The Talos Principle
The Talos Principle
Game
Game2023
The Talos Principle 2
Developer Croteam
The Talos Principle 2 is a puzzle-adventure video game developed by Croteam and published by Devolver Digital. A sequel to The Talos Principle (2014), the game was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S in November 2023 to generally positive reviews. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
450 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
79
LovedLoved
286 positive · 78 negative
95% range 74–82%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 286 | 78 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 43 | 3 | 30 |
| Lemmy * | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 1 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
8,663 of 9,198 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
84% recommend · 217 yes, 42 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 259 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (12,839 of 13,537 positive).
Many players praise the puzzles and philosophical themes, but some find the sequel inferior to the original. [1][2][3] Several reviewers criticize the large maps and excessive walking between puzzles. [1][4][5] Some players feel the story and dialogue are engaging, while others find them shallow or pretentious. [6][7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [17]
Talos Principle 1 is one of my favorite games, it's up there with Portal as one of the GOAT puzzle games. This game however is forgettable. They really dumbed down the puzzles. 9/10 don't require any thinking at all. A few of them did stump me for a little while so it wasn't all childsplay but the vast majority of them were a breeze and required no effort. That was the most disappointing part. Then they added some …
- [1]
A great game, but not an improvement on the first: some of the additional puzzle elements are interesting but it's mainly just bigger, with more space in between puzzles. Needless running around is not a plus... Anyone who has played the first game and like it should play this. Anyone who hasn't played the first one and likes puzzles should go play that instead.
- [11]
The game takes place in a world where humanity is gone and intelligent machines have inherited what remains. Instead of focusing on survival or disaster, the game asks different questions: What happens after? What kind of future do we build? What values do we keep? The world is absolutely gorgeous. Ancient ruins stand next to futuristic structures. Forests, deserts, beaches, snowy mountains — every area feels …
- [7]
Recommended for the puzzles but the philosophy/history lessons get bogged down by reddit-tier intellectualism. Guys, guys, super advanced robots in the future would know that Galileo was wrong. He was of course correct that the Earth rotates around the Sun, but his math was literally wrong, he predicted the planets would have perfect circular orbits and they don't, they're ovals essentially. And anyone taking G.K. …
- [5]
Pretty good. I enjoyed 1 more personally. I think this games biggest flaw is there is WAY too much walking around. Maps are too big for no reason. Puzzles and story felt less rewarding over all than the first game. 7.5/10
Summarised from 34 of the 323 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 10, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
The Talos Principle 2 sits at 79% positive across 364 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
According to review aggregator website Metacritic, the PlayStation 5 version received "universal acclaim", while the PC and Xbox Series X versions received "generally favorable reviews". Will Borger from IGN praised the game's puzzle design, its exploration of philosophy themes and its story, describing it as "thoughtful, heartfelt, and deeply moving". Dominic Tarason from PC Gamer compared the puzzle design to Portal and how the game gradually introduces new mechanics to players. He enjoyed the game's larger emphasis on narrative, praising the game's dialogue for being "deeply compelling and fully worthwhile". He concluded his review by writing that The Talos Principle 2 is "not just a…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 450 · most liked firstA great game, but not an improvement on the first: some of the additional puzzle elements are interesting but it's mainly just bigger, with more space in between puzzles. Needless running around is not a plus... Anyone who has played the first game and like it should play this. Anyone who hasn't played the first one and likes puzzles should go play that instead.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →We are humbled and extremely proud to win ‘Design’ and ‘Best Game’ awards at this year’s Central and Eastern European Game Awards with The Talos Principle 2!
neutral · AI labelView post →A Puzzle Editor is more than a set of tools. It’s how a community keeps creating, experimenting, and keeping a game alive long after the original journey ends. The Talos Principle 2 Puzzle Editor & Steam Workshop are LIVE NOW!
