Yesterday's PlayStation Showcase brought us some long-awaited news: 9 years after the original game, The Talos Principle 2 will be gracing us with more brilliant first-person puzzling and philosophical sci-fi, coming later this year to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
The idea that this much-loved classic would receive a sequel has kept the rumor mill churning for quite some time: Croteam confirmed the game was in development back in 2016, and for the last year or so we've been hearing quite a few whispers of “2023”. Turns out those whispers were right!
The reveal trailer focuses on cinematics and story, showing that the world of The Talos Principle 2 is as grandiose as expected, while also diverging significantly from its predecessor. No longer taking place on simulated puzzle plateaus, we now find ourselves in a world occupied by robotic civilization and dramatic structures. The futuristic pyramid seen in the trailer suggests this world might harken back to the themed areas of the original. Will it also be filled with as many strange easter eggs?
While the trailer doesn't give us a strong sense of where the puzzles will go, save for a few references to some familiar contraptions, the PlayStation blog gives us a little more insight (minor spoiler warning in case you’d rather know nothing): alongside the beam redirection and cloning mechanics from the first game, we can expect to play around with “gravity manipulation and mind transference”. The details, however, will remain sparse until closer to release. I, for one, am particularly interested in how the new “optional Gold puzzles” might iterate on the meta-puzzling aspects of the original game's collectable stars.
Due to its popularity, The Talos Principle was, for many, their gateway to the world of thinky games. Mixing accessible first-person puzzle design with an apocalyptic sci-fi narrative and an exploration of identity and AI, the first game was a major puzzle genre fixture for the wider gaming audience. No doubt, The Talos Principle 2 will continue this tradition of showing many more people what this genre has to offer.
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