TOO HUMAN

[Eradicator30]

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/object/748/748783/too_human_xbox360_esrbboxart_160w.jpg

As the Cybernetic God Baldur, players are thrust into the midst of an ongoing battle that threatens the existence of mankind. An ancient machine presence has forced the God's hand. In the first of a three part trilogy, Baldur is charged with defending mankind from an onslaught of monstrous war machines bent on eradication of human life. Players are treated to a nonstop barrage of action powered by the seamless integration of melee and ranged firearms combat. Battles unfold in awesome scale as players engage in spectacular battles with vast numbers of enemies.
ESRB Rating: T for Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
Genre: Action Adventure

Exclusively on Xbox 360
Release Date: August 19, 2008
MSRP: $59.99

General Features

Synergy of Melee and Firearms Combat: It'll take more than brawn and raw strength to supplant the machine hordes. Utilize a sophisticated blend of seamless melee and firearms combat to vanquish foes close and far.
Advanced Cinematic Presentation: Characters and environments come to life with unparalleled visual fidelity. Experience the full excitement of combat through a dynamically-driven presentation system that portrays the combat with cinematic quality. A sweeping orchestral score sets the mood for heartbreak, anger and bloodlust as each tune encapsulates the gamer within the immersive gaming environment.
Intuitive Combat Provides New Level of Accessibility: Perform Baldur's elaborate and complex combat maneuvers through the press of a button and chain together rapid-fire combos with ease.
Modern Take on a Classic Story: "Too Human" chronicles the ongoing struggle between Cybernetic gods, machine giants and mortal men on a massive scale never before seen. Play the role of a cybernetic god charged with protecting the human race against a relentless onslaught of machines.

[Le Goat]

Pwnt--

Too Human (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2007427%20title=) 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.
http://www.1up.com/media?id=3597292&type=lg (http://www.1up.com/do/media?cId=2007427&sec=IMAGES) Click the image above to check out all Too Human screens.

It also doesn't help that the skill tree is limited and doesn't offer much in the way of variety for combat or abilities. A few skills here and there are specifically tailored for a particular class, but these mostly function as buffs or bonuses for pre-existing passive abilities. The more interesting skills -- namely, those that determine whether your robotic spider helper is geared more defense- or offense -- act similarly regardless of class. There's something to be said for the fact that it's possible to respec the skill tree (allowing you to regain and redistribute points for a price) and explore other branches, but you never feel compelled to do so -- the other skills just aren't that alluring.
But the most disappointing thing, by far, is the loot factor. The game offers no shortage of weapons and armor -- which is good -- but the fact that you're always finding better equipment makes even crafted blueprint items seem ordinary. Nothing's worse than saving money and leveling up to craft a powerful weapon or sturdy armor only to go back into the inventory and see that you already have new blueprints for an even more powerful weapon or even stronger armor. Additionally, the whole process of sorting, equipping, and selling items feels tedious thanks in part to an inelegant inventory system. Even something as simple as managing Charms (items that unlock more buffs) is a major hassle and surprisingly confusing if you don't pay close attention.

http://www.1up.com/media?id=3597293&type=lg (http://www.1up.com/do/media?cId=2007427&sec=IMAGES) Click the image above to check out all Too Human screens.

On top of all of this, Too Human is also not a good action game. While it deserves some applause for a reasonable translation of PC classic Diablo's (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2009538) mouse-driven controls, its reliance on the right analog stick as a means for attack only works at the most basic level. Attempting fancy aerial attacks exposes just how inadequate and unresponsive this control method is -- you repeatedly swing at nothing but air in midjump. Long-range attacks aren't any better; it's often a struggle to get the camera into an optimal tactical position and to manually select targets. And it's especially irritating when -- even after letting go of the trigger and pressing it back down to lock onto a new target -- guns continue to lock onto an enemy that's already dead.
Interestingly, multiplayer action fares a little better, as long as one player focuses on guns and the other on melee weapons. In fact, Too Human's cooperative mode as a whole is far more entertaining than the single-player experience -- not only does it involve a tiny bit more strategy when two players are going at it, but it also has the additional benefit of not having the horribly animated cut-scenes or rudimentary plot of the single-player experience.

http://www.1up.com/media?id=3597294&type=lg (http://www.1up.com/do/media?cId=2007427&sec=IMAGES) Click the image above to check out all Too Human screens.

