The Talos Principle
Puzzle-solving androids
£29.99 Developer Croteam, croteam.com OS OS X 10.5.8 or later Requires 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 512MB graphics card
The ancient Greeks wandered the countryside and pondered the meaning of life. As you wander the beautiful islands of The Talos Principle, you’ll wonder the same thing – it’s as much a philosophical mystery as a puzzle game.
Your avatar awakens to the voice of Elohim, a program-deity instructing you to use jammers, laser-focusing prisms, hexahedrons, and your brain to collect sigils. You’ll think inside and outside the literal puzzle boxes: problems are self- contained, but extra challenges require you to break the rules and traverse multiple rooms. You’ll visit Greek, Egyptian and Medieval zones: it’s a bit like The Crystal Maze, except you’re solving the puzzles yourself instead of shouting at others.
The Talos Principle asks: what does it mean to be alive? What is the nature of free will? You can attempt most sigils at your whim, and there’s a steady increase in complexity. You can’t save in the middle of puzzles, and some are fairly long, but most rely on involved problem-solving rather than sheer dexterity.
The story itself is a puzzle, told through terminals and messages from the ghosts of androids past. Are these sentient programs vestiges of humanity, or another test from Elohim? Dare you climb that forbidden tower? These questions stay with you as you track down the sigils, and you’ll want every last one of them. Alan Williamson
For a game about puzzle-solving androids, The Talos Principle has an abundance of humanity.
Intriguing philosophical story
Challenging, not frustrating
Stunning locations and music
Can’t save during puzzles