A shooter from the developers of the acclaimed Left 4 Dead series, Evolve finds up to four gamers joining forces to take down massive, player-controlled monsters. Set in the distant future on the planet Shear, where vicious aliens have begun to demolish once prosperous colonies, Evolve lets gamers choose from four character classes and then coordinate and execute attacks, or take control of different monsters and try to destroy the hunters. Though optimized for multiplayer action, Evolve also includes a solo mode, with AI controlling the remaining participants.

There are three characters within each of the Assault, Trapper, Medic, and Support classes, with each offering a unique set of weapons and specializations. The monsters also have specific skills, with the massive Goliath featuring heavy armor and the ability to breathe fire, the Kraken capable of flying and producing electric attacks, and the Wraith using stealth skills to teleport, abduct, and create decoys. Monsters can also evolve into stronger forms during the course of battle, though they become vulnerable during brief cocoon stages. There are five distinct modes in Evolve, including basic hunts, matches to protect eggs, defend power stations, and protect injured colonists, and the all-encompassing five-match Evacuation mode.