The Talos Principle 2 Review Thread

Game Information

Game Title: The Talos Principle 2

Platforms:

PlayStation 5 (Nov 2, 2023)
PC (Nov 2, 2023)
Xbox Series X/S (Nov 2, 2023)

Trailers:

Developer: Croteam

Publisher: Devolver Digital

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 88 average - 100% recommended - 32 reviews

Critic Reviews

Areajugones - Ronald Goncalves - Spanish - 9.5 / 10

The Talos Principle 2 is a work that excels as a video game, excels as art, and excels as a reflection, thus becoming one of the best titles of the entire year. In addition to being a substantial improvement over its predecessor, Croteam has managed to materialize a beautiful production that stands out for its entertainment but, even more, transcends for its ability to make us revalue the beauty of humanity, life and existence.

CGMagazine - David Walters - 8.5 / 10

The Talos Principle II gives you a philosophical deep dive into yourself while offering some challenging puzzles as well. A great entry in the series.

Checkpoint Gaming - Edie W-K - 9 / 10

There wasn’t much to improve about the original, but Croteam has succeeded in creating an incredible sequel in The Talos Principle 2. The puzzles are better, the world is larger, and the narrative is even more thought-provoking. Top it off with a breathtaking environment and a moving soundtrack, and this just might be the puzzle game of the year.

Digital Spy - Joe Draper - 5 / 5

The Talos Principle 2 builds on the genius puzzle design of the first game in innovative ways that makes it another masterpiece in the genre. Even with a more story-driven focus, there’s nothing else quite like experiencing every mystery its sublime world has to offer.

Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 4 / 5

The Talos Principle 2 excels at giving players a suite of brain-busting puzzles built around strong eureka moments, even if it can feel as long-winded as a philosophy professor with its wandering existential monologues. Only the most determined genre experts may see the end of its super-sized story, but those who brave its gauntlet of mysterious islands are sure to walk away with newfound confidence in their ability to accomplish the impossible.

EIP Gaming - Dylan Graves - 10 / 10

As close to flawless as any puzzle game can be, the Talos Principle 2 offers some of the deepest philosophy, most poignant moments, best written characters, and – of course – the smartest puzzles in gaming, all beautifully interwoven with each other to produce a masterful experience for contemplative gamers.

Entertainium - Gareth Brading - Masterpiece

The Talos Principle 2 somehow managed to impress me even more than the surprise of the original game did, leaving me completely blown away not only by the sheer size of the game, its beautiful environments and interesting characters, but also the masterful integration of the puzzles into both the world and the storyline. It might seem artificial and contrived to be solving these puzzles, but in the same way that the Portal games managed to make them seem entirely natural, so too does The Talos Principle 2 ground them geographically and philosophically within its world. It might have been almost a decade since the first game, but The Talos Principle 2 was more than worth the wait.

Eurogamer - Ruth Cassidy - 4 / 5

The Talos Principle 2 is an ambitious sequel that explores bold, if unambiguous territory in its philosophical robot puzzling.

GameSkinny - Alyssa Rochelle Payne - 9 / 10

A brilliant puzzler that will leave you pondering more than its challenges.

GameSpot - Phil Hornshaw - 9 / 10

Expanding and improving on the original in every way, The Talos Principle 2 is a brilliant puzzler that’s most compelling during conversations with its characters.

Gamepressure - Giancarlo Saldana - 9 / 10

The Talos Principle 2 is a powerful puzzle game that builds on its predecessor and effortlessly takes your mind for a ride.

Gamersky - 心灵奇兵 - Chinese - 9 / 10

If one day we were facing extinction and I had to choose something to save, I would definitely save The Talos Principle 2, because it’s really worth it.

GamesRadar+ - Joe Donnelly - 4.5 / 5

“This sequel brings Croteam back to the top of that table, where it’s more than earned its place.”

GamingTrend - Cassie Peterson - 90 / 100

The Talos Principle 2 is a philosophical puzzle adventure game that’s also thought-provoking and has a deep narrative. It takes the foundation laid by the first game and expands on it in every way possible.

God is a Geek - Mick Fraser - 8 / 10

Whether you played the original or not, The Talos Principle 2 is still a drop dead gorgeous, incredibly challenging puzzle game.

Hardcore Gamer - Jordan Helm - 4 / 5

Though an occasional lack of polish and size for size’s sake approach doesn’t always prove beneficial, a brilliant assortment of puzzles nestled amidst a thought-provoking but compelling narrative still grants The Talos Principle II status as a sequel well worth the near-decade wait.