neutral · AI labelView post →If you're like me and loved the first game, go ahead and ignore this one. After an initial section that's kind of like a tutorial or refresher of sorts, the game turns into cutscene after cutscene, with some walking and exploring in between. I tried to power through them to get back to the puzzles, but I eventually got too exasperated to continue. The story is nice and all, but when I open a puzzle game, I expect to solve puzzles. You'd think that much would be obvious. Another friend…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →To be brief, I was incredibly disappointed with The Talos Principle 2. The Talos Principle 1 isn't just a puzzle game. It's a bottle with two distinct lightning strikes that just happened to land in the same spot.A blend of half puzzle game, half philosophical thinking experiment. The Talos Principle is a game that dares to keep you thinking just as much outside of the puzzles as you are inside of them. It's a game where the story unfolds when the player decides it does. It's a game where you…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Talos Principle 1 is one of my favorite games, it's up there with Portal as one of the GOAT puzzle games. This game however is forgettable. They really dumbed down the puzzles. 9/10 don't require any thinking at all. A few of them did stump me for a little while so it wasn't all childsplay but the vast majority of them were a breeze and required no effort. That was the most disappointing part. Then they added some really dumb robot characters and some really bad writing to fill in the gaps…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Humanity, Chants of Sennaar and The Talos Principle 2 all being in my best games of 2023 list suggests that the perfect game for me is something where you move a cube onto a switch and then have a little conversation about what it means to be human
positive · AI labelView post →A Sequel That Expands the Scale but Loses the Spark The Talos Principle 2 aims higher than its predecessor in almost every way — bigger environments, a broader narrative, more complex ideas. On paper, it should be a clear evolution. But in practice, it often feels like the game traded its tight, focused brilliance for something more bloated and less impactful. The puzzles are still clever, but they’ve lost some of the elegance that made the first game so satisfying. Instead of concise, “aha!”…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This dude randomly followed me and at first I was like "wtf why is a game dev following me?" Then I looked at his game and was like "wtf how did he know I just finished The Talos Principle 2 and wanted a new puzzle game" So I wishlisted it and now I'm retweeting his game
neutral · AI labelView post →This game is old. It's done. Yet today they announce they are having to push the price up from $29.99 to $39.99 USD and here is the excuse: The cost of developing and supporting games has continued to rise significantly in recent years, as inflation has pushed costs up around the world. Taking this into account, we’ve made the decision to adjust the base price of the game. This wasn’t a decision we made lightly, and we understand that nobody particularly enjoys seeing a price go up. We wanted…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Price goes up, review score goes down
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[Steam] The Talos Principle 2 ($2.99 / 90% off).
neutral · AI labelView post →This is a masterpiece for people who likes philosophy and puzzles. Please, beware, you have to really like those subjects.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game Pass Wave 2 January 2026: 1.21 -Death Stranding DC -RoadCraft -Ninja Gaiden Ragebound 1.27: -The Talos Principle 2 1.28 -Anno: Mutationem -Drop Duchy 1.29 -MySims: Cozy Bundle -Warhammer 40K: Space Marine II 2.2 -Indika 2.3 -Final Fantasy II news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...
neutral · AI labelView post →The game takes place in a world where humanity is gone and intelligent machines have inherited what remains. Instead of focusing on survival or disaster, the game asks different questions: What happens after? What kind of future do we build? What values do we keep? The world is absolutely gorgeous. Ancient ruins stand next to futuristic structures. Forests, deserts, beaches, snowy mountains — every area feels carefully designed to make you stop and look around. More than once I found myself…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As much as I despise some of the harder laser puzzles this and the the DLC were satisfying to play. Whenever a puzzle game makes me need to go to bed and I finally wake up in the morning with the answer I know its got me.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TTP2 left me with quite... mixed feelings. I deeply adore the first TTP, it has become my favourite game of all time when i played it for the first time, and after many years it still is. I've been dying to see the second part of the series, and the game being announced was a otherworldly experience itself. But TTP2 came out to be so very different... The atmosphere and the unique philosophy of the first part were almost gone, and most of the previously highlighted ideas had switched to new…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love Talos Principle 2. I love every puzzle, every visual, the addition of npcs to explore philosophies with, all of it was a wonder. I never expected Talos Principle 1 to ever get a sequel, especially one that evolves and builds upon the first game's foundation so well. However, I cannot support this game. The decision to raise the game's price at this time is really weird to me. This game is about 3 years old and has gone on sale numerous times with very steep reductions. If they wanted…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game starts with a unskippable tutorial level with very basic puzzles (ok but boring for who played Talos Principle 1), followed by an annoyingly long sequence of cutscenes, dialogues and animations. It can take more than 20 minutes before you step into the first puzzle. "Please consider visiting the city (and talk to more robots) before we go to puzzle island" –Sure! The maps are massive but mostly empty of gameplay content. Enjoy all the vegetation and beautiful useless buildings as you…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What surprised me most about Talos Principle 2 is that it has one of the best dialogue systems I've seen in a game. No, seriously. There were a couple of times when a character came up to me and said something like: "I've been thinking about when you said , and...". Absolutely trivial to implement something like that in a game, and yet even Baldur's Gate 3 didn't. Apparently some people are saying that the philosophical theme of this one is shallow. Sure, you can say that. Optimism is never…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →not worth the price, get on sale they just raised the base price but goes on sale for way cheaper.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wow! What a ride! The first game was already good, but this one takes it to the next level. The puzzles are crisp, the landscapes are magnificent, the music is beautiful, and the story makes you think about a lot of things. Everything comes together to paint a masterpiece. One of the best 3D puzzlers on the market right now.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In Talos 1, going out of bounds felt meaningful. Elohim chants: “In the beginning were the Words, and the Words made the world…” Talos 2 handles limits with loading screens. Retry a puzzle in Talos 1? A smooth rewind that preserved immersion. Retry in Talos 2? Another loading screen. More budget, less soul. The puzzles are easy, the story constantly gets in the way, and the voice acting lacks the charisma the terminals once had. It also lacks the quiet philosophical weight that made the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Puzzles were fine but increasing the price on a 3 year old game is crazy
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Recommended for the puzzles but the philosophy/history lessons get bogged down by reddit-tier intellectualism. Guys, guys, super advanced robots in the future would know that Galileo was wrong. He was of course correct that the Earth rotates around the Sun, but his math was literally wrong, he predicted the planets would have perfect circular orbits and they don't, they're ovals essentially. And anyone taking G.K. Chesterton's quote about "Maybe we are older than our Father" and stating…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It’s a good game with thought-provoking questions that make you want to think before answering, but unfortunately, even though I’m already in Region 3, I still haven’t found a way to express my point of view on the issues the game raises. The game offers the choice of playing as a misanthrope who believes that people harm everything around them, or as a “positive idiot” who believes that we can and should develop without harming others or the environment. However, the range of questions that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The architecture was just about the only thing I think *The Talos Principle 2* improved over the original. It's a 3D navigation puzzle game, but where the original used ruin assets that were heavily repeated (still creating a beautiful melancholy atmosphere in the process), the sequel has great architecture in several different architectural styles. The story and its in-game social media features ruined it for me, and the architecture is monumental/artistic rather than practical, but maybe…
neutral · AI labelView post →Deeply nihilistic anti-human reddit-tier philosophy which never questions its own premise that masquerades as being pro human and pro-love. Essentially: humans are greedy, selfish, short-sighted, and self-centered and they deserved to go extinct due to le global warming and these robots (who call themselves humans) aren't going to make the same mistakes. Utterly Godless drivel, which is ironic because the story is essentially about a Christ-like figure who rescues robot-humanity from its sins,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I very much recommend this game to normies, but really this is a negative review because I want to rant. First of all, positives - amazing soundtrack, good (and lots of) live voice acting, extremely impressive amount of "choices matter" micromoments in dialogue and story, some (!) puzzles are quite something. Negatives... oh boy, where to begin. In hilarious parallel with another universally praised sequel, Hades 2, I loved the first game and the second one repeats many of the same…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What’s the most recent game to enter your personal, canonical Top 10 games. Hmmm… If I allowed more than one game per series, it would probably be Tears of the Kingdom. But I think BotW is the more impactful. So, The Talos Principle 2 then! Neck to neck with Portal 2 as best puzzler ever! #Blutoid
positive · AI labelView post →Difficult puzzles that really make you think, paired with story and philosophy that isn't just pure pretentious self-fellating garbage like The Witness. Although, the levels are honestly way too large.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Overall, doesn't feel as good as the first game : - the puzzles aren't as interesting and overall easier - there's a lot of walking to get from point A to B, much more than in Talos 1 - the philosophical aspect isn't as developped and deep - the characters aren't as memorable as the compter and elohim from the first game - loading screens, loading screens, loading screens... they break the immersion too much Unfortunately, i can't recommend this one, whereas the first game is one most people…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Enjoyed the megastructure and brutalist architecture a lot in this game. Difficulty in puzzles felt random instead ramping up over time. Had to resort to guides on multiple occasions. Overall enjoyed.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I absolutely loved the first Talos Principle game, but this is just terrible. The characters are so annoying that I don't want to pay attention to the story at all, but even then the puzzles are worse than the first game. And ray-traced global illumination makes terrible artifacting visible everywhere. I couldn't get the game to run smooth at minimum settings on my laptop with an RTX 3060. I tried to play through the game, but I gave up at the gravity switching devices. I normally don't get…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Talos Principle is one of my all-time favourite games, so after almost a decade of waiting, did the sequel live up to the expectations? To touch upon the plot as spoiler-free as possible, I will say that while the first game was borderline science fiction, The Talos Principle 2 was inevitably going to be more speculative in nature, but I still ended up a bit surprised about how much it veered towards being a space opera. The first game could very well have been a perfect stand-alone…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty good. I enjoyed 1 more personally. I think this games biggest flaw is there is WAY too much walking around. Maps are too big for no reason. Puzzles and story felt less rewarding over all than the first game. 7.5/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just a note this is coming from someone that loved The Talos Principle, and did everything in the original game. 1st This is the only Non-VR Game to ever give me notion sickness. Tried the motion sickness options, and while experimenting to not want to vomit I didn't notice I spent over 4 hours trying to make the game work so I don't need a bucket next to me, and now can't refund this thing. So if you get any form of motion sickness in the 1st hour REFUND THIS GAME IMMEDIATELY it only gets…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Talos Principle 2 is probably my favorite puzzle game and the follow up to The Talos Principle. The game starts with a short recap of the first game. Humans are extinct but before they vanished they created a simulation to create an artificial intelligence that has the same mental capacity and potential that humans had. The player solves various puzzles to escape the simulation and start a new civilization. The second game is set centuries later, the original player character, now called…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Maybe none, maybe a couple; lately I have resisted sales since my backlog is so big. That being said, some of the more interesting ones on my wishlist are on sale this time around. I might pick one or two of these: First person shooters: - Trepang2 (F.E.A.R. homage) - 60% off, $12 - Prodeus (boomer shooter) - 40% off, $15 - Metal: Hellsinger (boomer shooter) - 75% off, $8 Indie/puzzle/chill: - The Talos Principle 2 - 70% off, $9 - Everspace 2 - 70% off, $15 -…
neutral · AI labelView post →The Puzzles are alright, but the in between parts (running from objective to objective) is awful. There is some philosophical stuff and story if you're interested but its not rich enough to justify running 200m between every single objective area. You will spend less than 10 minutes on average per puzzle unless you're stuck or something but that time will only make up around 10% of your playtime. 80% of your playtime is just running around and exploring which feels completely forced, its just…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I found the original Talos Principle a dense and neatly executed gem that was a joy to explore and work through. The puzzles were challenging and satisfying. The narrative was thought provoking, to the point of giving me pause at many terminals. The original is in my top 10 games experiences of all time, mainly due to the story and concepts discussed. Sadly the sequel is just slop, and poorly executed slop at that. Sure it looks better, but the heart and intelligence is gone. I wont get…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Unfortunately, 75% through the game and I can count on one hand the number of puzzles I've found interesting or challenging (probably 3-4). Each section has a new mechanic but all the puzzles feel like tutorial puzzles, and then it's on to the next region. I intend to return to the first game as I don't recall its puzzles to be nearly so dull and easy. The world design is great but they really missed the mark with the puzzles and the story is not nearly interesting enough (similar to TP1, but…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The puzzles in this game are really fun. They're not too easy, but definitely not too hard either. They've struck a good balance. Key to solving these puzzles are logic, a systematic approach, and the ability to think a few steps ahead. I often hear people say they don't want to try this type of game because they think they're too stupid for it. In my opinion, only this attitude is stupid. Many people aren't even aware of their own abilities. They're getting in their own way. Just try it! The…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An incredible game An incredible experience Worth picking up for anyone who likes philosophy and examining the human condition, especially as the base game gets 70-75% off during sales. Exited to see and play what players make with the new workshop integration!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Talos Principle 2 is a tough game to review. On the one hand, it's an amazing puzzle game that improves on the gameplay of the first game with interesting puzzle mechanics, fantastic environments and a nice chill soundtrack (that unfortunately does get a bit repetitive). On the other hand, the story and lore are confusing and nonsensical at times and the philosophy is all over the place, and doesn't really make sense in the context of the established lore of the first game. I think the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After finishing the first game, I put it in my top 10 favorite games without a second thought. Naturally, my expectations for the sequel to a game I loved so much were pretty high. The Talos Principle 2 certainly is a amazing game but I guess I was hoping for a bit more. Almost all the mechanics from the first game make a return and they've added a ton of new ones on top of that. Normally, this sounds like a great thing but the game is actually quite stingy when it comes to using them. There…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →9 Hardest Indie Puzzle Games. Here are the hardest indie puzzle games! From the article. I added links to steam. I am not sure I would call all of them indie games (9. [Braid](https://store.steampowered.com/app/499180/Braid_Anniversary_Edition/) (8. [Fez](https://store.steampowered.com/app/224760/FEZ/) (7. [Antichamber ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/219890/Antichamber/) (6. [Return Of The Obra Dinn ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/653530/Return_of_the_Obra_Dinn/) (5. [The…
neutral · AI labelView post →A shortlist of "single-player" puzzle games I've played as couch co-op: Blue Prince Lorelei and the Laser Eyes The Talos Principle 2 The Sexy Brutale The Rise of the Golden Idol Return of the Obra Dinn The Witness Viewfinder Storyteller
neutral · AI labelView post →The Talos Principle 2 is my first game of 2025, and I'm spending most of it running around with a big smile because I love brutalist architecture so much.
positive · AI labelView post →The reviews of The Talos Principle 2 opencritic.com/game/15695/t...
neutral · AI labelView post →Decent puzzles but the graphics were so unbelievably botched it seriously detracted from the game's tone. Imagine looking at a lake while standing beside a tree, and seeing the tree that is beside you reflected in the lake. Imagine shadows flickering on and off alternatively every frame because of some poorly programed TAA system. The opening cutscene of the game includes a moment where you stare out a window while lore is being given to you, and the reflection of a nearly plant in that window…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Talos Principle 1 is absolutely the best puzzle game in my mind. But TP2 just CANNOT attain that level. Overall, the game is without doubt a top game. The sheer amount of the world constructed, the intriguing storyline and the deep thoughts about human fate -- as well as breathtaking graphics -- such a combination can be said as unprecedented. However, for me, it's the puzzles that are the decisive part, which I didn't fully enjoy. I'm not saying that they're badly designed. Many a new…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Redownload The Talos Principle 2 and took some photos. I love this game so much. #gotuya-gaming
positive · AI labelView post →Finally started playing The Talos Principle 2 today and I'm super excited about it so far! Seems like they've done a great job of expanding on the ideas in the first game and it feels fresh but also familiar.
positive · AI labelView post →I went into The Talos Principle 2 expecting a puzzle game and somehow ended up questioning consciousness, identity, humanity and what the hell it even means to exist. The puzzles are great, but for me the philosophy is what makes this game special. It actually gives you ideas to think about instead of just pretending to be deep. I caught myself stopping between puzzles just thinking about some of the conversations. The world is beautiful too. There is this strange peaceful feeling to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great puzzles but unfortunately the most poorly optimized game I've ever played. It relies HEAVILY on upscaling as a crutch, and as a result the world looks like it's actively disintegrating in front of your eyes while still running terribly. Not sure why they couldn't have just stuck with the first game's graphics, as it was beautiful AND didn't make my computer wanna ♥♥♥♥ itself and die
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I might be able to understand those that feel after many years, this game feels different to the first. For me having played game 1 for the first time, and then the second immediately after, I loved it. The first game was amazing, great puzzles and philosophy, but the lore and philosophy felt sort of bolted on the side. Game 2 felt like they had the story and world in mind to start with. The world is a lot more fleshed out than the first, it's built around a proper interactive story with voiced…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A large portion of the base game’s puzzles are either too easy or unnecessarily clunky. The game can be frustrating, as you’re forced to navigate overly convoluted areas laid out like Far Cry maps just to collect junk needed for achievement completion. Not to mention the achievements you earn for yapping to the stupid bots that give boring ass lectures on the philosophy of science. Despite all this, there’s still a fun game in there if you ignore all the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ and focus on solving the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Talos Principle 2 is an exceptional sequel that builds on the foundations of the original game. Design of each location is breathtaking and inspiring me, I often stopped to admire and experience the quietness and beauty of my surroundings. The puzzles are inventive each new location introduces new mechanics that feel purposeful, keeping the experience fresh and fun, I was always curious what will await me next What truly shines is the story and philosophy. The first game focused on…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This one is even better than the first one. Great story, voice acting, puzzles, you name it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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