Evolve is a defunct 2015 first-person shooter video game developed by Turtle Rock Studios and published by 2K. Announced in January 2014, the game was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in February 2015. Evolve uses an asymmetrical multiplayer structure, where five players—four playing as hunters and one as the monster—battle against each other on an industrialized alien planet called Shear. The hunters' gameplay is based on the first-person shooter design, while the monsters are controlled from a third-person perspective. The hunters' goal is to eliminate the monster, while the monster's goal is to consume wildlife and evolve to make themselves stronger before either eliminating the hunters, or successfully destroying the objective.
Evolve was Turtle Rock Studios' first major project after the company split from Valve in 2010. The concept for Evolve existed prior to the development of their previous game, Left 4 Dead. Inspired by hunting games such as Cabela's Big Game Hunter and Deer Hunter, the idea is to have prey that can strike back at the hunters. The monster design was originally intended to be esoteric but was later toned down. Turtle Rock found difficulty when seeking publishers that could provide funding and marketing for the game. THQ was originally set to serve as the game's publisher, but the rights to the franchise and publishing duties were transferred to 2K's parent company Take-Two Interactive after THQ filed for bankruptcy in late 2012.
Prior to release, Evolve received a largely positive reception and won the Best of Show Awards at Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014 and Gamescom 2014. Upon release, the game received positive reviews from critics, with praise mostly directed to the game's asymmetrical structure, controls, and designs. However, it received criticism for its progression system and light narrative, gameplay, as well as a large amount of downloadable content prepared. Evolve was a commercial success, although the player base significantly dwindled shortly after release. The game had briefly transitioned to become a free-to-play title known as Evolve Stage 2 before 2K Games shut down the game's dedicated servers in September 2018.
Plot The game is set in a fictional future where humans have successfully discovered ways to survive outside Earth and have begun colonizing other planets. Humans arrived at Shear, a distant planet located in the "Far Arm" of space, and began creating colonies and industrial factories.
As the colonisation progressed, humans began to meet resistance from alien life-forms, known as Monsters, that had the ability to evolve by consuming local wildlife. As the Monsters destroyed the colonies on Shear, a former "planet tamer" named William Cabot was brought out of retirement to deal with the threat and to evacuate the remaining colonists from Shear. Cabot assembled a team of Hunters to eliminate the Monsters and protect their communities.
Gameplay
Evolve is an action video game with a focus on both co-operative, and competitive, multiplayer gameplay. The game adapts a '4v1' asymmetrical structure where four players take control of the Hunters, while the fifth player controls the Monster. The Hunters' main objective is to track and hunt the Monster in a limited amount of time, while the Monster's goal is to evolve and make themselves more powerful.
In the beginning of a match, a 30-second headstart is given to the Monster so that they can have enough time to escape before the Hunters parachute from a plane to where the Monster started. Each map features an open world environment for players to explore and play within. To help the Hunters navigate the environments quickly, they are equipped with jetpacks, allowing them to jump over obstacles and cliffs. The jetpack can also be used to dodge attacks performed by the monster, though it consumes a Hunter's energy. The team can track the monster, as well as place waypoints on an interactive map. The color of these waypoints are different based on what players have marked. The waypoint mark turns yellow for environment, orange for wildlife or red for the Monster.
The Monster needs to grow stronger in order to fight the Hunters by hunting and killing other local wildlife in order to gain experience points. When it gains enough experience, the Monster can evolve. Through evolution, the Monster's health bar is extended and refilled, and more abilities are available to the Monster, which makes it easier to kill the Hunters. However, the Monster is vulnerable during its evolution, and if caught by the hunters, the process is disrupted. The Monster can also enter a "stealth mode", allowing it to avoid detection by wildlife and Hunters.
Evolve features five different modes: Hunt, Nest, Rescue, Defend and Arena, which have different objectives for both the Hunters and the Monster. Evolve provides two different structures to these game modes: Quick Play, which starts a single playthrough match; and Evacuation, which serves as a five-match, multiplayer story mode. In Evacuation, each match gives the winning side an advantage in the next map, such as having a toxic gas the Monster is immune to, or autonomous gun turrets to assist the Hunters. The Evacuation mode ends with a 'Defend' match. Evolve also features an Observer Mode, allowing players to watch a match without playing in the match. The spectator can jump between cameras and view the match from both the Hunters' and the Monster's perspectives.
