The Talos Principle: Reawakened has a very different impact in our new era of artificial intelligence.

The Talos Principle: Reawakened presents, at first glance, all the elements one would expect from a good remake. With updated graphics, gameplay improvements, and a completely new accompanying story, this version aims to revitalize the original 2014 title, which is recognized as one of the best puzzle games ever created. However, the context in which the game is presented in 2025 affects its reception. While its puzzles remain just as clever and challenging as they were over a decade ago, the narrative about humanity on the verge of an environmental disaster and how artificial intelligence could be its salvation feels hollow at a time when the moral, ethical, and environmental damages of AI are evident. This disconnect is not the fault of developer Croteam but a reminder of how fragile the strength of a story can be over time. Interestingly, the legacy themes of the game resonate in this remake, though not always positively. Nevertheless, as a puzzle game, The Talos Principle: Reawakened offers real challenges that are worth experiencing.

Now, let’s review the new features that Reawakened brings. Completely rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, this remake presents "better" graphics that align the original visuals with modern expectations. This translates to abundant vegetation, detailed constructions, and highly reflective water effects, along with impressive lighting in the beautiful landscapes of The Talos Principle. While these improvements are visually appealing, they may seem unnecessary. Even though eleven years may seem like a long time, comparing the two versions reveals that the graphical enhancement has not been that significant. Although attention to detail is commendable, it seems Croteam is simply ticking off a checklist of features for a remake.

Reawakened also incorporates gameplay adjustments aimed at smoothing out the inconveniences of the 2014 version, such as a rewind button for a few seconds, a checkpoint system for saving actions, and improvements in connectors that redirect beams of light in the puzzles. These changes facilitate the experimentation needed to progress through the numerous challenges of the game.

The puzzles, for their part, remain intact and are as engaging as they were in 2014. Their design is based on a rigorous internal logic that equalizes the conditions for all players, regardless of when they attempt to solve them. The way The Talos Principle slowly introduces mechanics and logical problems is brilliant, similar to what is observed in the Portal series, making the experience memorable and rewarding.

In contrast, the narration does not hold up with the same strength over time. Although Reawakened does not alter the original story, replaying it today comes with an added burden. The rhetoric about AI and human consciousness in the context of an environmental crisis is harder to accept nowadays. AI, far from being a salvation, presents serious risks and consequences in terms of energy consumption and emissions. While I can appreciate the work behind the narrative of The Talos Principle, the constant elevation of an imagined ideal of AI can be difficult to swallow in the current context.

One of the most significant features of Reawakened is "In the Beginning," a completely new story that serves as a sort of prologue to the base game. This expansion is presented alongside the main game and the "Road To Gehenna" DLC, allowing players easy access to new content. Although the new chapter offers interesting challenges and a well-constructed narrative, its content does not provide truly new information but rather presents a different perspective on what is already known.

Furthermore, the developer commentary included in Reawakened provides a fascinating look at how the game was created, adding a level of reflection that could have been incorporated into the main narrative. For those more interested in the mechanical aspects of The Talos Principle, the new expansion alongside a puzzle creator promises to offer a rich and highly replayable experience. In conclusion, while Reawakened is considered a definitive version by offering a more complete package, it cannot escape the changes in context and perception that the passage of time brings with it.