After years of development, one major delay, and the changing of hands from now-bankrupt publisher THQ to Grand Theft Auto company Take-Two, Left 4 Dead creator Turtle Rock’s 4v1 monster-hunting game Evolve has finally arrived.
The game has not been without controversy, as its extensive DLC plans have been called out as potentially exploitative by some. All the same, it’s clear that publisher 2K Games has high hopes for the project.
“Evolve is an innovative and highly replayable experience that will define this console generation for years to come,” 2K president Christoph Harmann said in a statement.
But how is Evolve holding up with critics? We’ve collected a series of review scores and editor opinions below. One thing to note, however, is that some sites have provided impressions only or provisional reviews due to the game’s heavy network dependence.
For more on Evolve’s critical reception, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
- Game: Evolve
- Developer: 2K Games
- Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
- Release Date: February 10
- Price: $60
GameSpot — 8/10
“As with Turtle Rock’s Left 4 Dead, Evolve is best when you play with buddies; getting matched with a novice can lead to ghastly results if your newfound friend constantly seeks out the nonexistent ‘I’ in ‘team.’ It doesn’t take long to whip a newcomer into shape, at least, meaning you can usually focus on Evolve’s unique brand of greatness: the suspense of the hunt, the exhilaration of battle, and the drive to dominate Shear. Even Sasquatch would shiver at the dangers.” – Kevin VanOrd [Full review]
The Escapist — 4.5/5
“All in all, when Evolve is working well, it’s one of the most enjoyable co-op experiences I have had in a long time. It looks great, the varied classes are all fun to play, and there’s almost certain to be one that becomes your favorite. It’s a great addition to Turtle Rock’s resume, and a solid entry into the early release slate for 2015.” – Ron Whitaker [Full review]
Shacknews — 7/10
“Overall, it’s a bit of a time investment, but after learning the ins-and-outs of hunting, Evolve starts to become a more engaging time-killer. Evacuation is a keen way to mix the game’s otherwise uninspired game modes and its solid bot play means that I’ll still be able to enjoy it even during down hours. The table for an enjoyable multiplayer session is set, whether jumping in with friends or getting more anti-social and devouring opponents as a lone monster. But considering some of the subpar game modes, I can’t help but feel this package could have been something bigger.” – Ozzie Mejia [Full review]
IGN — No Review Score Yet
“Overall, I’m very impressed with Evolve. It’s a smart, unique multiplayer experience, and the asymmetrical design gets me thinking about new creative tactics that don’t even apply to any other game. I crave that kind of incentive and opportunity for inspiration, and I can tell that I’ll be playing Evolve, and watching streams of it for quite some time.” – Vincent Ingenito [Full coverage]
PC Gamer — No Review Score Yet
“Evolve’s emphasis on skillful movement, spotting, and out-maneuvering your opponent make it an excellent competitive game. The Hunters and monsters have some of the most elegant, simple-but-deep mechanics I’ve laid hands on. And Evolve is one of the best-looking games on PC, blessed with splashy particle effects, smart UI, and monsters worthy of Pacific Rim.” – Evan Lahti [Full coverage]
Kotaku — Impressions Only
“Everything in Evolve is about evolution. The Monster eats to survive and to grow stronger. Each player individually plays enough to level up their characters across the board–unlocking new perks they can attribute per round, and unlocking new characters and their features. But what interests me most in Evolve is the evolution of the team itself, of players acting out their roles and learning to work together as a team. Because as soon as you lose sight of your goals, and as soon as you abandon a fellow hunter, that’s when you lose control and you lose the fight. And that’s the end of the relationship.” – Tina Amini [Full coverage]
Polygon — 8/10 (PROVISIONAL)
“Evolve offers something different, even if it doesn’t always succeed. Evolve occasionally brushes against a real breakthrough for Turtle Rock, with its distinctive take on a different kind of multiplayer shooter. New territory always presents new problems, and Evolve doesn’t always solve them. But it distinguishes itself from the pack of multiplayer options out there with the flair of something truly different.” – Arthur Gies [Full review]
Eurogamer — Impressions Only
“Left 4 Dead’s replayability was obvious even during the first run through of every level–the way it toyed with players and how its systems crafted drama with alarming regularity. Evolve maintains some of these qualities–especially when you’re surprised by marauding wildlife–but its best ideas are already repeating themselves.” – Jon Denton [Full coverage]
GamesRadar — No Review Score Yet
“It’s not a game you can boot up and enjoy casually, mind. Constant communication is required to coordinate the Hunters different abilities effectively, meaning Evolve is much smoother when played with pals rather than randoms. My multiplayer matches so far have usually ended with battles against the Monster that devolve into massive clusterf**ks. But hey, they’ve been fun clusterf**ks.” – David Meikleham [Full coverage]
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