"If it bleeds we can kil it"
Evolve one of 2015's most anticipated games has rolled out its Xbox One exclusive open beta. The Hunt mode which is availabe right now and Evacuation mode which is unlocked on the 17th of January.
The Hunt mode which was the only playable mode in the closed beta places you in control of a hunter or a monster. The Monster must destroy the power relay located in the map and its the hunters job to stop it. The Monster must reach stage 3 in order to destroy the relay, though it can also opt to kill all of the Hunters.
Evacuation which will be unlocked on the 17th of January The game modes within Evacuation break down like this:
Hunt - It’s a race for the Monster to eat enough within the environment to evolve to stage 3, and find the power relay on the map to destroy the objective. All along, the Hunters and Monster play cat-and-mouse, hoping to kill for a quick victory.
Nest – The Monster is out to protect its brood, randomly scattered all over the map, while the Hunters are out to scramble some alien eggs. If the Monster is able to get to the eggs, it has the option to hatch one of them into a minion – a stage 1 Goliath that runs around, aggro-ing Hunters. Hunters win by destroying all the eggs and the minion, or killing the Monster.
Rescue - Injured colonists trying to escape the Monsters are placed randomly on the map. Hunters need to locate, revive and protect them as they make their escape. Monsters need to munch on as many of these colonists as possible and keep them from getting away. Whoever saves – or kills – the majority of the colonists, wins.
Defend – The Hunters are desperately trying to defend the Evacuation point while the ship is fueling up to escape. The Monster, meanwhile, is leading hordes of Goliath minions, attacking the Evacuation point in waves.
If you want to go with a picture being worth a thousand words, we put together a quick map of Shear and an example of how just one round of Evacuation could go.
Mark your calendars. Load your guns. Clean your claws. Fire up your Xbox One! Starting January 15th, we begin the next Hunt – the Evolve Xbox One Open Beta! And to sweeten the deal, starting January 17th, you get exclusive access to Evacuation, Evolve’s dynamic campaign (we’ll get to that in a minute).
We’re excited to show you how Evolve is, well, evolving as we get closer to finishing the game. Once again, we want your help to continue testing and refining the Evolve.
Here’s the rest of what you’re dying to know:
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.
To learn if you’re able to play from where you live, please read this knowledge base article.
ALSO, LET’S CLEAR UP A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE:
* There are no in-game badges, skins or medals for anyone that participates in the tests.
* We’ll be announcing the final system specs for PC soon!
* You CAN record anything you want from your experience. In fact, we WANT you to share it with us! If we like your clips, we could even share them with the world on our streams!
* We ALWAYS want to hear from you! Tell us what you’re thinking about your experience playing Evolve on Facebook and Twitter (@EvolveGame). The team is constantly iterating and balancing the game, so your feedback is very valuable.