Hands-on: Evolve releases the Kraken in monstrous new game

By

Evolve

In 2K’s upcoming game, Evolve, I was a monster.

It was my job to stalk the surrounding map, eating smaller creatures in order to build up my armor and get evolution points, which would let me add and strengthen my special monstrous abilities.

I had to do this while being hunted by a team of four humans, each with their own specialty: the heavily armored, damage-dealing Assault class, the crafty Trapper with her energy-field dome to fence me in, the Support class, with a variety of ranged weapons, and the Medic, who kept healing those bastards as I hit them with my own smart bombs, electric attacks and sharp claws.

It was a heady, scary time, but I persevered. I flew up to the sky, hurling furious attacks upon their heads. I ran away, hiding behind huge rock columns to avoid their deadly assault. I ate and evolved.

Then, after about 20 minutes of furious action, I died, the victim of their unwarranted greed and violence.

I loved playing Evolve, and so will you. Check out the trailer below to see the Kraken, the second monster revealed for the upcoming console and PC game.

Evolve promises to be a fascinating unbalanced multiplayer team game where you and four other players can both work together and against each other in various natural arenas. Four of you will play one of the Hunters while one of you will get to be the Monster. It’s like a massive game of capture the flag and hide and seek all at once, except that when you play the Monster, you are the flag.

I had the chance to play this fascinating new game at last week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo along with several other journalists and other folks who stood in a long line for a chance at the game.

This dude got to be the monster one match before I did, and he's clearly engrossed in saving his own scaly hide. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
This dude got to be the monster one match before I did, and he’s clearly engrossed in saving his own scaly hide. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Evolve has been developed by Turtle Rock Studios, a team made up of many of the folks responsible for award-winning cooperative multiplayer zombie game, Left 4 Dead. The theme of playing together against an overpowered foe is heavily present in this new outing, and if the gameplay is the same upon release this coming October, Evolve will be the first next-generation console I’d consider a must-have.

Even as a super powerful monster, you’re strangely vulnerable as the Hunters can split up, surround you, and take you down with coordinated attack strategies. Yes, I had a ton of hit points, like the boss in many a video game, and various high-powered abilities to counter their own strengths, so it’s not as unbalanced as it might seem at first.

Bounding up rock walls to find prey, hiding and sneaking through dense foliage, and then waging an all out assault on the humans was a ton of fun, and I can’t wait to get back to it and try out the other roles.

The PR team from 2K gave out wristbands to sort all of us attendees into our respective roles. I was thrilled to be the monster.
The PR team from 2K gave out wristbands to sort all of us attendees into our respective roles. I was thrilled to be the monster. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Published by 2K Games, Evolve is scheduled to come out October 21, 2014 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.