Review: Does Too Human fail to live up to expectations?
By Mike Ferro
Too Human is a game by Silicon Knights and has been in the making for about 10 years. Of course that doesn’t mean it has been in development on the Xbox 360 for 10 years, as this game was originally planned for PSone and has been in the planning phase ever since. Now that the game has been released, let’s delve into the game to see if it meets up to SK’s legendary pedigree.
Story
Too Human is an epic tale that is based loosely on Norse mythology with a sci-fi twist to it. You control Baldur, who is on a journey to discover what it means to be human and the consequences of adding cybernetics to one’s body and the implications on their humanity.
The game is ambitious, attempting to combine multiple genres such as: hack-n-slash, dungeon crawler and RPG. At times the game may seem too ambitious not quite executing one element particularly well, but overall creates a decent experience.
The story feels to short when considering the meat of the story unfolds near the end of the game leaving you questioning why it wasn’t IV fed to you through out the game.
Controls
The battle system allows you to juggle opponents a la God of War style, quickly combining attacks to rake up those kills. Unlike traditional hack-n-slashers instead of pressing buttons you are relegated to use the right analog stick to attack, much like the twin stick top down shooters: Geometry Wars and Everyday Shooter.
This game is likely the first of its kind to use such a control mapping scheme for this type of game. The only problem with using this type of control scheme in a third person view game is at times it can be inaccurate. When enemies are coming at you from multiple directions the analog stick lacks a certain precision as to which enemy you actually want Baldur to attack.
I can definitely see where this idea came from, games like Diablo use the mouse to point and click to attack a certain enemy, however the analog stick is no mouse by a long shot.
You also have access to projectile weapons in addition to melee weapons which use a lock on system. The lock on system is broken at best often time locking on to already dead enemies which can leave you vulnerable to attacks from those you were attempting to destroy.
Visuals
The graphics and presentation is decent but nothing spectacular and it doesn’t have to be, considering dungeon crawlers are never graphical powerhouse games. However performance wise the game does experience frame rate stutters, pop-ins and clipping.
One can argue many games out there have these issues as well, but we like to think essentially attention to those details ultimately separate the cream of the crop from the sea of mediocrity.
Design
The levels are designed fairly well, especially some of the levels towards the end, however some of the areas such as the Cyberspace are questionable as to why such a huge area with nothing much to interact with was created.
The inventory menu is fairly deep and well designed, however becomes useless as you are quickly given much more powerful weapons before you have a chance to get used to your existing weapons. This isn’t a good trait to have when considering the inventory system was designed with RPG/Dungeon crawling in mind.
This flaw essentially makes it so you might never want or need to use existing weapons ever again once you acquire a stronger weapon rendering the inventory system useless.
The skill tree is designed quite well with multiple paths to leveling your character. If you ever decide that you didn’t like the current path you are taking you can actually reset your path for a small fee which can be quite convenient at times.
One of the most annoying design issues I found with the game is the death sequence. Every time you die there is a death scene which feel like its several minutes long, its completely mandatory and cannot be skipped at all.
I suppose SK really wanted to punish us for dying, however it can get extremely annoying in areas where you might be constantly dying, making you want to just shut your Xbox 360 off rather than watch another death scene.
Wrap-up
Too Human is very short with very little replay even with five different character classes. Regardless of which class you pick the overall experience still feels the same in the way you play the entire game, giving little variation between each class.
This game is extremely short when considering the type of game it tries to emulate. You can finish the game in a short 10 hours, meager gameplay time for a dungeon crawler when consider other PC counterparts deliver upwards of 100 plus hours. Making the game so short also defeats the purpose of creating an in-depth inventory and skill tree system.
Overall this game promises much but fails to deliver due to several technical, control and design issues. If all of these issues are addressed and combined with Too Human 2 & 3 this game could become a decent dungeon crawler. If you are a fan of dungeon crawlers make this a rental as it does provide some enjoyment
Score:
C-
Related:
Entry was posted
on Monday, September 1st, 2008 at 6:30 pm
under
Read more entries by Mike Ferro.
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Tips N4G
September 2nd, 2008
I thought i had to correct a few things in this review:
A) - the death scene is actually 23 seconds long EVERYTIME - and to be fair most games give you the “You have died - Continue from last save:Y/N” which(with loading) takes about the same.
B) - a playthrough of the game will take about 14-15 hours - which does seem short _ BUT (and its a BIG but) you DO get the option of starting again with the same character asmany times as you like - so you can max your character out at level 50 - in the next game - it will be to 100 and the third game 150.
C) - the different classes feel NOTHING alike - the berserker (melee) duel wields blades but is hopeless with guns (the guns fire inaccuraately, short rate of fire, longish reload time) where as the Commando class (firearms) is incredibly slow with melee attacks but can clear a room with just n assault rifle. - the Bio-engineer is the only class that can heal themselves but is a bit slow with melee and offtarget with firearms most of the time.
I could go on - BUT all in all - im not surprised this game has been getting bad reviews - people wanted to hate this game before it even came out (just go to neogaf and youll see)
i urge/beg/plead/strongly advise - EVERYONE - who has a 360 to give it a try - uits not perfect but definitely a great game - i have put 40 hours into one character (berserker-level 47) and 15 hours into another (commando - level 29) and have to say that it has been the most fun ive had in a game since GTA4 - difference being - im actually gonna bother playing this through more then once.
8/10 - dont believe the hate this game is AWESOME.
September 2nd, 2008
shannon,
I don’t think nobody wanted to hate this game, it just turned out to be a bad game :/
The death scene do feel like minutes but its because that damn angel or whatever it is flies down so freaking slow.
The different classes do give you unique abillities such as regen. but the overall strategy you end up using with every class becomes so same.
