It’s interesting to see such a varied range of skills, tools and weaponry available for players to use. The diverse offering will surely provide a large range of gameplay experiences that will force you to dynamically develop strategies in order to adapt and survive. Don’t worry, though, as it all makes sense when you learn more about what sends you on the hunt in the first place.
The demo provided for Game Informer forced them to face off against the monster Goliath. This enormous ape, snake and xenomorph hybrid can stand over 30 feet tall in its final stage of evolution. Baby Goliath has a limited skill set when the match begins such as a basic punch attack, long distance leap, and climbing walls. However, over time players gain access to four special abilities and can choose two at level one, and one more for each level gained.
In order to spark an evolution, players can maneuver through their environment with the precision of stealth. This is crucial for preventing footprints that could allow for the humans to track you, or even just to limit the amount of noise you make. Carelessly feeding off of the wildlife will attract birds to carcasses that scatter when you rush past. Keeping your presence hidden will also protect you from the other animals that can be just as lethal as the Goliath.
After feeding on enough wildlife to evolve, the monster will enter a cocoon that renders the beast vulnerable. This is the time for hunters to strike and eliminate their prey with ease. If the monster manages to down a hunter there is a limited amount of time to revive them, otherwise they are forced to spawn back in after two minutes.
Ensuring you stop the monster early will be key to preventing your enemy from evolving into final form. This gives the monster a specific objective to complete, like destroying a barricade and killing civilians, which undoubtedly results in a victory.
Evolve seems to be the spiritual evolution of Left 4 Dead and I am absolutely thrilled about that. We’ll definitely be keeping you posted once we hear more as this is one game that is already on the top of our must-watch list.