Too Human (Silicon Knights) for the XBOX 360 Rating: NNN
With critical successes like Eternal Darkness and Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes, Silicon Knights’ Too Human has been slated for release on the XBOX almost since its launch.
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I’m not talking about the 360 here – I recall seeing a demo for Microsoft’s inaugural console – and never mind that this title was originally intended for the PlayStation. Given that we’re leading into the holiday season, Silicon Knights’ opus will whet appetites of many and keep everyone busy in the calm before the gaming storm.
Despite dorky camera angles and controls, the futuristic storyline is rich and complex and may require a bit of a primer for most, entrenched as it is in Norse mythology. The basic hack ‘n’ slash gameplay benefits from an RPG level of customization that quickly caught my attention once I discovered it. Armors and weapons can be enhanced, (reminiscent of Diablo II’s weapon socketing), and multiple ability and power branches to travel down allow the user a more unique and personalized play.
Running straight through the game clocks in somewhere between 10-15 hours, with places to grind for those who want to max their levels out at 50. For the hardcore, this may feel like a cop out, but one game mechanic that benefits story progression is that when you die, you get revived by your friendly neighborhood Valkyrie. And you just keep on trucking – even half way through killing your target.
While the long years of hype invested in the game may not pay off in kind, Too Human’s mix of technology and mythology blend fantastically well for a game that rises above the usual action/RPG dreck.
