlife more than willing to swallow you whole. This mode certainly takes an experienced team, but that’s the best part, and you’ll never be bored.

Evolve is a great example of developers listening and communicating with fans to build a better game. Making it free to play was a huge step, but Stage 2 , Arena, and The Deepest Dark modes contributed to re-inventing a game that is not only worth playing, but worth buying too.

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