Justin BozanichFor those who have tackled the labyrinths of Croteam’s The Talos Principle (2014), the announcement of Reawakened got us excited for more puzzle solving goodness. However, The Talos Principle: Reawakened, recently launched on April 10, isn’t just a fresh coat of digital paint; it’s a reimagining that elevates the already brilliant foundation to new heights. It looks and feels, as a seasoned veteran myself can attest, like a brand-new game entirely.
Having conquered the original game and navigated the intricate logic of The Talos Principle 2 as well as the Road to Elysium expansion with relative ease (barring a few particularly devious stages), I approached Reawakened with confidence. Puzzle games rarely leave me stumped. Yet, the new puzzles woven into the ‘In the Beginning’ prequel content of Reawakened delivered a humbling challenge for the first hours. These weren’t just minor variations on existing mechanics; they felt like entirely fresh approaches that even my experienced puzzle-solving brain struggled with at times. I might have been guilty of overcomplicating a solution or two, but the sheer ingenuity of these additions is a testament to the design team.
Beyond the new mental hurdles, the most immediate aspect of The Talos Principle: Reawakened is its visual overhaul. To simply call the graphical update an improvement would be an understatement; it’s nothing short of mental. The level of detail injected into every environment is amazing. Sunlight filters through the foliage while casting shadows that spread across the ruins and futuristic structures. The textures are more detailed, reflections more lifelike, and the overall sense of depth and atmosphere is significantly enhanced. The realism is fantastic, drawing you deeper into the game’s unsettling landscapes.
Croteam has clearly poured a tremendous amount of effort into breathing new life into this world alongside community workshop developers for In the Beginning puzzles. From the developer’s Steam page: “In the Beginning is a glimpse of life at the Institute for Applied Noematics in the last days of the old world, a different look at Alexandra Drennan and the AI that would eventually become Elohim. There are no great plot revelations or expositions of lore here; it’s an intimate character piece about people facing the end and doing their best for the sake of the future, told through the first test run of the Simulation.”
From the sway of the grass in the wind to the carvings on stone, every element contributes to a heightened sense of immersion. This isn’t just about making the game look prettier; it alters the way you explore the surrounds. Even the character movement feels fluid and responsive. It feels more natural which makes exploration feeling reevitalised.
However, my journey through this reawakened world wasn’t entirely seamless. I did encounter a few instances of long wait times loading the game initially and when transitioning between different puzzle levels. While these weren’t frequent enough to derail the overall enjoyment, they did momentarily disrupt the flow and immersion. Hopefully, this is something that can be addressed in future updates.
Overall, The Talos Principle: Reawakened is far more than a simple remaster, it’s a thoughtful and ambitious reimagining of a modern classic. The graphical overhaul alone is a compelling reason to revisit this world, transforming its already stunning environments into breathtaking vistas. Coupled with the genuinely challenging and cleverly designed new puzzles, particularly within the prequel content, Reawakened offers a fresh and engaging experience for both newcomers and seasoned veterans alike.
This review utilised a key provided by Devolver Digital and The Talos Principle: Reawakened is available now on Steam, Xbox and PlayStation.
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Chris Inglis
