Titanfall
This one should come as no surprise whatsoever. For the past few months many individuals have already drawn comparisons between both Titanfall and the finally released Evolve. This is largely due to the fact that both contain multiplayer gameplay with AI controlled creatures that can help to turn the tides of battle. But there is another reason why the appreciation of Titanfall may lead you to go pick up Evolve.
Although the gameplay found in Evolve isn’t the first time that asynchronous multiplayer matches have been available, the way you actually play shows that Turtle Rock was definitely looking to shake things up. In the way Titanfall revisited how traversal can be used in a competitive first person shooter, Evolve plays with the notion of putting one of you into the shoes of an enormous monster in order to change how you think of these games.
The optional monsters may be no Titans but the shift in play style between the myriad of hunter classes and the hulking beasts creates a shooter that requires a bit more thought. If you liked how Titanfall added a new flavor to the genre without reinventing the wheel, then you ought to give Evolve a try.
Left 4 Dead
There is no coincidence that some aspects of Left 4 Dead have found their way into Evolve. The same studio happens to have been behind both titles which put you into a team of four in order to face a much greater threat. The only major notable difference between the two games is the fact that Evolve doesn’t have a single zombie running around its vast hunting areas. At least not yet anyway.
But, even with a completely different type of foe bearing down on you, both games place a heavy emphasis on cooperative play. This isn’t your typical run-n-gun style FPS. Woe is he/she who decides that they’re going to hang back as the hunting party moves on. Shear, the world of Evolve, is a rather dangerous locale, and that’s before you throw in one of the hulking beasts that serve as your primary prey. Becoming slack in your group advancement often leads to being picked off which, while it sucks for you, will make things much worse for your surviving friends.
Having all four members of your party is of the utmost importance if you are to have any hopes of succeeding against a more seasoned enemy. Just as in Left 4 Dead where proximity to your friends was key, Evolve too will have you keeping everyone on a short leash. If all of this dread and tension is what you’re into, then that’s more than enough reason to pick up Evolve.
Turok
There is a high probability that many younger readers may not know what Turok is. Allow yourself to be educated in its awesomeness in the most simple of ways. Turok is a game in which you shoot dinosaurs in first person. You may be wondering “what else?”, but do you really need another reason to love Turok? For those of you who already knew about this classic and are now lost in nostalgia, you might want to check out what Evolve has to offer.
While your primary target while playing as a hunter in Evolve is the large player-controlled monstrosity, the different areas of Shear are not without their own natural threats. Many of these threats happen to look like, you guessed it, dinosaurs and who doesn’t love giving a group of dinosaurs their what for? You are part of a real hunting party that must not only track your prey, but also make sure to keep an eye out for the other dangerous residents of the world.
Although most threats are easy to overcome, they tend to hunt intelligently and will do their best to pick off any stragglers. There also happens to be a few more powerful nemeses scattered throughout the various levels. If any of this happens to be your cup of tea then go pick up Evolve now.
Dying Light (Be the Zombie)
Dying Light is the most recent game on this list, but its included multiplayer mode, Be the Zombie, gives a nice small taste of what you can encounter in Evolve. Be the Zombie places you in the shoes of a night hunter which is a special infected that can only be controlled by a human player. These badasses have the ability to sniff out human players and methodically pick them off one by one. Sound familiar? Well it should since that is largely what you’ll be doing if you play as one of the monsters in Evolve.
As a monster you have many weaknesses that can be exploited by hunters, much like how the night hunter in Dying Light must be careful to avoid certain threats. This forces you to rely on bulking up, and avoiding lines of sight in order to figure out the best way to take the enemy team apart. As you hunt and kill you will have the ability to increase the potency of your abilities and your chances at victory. Being alone in your fight provides a unique challenge that necessitates wits rather than brute force.
Using the terrain to your advantage as you plan your next move is what Be the Zombie mode and playing as a monster in Evolve are all about. If that tickles your fancy it’s time to hunker down and get ready to hunt the hunters.
Manhunt
Manhunt is one of those games that puts you into the hunt completely. While other games like Call of Duty also charge you with taking down enemy forces, they tend to be fast paced and extremely forgiving since you are able to respawn with ease. There is nothing wrong with that, but playing Evolve with that mindset is going to get you nowhere fast. Manhunt on the other hand teaches patience in all things, and it shows you the joys that can be wrought from a slow, vicious victory.
In Manhunt you happen to also face a group of enemies known as hunters, and in order to come out on top you must be stealthy, and smart in every move you make. This is the same thing you will oftentimes find yourself doing in Evolve as one of the monsters. You don’t have the benefit of team members who will come to your rescue. You have to use everything at your disposal in order to wipe the hunters off the face of Shear. The sometimes slow pace tend to be one of Evolve‘s best moments, and Manhunt is one of the few games that can compare.
If the thrill of the hunt is what you seek and you don’t want pesky sidekicks or teammates to help you do your thing, then Evolve may very well be just the game you’re looking for.
For more information on Evolve be sure to check out its official site. Also, be sure to check out our review.
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