looks like it will land in the high 70's. seems pretty consistent with most games this gen.

There's a lot of ignorance and FUD regarding this games DLC and this is one of the most common misconceptions. They were asked in an interview about how DLC would potentially work because Left 4 Dead design restricted how they could do DLC. They couldn't do an individual map or weapon and still have those people playing with others, or new characters/enemies, etc. What they said is from the start they designed Evolve in a way that would prevent DLC from being an issue. So they can do standalone monsters, individual hunters, new weapons or abilities, and it won't affect the community at all. They can add free maps and modes and not splinter the community. If you have premium paid DLC you can use it right in the same game alongside someone who doesn't. Hell, if you use it and leave, someone else can then join and still use the DLC content even if they don't own it. It's entirely flexible and designed to be as open ended as possible.

But people throw a fit and assume it means they designed the game to nickel and dime via DLC, even though there is 0 day one DLC in the game.

LOL exactly. Online only means... only playable online. You can play the game offline completely if you want, against very capable AI.

So, you are the one of the few that fell for their backtracking BS after they spilled the beans on their DLC extravaganza. Did you ever stop to consider how what you're saying makes no sense.

It is obvious that the main goal of the game was to milk the monster skins for a premium, going so far as announcing DLCs almost at reveal, announcing a season pass for some reskins that could have easily been included from the start. 

Every other game with DLC skins and weapons works the same as you described, as well as maps. If they are free, how could they split the community? It's free to all, I guess.

This game is an epitome of nickle and diming, with $15 monster skins. That's why I hope it fails miserably, but those who are willing to spens $100s on DLC cut from the disk, more power to them, it's their (parents) money.

its not awesome if you have to grind for a unlock, and the way of unlocking stuff is silly too

yea.. this games reeks of meh.. especially after my experience with the beta. nothing about it screamed "must buy"..

What "backtracking BS"? The game was revealed about a year ago. The preorder bonus was revealed about a year ago. The interview where "built for DLC" was about a year ago. All of what I said has been available to read for anyone interested for... about a year.

If the main goal of the game were to milk for "monster skins" (whatever that is) then they'd probably have a few ready to go right at launch.

And no, not every game works the way I described. If I buy a CoD map pack and I am playing with people who don't have it, then my DLC is useless because we don't use it. Same with pretty much every other FPS that has premium DLC. Free maps is not the normal way it's done nowadays.

Epitome of nickel and diming with no nickel and diming DLC available day one, but there is future DLC in the works and a season pass. Sounds like... pretty much every game that releases nowadays. You can hope Evolve fails. Hope it bankrupts Turtle Rock and they all die of AIDS. Whatever ridiculous vitriol you wanna hope for, is yours to hope for. You don't have to be pumped for it, don't have to buy it. But at least make those decisions based on reality, not some make believe angst-driven agenda where offline play means always online and in order to be excited for the game you must have "fallen" for some marketing ploy. Oh and if you enjoy the game and buy DLC you must be some "kid spending your parents money". You should probably go have a Coke and a smile.

Grinding is how unlocks work in every game. Want that scope for that gun? Get X amount of kills with it. Want the improved version of this perk? Use that perk X amount of times. Want to unlock this gun? Reach X level or earn X amount of in game currency to unlock it.

Want to unlock the next medic? Get used to the previous medic first. Want to unlock a more damaging rock throw for Goliath? Deal X amount of damage with it first. It's the same thing.

I guess this is why quick unlock DLC is so popular in Battlefield, etc. Sometimes people just want everything unlocked from the start. To help you out though, I believe the day one patch for Evolve (which reviewers were not using) reduces the time it takes to unlock things. So there you go.

the unlocks in the evolve beta were just stupid grinds, you had to adust your playing style to get some of the unlocks, thats just bad.

im not a fan of unlock in mp games at all, mp games should be about skill.  its okay in mmorpgs because most grinds teach you something.

i have to fight a boss over and over till he drops something cool? well that sucks, but if its not to easy its fine, and most mmorpgs dont need hard grinding for pvp

Well if you take the over all meta across the 3 platforms we've got it at 78 from 8 reviews. Lots more reviews to come in so it could go up or down from there. But we can conclude that it isn't blowing people's socks off in the way that people expect "most anticipated" games from announcements and trailers at conventions should.

But we shouldn't be surprised either.

I haven't read any reviews, do any of them talk about value? Whether the content you get on disc justifies full retail price? There are plenty of games that do come in for that sort of criticism, so it will be interesting to see whether reviewers talk about this alleged elephant in the room.