At the very least, the cyber-Norse concept of Too Human is a good one that's worth exploring further, just not in this context. The game is simply schizophrenic; it attempts to be all things to all people and never succeeds in executing any of them well. The end result is in dire need of polish and focus, and that doesn't solely apply to gameplay mechanics. There's absolutely no reason why a game released in 2008 should have a bug where characters can fall through solid ground and into some pseudoabyss

[Eradicator30]

Fuck. I'll wait til a couple more reviews hit before writing it off, but I know Game Informer also gave it a 6.75. Not looking good.

[Change]

Damn shame i had hopes for this game.....still i'll wait for gt's review.

[Marshy]

i am just not feeling this game

[Eradicator30]

A more positive IGN Video Review (http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/748783/too-human-part-1/videos/toohuman_vidreview_081808.html)

[Fletch]

This seems a lot like Assassin's Creed in that everyone is either gonna be hate it or love it.

[zero]

i was really hyped when i first heard about this game when i wask working at gamestop the microsoft rep talked this game up like no other

but now after playing the demo it reminds me of another two worlds a bunch of hype but lack of delivery

[Eradicator30]

I actually really enjoyed the demo, it's why I'm even considering picking it up in the first place. But I feared that that there wouldn't be much beyond what the demo showed, which is what some of the more negative reviews are saying. But it's getting hard to tell. I see one review praising the story and dialogue while somewhat bashing the combat, while another praises the combat but bashes the story/dialogue as laughably awful.

[zero]

The concept could be taken in such a great direction, I believe it's supposed to be a trilogy so hopefully it does have a stronger game play then the demo or else it will be heading down the route of Advent Children or Xenosaga

[Eradicator30]

I was more thinking along the lines of Advent Rising (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent_Rising)-A potentially brilliant game (that was supposed to be a trilogy like Too Human) that had a story written by fucking Orson Scott Card! I actually picked the game and played through it. The gameplay was definitely fairly sub-par, but the storyline was very awesome, so I was disappointed that it failed so miserably, because I was hoping the sequel would fix the gameplay issues and I could continue enjoying the story

[Eradicator30]

Metareview: Too Human (Xbox 360) (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/metareview-too-human-xbox-360/)

by Ross Miller (http://www.joystiq.com/bloggers/ross-miller/) Aug 18th 2008 10:15PM

(http://xbox360.joystiq.com/)
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/toohumanface-1.jpg
It's been almost ten years since we first saw Too Human (http://www.joystiq.com/tag/too-human) at E3 1999, at that point reportedly a 4-disc action adventure for the original PlayStation. In that time, the game has jumped to GameCube and then to Xbox 360, re-emerged as a slideshow (http://www.joystiq.com/tag/toohuman/page/2), overshadowed by a lawsuit (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/on-eve-of-too-human-launch-epic-dispute-resurfaces/), and later became the most downloaded action demo (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/too-human-goes-gold-900k-downloaded-demo/%20%20%20*) on Xbox Live in its first week.

So after all the hype and controversy, how does the final game fare? Judging by the reviews, it's certainly not a knockout title, with the general consensus being that it aims for the stars (http://%20http//www.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/molyneux-i-feel-sorry-for-denis-dyack/) and misses the mark. One thing is for sure: Even if the story isn't great, if you like seeking out loot, then Too Human is definitely for you.



GamePro (http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox360/games/reviews/206650.shtml) (4/5) "Here's an Xbox 360 exclusive that proudly wears its lofty ambitions on its sleeves, and yet sometimes seems bent on self-sabotage. That it's so relentlessly addictive despite its aggravations is something of a minor miracle."
IGN (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/899/899826p1.html) (78/100) "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."
Giant Bomb (http://www.giantbomb.com/too-human/61-20499/reviews/) (3/5) "If you have an insatiable lust for items with higher stats than the ones you're currently using, or if you get giddy at the mere thought of Diablo-style rare item naming conventions, you'll probably be able to look past the game's issues and have a good time. But even at its best, it's hard to ignore Too Human's monotonous combat and dated approach to cooperative play."
GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/toohuman/review.html) (55/100): "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."
1UP (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3169393&p=4) (C-) "At the very least, the cyber-Norse concept of Too Human is a good one that's worth exploring further, just not in this context. The game is simply schizophrenic; it attempts to be all things to all people and never succeeds in executing any of them well. The end result is in dire need of polish and focus, and that doesn't solely apply to gameplay mechanics. There's absolutely no reason why a game released in 2008 should have a bug where characters can fall through solid ground and into some pseudoabyss."

