Game review: The Talos Principle 2: Road to Elysium DLC (PS5)
The Talos Principle 2 came out in November 2023, and it was one of the best surprises of that year. Not only did the game have excellent graphics, but the puzzle-like gameplay was unlike anything I have encountered in a long time.
Nearly seven months after the release of the base game, developer Croteam has released the game's first huge DLC simply called 'Road to Elysium'. This is a three-part DLC pack that features even more levels and hard puzzles for you to solve.
One of the best things about 'Road to Elysium' is that there are zero prerequisites to start the DLC, unlike Elden Ring's 'Shadow of the Erdtree' expansion. Owners of The Talos Principle 2 don't need to have a finished saved game to access the new DLC pack. You can start on the DLC regardless of how far you did in the base game!
The only thing the DLC warns you about is that there are story spoilers from the base game if you start it without a completed saved game. However, most players would have finished the main game already before buying this new DLC anyway.
Another cool thing about this DLC is the fact that you can start it in any order. As aforementioned, this DLC has three parts, and they are separated into three different episodes. The first episode is called 'Orpheus Ascending'.
In this episode, you need to gather fragments from the mind of a character named Sarabhai. Much like the base game, you need to gather her fragments that are locked behind lots of laser puzzles set in Egypt. The DLC does not give you a tutorial again, so you will need to remember the structure of puzzles from the base game before you continue.
The second episode is called 'Isle of the Blessed', and this is by far my favourite part of the DLC because of its beautiful Caribbean Island setting. The fact that this game uses Unreal Engine 5 truly shows the power of the PS5 greatly. I reckon this game is up there with Horizon Forbidden West as one of the best-looking PS5 games I have ever played!
The second episode is much longer than the first, and the puzzles are challenging too. You can just admire the scenery if you get frustrated trying to solve the puzzles too. Fans of the base game are sure to be entertained for hours on end.
The third episode is called 'Into the Abyss', and this takes place on the beautiful backdrop of some floating islands. Be warned though, because this DLC has some of the hardest puzzles ever assembled in The Talos Principle 2 so far.
The only bad thing I can say about the DLC is that the difficulty might be too hard for some gamers out there. If you don't want to play with a guide, you might spend several minutes or several hours on a single puzzle.
I'm not embarrassed to admit that I needed to use YouTube guides on some of the puzzles in this DLC. As I said before, 'Into the Abyss' has the hardest puzzles in the game, and I'm sure many other players like me would need extra help solving these puzzles, too.
Overall, 'Road to Elysium' is an excellent expansion to The Talos Principle 2. The graphics are still downright gorgeous, and the puzzles are challenging and sometimes enjoyable to solve. This DLC is a must-have for huge fans of the base game.
Verdict: 8.5/10
