More and more information is trickling out for the next project from Left 4 Dead developer Turtle Rock, Evolve, which trades in Earth for a far flung rock in deepest space, and zombies for some extreme extra terrestrials.
Publisher 2K Games sent out the above image, showing just what players will get when they pre-order. Just in case it's a little hard to make out, here's what it says:
"Pre-Order Evolve and receive the Monster Expansion Pack
- Savage Goliath Skin
- New Monster Character* Free
*Receive a free download of the new monster character as soon as it's available"
That monster pictured above? Yep, that's a Goliath. Game Informer had the exclusive on all the Evolve details, and they've been sharing the wealth on everything from the game's creatures, character classes, and more. But more recently, the mag dished the details on the aforementioned predator, and it's a doozy.
We told you before about that massive creature that all four players would have to team up against in order to take it down? Yeah, that's the Goliath, and one player can choose to play as this whopper if that's his or her preference.
According to Game Informer, the Goliath " starts off in a weakened form, eventually growing in size (and power) by eating local wildlife. But even at its smallest, the creature is a force to be reckoned with. "Even in his smallest form, he's intimidating; at stage one he's about 10 feet tall, and he only gets taller with each of this three evolutionary forms."
With the right diet, the Goliath can become just that, ultimately, "an absolute beast. He's a massive creature that's able to pull boulders from the earth one moment, before sprinting off and springing dozens of feet into the air," and a size to match. According to the game's character modeler and a consummate wordsmith, Brandon Yanez, "If he stood fully up, he'd be in the 30s. He's really big."
Beyond his Godzilla-esque appearance, there's shades of the radiated lizard's powers in the Goliath to boot. Early concept art shows its abilities include breathing fire and a charge attack in addition to the aforementioned leap and rock toss. Wrote Game Informer:
"The Goliath is an innately strong and powerful creature, but players will be able to buff him up as they play. As the game's name suggests, he can evolve through three different forms by feeding on kills and storing energy - provided the hunters don't kill him first. Players can choose two of Goliath's four abilities when they start, and they're able to select another with each additional growth spurt. His flame breath is a great way to punish hunters for getting too close. Once a character is alight, they continue to take damage. The pain inflicted isn't as great as some of his other attacks, but the DoT effect compounded with the panic it can create makes it invaluable. The Goliath's leap and charge attacks are versatile maneuvers that can be used offensively or defensively. The charge is an effective way to close the gap between fleeing opponents, or it can be used to create some space between you and the hunters when you're feeling pinned down. Similarly, the leap attack is a tool that's useful to pounce on unsuspecting hunters from above, or to make it tough for them to draw a bead on you. The rock throw is an attack that speaks to the Goliath's raw power. The Goliath digs its claws into the ground, extracts a boulder, and chucks it at the nearest pest. It only takes one hit for new hunters to learn to respect this attack. It delivers a punishing, disorienting blow that can take precious seconds to recover from. The rock throw was added to address one of the issues the team discovered in playtesting. Before he had a longer-ranged attack, the hunters could lay mines and play a straight defense - effectively forcing the Goliath player to participate in his own inevitable demise."
While the Goliath no doubt poses a serious threat, it's one of many on the inhospitable planet Shear. We'll keep you posted when Turtle Rock reveals more info.
Evolve is scheduled to arrive on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 this fall.
