Once Human Review – Not The Meta

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of survival crafting games. Some have left me utterly disappointed, while others have kept me engrossed for hours on end. Once Human, however, elicits a mixed reaction from me, one that’s shaped by both my love for the genre and my expectations as a discerning gamer.

If you explore Starry Studio’s Steam page for “Once Human,” it describes this as an open-world survival action game with MMO features, a hint of horror, and base-building (disregard the 3D Platformer label, which seems misleading). The setting is post-apocalyptic, featuring a contagion called Stardust that has transformed all life. However, it doesn’t mention that you can soar through the night on a dark raven using a Breath of the Wild-like glide mechanism or call upon a motorcycle as transportation while enjoying Space Doves’ The Beach House in the background.

Occasionally, I stumble upon disheartening messages from the past, such as one detailing a young boy who seemingly perished due to starvation after his father abandoned him with no food, and his brother is yet to return. A character akin to Zero from Drakengard confides in me, lamenting how our species are on the brink of extinction.

The backstory and current condition of the world are intriguing, yet the storyline itself, including certain parts of the writing, require significant improvement.

After that, you return to a bustling outpost filled with players similar to you. Some of them don the Catwoman-esque costumes. It’s important to mention that during the initial two hours of gameplay, I spent my time searching for pants and ended up making my own. Moreover, I possess a crimson butterfly companion (not that specific one), which inflicts substantial damage when battling alongside me. There are other “pets” or minions in the game world, contributing advantages such as mining, scavenging, and functioning as turrets.

I find “Once Human” to be a relaxed gaming experience. Despite its unassuming nature, this game offers moments of tranquility as you construct your base, prepare meals, and gather resources at your own pace. It may not surpass the exceptional qualities of other survival crafting sandbox games, but there’s an undeniable charm that draws me back time and again.

Previously mentioned, humans are essentially star particles…in simpler terms, Starbeings. They haven’t perished but have transformed into monstrous beings. This doesn’t immediately affect the player, who starts in a wrecked lab after customizing their character. Following an encounter with V (not that particular one), you uncover details about the calamity and the Deviants. You’re a Meta-Human, developed by Rosetta to counteract the Starbeings. Meet Mitsuko, your kind’s pioneer, in another dimension, exploring environments reminiscent of Control. Hopefully, this explanation is clearer than my earlier attempt.

Although the game moves at a brisk pace, it first instructs you on establishing a camp and creating custom weapons. Afterward, you encounter Stardust-possessed monstrosities in battle. I was intrigued to discover that Rosetta’s act of opening the door to cosmic horrors, leading to the Stardust contamination, is unveiled through an optional query. The world’s background and lore are captivating, but the storyline itself, including certain parts of the writing, requires significant improvement.

Once Human Review – Not The Meta

“I understand why Once Human is eager to expedite certain lengthy processes.”

In the real world, none of this is important once you’ve staked your claim and set up camp. The next step is to confront the Monuments scattered across the map and vanquish the Great Old Ones residing within. Similar to “ARK: Survival Evolved” and “Palworld,” base-building follows a consistent pattern. Gain enough experience points (XP) to advance in levels, which unlocks various recipes (Memetics). These recipes encompass an array of items such as furniture, advanced material crafting, ammunition, and weapons.

Starting out in the weapon and armor crafting process can come across as quite demanding due to the necessity of gathering various distinct items for creation. Initially, it may seem laborious, but upon exploring further, the process becomes less tedious, even as you require superior and more uncommon materials as the tiers advance.

As someone who’s spent countless hours delving into the depths of various games, I must confess that I’ve grown weary of fragment-based blueprint systems. The thrill of unlocking and discovering new blueprints is a delight, but the monotony of gathering numerous fragments to combine them into singular blueprints leaves me feeling uninspired.

When it comes to staying alive in the game “Once Human,” there’s a feature called Sanity that can impact you from consuming contaminated water or food. However, this hasn’t been much of an issue for me because of the ample supply of cooked meats and boiled water. But there are other complications to handle, like infections and stomach problems, which demand distinct solutions. So it’s more intricate than the typical crafting survival action RPG. The game seems intent on streamlining certain time-consuming aspects, which is understandable.

Once Human Review – Not The Meta

The fighting experience is pleasantly accurate – the shooting and mobility are responsive, making for an enjoyable gameplay. A good selection of weapons awaits discovery, including the bow which delights with its rewarding headshots.

Unfortunately, the base building process could benefit from more polishing. The ability to use a free camera for an overhead view to construct my property is helpful, but the snapping feature needs improvement. Placing walls or ceilings can be tricky and I wish deformation tools were available earlier to smooth out uneven terrain that protrudes through the floor.

While exploring to collect resources, you come across various intriguing sites such as deserted hospitals, farms, mansions, and Monoliths that resemble strongholds. I understand the distinction between these structures, but the main goals often involve obtaining a Rift Anchor (for unlocking Monoliths), accessing weapon and armor containers or enigmatic chests filled with blueprint pieces, and defeating adversaries. The experience can be quite mindless at times, yet random events and intriguing puzzles scattered throughout the world add some excitement to the monotony.

The fighting experience is pleasantly well-done – both shooting and character movements are responsive, and there’s a good selection of weapons to discover (the bow turned out to be particularly enjoyable with its rewarding headshots). Melee battles aren’t disappointing either – initiating melee attacks even using various weapons results in swift responses.

You can even opt for a stealth approach thanks to a “backstab” option, which consists of loudly chopping or bashing an enemy multiple times. After downing some enemies, you can use their parts as weapons against them. The head of a Searchlight fiend, for example, can be used to scorch enemies. It’s also possible to levitate explosive barrels and toss them into a crowd to clear out multiple targets, though this could be far less snappy than I wanted.

Once Human Review – Not The Meta

In general, Once Human receives a varied response. While it isn’t poor by any means, there are other survival crafting games with less engaging gameplay mechanics and excessive grinding.

The enemy AI could benefit from more adjustments. While larger foes may present a significant challenge, smaller enemies tend to be stationary and easily defeated. Some of these enemies can wield firearms, making them dangerous from a distance. However, the boss battles offer more complexity with engaging mechanics, even if they lack depth.

In appearance, “Once Human” appears respectable with the ability to adapt according to your preferences. The design may be hit or miss at times, but the blend of dreamlike and realistic settings generally holds up. The music score is ordinary except for the radio playlists, which I find puzzling. The voice acting is passable, yet no outstanding performances come to mind. The actors put in commendable efforts throughout.

In summary, “Once Human” receives a varied response. It’s not terrible – there are other survival crafting games with less engaging gameplay mechanics and excessive grinding. The fusion of various genres, such as looter shooters, horror, and MMOs, can be confusing, even with the contrasting tones (a world on the brink of collapse, yet filled with giant fluffy cats to pet).

The influence of other, more established games is noticeable in The First Descendant, yet its unique selling points, namely the lore and cosmic horror elements, show promise. However, to truly stand out, it needs to introduce fresh concepts, overhaul its blueprint system, enhance its storytelling, and offer additional features and user-friendly improvements.

This game was reviewed on PC.

2024-07-15 15:12

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