Too Human: first impressions
Upcoming Xbox 360 epic Too Human is a visual feast, this much is obvious to anyone who lays eyes on the game. But what’s harder to realise from a casual glance, or even having watched the game in motion for more than a few minutes, is how deep the story goes, or how masterfully that tale is told.
For Silicon Knights a compelling drama is every bit as important as discovering exciting new ways to stage next-generation combat scenes. In Too Human, Silicon Knights delivers a masterpiece worthy of the studio’s heritage stretching as far back as the critically acclaimed Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain released in 1996 for PC. In fact the idea for Too Human has been in gestation for almost a decade, waiting for the ideal technology to make it a reality. With Xbox 360 Silicon Knights finally had what it needed to get the job done. All good things come to those who wait. Assuming you’re not a student of world mythology (!) you can be forgiven for not guessing that Baldur is actually a Norse god, and that Too Human is a near-future re-telling of Norse mythology. And so Baldur takes shape as a cybernetically enhanced human, struggling to protect humanity from insensitive machines as opposed to an ethereal entity battling giants amid misty mountains. Although primarily an action game, and action on a scale you’ve never seen we might add, there’s a subtle RPG twist to lead character Baldur’s development as a hero. This not only applies to Baldur himself, but to those around him, in all cases events that unfold have consequence further into the game. Cybernetic upgrades increase the power of the ‘gods’, but some are more fond of doing so than others. Because Baldur prefers to abstain he is teased as being Too Human. Hence the name of the game. Baldur fears that he would become too much like the machines he is warring against if he welcomed cybernetic powers wholeheartedly. As the player you can choose how Baldur progresses, starting with his Class – the uncompromising Berserker, cautious Defender, refined combat persona of the Commando, strategic Bioengineer, or the balanced Champion protagonist. Each class has its own ‘development tree’ to enhance Baldur’s capabilities to suit your style of play. It’s while playing alongside friends in co-op via Xbox LIVE that you’ll fully appreciate the subtleties of skills development, also how your favourite tactics compliment those of another. Your combined might will encourage you to share the spoils of war equally to the benefit of the team, and there are hundreds of items to be won such as weapons and armour that will improve performance. Okay, you might need to toss a coin over who keeps the rare items, but even these are specific to classes so may not be of use to your character. Slick control while in combat enables spectacular combat sequences that are wonderfully captured by the game’s impressive camera system. So much so that, when you’ve relaxed into the flow you’ll believe you’re starring in one heck of a sci-fi movie, and one that has you utterly fixated thanks to the spellbinding plot. Too Human is released 29 August. |
