You know that scene in Ghostbusters when they’re in the hotel ballroom trying to capture Slimer? That’s pretty much what Evolve feels like when you first start playing. Assuming you’re the hunter, you and three others follow the tracks of a giant alien monster, using environmental clues to track it down. And when you do find it, you throw down a giant bubble and start blasting away. It’s chaos, pure mayhem. And though it can sometimes be a problem for the game, it does result in some pretty intense gameplay moments.
While Evolve offers various game modes, they all revolve around the same premise of four hunters versus one hulking behemoth. Hunt is by far the most popular mode and tasks the hunters with killing the monster before it can destroy the power relay located in the map. Other modes, like Rescue give the hunters other tasks, like finding injured colonists and helping them escape before the monster kills them. Regardless of mode though, there’s always the overarching subplot of the monster feeding off of wildlife in order to get stronger.
Evolve offers a tricky game of balance that at first may go unnoticed. On surface level, it’s a 4v1 hunting game, but there’s so much more going on here. As a hunter, you want to find the monster as quickly as possible. In the early stages, you have the advantage as the monster starts out relatively weak. The monster, of course, wants to avoid confrontation in the early levels and instead wants to be as stealthy as possible so that it can feed and grow in power. It’s a simple game of chase at the beginning, but the constant worry of having the monster grow in power as the game progresses creates a sense of urgency for the hunters. And the fear of the being caught in a relatively weak stage creates tension for the monster.
The monster needs to move quickly, quietly, and carefully as it feeds off the planet’s wildlife while maintaining a distance between itself and the hunters. The goal, regardless of game mode, is to get to the maximum stage as quickly as possible so that you can stand a chance against the hunters when you do encounter them (whether by choice or force). Of course, playing a smart, careful early game will usually result in a rewarding end game.
As the hunters, the giant monster isn’t your only threat. There are wildlife on the planet that can impede your progress. Again, depending on the game mode, your objective may change. In rescue, you probably want to avoid the monster and instead rush to rescue civilians. In the Nest game mode, you want to destroy monster eggs before they hatch a minion to help the big monster. So it’s not always just about hunting the big guy. That being said, regardless of mode, you’re going to need a tight-knit group and good communication.
Evolve does a wonderful job emphasizing team synergy. Although each of the four classes — Assault, Trapper, Medic, and Support — have a defined role in the group, each character has been carefully created to offer a unique set of skills and abilities that can assist in the tracking and killing of the monster. The Assaults, for example, are the main damage dealers of the team. Medics focus on keeping the team alive. Trappers specialize in tracking down and trapping the monster. Lastly, supports offer a variety of tools that can aid allies. What’s neat about Evolve are the subtle differences between characters within a specific class. Each character feels similar enough where you won’t be totally lost if you play as them, but also offers a unique-enough take on the class to keep things feeling fresh.
Unfortunately, these characters are locked behind a progression system that I particularly found to be annoying. As I mentioned, there are a total of 12 hunters, three within each class. Using Assault as an example, you start off with Markov. To unlock the next Assault character, Hyde, you must first complete a series of objectives that involve using each of Markov’s abilities/weapons. I understand giving the player something to work for, but it seems a bit unreasonable to force the use of specific weapons, especially since the situation might not require it. Rather than having us unlock a character by reacting naturally to the situation, we’re practically forced into using a specific device just to unlock the next character. And until you unlock those characters, Evolve feels like an incomplete game. In addition to each class, there’s an overall player level progression system that unlocks perks (which can be equipped prior to each match) and customization items.
More important than the tools you’re given though, is your ability to work as a team. As is the case with all multiplayer games, synergy with your team is most important. This is especially true for Evolve since there’s only four of you. One weak link in a group of four is much more noticeable. At times, it can even become a hindrance. Without a competent assault, you’ll be left with little firepower. Without a trapper to properly launch the force-field dome, there’s pretty much no chance of containing the monster. Each piece of the team has a role and with one weak piece the whole thing can crumble. As a result, one of Evolve’s best aspects is also its biggest source of frustration for both veterans and newcomers alike.
For as fun and as polished as the gameplay is, though, Evolve isn’t a game for everyone. For starters, there’s no traditional campaign which I find to be very unfortunate considering the intriguing universe Turtle Rock Studios has created. We have all these inviting planets, unique hunters, and creative monsters, but none of it is really explored. I would’ve loved to see some backstory to compliment the gameplay.
That being said, there is a “campaign” in the game — called Evacuation — but it’s more of a playthrough featuring a combination of maps and modes spread across five rounds. While Evacuation Mode provides some context to the games being played, there’s still no story here. It’s really just a way to present the modes to the players, while giving them the feeling that their success or failure has an impact on the next round.
Evolve is one of those games that benefits greatly by you playing with a tight-knit group of friends working together. There’s strategy to found here, especially when you unlock all of the characters, but the strategy aspect is hindered by certain design choices, like the progression system and how you select a class. Sure, you can order the classes by preference in which you want to play, but you’re not always guaranteed to play as that class. That’s especially frustrating if you’re working to unlock a specific character, but are forced to play as a different class.
There’s definitely fun to be had when playing Evolve, but I question some of the design decisions. Because it’s a game that relies so heavily on other players, each experience will be unique despite often repeating the same modes and locales. I played matches that went on for 20 or 30 minutes as a back-and-forth between the hunters and monster. On the flip side, I’ve also played a match where as a hunter we’ve dropped onto the planet and died immediately. Your enjoyment in Evolve, for better or worse, will greatly revolve around the players you’re matched with.