-Well I am a sucker for loot-fests, so this does sound right up my alley...

[Marshy]

playboy also dissed this game pretty bad.

[Eradicator30]

Cause you know, Playboy knows gaming....

[Eradicator30]

Dyack's defense: Too Human haters 'just don't get it' (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/19/dyacks-defense-too-human-haters-just-dont-get-it/)

by Ludwig Kietzmann (http://www.joystiq.com/bloggers/ludwig-kietzmann/) Aug 19th 2008 3:30PM

(http://xbox360.joystiq.com/)
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/toohumanmainrandom.jpg (http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=5792)

When Jeff Gerstmann bemoaned (http://www.giantbomb.com/too-human/61-20499/reviews/) Too Human (http://www.joystiq.com/tag/too-human)'s "monotonous combat and dated approach to cooperative play," he was unknowingly shunted from the group of haves to the considerably less illustrious group of have nots -- as in have not a clue to comprehend Too Human's unyielding explosion of uniqueness and innovation. "I think we took for granted how innovative the game was," remarks the game's humble director, Denis Dyack.

Speaking to OXM (http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=5792) at the game's UK launch, Dyack explains that a lot of the negative reaction to the game's demo (and presumably, the final version) has its roots in the provocative fear of the unknown. "But what we're also seeing is for the people who don't like it, generally just don't get it. And it's because we've created something so innovative and different," he says. "It's ironic, it just shows that human nature of if you don't understand something, you immediately attack it. It's pretty interesting in that regard."

Consider this a plea to game designers everywhere: Please tone down all that rampant innovation, lest we become embroiled in confusion and hostility and ultimately give your game a six out of ten (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/metareview-too-human-xbox-360/).

-Yeah, I'm skipping this now, and Dyack should just shutup.

[Draven X 23]

So he is taking the M.Night Shama... whatever his name is approach to criticism.

'I'm brilliant and you just don't get it.'

[bixby]

Ah, I see, the animations are SUPPOSED to look like they're out of a shitty PS1 game. How incredibly innovative.

http://i34.tinypic.com/2ciibl.jpg

[Eradicator30]

I honestly thought the animation looked good in the demo, which as I've said I enjoyed, but every review has pretty much confirmed my fear of things that could've gone wrong with the game did. I mean, random target selection (which was evident in the demo but I was naively thinking they'd have to fix that)? that wasn't acceptable even back in the PS one days. Maybe they should've been less concerned with flooding the screen with monotonous clones and you know, maybe give you a lot less guys and deeper combat.

[Le Goat]

lolz 5.5 (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/toohuman/review.html)


I had High hopes for this game a year ago. Shame

[zero]

my high hopes have just about diminished im going to wait and get actually player ratings though i must admit for 360 the graphics were very much under par

[Ocelot]

I wonder if Dennis Dyack will go through with that deal he had on the NeoGAF forums.

It's too bad this wasn't a hit, especially after all the time they spent on it. Well, hopefully the story is decent- and it is supposed to be a trilogy, so who knows maybe they'll come back with a knockout sequel? If they make a sequel..

[bixby]

Oh yeah, I read about that. Dyack basically lost his shit and started posting his insane ramblings on the neogaf forums. "Don't hate my game! DAMN YOU ALL TO HELLL!"

And hilarity ensued.

[zero]

that sounds about right...

[svtdriver]

Alright. Too Human's been out for less than a week now, and I decided after playing the demo "What the hell. I'm bored with CoD anyway."

So I went to my friendly neighborhood GameStop, picked up a copy and put it into my 360.

It's been approximately 36 hours since I did that. I played nonstop the first day, beat the game at 5:45 AM the following morning, went to sleep, woke up at 2, started playing again, and now I'm here.