IGN - Will Borger - 8 / 10

Despite crashes and some issues with its difficulty curve, The Talos Principle 2’s ability to explore both interesting puzzle design and deep philosophy simultaneously is incredibly impressive.

IGN Italy - Damaso Scibetta - Italian - 9.5 / 10

A challenging and visually incredible experience, perfectly balancing complex puzzles and deep storytelling. A must for lovers of the genre.

Impulsegamer - Chris O’Connor - 4.8 / 5

Solve physical puzzles while puzzling over your existence.

Metro GameCentral - Nick Gillett - 8 / 10

A funny and supremely inventive story-driven puzzle game, with a plot based on Greek philosophy that’s delivered with the lightest of touches and a goofy sense of humour.

New Game Network - Ben Thomas - 86 / 100

With thought-provoking philosophy and sharply varied puzzles, The Talos Principle 2 is a sublime sequel that seeks the knowledge of the gods but maintains its humanity.

PC Gamer - Dominic Tarason - 89 / 100

Not just a great sequel, but a thoughtful and human narrative adventure wrapped in a satisfying and beautiful puzzle game.

PC Invasion - Alexa BeMent - 9 / 10

Original and imaginative experience for a puzzle game that delivers on what it is.

Press Start - Adam Ryan - 9 / 10

The Talos Principle II’s expertly designed puzzles are kept interesting and engaging throughout a lengthy thirty-hour runtime by the incremental introduction of consistently intriguing mechanics. Pairing well with pragmatic problem solving is a story that delves into ancient Greek philosophy and mythology that effectively asks unimaginably important questions that can’t possibly be answered. It’s common to find an experience that makes you feel, and equally common to find one that makes you think, but The Talos Principle II is a rare cross-section that allows you to do both simultaneously.

Shacknews - Larryn Bell - 9 / 10

Navigating the philosophical labyrinth that is The Talos Principle 2 has been captivating, satisfying, and well worth the wait.

TechRaptor - Jason Rodriguez - 8.5 / 10

The Talos Principle 2 has almost everything I could ever want out of a puzzle game. It builds upon the foundations of the original, and is a perfect callback to classics such as Portal and Myst. There’s a brave new world out there for you to explore, numerous sentient robots to meet, and countless puzzles that will make you wrack your brain.

The Beta Network - Samuel Incze - 7 / 10

The Talos Principle II is a fun, but challenging, puzzle adventure. The narrative is intriguing, even if it is a little slow to get going. However, it is the puzzle solving gameplay that is the highlight of this title. The puzzles feel unique and very creative and will cause you to flex your problem solving muscles.

The Games Machine - Francesco Alteri - Italian - 9 / 10

The Talos Principle 2 is the perfect combination of puzzle game and RPG phases. A philosophical story that starts from the game but reaches out to touch the player and the history of the human being. The Talos Principle 2 is one of the most complete gaming experiences of this year.

Try Hard Guides - Erik Hodges - 9 / 10

The Talos Principle 2 asks deep philosophical questions and gives you time to ponder them as you solve a plethora of complex puzzles at your own pace. It is a game about relaxing and exploring, and while it can feel a bit like climbing a mountain, there’s no timer telling you how quickly you need to reach the top. An enjoyable experience from start to finish, no matter how long it takes you to get there.

WayTooManyGames - Kyle Nicol - 9 / 10

The Talos Principle 2 is something of a rarity in the gaming space. An extremely high-quality puzzle game that has a deeper meaning within its story, and interactions that make you think in more ways than one. This is on top of its breathtaking visuals, courtesy of the brand new iteration of the Unreal Engine. I cannot recommend it enough to any fans of puzzle games. The Talos Principle 2 is an absolute must-play.

Windows Central - Cole Martin - 4.5 / 5

The Talos Principle 2 may be approachable and forgiving without combat or fail states, but that doesn’t mean the puzzles are easy to run through. As the player makes their way through the gauntlet of challenges, the puzzles become increasingly more complex. From moving boxes to bending gravity, things can escalate quickly.

XboxEra - Genghis Husameddin - 9.4 / 10

The Talos Principle 2 is Croteam’s largest and most realised project yet. It’s in every way a natural step from the first title, a beautifully written and challenging one. This game may very well be one of the best narrative puzzle titles I’ve played in quite a long time.