Summary and Review:
Unleash your inner beast! Evolve is an adrenaline pumping first person shooter, with a twist. Four players team up to take on a monster. The twist is that the monster is also a player. This exciting 4v1 play style provides a very fun alternative to a traditional shooter.
Evolve offers several hunters to choose from, and also allows for gear and perk customization. You can use voice communication, or go it without. Either way though, you’ll find that hunting down monsters is harder than it looks. As you deploy from your drop-ship, you are told to hunt down the monster. Each 4 man team has an assault specialist, a medic, a support, and a trapper. Your team is also given a dog-like hunting companion. Your dog-like companion will sniff out the monster until it finds it, or gets killed. You can also follow the monsters tracks, or watch for environmental signs to the monster’s whereabouts.
As the monster, you get a brief head start to get lost in the map. The maps are a pretty good size, and the weather and terrain help to hide you. You have several combat abilities, which vary depending on your monster of choice. You can also tap your thumb-stick to sniff out nearby enemies. Even though it’s 4v1, you are not at a disadvantage. Playing the monster comes with super speed, strength, and durability. You are the force to be reckoned with. Get good enough, and you may even become the hunter, instead of the prey.
I recommend playing through both tutorials before jumping into a live match. There is a lot to learn about movement, combat, and the environment. For instance, each level has unique non-player creatures which you can kill, or trick your enemy into fighting. Depending on which creature, you may get a combat buff, or you may just lose a lot of health. I enjoyed playing as the monster way more than being a hunter. The adrenaline rush of having 4 players against just me, kept me on the edge of my seat. You really have to out think, and out play your opponents.
The only negative to Evolve was the que times. It took a little longer than most shooters to match make you, but it’s also understandable when you have so many players picking exactly what they want. The controls to the game also were a bit less polished than some other triple-A titles. The monster controls felt a bit like playing a Godzilla game, but gave you much more maneuverability.
I enjoyed Evolve more than I thought I would, and would recommend picking it up if you haven’t already. It makes for a fun alternative shooter, and could be an awesome party game.
Release Date: February 10th, 2015
Rated: M
Price: $19.99 (Target.com)
HFR Rating:
