Elysium (2022) – The Talos Principle 2’s Latest Expansion

Get Elysium (2022) – The Talos Principle 2’s latest expansion can be purchased as a single standalone narrative, or as an upgrade to the Ultimate Edition of the game via Steam for $5.99/£4.99.

It’s also a reminder that in the gaming industry, which gives us sequels and expansions galore, with no end in sight, a game like The Talos Principle 2: Road to Elysium will stand out for a long time into the future, when it arrives on PlayStation 5, XBOX SERIES X/S and PC on 14 June for $20.

The Genesis of Genius: A Look Back at The Talos Principle Saga

Before diving into the story of Road to Elysium, which hangs like a jewelled neckpiece around the ingenious puzzle challenges, it helps to look back to where it began: in 2014 with The Talos Principle, a groundbreaking puzzle game that ensconced its philosophical conundrums at its very heart, and a far more philosophical structure than the mere ‘philosophical’ veneer of the likes of Professor Layton. The sequel to The Talos Principle, released in November 2023, provided an even further insight into a genre of puzzle games that test the intellect of the mind and spirit. Populating its puzzles with a greater range of challenges were new existential conundrums of an android colony.

Embarking on a New Journey: Exploring Road to Elysium

This DLC expansion is not so much a single world as it is an episodic three-part quest, sending players to vast new worlds filled with puzzles and mysteries. The new adventures are divided into three chapters: Orpheus Ascending, Isle of the Blessed, and Into The Abyss, each in a different setting and with a range of new puzzle types that build upon the universe of The Talos Principle 2.

Chapter Insights: A Sneak Peek into Orpheus Ascending and Isle of the Blessed

(Orpheus Ascending, set in an Egypt-inspired soundscape, starts out with laser puzzles.) It’s as if the developers are working within a space game designer’s improv exercise, developing inventive mechanical foundations around each new thematic element.

I had a first-hand experience of the chapter on the Isle of the Blessed, a tropical paradise divided into three puzzled worlds. Each section teased my brain with its ability to play with light beams and object placement – like a well-choreographed dance.

More Than Just Puzzles: Philosophical Depths and Lingering Questions

Crucially, it’s not just the gameplay, nor even its narrative that’s of interest: The Talos Principle 2’s philosophical underpinnings are as thought-provoking and debate-worthy as those that precede it. That’s true for the collectible lore (in the game’s terminology ‘Archives’, and ‘Audio Shards’), which are as provocative as ever. Rather than redacted transcripts of military-industrial chatter, this offering presents miniature philosophical scenarios to mull over. And, just as RatMan’s Notes prefaced every episode of The Talos Principle, so Road to Elysium begins each chapter with its own philosophical musings. The result is to seamlessly weave philosophical questions into the narrative in a way to ensure the journey is as richly thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

The Road Ahead: Anticipations for Road to Elysium

All by itself, with my own history and the sheer volume of play that Road to Elysium seems to hint at, this expansion feels like The Talos Principle 2. Just the Isle of the Blessed, which will take around five hours to play, represents only a small portion of what awaits those who want to immerse themselves back in the world of The Talos Principle 2.

The XBOX SERIES X Experience: Road to Elysium Shines on Next-Gen

To the owners of the XBOX SERIES X, Road to Elysium represents a textbook case for why they bought a gaming console almost as powerful as a gaming computer. With its elaborate puzzles, its generous scale, its dense environments, and the philosophical gravity of its discursive play, Indrørken’s game is tailor-made for a more powerful console, with better frame rate and graphics.

A New Era for XBOX SERIES X Gamers

Photo courtesy Funky PoralThe future of console gaming is here. XBOX SERIES X is the hottest, edgiest new line of gaming consoles, and Road to Elysium is better on this console than on any other device. Consider testing your mettle and exploration skills with less blur, more clarity, and plenty more frames-per-second on the XBOX SERIES X.

In Conclusion: The XBOX SERIES X Brings Road to Elysium to Life

The Talos Principle 2: Road to Elysium could represent the greatest DLC expansion in puzzle-gaming history. XBOX SERIES X players will find their experience amplified by the console’s cinematic-quality presentation, as well as the game’s rich environmental textures, thoughtful puzzles, and philosophical narrative.

About XBOX SERIES X

The flagship console of the XBOX SERIES X line, the all-powerful XBOX SERIES X sets the bar for performance, velocity and backward compatibility with blazing speed and jaw-dropping next-generation specs, giving avid gamers the ideal platform to play sprawling, complex titles such as The Talos Principle 2: Road to Elysium.