Highly-anticipated sequel The Talos Principle 2 from Devolver Digital and Croteam is one you should definitely check out on PS5. Find out why in our The Talos Principle 2 review!

Highly-anticipated sequel The Talos Principle 2 from Devolver Digital and Croteam is one you should definitely check out on PlayStation 5. I had a great time with existentialist puzzle The Talos Principle: Deluxe Edition, so I was very much looking forward to checking out what the sequel had to offer. This new game follows the blueprint set by its predecessor while also adding some new gameplay twists. Along with the main series of puzzles that you must complete to finish this journey, there are also optional puzzles that will reveal additional information.

Before the gameplay begins, you’ll be given some options to consider so that you can tailor your experience. These include if you want subtitles or not if you want the compass to be shown, the text font size for the many computer terminals you will interact with, if you want to activate any of the Color Blind Mode options, as well as determine their strength. You can also adjust the game’s brightness right after this. There are more customization options available once you’ve dealt with that, so be sure to check them out!

If you haven’t played the prequel, then you should know it’s spoiler time. In order for you to better understand what is going on in The Talos Principle 2, you’re going to have to find out a bit more about what happened in the previous game and what the premise is for this one. Spoilers follow after the screen below.

Ready? OK, here it goes.

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During The Talos Principle, you’ll play as an android – later known to be called Athena – powered by an AI that is tasked with solving puzzles within a virtual world. It turns out that humanity has been whipped out by a deadly virus that had remained dormant in permafrost and which was unleashed due to the effects of global warming. Scientists worked against the clock to safeguard as much of humanity’s knowledge as possible to safely store it in databanks. One of the scientists worked on a program known as Extended Lifespan, which had the aim of creating a new species of mechanical specimens that would perpetuate humanity’s legacy.

After completing all of the trials, Athena is born and is in charge of building the first twelve androids who worked on building New Jerusalem while also obtaining enough resources to build more androids that would keep the cycle going. For the sequel, your role will be to step into the shoes of the 1,000th android built in this new society – the aptly named 1K. And yes, Athena is indeed 001. Yes, she seems to have gone MIA. Yes, she’s revered as a religious figure by some of the androids.

End of spoilers.

Once you get started and select a save slot, you’ll be born into this new world. Elohim greets you after waking up. He will guide you during the initial tutorial. The Talos Principle 2 will allow you to learn all of the basics by having you go through a calibration process. You’ll control your character with the left analog stick as you look around with the right one. The X button will be used for jumping, and you can sprint by pressing and holding down the R1 button. You can interact with objects with the L2 button, which will include grabbing cubes to activate floor switches or to use them as platforms to step on or grabbing a jammer to interrupt a signal so that you can move onward.

The game will introduce new puzzle elements at a steady pace so that you can get the hang of things but without the experience feeling overwhelming. You’ll be able to savor each moment and take on the puzzles at your own pace, with all of them having a logical solution that will not block you from progressing further and further. As you interact with the different characters you’ll meet over the dozens of hours it will take you to get to the end of your adventure, there will be some choices to make that will dictate which story path you’ll be going down, and

The Talos Principle II features a full trophy list with a Platinum trophy for you to take on. It’s a long list with 52 Bronze trophies, 6 Silver trophies, and a single Gold trophy for you to work on. A big chunk of the trophies will pop as you progress through the game and solve the different puzzles you’ll run into. Some trophies are mutually exclusive, so you’ll have to make some constructive use of your cloud save if you are a PlayStation Plus subscriber. There are dozens of missable trophies on this journey, so if you need some extra help, you can check out this The Talos Principle II Trophy Guide.

The Talos Principle 2 is one you should definitely check out on PlayStation 5. It takes everything that made its prequel a great existential puzzle experience, and it improves on the experience by adding new gameplay elements while also presenting us with a story premise and some clever plot twists along the way that will keep you coming back for more until the credits roll – that is if you don’t chicken out! Saying anything more would end up spoiling this game for you, and it’s certainly an experience you should go into with as little knowledge of the twists and turns as possible. The Talos Principle 2 is out on PlayStation 5 with a $29.99 price tag.

Disclaimer
This The Talos Principle 2 review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy provided by Devolver Digital.