As if awakening from a deep sleep, you find yourself in a strange, contradictory world of ancient ruins and advanced technology. Tasked by your creator with solving a series of increasingly complex puzzles, you must decide whether to have faith or to ask the difficult questions: Who are you? What is your purpose? And what are you going to do about it?
Features:
Overcome more than 120 immersive puzzles in a stunning world.
Divert drones, manipulate laser beams and even replicate time to prove your worth - or to find a way out.
Explore a story about humanity, technology and civilization. Uncover clues, devise theories, and make up your own mind.
Choose your own path through the game's non-linear world, solving puzzles your way.
But remember: choices have consequences and somebody's always watching you.
Steam User 44
Came for the puzzles stayed for an existential crisis.
Steam User 48
Please play my favorite game
Steam User 33
Short version:
Antichamber and Portal 2 have a kid they're both very proud of.
Kid grows up to become a philosophy teacher, but has serious inner conflicts between being extremely religious and extremely rational. Featuring Mexican standoff with lasers.
Long:
Just finished the game and... wow. In a little over 20 hours it became by far one of my most favorite games - ever. In my opinion it's pure perfection and I wouldn't change anything. After a LONG time I felt like a little excited kid that gets to play the computer every time I'd start The Talos Principle up. I only feel sorry for not playing this game earlier as I was always kinda skeptical when I'd see it on the Steam store.
I love the way it handles philosophy, science and religion, the way it recreates humanity's past, the way how game interacts with you and how you interact with it, all the allegory, bunch of easter eggs, everything's just *wow*.
Graphics and optimization are amazing, even on my laptop’s modest GTX 1050 I rarely dropped below 60fps on high settings. No stuttering and loadings back to the level selection (which is a map) are barely noticeable.
Maps and puzzles are fantastic. Maps are so truthfully built in old times fashion that I had a feeling that these environments I was walking through (spoiler: main game separates in ancient Roman, Egyptian and medieval periods ) were actual representations of those times’ cities.
Finally, as a Croat I am so proud that this game was developed by my fellow Croatians at Croteam.
Steam User 38
I learned that existence is meaningless and I'm okay with that. 10/10
Steam User 34
I thought it was just a puzzle game, I was not ready for this.
Steam User 27
We need more games like this, absolutely beautiful.
Steam User 24
The Talos principle exceeds the conventional boundaries of a puzzle game, offering much more in a philosophical sense, and making you think past the physical aspects of the puzzles in hard-hitting practicality and theory. There is an odd sense of humanity in the game despite it’s entire foundation in simulation, and it has more application to the real world than any other game I’ve played despite it’s mechanical nature.
It is very much a discovery game; an adventure game. But not of just of cyclical puzzles, but of self, one’s surroundings and one’s purpose. That is what is so intriguing about The Talos Principle, and drives you to complete puzzles in pursuit of answers, of knowledge.
This pursuit driven by curiosity is the core fundamental of the dark, biblical parallel that encompasses the story, as you are convicted by your lack of knowledge, seeking an understanding of where you are and who you are.
Said puzzles have a seamless progression system, and become addictive and compelling. Some are very challenging, however I found that if I would leave a puzzle and come back to it later, I would have a new outlook, and the slightest alteration could make all the difference. Therefore, the puzzles become rewarding, and are above all, crafted with ingenuity.
The game’s atmosphere has an overlying façade, outwardly tranquil; inwardly sinister. The character development, although subtle, is chilling and ever present as if you are being constantly watched, studied by Elohim, whose character is driven by enigma and curiosity as well as his mundane, repetitive voice which grows progressively desperate.
The Talos Principle is an unmissable game, worth every hour. It’s ending is impressive, unifying and cohesive, tying the whole experience together and rendering it sensational. It's lack of media presence and recognition makes this game arguably the most underrated of all time.