games: Too Human

Today we’re looking at the highly anticipated Too Human, and it seems to be a bit of a divider. The demo was hugely successful amongst gamers but the game itself has been given a pretty hard time by the press. On paper, with it’s super cool cyber norse plot and its deep blending of action and RPG, it’s the kind of game it would be impossible not to love, and having played it through I do think it’s a good game, but I can see why it’s splitting opinions.

Despite the RPG elements to character levelling, the game consists predominantly of running through linear levels fighting wave after wave of random enemies until you get to a boss. This can get a little repetitive, although dropping into cyberspace to open up the next sections of the game is a neat idea that breaks things up a bit and reminds you of the epic feel that the plot seeks to engender.

Your attack controls have been mapped to the right thumbstick, which does take a little while to get used to and achieve any precision with, but in melee can become quite elegant and fluid. Obviously this means you lose camera control, and while the camera isn’t brilliant, it’s not full on bad. Guns are very hard to master though and it can feel like a real battle in itself to get the auto lock-on to clip to what you want it to.

The randomization of enemies and levels is great to keep variety if you want to replay bits of the game to level up your character. But there is a certain amount of satisfaction in clearing a particularly difficult, but well choreographed set room that action gamers might miss. Personally I would have preferred to see a greater range of enemy types, but the way that enemies evolve to match your level is good at keeping you on your toes even when you’re pimped out to the nines. This also has the added bonus of keeping levels feeling different when you go back to them.

Another double-edged sword is that death is actually quite forgiving. You don’t lose armour, it’s just slightly damaged, and enemies you’ve taken out or damage dealt in that encounter so far is remembered. Not having to start bosses over each time is a welcome relief, especially in the stages when you are still getting used to the controls. But it does take some of the challenge and subsequent satisfaction out of it being able to just pick away til it’s done.

The loot drops are frequent and generous, with lots of sexy weapons and armour to get all droolly about and show off to your friends. Again, this is good and bad. For my taste I think there is too much. You don’t really have time to savour each new item before something better comes along and you switch it out, so upgrades start to feel commonplace and you also spend a lot of time popping into your equipment menu which interrupts the flow of the game. But for a lot of gamers, this will be a highly popular aspect and just what they want to keep them pushing forward.

In terms of presentation, the lack of load times are incredibly impressive, and the design generally pretty strong. The combat can look stunning, although the graphics in some of the cut scenes are a little clunkier than they could be. The soundtrack is impressive and evocative but some of the dialogue can be a little cliched. The plot is chock full of interesting and epic ideas, but there is a lack of coherence, which could perhaps be mitigated by a greater feeling of involvement with the narrative and structure in the gameplay itself.

There is also a definite lack of explanation. While choosing a class and alotting skill points is all straight forward enough, lots of the cooler ideas such as runes and charms which will allow you a much greater depth of customization, aren’t explained. To add to this confusion, there is no information about what all the armour and weapon stats mean. There is a lot going on, but it can be quite bewildering at first.

In conclusion, Too Human suffers from the fact that the plot and gameplay concepts were so excellent, that the game, while good, disappoints in falling slightly short of that very highly set bar. But there is enjoyment to be had from playing this, and the potential here to elevate this setting to something really special in the next installment if Silicon Knights want to. This just about makes it to 4 stars.

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IGN:
Too Human is a game that is going to excite some, confuse others, and leave some wondering what the fuss is all about. It’s the first entry into a trilogy of games from Silicon Knights, makers of hits such as Eternal Darkness and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. With that pedigree, a lot has been expected out of this Xbox 360 exclusive. What’s been delivered in the end is a good game that ultimately falls just short of its promise due to a few questionable design decisions. One thing is for sure, though. If you love collecting random loot drops, you’ll find a lot to like here. 


Game Spot:
Too Human drops a juicy plot development at the most inopportune time: its very end. It’s the obvious manner of setting up a sequel, the infamous “to be continued…” we’ve come to expect from television shows and, yes, even some modern video games. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it exemplifies the core experience of this action/role-playing hybrid. Too Human is a game of false starts and unrealized potential that infiltrate almost every aspect of the game, from story, to combat, to balance. Its elements feel stitched together, making for a patchwork quilt of a game that’s fraying at the seams.

1 UP:
Too Human is not a good role-playing game. The five available character classes (Berserker, Defender, Champion, Commando, and Bioengineer) initially offer some strategic gameplay differences because of their proficiency in certain skills — the Berserker is better with melee weapons, while the Bioengineer has regenerative health. But beyond the first level, these differences become less substantial. Methods for defeating enemies are largely the same for all classes because almost every single enemy attacks with the same rushing-horde mentality.