ReThink | Evolved
- September 15, 2017
- Yaeko
Get on Steam"ReThink | Evolved" is a narrative-driven first-person shooter that challenges players to question their actions and moral compass. As you navigate through a dystopian world, you will be faced with difficult decisions that will shape the story and your character's development. Experience intense combat, explore intriguing environments, and engage in thought-provoking conversations in this single-player adventure.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging and well-designed puzzles that provide a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult.
- Beautiful visuals and a calming atmosphere, enhanced by relaxing background music.
- Offers a unique gameplay experience with free-form cube placement and various mechanics, allowing for multiple solutions to puzzles.
- The game suffers from performance issues, including crashes and low frame rates, which can hinder gameplay.
- Lacks a compelling story or narrative, leading to an abrupt ending that feels unsatisfying.
- Some puzzles can be frustrating due to the precision required for cube placement, and the difficulty curve can be uneven.
- gameplay30 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Rethink | Evolved" is characterized by its numerous short levels that introduce distinct challenges, enhancing player understanding of the mechanics. The game features a solid core mechanic of freely placing cubes to redirect colored lasers, along with several new elements that improve upon the original's frustrating aspects. While some mechanics may not be well-explained, the overall experience is engaging and offers a greater sense of accomplishment compared to its predecessor.
“Levels are short and numerous, but thankfully there's no padding: each new challenge you encounter is meaningfully distinct and usually nudges you towards a better understanding of the mechanics.”
“The evolved version adds a bunch of interesting new mechanics that make each puzzle a memorable experience.”
“Really fun puzzle game using mixed mechanics with lasers, cubes, tiles, and zero gravity areas.”
“A few early mechanics aren't explained very well.”
“The low frame rate hurts the gameplay a lot.”
“I stopped playing altogether when Rethink Evolved introduced the light walkways because now it was Portal 2, but Portal 2 had better movement mechanics.”
- story13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The story in "Rethink Evolved" is minimal and often described as a superficial layer over the gameplay, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth and engagement compared to more narrative-driven puzzle games like "Portal" or "The Talos Principle." While the backstory is present, it serves primarily as a backdrop for the puzzles, which are well-designed and enjoyable, making the game more suitable for players who prioritize gameplay over narrative. Overall, the game is seen as a decent experience, particularly when purchased at a discount, but it does not offer a compelling story.
“A small but interesting backstory with constant updates on your tablet.”
“You have volunteered (where do they find all these people?) to solve puzzles, that's pretty much the story.”
“It may lack the strong story that something like Portal or Talos Principle has, but the puzzles are still very good.”
“Rethink Evolved is pretty bare bones and does not differ from most other puzzle story plot lines.”
“There’s no story, so there’s nothing left unresolved, but even so I would have expected ... something.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their clean visuals, modern aesthetic, and effective use of the Unreal Engine, creating a calming atmosphere that complements the puzzle-solving experience. Players appreciate the variety of graphics settings available, although some have noted the need to adjust these settings for optimal performance. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing both the gameplay and the immersive experience.
“What a great intro into the whole Rethink series, super clean visuals, calming background music, amazing learning curve with increasingly more complex cubes and ways to solve puzzles.”
“The visuals are really nice with a mix of slick modern architecture and vegetation using the new Unreal Engine.”
“This game is fantastic in every way from performance, puzzles, and graphics; it is easily a must-play for anyone who wants to scratch that puzzle fix.”
“Important: one key point is that you will likely have to tinker with the graphics settings to find a combination of settings that will work for your machine.”
“That said, for the most part the rest of the game is fun, though I've had to look through some walkthroughs as some of the manipulatable targets are simply plain black tiles that blend into the wall graphics.”
“There is a lot of graphics settings to choose from, and console commands are also available.”
- optimization9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some users report excellent performance and a variety of graphic options, others experience significant performance issues despite the game's simple aesthetics. Overall, it appears that players with high-end systems may have a better experience, but many are awaiting further optimization to enhance performance.
“Excellent puzzles, nice graphics and atmosphere, clear presentation, flawless performance and controls, and it doesn't waste your time with filler or repetition.”
“This game is fantastic in every way from performance, puzzles and graphics; it is easily a must-play for anyone who wants to scratch that puzzle fix.”
“Performance - lots of graphic options.”
“The real problem this game has is performance.”
“If you're a puzzle aficionado, you will probably enjoy the game, but I do have to warn you, for how simple and clean the game looks, the performance will not be there.”
“Seems like it might be decent as an indie project if you have a high-end system, but I'm not revisiting this until they optimize for better performance.”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall experience with beautiful ambient tracks. While some users noted that the soundtrack features familiar tunes from previous games, the clean visuals and soothing background music contribute to an enjoyable atmosphere that complements the puzzle-solving gameplay.
“What a great intro into the whole rethink series, super clean visuals, calming background music, amazing learning curve with increasingly more complex cubes and ways to solve puzzles.”
“The music is very relaxing and will stay with you, and the architecture is so beautiful that I often just stand in various spots and enjoy it.”
“Beautiful non-intrusive ambient music and sounds.”
“The music is very relaxing and will stay with you, but it's a pity that it can't be visited!”
“It's a little puzzle game that has neat graphics and relaxing background music.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its excellent graphics and engaging design, contributing to a clear and immersive experience. Players appreciate the absence of filler content, allowing for a focused gameplay experience, while a unique zero-gravity mechanic adds an intriguing twist to the environment.
“Excellent puzzles, nice graphics, and atmosphere. Clear presentation, flawless performance and controls, and it doesn't waste your time with filler or repetition.”
“One new mechanic is an area in later rooms that will be encased in a somewhat no-atmosphere/zero gravity field.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find the humor in the game to be delightfully absurd and engaging, evoking a playful, almost primal response that enhances the overall experience.
“It makes my brain feel funny and my caveman brain go ooga booga lights.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in low gravity areas, which detracts from the overall experience.
“My biggest complaint is that the low gravity areas were kind of tedious.”
