Review
Too Human Review (Xbox360)
Before we even begin this review, it’s important that one thing is made clear: Too Human is a very misunderstood game. It’s the not the game everyone thinks it is, it’s not the game some have been waiting ten years for, and unfortunately its not quite the game it should be either. That being said, Too Human is one of the greatest breaths of fresh air I have encountered this year. What does that mean? Well you’re going to have to read to find out.
Hailing from Denis Dyack’s Canadian studio Silicon Knights, Too Human tells the tale of Baldur, a Norse God who has recently suffered a personal tragedy at the hands of the machines. Mortal enemies of Baldur and the rest of the God-like Aesir, the machines are raging a never-ending war with the last remnants of humanity. It is up to Baldur and the other ‘Gods’ to protect those that reside within the walled fortress of Midgard.
The story of Too Human is one of its greatest features, and in terms of the planned trilogy, holds the most potential. Exploring a theme that is not often touched by videogames, Dyack has taken Too Human into the realms of Norse mythology, and infused it with a shot of technology to create a cyber-punk setting that proves very interesting. If it was a book, it would be a best seller, to say the least.
Dyack’s core message is to do with technology, and the effects it has on life and the human race in general. You can see elements of this in the game, what with the Aesir enhancing themselves with cybernetics and relying on high-end technology to survive. Other well-known elements of Norse mythology, such as the World Tree and the Norns, have also been giving a technological makeover. The initial story revolves around Baldur and his experiences as Loki, (an ‘evil’ Norse God) sets into motion a plan that will change life as the Aesir know it. Many of the wider themes can seem buried beneath the immediate events, but since this is the first in a trilogy, it can be forgiven if things are little slow to start off with
The main story segments also mainly take place between levels in this game, which unfortunately gives it a slightly truncated feel. You can’t blame Dyack for not wanting to break up the action (and boy, is there action) but even Mass Effect managed to keep a contestant pace with the story whilst having action elements interspersed in between. Still, as mentioned before, this fresh take on Norse mythology is far from generic, and the various plot twists and mythic subtleties will leave you wanting more. The only other thing that can be said about Too Human is that, sometimes, it tries too hard. Take the opening sequence for example – very good sequence, had it been rendered in full-blown CGI with state of the art 3D graphics. Using the in-game engine however kind of robs it of its edge, and you’ll see a few of these throughout the game.
The gameplay of Too Human is generally split into three parts (four if you count the co-op mode, which will be covered later). There are the actual levels themselves, with each taking place in a self-contained ‘dungeon’ of sorts. ‘Cyberspace’, the virtual world where your actions correspond to events in the ‘real’ world. Cyberspace is one of the more interesting aspects of the Too Human universe. Ruled by the ‘N.O.R.N.S’ (The modernised version of the three spinsters.), everything in the real world has a virtual counterpart, and everything is interconnected by cyberspace. You will often find yourself traversing into cyberspace to unlock doors, activate mechanisms, or even seek advice. The last aspect of gameplay takes place in the place Aesir – where most of the story takes place. Aesir acts a central hub, were you can kit yourself out with the latest weapons, rest up, and access any level you want. In the initial play through you will be going through the levels in order, but once you have completed the story, you can choose which level to replay at will.
The combat system is the virtual equivalent of marmite – you either love it, or you hate it. Whichever camp you belong to however, you can’t help but admit that this is one of the more innovative combat systems to come along this year.
Working in conjunction with the AI operated camera, silicon knights have taken advantage of the freed-up right analogue stick, which is traditionally reserved for camera control. By mapping the all melee actions to the right stick, Dyack has not only removed the danger of button mashing, but has also created a system that is both unique and, once you get the hang of it, actually quite fun. Baldur can attack an opponent simply by nudging the stick in his opponent’s direction, and like a moonwalker on speed, he glides across and deals a devastating blow that more often then not sends your opponent spinning.
After the initial contact, it’s simply a matter of gently guiding the stick in the direction you want Baldur to go. Throw in some extra moves, jumps and special attacks and a bit of shooting, (All of which are conveniently mapped around the controller) and you’ve got yourself one solid combat system. It is not a walk in the park though – there is nothing like this system out at the moment and it will need some getting used to. My advice? Keep moving, momentum is definitely the key here.
The co-op mode in Too Human, whilst nothing fancy, actually serves as one of the driving points for re-playability. As mentioned before, once you have completed the game, you have the option to re-play levels as you like. You also have the option to ‘host’ a co-op play through of any particular level, allowing you and a friend to get stuck into the action.
