Review of Once Human: A Survival Game That’s More Human Than You’d Expect (Unfortunately)
Ah, Once Human – the latest free-to-play sensation that’s taking the gaming world by storm… or at least causing a mild drizzle. This post-apocalyptic survival extravaganza promises to be the lovechild of The Division, Rust, and Pokemon, with a dash of Ubisoft’s patented “climb towers to reveal map” formula. But does it deliver on its promises, or is it just another drop in the ocean of mediocre free-to-play titles? Strap in, fellow gamers, as we embark on a journey through this bizarre world of interdimensional monsters, crafting mechanics, and questionable fashion choices. This is my review of Once Human.
Character Creation: Because Survival Starts with Perfect Cheekbones
Let’s start with the character creator, shall we? It’s so granular, you can adjust your “mid lower-lip thickness.” Because nothing says “survival” like perfectly sculpted lips. Want to look like a brick with a tiny head? Go for it! The game doesn’t judge… much.The character creation system in Once Human is a testament to the age-old gaming adage: “If you can’t make your character look absolutely ridiculous, is it even worth playing?” You can spend hours tweaking every minute detail of your survivor’s face, body, and even their posture. Because when the world is ending, it’s crucial to decide whether your character has a slight slouch or stands ramrod straight.But wait, there’s more! The game offers an impressive array of hairstyles, ranging from “just rolled out of bed” to “survived an explosion in a hair gel factory.” And let’s not forget the facial hair options for male characters – you can craft anything from a dashing mustache to a beard that would make Gandalf jealous.The clothing options, however, seem to have been designed by someone who’s never actually seen clothes. Want to wear a tattered suit jacket with cargo shorts and neon sneakers? Go right ahead! The post-apocalypse is your runway, darling.
Welcome to the End of the World, It’s Weirder Than You Thought
Once you’ve crafted your beautiful (or horrifying) avatar, you’re thrust into a world ravaged by “Stardust” and other sciencey-sounding stuff. The story is drip-fed to you like a leaky faucet, but who needs coherent narrative when you’ve got zombies with lantern heads and balloon-headed bosses?The game’s lore is a mishmash of sci-fi tropes, conspiracy theories, and what I can only assume are fever dreams of the developers. Apparently, some cosmic event called the “Stardust Incident” caused widespread mutations and the collapse of civilization. But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom – it also gave rise to interdimensional portals and creatures with more tentacles than should be legally allowed.As you explore this brave new world, you’ll encounter various factions, each with their own agenda and fashion sense. There’s the “Purists,” who believe in maintaining human purity (whatever that means in a world where people are growing extra limbs). Then there’s the “Evolutionists,” who embrace the mutations and probably spend their free time trying to grow a third eye. And let’s not forget the “Scavengers,” who… well, scavenge. Points for straightforwardness, I guess.
Gameplay: A Symphony of Fetch Quests and Button Mashing
The gameplay loop is simple: go here, kill stuff, find chests, rinse, repeat. It’s like a never-ending fetch quest, but with more interdimensional monsters. And let’s not forget the Deviants – totally-not-Pokemon creatures you can collect and exploit for labor. Gotta catch ’em all, right?Combat in Once Human is a delightful dance of button mashing and praying your weapons don’t break at the worst possible moment. You start with a rusty pipe and dreams of wielding legendary weapons, only to find out that even the most powerful sword in the game has the durability of a wet paper towel.The game offers a variety of weapons, from melee to ranged, each with their own unique playstyle. Want to bash zombies with a stop sign? Go for it. Prefer to snipe mutants from a distance? There’s a gun for that. Just don’t expect any of them to last longer than a few encounters before they mysteriously disintegrate in your hands.
Crafting: Because Nothing Says ‘Survival’ Like Building a Sofa
Of course, no survival game would be complete without a robust crafting system, and Once Human doesn’t disappoint… much. You’ll spend hours collecting resources like “Mutated Wood” and “Irradiated Metal” to craft items essential for survival, such as… a fancy dining table?Yes, in the midst of fighting for your life against hordes of mutants and scavenging for food, you can also focus on interior decorating. Because nothing says “I’ve conquered the apocalypse” like a well-appointed living room.The crafting system is deep enough to drown in, with hundreds of recipes to discover and master. Want to make a gun? You’ll need to craft each individual part, from the barrel to the trigger, before assembling it. It’s like IKEA, but with more potential for accidental self-harm.
Base Building: Your Home Away From Home (That Will Probably Get Raided)
Once Human features a base-building system that allows you to construct your own little slice of post-apocalyptic heaven. Start with a humble shack and work your way up to a fortress that would make even the most hardened raiders think twice… for about five seconds before they decide to attack anyway.The base-building mechanics are surprisingly robust, allowing for a good deal of creativity. Want to build a tower that defies the laws of physics? Go for it! The game’s structural integrity system is more of a suggestion than a rule. Just don’t be surprised when your architectural masterpiece collapses because a mutant rat sneezed near it.Of course, building your base is only half the battle. You’ll need to defend it from other players and AI raiders, which leads to some of the most frantic and chaotic moments in the game. Nothing quite matches the panic of waking up to find your carefully crafted home under siege by a group of players riding mutant ostriches (yes, that’s a thing).
The Deviant System: Gotta Exploit ‘Em All!