Long story short: Too Human is good. It's not GREAT, but its really good. It's also extremely addicting, just like pretty much every other action-adventure RPG out there. I read the storyline comments, and I'll say this. It's based on Norse mythology. You see references to Norse gods, Norse lore (such as Grendel, Jormundgand and Ragnarok), and a vaguely Viking armor style (fur, intricate armor, but sadly no horn hats). It also does a good job mixing science fiction with ancient lore. After playing through once, it's not the most diverse RPG, and it certainly has its flaws (stupid camera system...), but I enjoy playing it, and I plan on playing it several times to go through a few of the classes in the game. Plus, the weaponry is pretty sweet. Everything from broadswords, warhammers, daggers and clubs and shields to pistols, carbines, lasers, cannons and grenade launchers. Each class does have limitations on what it can carry, but they're not terribly severe (for example, my character is a Champion. Champions have average stats in all categories, and they can use the basic weaponry classes for both your pointy implement of doom and your high-velocity ventilation system installer. No heavy guns, shields or dual-wielding, though.

Anyway, I'll end that here. If anyone wants to know more about the game, please feel free to ask.

[Mr. Brown]

Yeah here's a question how can you play that game for so long and not fall asleep? I was really looking forward to the game and I'm very disappointed . Do you have to care about the mythology to get into it? The camera controls (which you stated is a problem) is a big thing for me.

[zero]

My issue with the game was the damn targeting system the way it jumps even though you're locked on.

[HarbingerofBoom]

I bought it and it's like the game has a lot of features that were 'almost'. The dual pistol split targeting almost works. The story is almost interesting. The classes are almost well done. I'd say 70% is pretty dead on for how good the game is.

Good stuff:
-The cyber-norse thing is cool and entertaining, but understated. They could have used a little more norse in their cyber.
-It looks pretty cool, style-wise.

Bad Stuff:
-Targeting.
-Inventory management.
-Equipment usefulness/variation.
-Class variation.

[zero]

I have been on the fence about this game for quite sometime I was very excited when it was first announced but after the demo not so much, but after all those posts my interest has peaked so would you honestly and truly recommend it?

[svtdriver]

Here's my suggestion for all you people who are considering:

Go rent it first. Rentals are the safest bet. You never know...you might beat it in the first day. I did.

Also, I've started another character, and I am noticing a few things:

The classes aren't nearly as close as they make out. There's a significant difference between Champion and Commando, for instance. The Champion has much stronger melee skills, while the Commando is a master of all things kaboom. Also, by going Cybernetic or Human, you have a different set of skills and, in addition, each class has unique sets of armor. As a Champion, you get the traditional warrior armor, big swords, helmets and armored mail galore. However, as a cybernetic commando, you get lighter armor, more technologically advanced weapons and upgrades, as well as a different set of skills (each weapon type has a unique ability, for instance). I could go on. I think it's worth more than people give it credit for. Also, let me say this: Most of the organized reviewing sources only played the demo, which gives you a VERY limited scope of the game. I will admit its a little short, but I would imagine that with the two games they plan to follow it with (although they're not working on Too Human 2 yet. I'm really hoping they don't call it "Too Human 2." Something a little more original would be nice like "Too Human: Baldur's Quest" or "Too Human: Loki's Revenge," etc. etc. etc.), that they will improve upon the games with the next two installments.

So, good people, give it a shot. You might be surprised. I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Plus, there's a fair bit of eye candy in the game, as well as secret levels and minigames that you can find within the story.

That is all. Thank you for your patronage.

[HarbingerofBoom]

Being a Champion instead of Commando pretty much is just saying you'll excel at melee rather than range (where the Commando excels). All the classes can use all the weapons and armor, unless they're class specific. And being class specific basically narrows the equipment bonuses to a level where the included class would want to use them and the others wouldn't.

That's where I'm disappointed. Where there are differences, they're weak and forgettable.

[Fletch]

I agree exactly with Harbinger. This game is almost really good. If they would have tweaked things a little more I could see myself playing this a lot. I just don't see myself playing through it more than one time.

[armaniangod]

I bought this bargain bin for $6. It is alright but nothing blew me away.