You use the same strategy and tactics because its so easier that way.
September 2nd, 2008
brad:
the death scene may FEEL like two minutes but thats not what he is saying in the review - he says “It takes several minutes” and sorry for sounding picky but there is a difference.
i was a bit hesitant to give the game a go due to hearing that the “death scene takes a few minutes” and i was merely trying to point out to people who may be a hesitant (as i was) that it only actually goes for 23 seconds.
the overall strategy may have become the same when you were playing but i hardly used the guns while playing as a berserker so to play it through trying to ONLY use guns with the commando - made the game feel completely different.
Its not that i believe its a bad game - i just think that there is becoming a minor trend in Gamecritiquing (?) where unless the new AAA game thats released plays similar to the last AAA game released then it will panned.
EG - Viking:battle for asgard (not as deep as ninja gaiden or DMC - crap!) darksector (ripoff of gears of war and resident evil4 - crap!)
where in fact both games were quite good.
Original ideas and gameplay ideas need to be embraced. - Too Human trioes to be something else and succeeds - great game.
Sorry - IMO (almost forgot to put that)
Shannon
]
September 2nd, 2008
I just think Too Human is one of those games that has less mass appeal than say, GTA (pick your number).
I didn’t like the demo of Too Human at all - and I am certainly not going to buy it based on the experience I had.
So it got slapped down by a fair few reviewers, how does it affect you really? I understand its something you want to be successful (just like a sport team, kinda) and I get that YOU like it. But lets not say there is some global conspiracy to rate the game badly because you like it and alot of others don’t (there are some really positive reviews out there too).
Take Halo, I personally hate the game and have NEVER understood the praise it got/gets but that doesn’t mean there is some kind of ‘lets rate halo high’ conspiracy does it
Now go! Enjoy the game
September 2nd, 2008
hmm… Shannon,
He does says it feels like several minutes..?
I really think this might be a game thats more fit for a small niche audience..
I think beside everything else that the controls are the first tough barrier to break, using the right analog stick is at best inacurate.
I know I got pissed off when I started attacking the wrong enemy then the one I wanted to attack.
Hey SW hows it going, seems like its been pretty quite around here during the 3 day holiday weekend. Haven’t seen much of the gang around.
September 2nd, 2008
BRad,
Sorry I haven’t been around. You must have missed me!
I had a somewhat dramatic and thoroughly exhausting weekend, but still quite good. Still, had no time to hang out here in the back-alley of my Favorites.
Speaking of Too Human, I’ve said this before: I’d probably really like this game. Basically, any game with job classes grabs me. Job Classes: my anti-drug.
-Arvis
September 2nd, 2008
Who said you were part of ‘the’ gang Arvis?
Doesn’t everyone in NA go on some kind of obligatory camping trip whenever there is a long weekend
they’re all too busy fighting bears & beavers for food and such…
Oh and also, the articles posted since Aug 30th havn’t been very interesting IMO, some may even have been ‘designed’ to flame bait!!!!!!!!!!!one one one…
Who’d have thunked it
September 2nd, 2008
SW,
I AM the Gang!!!!!
As for your comment: “…the articles posted since Aug 30th havn’t been very interesting IMO…”
I was JUST thinking this as I was catching up here from the long weekend. I didn’t feel like commenting on ANYTHING on the main page. Perhaps we’re heading into a pre-TGS news slump? I don’t even know if that makes sense though.
-Arvis
September 2nd, 2008
yea Arvis, seems like news is kinda slow these days. Can’t beat EA, GC was okay but nothing spectacular news wise. PAX is so so…
Hopefully TGS will deliver.
SW, I went and fought bears and beavers and cooked them over my manly fire I made. Us Americans crazy. mmm… beef briskets!
September 2nd, 2008
well… as you all know by now… I like Greek Mythology… so I wasnt too hyped about and I didnt know anything about Norse Mythology…
Its sad that it has gotten so much bad press… the long developement cycle musta been hell for the dev team…
so sad… :’(
September 2nd, 2008
So what do I need to do to get into this gang? Will you be paddling my butt silly? I hope so.
September 3rd, 2008
Can I start a new gang? Our first objective would be to gang up on all the haters. Who’s in?
As for the review… It’s an epic tale but at the same time a short game? Kinda contradictory … no?
September 3rd, 2008
Harry,
As much as some people may not like it, you’re already part of The Gang. I don’t know how the heck you did it, but you are. Alas for the world.
Alienange,
Sure, you can start a new gang, but you’ll have to do two things: 1) Revoke your current The Gang Induction Nominee status, and 2) Think of a different name than “The Gang” since it is now officially taken.
So yeah, how about that Too Human?
-Arvis
September 3rd, 2008
I have ordered Too Human from Play Asia, should be arriving this week.
So who else is in this gang anyway? And who do I pay my membership to?
September 4th, 2008
Harry,
You pay the membership dues to yourself in the form of a video game. Do that sometime this year, and you’ll be fine.
I don’t know who else is in the gang, exactly. I just know that it’s gotten alot smaller lately.
-Arvis
October 13th, 2008
I think the issue with this games lie in the average type of gamer. You would have to think the demographics of gamers who review games is similar to those who play them, so it shouldn’t surprise you when good games are poorly reviewed. Most gamers want games they played a million times before. Take note that the most successful games are always sequels. By the time Too Human 3 comes out, reviewers will probably like it because they are familiar with the game.
Also a fact that everyone likes to misinterpret is that this game was in development for 3 years, not the 10 that everyone likes to quote. a brief demo was released for the psone, and as a result the company was bought by Nintendo as an exclusive second party developer. it was then shelved after a rudamentary effort to move the title to the gamecube but never started got far because of the focus on eternal darkness. actual development didn’t begin until 2005.