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Last Preview: Hands All Over Too Human

• By Ryan Perez
• July 08, 2008 16:19 PM PST
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This action-packed Xbox 360 RPG draws ever closer...and it's better than you think.

BASIC INFO: Too Human is an Action RPG being developed by Silicon Knights, the minds behind Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes for Gamecube. Based around Norse mythology, the game puts you in the role of Baldur, the god of peace and justice, who hacks and slashes his way through a machine race that threatens humanity. Too Human is an Xbox 360 exclusive and is scheduled for release on August 5, 2008.

Too Human has had a long and rocky development. Since its inception during the days of the original PlayStation, Too Human has undergone several transformations and revisions. Even its earliest showings were followed by skepticism and criticism. Now, after these many years, the game is forming from a simple set of reworked ideas into a full-fledged RPG thrill ride.

Norse to Know You

Too Human throws its own distinct twist on Norse mythology. You take on the role of Baldur, the Norse god of peace, rebirth, and justice. You can also expect a few other, familiar faces from the Norse pantheon, such as Thor and Loki. However, instead of god-like, ethereal beings, the Aesir are nothing more than mechanically enhanced humans. This adds a distinctive twist to the setting, while still adhering to the essence of the mythology. I actually reached a moment in the game that had me smiling and muttering, "Awesome."

As unique as the setting may be, the single best thing about the game is the action. From the get-go, you're thrown into oncoming squads of goblin machines. With ballistics (guns), you feel a sense of gratification as you mow through the waves of enemies that approach you. On occasion, when they get a little too close, a nice, secondary-fire grenade will send enemies flying in a hail of fire and smoke. But when the fight becomes even more personal, a quick flick of the right analog stick will send Baldur dashing forward, flailing away at them with his mace, staff, or sword.

This laser rifle shoots a continuous beam that does more and more damage over time. Plus it sounds freakin' sweet.

Not all Action

A common misconception about Too Human is it's a full-on action game like Devil May Cry or God of War. Yes, Too Human has combat similar to those games, but it actually retains a deep, Diablo-like RPG system at its core. You're given the choice between five classes: Defender, Commando, Berserker, Champion, and Bioengineer. Each class is quite similar to the archetypes found in other RPGs -the Bioengineer is a healer, the Commando is a shooter - but it's the simple addition of these core RPG elements on top of its solid action-oriented gameplay that set Too Human apart from the rest.

If anything, the game shows quite a few high-level similarities to Diablo in its inventory, skill tree system, and enchanted armor and weapons. Many games have tried desperately to recreate the magic of Diablo, but Too Human is the first game to actually do it well. Even the online co-op is as simple and entertaining: your buddy can easily jump online and join in on the action, no matter where you are. This feature alone adds a tremendous amount of replay value (and fun) to this already addictive game.

Too Human has no problem throwing hordes of enemies at you. Things will definitely get intense.

To Err is Human

As impressed as I was with the game, so far, it is definitely not without its quirks and problems. The uncontrollable camera system (a big issue in earlier versions of the game) has seen some improvements, but is still a bit stubborn and hard to get used to. The game also suffers from a plethora of mediocre voice acting and cheesy dialogue. A personal favorite of mine is Thor's, "I sing my song of death, wrapped up on your skull!" Yeah....

Too Human also suffers from having no potions or health items of any kind. As of right now, it's hard to completely determine whether or not this is a problem. While relying solely on small health pick-ups from fallen enemies, I did find myself, literally, on the edge of my seat in the heat of battle. However, when there were no health pick-ups to be found, death was inevitable. And I died. A lot. Too Human can be overwhelmingly difficult at times. As frequent as death was, though, the penalty was merely the cost of some armor durability, as well as having to sit through a short scene of Baldur being carried to Valhalla by a golden valkyrie.

Feeling a tad overwhelmed? Unleash the power of the bear, raven, or wolf and send your enemies fliying.

Better Than You Think

Still, no game is perfect. Games aren't supposed to be perfect, they're supposed to be fun, which is what this game has accomplished, so far, with flying colors. Too Human is shaping up to be an interesting, enjoyable change from the drab trends of this ever-growing industry. It is taking what has worked beautifully in the past and is melding it with phenomenal art direction and a unique take on a battle-infused mythology.

The game still has a little over a month until its release. Until then, I recommend any Xbox 360 owner and RPG (or action) fan to go out and reserve their copy.

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