

For most of the game, your relationship to the characters is shaped by what you choose to believe, and the game's somewhat open-ended conclusion keeps the mystery alive long after you walk away. Uncovering every video in Her Story is challenging, but not as challenging as understanding the truth. When a video matches your search term, you can access it, but with a hard limit of five results per search, you're forced to examine videos with greater scrutiny to identify subtle details, and thus more granular search terms. With a broken but searchable database of interviews taken during the investigation of a murder case, you have to piece together a confusing web of tales by searching for clues and keywords.

While simple in execution, it requires great attention to detail. It's hard to imagine a game like Her Story would have a big impact, but it presents a complex narrative in a clever way. Other games can either give you the thrill of being an all-conquering solo player or the satisfaction of working as part of a well-oiled team. But when you have a great team around you-as well as an equally proficient monster player-Evolve truly shines. Make no mistake: if you aren't ready to embrace the game's complexities, then Evolve could easily turn out to be much less than the sum of its parts. Whether you're a dedicated team player or a lone wolf, Evolve has something for you. Playing as one member of a team of four hunters evokes the deep cooperation required in games like Left 4 Dead (little wonder given developer Turtle Rock was responsible for that Valve classic), while playing solo as one of Evolve's towering monsters scratches a very different itch. In a genre awash with me-too experiences, Evolve turns the multiplayer shooter on its head through its distinctive 4v1 structure.

Few AAA games took as many risks as Evolve this year, and even fewer managed to succeed.