And let’s not forget the Deviants – Once Human’s answer to the age-old question, “What if Pokemon were horrifying mutants and also your unpaid interns?” These charming creatures come in all shapes and sizes, from adorable abominations to downright nightmare fuel.Capturing Deviants involves a minigame that’s part quick-time event, part rhythm game, and part existential crisis as you question your life choices. Once captured, these Deviants can be put to work in your base, gathering resources or defending against raiders. It’s like having a zoo, but all the animals are on meth and can shoot lasers from their eyes.Each Deviant has its own unique abilities and characteristics. Some are great at gathering specific resources, while others excel in combat. There’s even a breeding system, allowing you to create new, more powerful Deviants. Just don’t think too hard about the ethical implications of forcing mutant creatures to reproduce for your benefit.
The Open World: A Playground of Mutated Wonders
The world of Once Human is vast and varied, offering a range of environments to explore, from dense urban ruins to mutated forests where the trees might try to eat you. Each area has its own unique challenges and rewards, encouraging exploration and discovery.One of the game’s more interesting features is the dynamic weather system, which can dramatically affect gameplay. A sunny day might suddenly turn into an acid rainstorm, forcing you to seek shelter or risk having your skin melted off. It adds an extra layer of unpredictability to an already chaotic world.The map is dotted with points of interest, from abandoned research facilities to mutant-infested shopping malls. Each location tells its own story through environmental storytelling, assuming you can piece it together while running for your life from the latest abomination trying to eat your face.
Multiplayer: Making Friends and Enemies in the Apocalypse
Once Human offers both PvE and PvP gameplay, allowing you to team up with friends to tackle challenging content or engage in all-out warfare with other players. The game’s social systems are surprisingly robust, with clans, alliances, and even a rudimentary economy.Teaming up with other players can lead to some truly epic moments, like taking down massive world bosses or defending your bases from coordinated attacks. Of course, it can also lead to betrayal, theft, and the kind of drama that would make a soap opera writer blush.The PvP aspects of the game are intense and often unpredictable. You might be peacefully gathering resources one moment, only to find yourself in the middle of a full-scale war the next. It’s a constant dance of paranoia and opportunism, where today’s ally could be tomorrow’s nemesis.
Visuals and Performance: A Feast for the Eyes (And a Test for Your GPU)
Visually, Once Human is surprisingly pretty for a free game. It’s almost as if they spent all their budget on graphics and forgot about… well, everything else. But hey, at least you can admire the detailed menu boards in abandoned cafes while you’re running from lantern-headed zombies.The game’s art direction is a strange mix of realistic and fantastical elements. One moment you’re exploring a meticulously detailed ruined city, the next you’re fighting a boss that looks like it escaped from a Salvador Dali painting. It’s jarring, but in a way that somehow works.Performance-wise, Once Human is a bit of a mixed bag. On high-end systems, it runs like a dream, with smooth framerates and quick load times. On lower-end machines, however, it can struggle, especially in busy areas or during large-scale battles. But hey, nothing says “immersive post-apocalyptic experience” like slideshow-level framerates, right?
The Economy: Because Even in the Apocalypse, Capitalism Finds a Way
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room – or should I say, the multiple currency systems in the room. Because nothing says “fun” like navigating through various stores and battlepasses. It’s like a mall, but with more zombies and less Cinnabon.Once Human features no less than five different currencies, each used for different purposes. There’s “Scrap” for basic crafting, “Mutacoin” for premium items, “Stardust” for upgrading Deviants, “Faction Tokens” for faction-specific gear, and “Premium Crystals” for… well, separating you from your real-world money.The in-game economy is a labyrinthine system of exchanges, crafting, and market speculation that would make a Wall Street broker’s head spin. Want that shiny new gun? Better start grinding for Scrap, convert it to Mutacoin, use that to buy Faction Tokens, then sacrifice a goat under the full moon while chanting the developer’s names backward.
The Battle Pass: Your Ticket to Slightly Less Grinding
Like any self-respecting free-to-play game, Once Human features a battle pass system. For a “small” fee, you can unlock a progression track filled with cosmetic items, resources, and the occasional useful piece of gear. It’s a great way to feel like you’re making progress while actually just watching a number go up.The battle pass offers both a free and a premium track, with the premium track offering better rewards. Of course, to max out the premium track, you’ll need to play the game like it’s your full-time job, sleep optional. But hey, that’s a small price to pay for a shiny new hat for your character, right?
Community and Support: Where the Real Survival Happens
The Once Human community is a vibrant ecosystem of helpful veterans, confused newbies, and trolls who seem to have survived the apocalypse purely out of spite. The official forums and Discord server are a great place to ask for help, share strategies, or engage in heated debates about the optimal mid lower-lip thickness for survival.The developers are surprisingly active in the community, regularly engaging with players and addressing concerns. Of course, this often leads to promises of features that may or may not materialize in this lifetime, but it’s the thought that counts, right?
Conclusion: A Flawed Gem in the Rough
In conclusion, Once Human is a weird, sometimes spooky, often confusing mishmash of genres that somehow works… sometimes. It’s free, so you can’t complain about the price, but you might find yourself questioning the cost to your sanity.Despite its flaws – and there are many – Once Human manages to be an engaging and often addictive experience. The combination of survival mechanics, base building, creature collection, and PvP creates a unique gameplay loop that can keep you hooked for hours on end.Is it perfect? Far from it. The game is buggy, poorly optimized, and often feels like it’s held together with duct tape and wishful thinking. But there’s something oddly charming about its ambition and willingness to throw everything at the wall to see what sticks.So, grab your friends, hop on your trusty motorcycle, and glide into this bizarre world. Just don’t be surprised if you end up spending more time adjusting your character’s “long legs” slider than actually surviving. After all, in the post-apocalypse, it’s not about how long you live, but how good you look while doing it.And remember, in Once Human, you’re not just surviving – you’re thriving, one mutant ostrich ride at a time. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go defend my base from a horde of players wielding stop signs and riding balloon-headed bosses. Just another day in paradise.