Story
We play the role of Uriel once again, and this time we need to explore a different part of the simulation. However, we now need to enter a redemption mission because Elohim feels that he didn’t do justice to the damned souls, and thus we need to free that at all costs. The story is expansive and, based on my experience with the game, truly emotional, which means that you will love it, especially since it does bring in a lot of value on so many levels.
Gameplay
As I started to play the game, I got to see that The Talos Principle: Road To Gehenna is split into 4 different episodes. Each episode has hard puzzles, there isn’t any learning curve here, because most probably they think you got your training with the original game.
I loved the idea of learning more about Elohim and his world, but also about the way the world of Gehenna functions. There are a few interesting characters here, and the society is showcased in a very interesting manner. Each place has its own history as well as philosophy, but at the same time the focus still remains on puzzle making.
The game world here is amazingly designed, although you will have a feeling that you get more of the same. There are a few differences however in the form of platforms and other elements that were included in the game. These do manage to make the puzzles even more difficult.
If you thought that the original game had some hard puzzles, then wait a little bit until you get a hold of this expansion. The puzzles here take difficulty to the utmost limits, and they were created in such a way so that you have only a single solution to find out. I found them to be rather complex and intriguing most of the time, and I did spend at least 10 minutes or more on the larger ones. There are many head scratching moments in which you won’t know what to do, but for me this is what The Talos Principle: Road To Gehenna is all about, the beauty of figuring out solutions to the puzzles in front of you.
Exploring the game world is just a bonus, and I have to say that this is one of the most interesting game worlds I have ever seen until now. Everything is created with utmost precision and you just manage to feel a part of this world. The AI beings you encounter from time to time are maybe the best part of the game, as they show us exactly how human beings are becoming nowadays, focus on their own agenda rather than on the well-being of our society. I was deeply impressed with The Talos Principle: Road To Gehenna’s take on philosophy and despite the level difficulty which is excruciating at times, I found the story to be one of the main reasons that pushed me forward and kept on moving.
Having the freedom to make your own choices and seeing how they play out is insanely addictive here and even though you do encounter frustration from time to time, don’t let that get a hold of you, this game is solid and well worth of your time, that’s a guarantee!
Graphics
There aren’t that many improvements in this sector, as The Talos Principle: Road To Gehenna looks roughly the same as the original, although I did stumble upon many improved textures and other stuff like that. The game world is beautiful and just a pleasure to explore, that’s for sure. The character design is very impressive as well, although from time to time you might find a few low-res textures on them and the world around, yet this doesn’t really bother that much. The focus here is on gameplay, and the game just shines because of that. The soundtrack is really good, ambiental and really plays in with the story.
Conclusion
The Talos Principle: Road To Gehenna is an amazing DLC, because it does offer quite a lot for its asking price. It’s nicely developed, offers a lot of value and it manages to further expand the game with no less than 4 more episodes. It’s definitely well worth the asking price if you were a fan of the original or Portal-themed games. Be aware though that you will need the original game installed in order to play this!
Reviewed for PC
