The Talos Principle: Reawakened gives one of the best puzzle games of all time more than just a stunning makeover
If you’re into puzzle games, surely you’ve played or at least heard of The Talos Principle? Developed by Croteam, The Talos Principle made waves when it released back in 2014 thanks to its thought-provoking philosophical storyline and brain-teasing puzzles. It was only at the end of 2023 it received an equally engrossing sequel, and now Croteam has revisited the original game, giving it a stunning Unreal Engine 5 makeover while making additional tweaks and adding new content.
The result is The Talos Principle: Reawakened, and as you can imagine, it’s a bit of a treat for fans of the series. It’s also now the best starting point for newcomers, too. Making their way through the truly picturesque but also mysterious locations ahead of them, not only will they be thankful for the new built-in hint system, but they’ll also benefit from being able to rewind time, allowing them to rectify any mistakes that they’ve made without having to restart a puzzle from scratch.
As anyone who has already played The Talos Principle can attest, it’s an equally challenging and compelling adventure, tasking players with completing clusters of puzzles in order to recover Sigils. Initially, these puzzles start out rather easy, simply requiring you to place jammers to disable forcefields, drones and gun emplacements. Soon, however, you’ll need to use receptacles to connect beams of light to their respective switches, often adding other contraptions like blocks and fans into the equation to overcome obstacles, too.
By the time you’re done with The Talos Principle your brain will have been well and truly tested. And not just because of the puzzles. Interacting with consoles along the way, you’ll have been bombarded with philosophical questions — like ‘who are more important: humans or animals?’ and ‘what really separates man from machine?’. These shenanigans continue in the game’s expansion, Road to Gehenna, also included in The Talos Principle: Reawakened. And for those who just can’t get enough, a puzzle editor is also included, allowing creative types to assemble their own puzzles and share them with the community.
While the prospect of playing through The Talos Principle again with snazzier visuals will undoubtedly be an exciting prospect to existing fans, there’s something else that’s perhaps even more enticing: a new chapter. Titled ‘In the Beginning’, this is a prequel of sorts, though it’s best tackled after the main campaign has been completed for newcomers. With the main campaign, the Road to Gehenna expansion, and In the Beginning all available from the outset, however, players are free to tackle them in any order they wish.
Still, even those who have previously finished (and relished) the main campaign of The Talos Principle might struggle with In the Beginning. It’s been years since I completed The Talos Principle, and despite playing The Talos Principle 2 just over a year ago, the puzzles of In the Beginning had me stumped from the outset. It was a humbling experience, but at least I got to see some of the chapter’s truly breathtaking scenery before scuttling back to the main campaign in order to brush up my puzzling chops again.
The Talos Principle: Reawakened is pretty special, then. It takes what is undoubtedly one of the best puzzle games of all time and makes it even better, giving it a significant visual upgrade, and adding some new features that make it more accessible. Add on top a whole new chapter that offers some genuinely challenging puzzles for series fans to get their heads around, and you have a package that has something to offer to both newcomers and series veterans.
The Talos Principle: Reawakened is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
