I had already played the first game and Road to Gehenna, which I both very much enjoyed. I didn't know what to expect of both how the game and the story would be continued, but Talos Principle 2 delivered in all aspects. While in the first game you play an emerging consciousness trapped in a simulation, the second installment continues where the other game left off and spins a story of an emerging robot society with very human problems (as they have after all minds modeled after our own). I love how it's not just a rehash or more of the same, but an elevation of the first game in all aspects. We have crazy sci-fi concepts, vast and awesome landscapes and structures, a siginificant upgrade in graphics, fully voiced and well written characters and tons more of that well thought out hand picked philosophical, ethical and mythical concepts, that leave you pondering and in existential crisis more than ever before. The game basically leaves no stone unturned and touches currently relevant issues like sustainability, and connects it with history, ancient philosophyand futuristic concepts. It touches human self hatred, optimism for a better future and the quest to reach the stars. Basically this game is in itself a theory of everything.
The writing is also great. It is a lot of fun to explore the audio logs and text files littered in the world, that paint both the world as well as the story, and always interwoven with philosophy. The characters you encounter during the game, which are now all fully voiced and can be interacted with as in an adventure game are all charming and you learn to love and/or hate them during your adventures together. Same can be said about the interactions with the "Social Media" system, which paints the society of New Jerusalem basically as its own character. Exploring the city was fun as well, as it paints this emerging but flawed society at the brink of grand change.
While the first game embraced its video game esthetics, taking place in a glitchy simulation, the new game plays in the real world. I was skeptical at first, but the stunning levels that Croteam has conjured here really sells it. It's not only the graphics, but also the ambience, which really lets you dive into this world. The sometimes brutalistic, sometimes art deco, and sometimes fully absurd, but always in the literal sense awe inspiring architecture of the puzzle areas and other buildings in the game are fantastical and have at the same time an imposing, very physical presence. I stop and marvel at the beautiful landscapes as often as I admire the architecture. The fact that you can now actually die and aren't merely reset adds to the sense to physicality.
The gameplay is also improved. There are a ton of a new puzzle elements and the puzzles themselves are much tighter, relying less on tricks and exploits than in the previous game.

All in all Croteam has outdone themselves. They took what was already great in The Talos Principle, and then improved on it, which I would not have dared to dream to be possible. While I love their Serious Sam games a lot, this here is their magnum opus. You have created something most beautiful and important.

I had already played the first game and Road to Gehenna, which I both very much enjoyed. I didn't know what to expect of both how the game and the story would be continued, but Talos Principle 2 delivered in all aspects. While in the first game you play an emerging consciousness trapped in a simulation, the second installment continues where the other game left off and spins a story of an emerging robot society with very human problems (as they have after all minds modeled after our own). I love how it's not just a rehash or more of the same, but an elevation of the first game in all aspects. We have crazy sci-fi concepts, vast and awesome landscapes and structures, a siginificant upgrade in graphics, fully voiced and well written characters and tons more of that well thought out hand picked philosophical, ethical and mythical concepts, that leave you pondering and in existential crisis more than ever before. The game basically leaves no stone unturned and touches currently relevant issues like sustainability, and connects it with history, ancient philosophyand futuristic concepts. It touches human self hatred, optimism for a better future and the quest to reach the stars. Basically this game is in itself a theory of everything. The writing is also great. It is a lot of fun to explore the audio logs and text files littered in the world, that paint both the world as well as the story, and always interwoven with philosophy. The characters you encounter during the game, which are now all fully voiced and can be interacted with as in an adventure game are all charming and you learn to love and/or hate them during your adventures together. Same can be said about the interactions with the "Social Media" system, which paints the society of New Jerusalem basically as its own character. Exploring the city was fun as well, as it paints this emerging but flawed society at the brink of grand change. While the first game embraced its video game esthetics, taking place in a glitchy simulation, the new game plays in the real world. I was skeptical at first, but the stunning levels that Croteam has conjured here really sells it. It's not only the graphics, but also the ambience, which really lets you dive into this world. The sometimes brutalistic, sometimes art deco, and sometimes fully absurd, but always in the literal sense awe inspiring architecture of the puzzle areas and other buildings in the game are fantastical and have at the same time an imposing, very physical presence. I stop and marvel at the beautiful landscapes as often as I admire the architecture. The fact that you can now actually die and aren't merely reset adds to the sense to physicality. The gameplay is also improved. There are a ton of a new puzzle elements and the puzzles themselves are much tighter, relying less on tricks and exploits than in the previous game. All in all Croteam has outdone themselves. They took what was already great in The Talos Principle, and then improved on it, which I would not have dared to dream to be possible. While I love their Serious Sam games a lot, this here is their magnum opus. You have created something most beautiful and important.