As Dyack mentioned in an earlier interview, there are no cutscenes in the Co-op mode. At first you may think this is an over-sight or just bad planning, but if you think of Co-op mode as a completely separate game, as opposed to just the story + 1, then it all makes sense. Co-op is simply a way to make reaching level 50 that much easier, and also lets you try out the other classes without having to bear the weight of your class’s disadvantages alone. A few of the achievements are also directly linked to co-op play so there are incentives. Like many ‘modern’ dungeon crawlers, you can even decide how loot is divided, and so can change the mood from cooperative to competitive – although you can’t kill each other.
Speaking of re-playability, this is actually one of the things Dyack has done well. You may hear rumblings about how the enemies lack variety, or that the levels look the same in some areas – which is true to an extent, don’t get me wrong – but to be honest, half the game is about grinding, about finding loot, about doing the same sections over and over again. If you can stand that, then you can stand a bit of repetitiveness. Think of it like the first Diablo.
The level gap of 50, the ultra-rare items (known as ‘Red Drops’ in Too Human lore), the separate co-op mode, the scaling AI and randomly generated enemies…all this just adds and adds to the total playing time of this title. Few games actually approach re-playability in this way. Dyack has understood that, for the most part, people who are only interested in the story will only want to play it once, and to not have the experience dragged out by hours of needless levelling up. Those that do however will do whatever it takes to obtain that rare item, that highest level. Dyack has seen this, and he has understood it, and has separated those two elements. For those that just want the story – it’s there, 10 – 15 hours with no filler time. Those that want something more - The game provides many options to do so.
Sadly, this game is not as perfect as we would like it to be. Not everything has been covered, because this is starting to sound like waffle already, but you will notice things that don’t quite feel right, that annoy you just a little too much to ignore. But in this reviewer’s humble opinion, Too Human is still a great game. The story is new and fresh, and despite being linear in it’s execution it keeps you hooked enough to want to see what happens next. The combat mechanic is one of the most innovative and intuitive that’s been seen in either genre, and once mastered it can lead to some epic displays of neo-technic violence. Once the other two games have been released, history will probably look back at Dyack’s vision as whole and proclaim it to be one of the triumphs of it’s time. For now though, all we can do is play.
This game is also yet another that is suffering under the weight of its own hype. Between the waiting and the many claims by Dyack as to how good this game is, people are going to have set the bar high. And people being people, they won’t look at its many strengths, they will only count its weaknesses. Those tiny flaws that, whilst insignificant in the grand scheme of things, can really get on your nerves sometimes. But it can’t be helped: we are all, at the end of the day, just a little bit too human.
Hailing from Denis Dyack’s Canadian studio Silicon Knights, Too Human tells the tale of Baldur, a Norse God who has recently suffered a personal tragedy at the hands of the machines. Mortal enemies of Baldur and the rest of the God-like Aesir, the machines are raging a never-ending war with the last remnants of humanity. It is up to Baldur and the other ‘Gods’ to protect those that reside within the walled fortress of Midgard.
 |
 |
|
The story of Too Human is one of its greatest features, and in terms of the planned trilogy, holds the most potential. Exploring a theme that is not often touched by videogames, Dyack has taken Too Human into the realms of Norse mythology, and infused it with a shot of technology to create a cyber-punk setting that proves very interesting. If it was a book, it would be a best seller, to say the least.
Dyack’s core message is to do with technology, and the effects it has on life and the human race in general. You can see elements of this in the game, what with the Aesir enhancing themselves with cybernetics and relying on high-end technology to survive. Other well-known elements of Norse mythology, such as the World Tree and the Norns, have also been giving a technological makeover. The initial story revolves around Baldur and his experiences as Loki, (an ‘evil’ Norse God) sets into motion a plan that will change life as the Aesir know it. Many of the wider themes can seem buried beneath the immediate events, but since this is the first in a trilogy, it can be forgiven if things are little slow to start off with
The main story segments also mainly take place between levels in this game, which unfortunately gives it a slightly truncated feel. You can’t blame Dyack for not wanting to break up the action (and boy, is there action) but even Mass Effect managed to keep a contestant pace with the story whilst having action elements interspersed in between. Still, as mentioned before, this fresh take on Norse mythology is far from generic, and the various plot twists and mythic subtleties will leave you wanting more. The only other thing that can be said about Too Human is that, sometimes, it tries too hard. Take the opening sequence for example – very good sequence, had it been rendered in full-blown CGI with state of the art 3D graphics. Using the in-game engine however kind of robs it of its edge, and you’ll see a few of these throughout the game.
