Review: EvolvePlaystation 4/ XBox One

The term Evolve is slightly scientifically inaccurate, as what the monsters do is more of a high speed metamorphosis or transformation, but if it was evolving there would be too many characters and the loading times would be millions of years long, and some people wouldn’t even believe the game existed. To be fair though they couldn’t really call it Mighty Morphing Power Monsters, because Power Monsters is a bit too similar to Pokémon. Transformers also wouldn’t be allowed because it’s too similar in that the plot is not really anything to do with the game other than it feels like it needs one to use as an excuse for loads’ve explosions and gun fire and yelling. Michael Bay would love this game, and may try and turn it into a film.

So Evolve is the name of the new game on Playstation 4 and Xbox One this month. I stuck the game in the Playstation 4 and I was greeted with a Tutorial mode first from the perspective of the monster, and then afterwards from a Hunter of my choice. This was great because it allowed me to install the rest of the game while at the same time allowing me to practice my Evolve techniques before getting online. Such as getting lost, flying in the wrong direction, swearing a lot to myself and getting shot to death or beaten to death by a god like lizard monster that I will call Godlizzy. The controls for Godlizzy where quite simple but difficult to get into the swing of, I think what surprised me most was how fluid they were. I expected Godlizzy to respond like a cumbersome oil tanker in Grand Theft Auto but instead was as graceful as a chunky spiderman.

There’s a manic level of self assurance when playing as the monster meaning I felt quite indestructible, but I got battered within a few minutes. Let’s assume that awards in games start at Platinum, then Gold, Silver Bronze etc. You’ve seen those right? Well I genuinely got awarded Cardboard. Which I think is just below coloured sticker on the chart of success. To put that in perspective imagine you are watching the Oscars and J.K Simmons is given a big shiny gold Oscar for his bed side table, and then imagine E.L James being awarded for the dialogue in Fifty Shades of Grey, she is given the same thing but it was fashioned out of a beer mat by a drunk Portia De Rossi.

There are four kinds of Hunters, and One Godlizzy as soon as I started playing online, unfortunately I got relegated from cardboard to mop as the four tiny people on my screen dragged me around the beautiful craggy landscapes by my tail. The Evolving misnomer comes from the effect had on the monster when it eats a handful of mini dinosaurs or such things, these prove to be similar to the effect that spinach has on Popeye, but also a rare candy ultimately has on a Squirtle.

In its first form Godlizzy is weaker than the forces of four skilled hunters and their variety of weapons, in its second form it is on par with them and when it’s in its final form it will use its massive hands to mortar and pestle the Hunters into Hunter Butter. I still die most times. The Hunters have different skills including the ability to put a big blue zoo like shield around the monster so that it cannot escape, they have many more interesting little quirks that differ from medic to assault, but even within versions of each that you gradually unlock. The monster also has different skills that once you level up allow to then use the next version of the monster. These I am more familiar with because I am seemingly the only person on the internet that enjoys playing as the monster, and the role you are given is based on a preference. If you for example choose the monster as your number one preferred character and someone else has already been assigned it, you will then play as your number two, be it medic or what have you. A bit like applying for a high school that has eccentric ideas about education.

Evolve is a masterpiece of game making from Turtle Rock studios the people who brought you Left 4 Dead, but it is all hidden away and must be unlocked before you can enjoy its true potential which may be too time consuming for casual gamers.

With a mixture of RPG elements and pure uncontrollable action the game is fantastic for short bursts, and I have found I enjoy it a bit more each time I log on. I personally need more story and feelings of achievement to inspire me to sign on on every single day, but it is fantastic if you are playing with friends and don’t want to concentrate too much, especially if you’re sick of your CODs.