Normally, five players play in a standard round of Evolve, with four Hunters fighting one Monster. Playing with fewer than five players, including single player, is possible in all modes due to computer-controlled bots. These bots can control up to four of the characters, allowing between one and four human players in any game mode. Players can also switch to play as another class instantly in a single-player match.
Hunters Evolve features a total of 20 different human characters split into four classes, each class containing 5 characters. Each class has different skills and abilities, and players are required to cooperate with each other in a match. Players unlock new characters as they progress through the game, e.g. the fourth Assault character will be unlocked if the player has upgraded the previous three Assault characters. The Hunters class features first-person gameplay. The ammunition of their weapons is automatically refilled when not in use, and iron sights are used in-game. Evolve does not allow multiple players to play as the same class in a match. Gameplay variations are also present within the characters in the same class.
Assault: The Assault-class characters serve as the main "damage dealers" to the Monster. They are equipped with heavy weapons such as shotguns, rocket launchers, flame throwers, and mini-guns. Assault-class characters also have shields for their own protection and land mines. The shield provides temporary invulnerability to damage. Starting from stage 2, the invulnerability ability was changed to Defense Matrix, a new ability that reduces damages when being attacked by enemies. Trapper: The Trapper-class characters can use their gear to track the Monster's movements. As the Monster occasionally scatters local wildlife, such as birds, the trapper can use these 'signs' to find the location of the monster. Trappers also have other abilities and tools that can slow the movements of the Monster. Following the release of the Stage 2 alpha, all hunters gained the ability to use the mobile arena and the trappers gained the planet scanner ability, similar to the monster's smell. Support: The Support-class characters provide backup to the other characters. They are equipped with a damage dealing weapon, such as a laser cutter, or a shield that can be used to protect other Hunters. They also have the ability to provide temporary shields for nearby allies. In Stage 2, they gain the ability to charge the shields of their companions hunters. Medic: The Medic-class characters' main technique is replenishing the health of team members. Medics are also equipped with a damage dealing weapon. Some Medics also have the abilities to revive teammates that are incapacitated or killed by the Monster. According to Evolves concept artist, those playing as Medics should stay back and avoid direct combat with the Monster, and only use their abilities when necessary.
Starting from the release of Stage 2, changes were made to the hunter classes. Every class now possesses the ability to deploy a force field, an ability once exclusive to the Trapper class. It can be used to limit the Monster's movement to a small area. The ability's cooldown time decreases when the hunters deal enough damage to the monster. Starting from Stage 2, the health of all hunters regenerate if they manage to avoid damage, and they no longer have to rely on the Medic class.
Monsters There are a total of five Monsters featured in Evolve. Similar to the Hunters, players need to inflict a certain amount of damage before unlocking a new Monster. The five different Monster-types also have different abilities, both offensive and defensive. Players control the Monster from a third-person perspective, and it features gameplay similar to an action game, unlike the Hunters. More abilities are given to a Monster after its evolution. Gameplay mechanics were not changed much after the release of Stage 2, but monsters are made more powerful. They are given more health, stamina, armor, and skill points to unlock all abilities. Cooldown time abilities also shortened and recharge rate becomes significantly faster.
Goliath: The Goliath is the starter Monster, available to all players. He has the strongest armor and health among the monsters. Goliath can charge and throw large rocks at Hunters, which can temporarily stun them, as well as perform attacks, such as breathing fire and "Leap Smash". Every monster has the ability to traverse the environment, Goliath's movement ability is to jump in the direction he is facing. Kraken: The Kraken is the second monster players unlock. Kraken is electricity-based, and can unleash attacks such as "Lightning Strike", "Vortex" and "Aftershock". He can also set up traps such as "Banshee Mines" around the map to slow the Hunters down. The Kraken's movement ability allows him to hover around in the sky and is the only monster that can fly. Wraith: The Wraith is the third unlockable monster. The Wraith can warp towards a Hunter and unleash a blast, dealing damage to the Hunters. She can also launch a supernova within a confined space which grants her accelerated attack speed. The Wraith also has the ability to teleport between places and abduct a Hunter whilst in a group. Her signature ability is a decoy that lets her create a copy of herself and turn invisible while the clone fights to confuse the Hunters, it is also useful when her armor pool is low. The Wraith's movement ability allows her to warp depending on the direction she goes. Behemoth: The Behemoth is a DLC character. Behemoth can unleash abilities such as "Lava Bomb" and "Fissure", which can stun Hunters. He can also create a "Rock Wall", which can isolate a Hunter from their companions. The Behemoth's movement ability is to turn into a ball and roll, he can run Hunters and other wildlife over to damage them a little bit.