The gameplay of Too Human is generally split into three parts (four if you count the co-op mode, which will be covered later). There are the actual levels themselves, with each taking place in a self-contained ‘dungeon’ of sorts. ‘Cyberspace’, the virtual world where your actions correspond to events in the ‘real’ world. Cyberspace is one of the more interesting aspects of the Too Human universe. Ruled by the ‘N.O.R.N.S’ (The modernised version of the three spinsters.), everything in the real world has a virtual counterpart, and everything is interconnected by cyberspace. You will often find yourself traversing into cyberspace to unlock doors, activate mechanisms, or even seek advice. The last aspect of gameplay takes place in the place Aesir – where most of the story takes place. Aesir acts a central hub, were you can kit yourself out with the latest weapons, rest up, and access any level you want. In the initial play through you will be going through the levels in order, but once you have completed the story, you can choose which level to replay at will.
 |
 |
|
The combat system is the virtual equivalent of marmite – you either love it, or you hate it. Whichever camp you belong to however, you can’t help but admit that this is one of the more innovative combat systems to come along this year.
Working in conjunction with the AI operated camera, silicon knights have taken advantage of the freed-up right analogue stick, which is traditionally reserved for camera control. By mapping the all melee actions to the right stick, Dyack has not only removed the danger of button mashing, but has also created a system that is both unique and, once you get the hang of it, actually quite fun. Baldur can attack an opponent simply by nudging the stick in his opponent’s direction, and like a moonwalker on speed, he glides across and deals a devastating blow that more often then not sends your opponent spinning.
After the initial contact, it’s simply a matter of gently guiding the stick in the direction you want Baldur to go. Throw in some extra moves, jumps and special attacks and a bit of shooting, (All of which are conveniently mapped around the controller) and you’ve got yourself one solid combat system. It is not a walk in the park though – there is nothing like this system out at the moment and it will need some getting used to. My advice? Keep moving, momentum is definitely the key here.
The co-op mode in Too Human, whilst nothing fancy, actually serves as one of the driving points for re-playability. As mentioned before, once you have completed the game, you have the option to re-play levels as you like. You also have the option to ‘host’ a co-op play through of any particular level, allowing you and a friend to get stuck into the action.
As Dyack mentioned in an earlier interview, there are no cutscenes in the Co-op mode. At first you may think this is an over-sight or just bad planning, but if you think of Co-op mode as a completely separate game, as opposed to just the story + 1, then it all makes sense. Co-op is simply a way to make reaching level 50 that much easier, and also lets you try out the other classes without having to bear the weight of your class’s disadvantages alone. A few of the achievements are also directly linked to co-op play so there are incentives. Like many ‘modern’ dungeon crawlers, you can even decide how loot is divided, and so can change the mood from cooperative to competitive – although you can’t kill each other.
Speaking of re-playability, this is actually one of the things Dyack has done well. You may hear rumblings about how the enemies lack variety, or that the levels look the same in some areas – which is true to an extent, don’t get me wrong – but to be honest, half the game is about grinding, about finding loot, about doing the same sections over and over again. If you can stand that, then you can stand a bit of repetitiveness. Think of it like the first Diablo.
 |
 |
|
The level gap of 50, the ultra-rare items (known as ‘Red Drops’ in Too Human lore), the separate co-op mode, the scaling AI and randomly generated enemies…all this just adds and adds to the total playing time of this title. Few games actually approach re-playability in this way. Dyack has understood that, for the most part, people who are only interested in the story will only want to play it once, and to not have the experience dragged out by hours of needless levelling up. Those that do however will do whatever it takes to obtain that rare item, that highest level. Dyack has seen this, and he has understood it, and has separated those two elements. For those that just want the story – it’s there, 10 – 15 hours with no filler time. Those that want something more - The game provides many options to do so.
Sadly, this game is not as perfect as we would like it to be. Not everything has been covered, because this is starting to sound like waffle already, but you will notice things that don’t quite feel right, that annoy you just a little too much to ignore. But in this reviewer’s humble opinion, Too Human is still a great game. The story is new and fresh, and despite being linear in it’s execution it keeps you hooked enough to want to see what happens next. The combat mechanic is one of the most innovative and intuitive that’s been seen in either genre, and once mastered it can lead to some epic displays of neo-technic violence. Once the other two games have been released, history will probably look back at Dyack’s vision as whole and proclaim it to be one of the triumphs of it’s time. For now though, all we can do is play.
This game is also yet another that is suffering under the weight of its own hype. Between the waiting and the many claims by Dyack as to how good this game is, people are going to have set the bar high. And people being people, they won’t look at its many strengths, they will only count its weaknesses. Those tiny flaws that, whilst insignificant in the grand scheme of things, can really get on your nerves sometimes. But it can’t be helped: we are all, at the end of the day, just a little bit too human.
Videos
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Too Human The Gods Of Too Human Trailer
00:11 | 1,339 views | 0 comments -
Too Human GDC: Gameplay trailer #2
01:49 | 1,292 views | 0 comments
Comments
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