Evolve, the first game from Turtle Rock Studios, is looking to be one of the first major releases of 2015. The winter months are typically pretty barren in terms of new games, so debuting an original IP with some fantastic-looking multiplayer during the doldrums was definitely the right call to make.
That being said, Evolve is a complex game, and one that's distinctly different from just about everything else on the market. Most multiplayer games are based on even sides and similarly-powered opponents - even Left 4 Dead, which was created by many of the same people working on Evolve, had evenly-split teams. Evolve is all about 4 vs. 1, which sounds extremely unfair at first, and could be confusing to those who haven't been following the game's development.
That's what this guide is for: an introduction to all things Evolve. You may not know the difference between Daisy and a Kraken just yet, but by the end of this guide, you'll be hunting with the best of them.
The Gameplay
Evolve is, as previously stated, all about 4 vs. 1 combat. While that may sound ridiculously one-sided, it's not as if the teams feature identical opponents. The team of four is made up of Hunters, and is the more traditional team. These four players, each with special abilities and mechanics, are tasked with working together in order to hunt down and kill the monster.
On the other hand, the monster itself makes up the entire other team - again, it sounds one-sided, but the creature's ridiculous amount of armor and ability to do huge damage means that the number of Hunters doesn't really matter.
This isn't a standard deathmatch, either: the monster's goal is to eat wildlife in order to evolve into a more powerful form, while the Hunters track the monster down to prevent that from happening. A well-coordinated team of Hunters can track a monster down early for an easy kill, but a fully-evolved monster can wipe the floor with even the best teams of Hunters. There's a back-and-forth present that's more akin to traditional boss fights than standard multiplayer, and it's a great change of pace.
After that, it's all about the Hunting Season Pass. For $24.99, you'll be able to download and play as four new Hunters upon release later this year. Don't worry about not being able to play with your friends who have the extra characters - you'll be able to play with the new characters, just not as them. There are also three new skins for existing monsters as well - though you may be thinking to yourself, 'what about new maps?'
There's a reason for that, map packs aren't in the Season Pass. Turtle Rock Studios has made it clear that it won't be charging for additional maps at any point during the game's life cycle. Traditionally, map packs are a huge part of a Season Pass, but the studio doesn't want to split its player base between those who have and don't have DLC. That means that, whenever a new map is released, you won't have to pay a penny for it.
The Behemoth monster will also be available as DLC, though it won't be included as part of the Hunting Season Pass: instead, the Behemoth will be free for those who pre-ordered, or will cost $14.99 further down the road.
Though it may seem like Evolve is shallow at first, it's clear that the game really opens up once you get into it. There's a lot here that simply hasn't been done before, and with more and more asymmetrical multiplayer games being announced, it's clear that Turtle Rock Studios was ahead of the game when it came up with Evolve.
What are you waiting for? Get out there and get hunting!
