The monster shooter Evolve is now Free2Play, but that comes with some changes. What is new and what is known?
It came quickly and quietly and hit Steam quite hard. The presumed dead 4vs1 shooter Evolve has switched to a Free2Play model and since then thousands of players have been testing on Steam how nice it is to slaughter hunters as a monster. Although “Evolve Stage 2” is still in beta, most systems are already working fine. But what has changed? What is new with Free2Play? And what do you have to pay for?
A shooter with MOBA systems
Evolve now has a weekly character rotation. From each group (Monster, Support, Trapper, Assault, Medic) there is always one hunter available in the free playable rotation. The other characters have to be unlocked for “Silver Keys” – that is an in-game currency that you get for the game. You can earn them for victories, achieving minor “achievements” in the game and “hidden challenges” – such as completing the tutorial or achieving a winning streak.
There are also quests, also called “challenges”, that refresh every few hours to earn additional Silver Keys. Combined with a daily login bonus (where you can even receive whole hunters), this surely tempts some gamers to return to the game repeatedly.
I bought the game! What do I get?
Turtle Rock has not forgotten the buyers of the game. Therefore, it is a matter of course that all once purchased characters are still available. Only for Markov and the Goliath do you have to complete a small tutorial mission to unlock them again. As an additional bonus, you get 3000 Silver Keys to start – that’s not much, but there are also additional display images, skins, and in the future, buyers of the game will be rewarded by receiving new adaptations immediately.
Changes to the gameplay mechanics
The general gameplay has also been heavily tweaked. Now all hunters can use the “Dome” to trap the monster – it is on a shared cooldown. This means the team is no longer necessarily dependent on the Trapper. As a trade-off, the Trapper has a skill to locate the rough direction of the monster – long, aimless wandering on the map belongs to the past.
Players can now choose up to 3 perks to create a significantly more individualized playstyle. The effects can be quite significant, as combining “same” perks grants massive strengths in certain areas, such as melee combat or movement speed. As a hunter, you should coordinate so that no one zips around the map in turbo mode while the rest can’t keep up.
The Silver Keys – What can you buy?
Currently, all content in Evolve is available with the earnable in-game currency. This includes all hunters, skins for weapons, monsters, and hunters, as well as perks. Some of these items are also awarded through the new progression system; for instance, players who frequently play “Goliath” unlock perks and skins one after the other – only those who can’t wait must spend Silver Keys. It is expected that these Silver Keys will later also be available for real money. So far, that is not the case, or – which is more likely – we just haven’t seen the option. However, the game is still in “beta” – even if it doesn’t feel like it.
Our question to you: Mein-MMO asks: Do you give Evolve a second chance as an F2P title?
For more news and articles about the revived 4vs1 shooter, you can find them on our Evolve game page.
