A couple of months back a select few of us were treated to the Evolve Big Alpha. This week, specifically Thursday 15th, we are again going to get a nice little treat from Turtle Rock Studios, and 2K games in the form of an open Beta exclusive to the Xbox One.
The Big Alpha left a lot of people with very mixed views on the game. Some people loved it, and some got very bored very quickly. During my time, I enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t say that I loved it.
So, what exactly can we expect to see in the Beta, and will it be enough to sway people on the fence? A recent post on the Evolve Game website detailed what to expect.
WHAT CONTENT WILL I BE ABLE TO PLAY?
During the Xbox One Open Beta, fans can play Evolve’s “Hunt” game mode with access to the first two monsters (Goliath and Kraken) and first eight hunters (Markov, Maggie, Val, Hank, Hyde, Griffin, Lazarus, and Bucket) across all 12 maps that support “Hunt” and are included at the time of launch. That is eight more maps than people played during the Big Alpha!
Starting on January 17th players can get their hands on “Evacuation” for the first time! “Evacuation” is Evolve’s dynamic campaign that combines the full array of maps and modes in a unique experience that is different every time you play. Additionally, any Hunter and Monster characters you unlock while playing the Xbox One Open Beta will carry over when the game launches!
WILL THERE BE OFFLINE PLAY IN THE BETA?
The purpose of the Xbox One Open Beta is to continue stress-testing the multiplayer servers, so offline play is not supported. That said, you will be able to play the entire game as an offline, solo experience when Evolve ships on February 10th.
WHO CAN PLAY/WHAT PLATFORMS?
Firstly, thanks to the players who helped test Evolve during the Big Alpha in October, players in January should experience faster matchmaking, improved balance, and more.
Xbox One
It’s an Open Beta for Xbox One owners with an Xbox Live Gold account! We’re asking as many of you as possible to join us. Just boot up your Xbox One and download the Open Beta! From January
15th-19th, Xbox One Open Beta players can play “Hunt” with the first two Monsters and first eight Hunters. Starting on January 17th, Xbox One Open Beta players can also play “Evacuation,” Evolve’s dynamic campaign. And remember: all Monster and Hunter characters unlocked during the Xbox One Open Beta carry over when Evolve launches on February 10th!
PC Players
Starting January 16th, we’ll be holding a smaller closed technical test on PC. If you were invited to the Big Alpha on PC, you will have access to these closed technical tests as well. And if you already own Left 4 Dead or BioShock Infinite in your Steam library you can participate in the closed technical test, which is limited in scope and will not include Evacuation or have Hunter and Monster unlocks carry over to Evolve’s launch.
PlayStation 4
Starting January 17th, we’ll be holding a smaller closed technical test on PS4. Were you invited to the Big Alpha? If so, check your email, and you can participate in the closed technical test, which is limited in scope and will not include Evacuation or have Hunter and Monster unlocks carry over to Evolve’s launch. You will need a PlayStation Plus membership to play.
Additionally if you pre-purchase Evolve on Xbox One before or during the Xbox One Open Beta, you get exclusive instant access to an extra monster in the form of the Wraith, plus extra characters like Parnell, Abe, Caira, and Cabot during the entirety of the beta. This also guarantees that these characters are instantly unlocked when you pick up the final game which launches on February 10th.
I for one am really looking forward to getting a bit more hands on time with it.
– Will
And I know where my weekend is going. Can not wait for the release!
Yea, I’m hoping to spend a fair bit of time on it too!