Road to Gehenna is an interesting expansion in that it doesn't add much totally new to the experience. You'll utilise the exact same mechanics as the base game, in environments ripped straight from the base game; without a new story, this could just be a map pack, with additional, more difficuly challenges following up from the end of the original.

However, there is a story here, and it's delivered differently from The Talos Principle. While you'll still access computers scattered across the world (in this case, one after each puzzle), they tend to be a lot more interactive. You play as Uriel, an emissary of Elohim, sent to shut down Gehenna, a world inhabited by many unique characters. I won't get into the weeds of the narrative, but it is rather compelling and philosophically challenging. The delivery is the highlight, as you access information via a social network. Each thread has posts from various people, and you're often able to add your own thoughts to the discussion boards. Sometimes these threads include attachments, such as art, literature or even the occasional text-based adventure game, similar to something like Zork. It's a brilliant framing device that builds certain individuals into unique characters, and oftentimes gets a laugh out of me due to the snappier, wittier writing.

All in all, this was a worthwile experience. While I found the puzzles dragged somewhat, with nothing brand new to shake up the fairly long playtime, the intermittent story beats more than made up for this, in many ways surpassing the storytelling of the base game. If you liked what The Talos Principle had to offer, you're bound to find something to enjoy here.

Reviewed on Jan 02, 2024


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