From 1994 to 2007 and beyond: Silicon Knights' epic in retrospect.
Australia, April 17, 2007 - It's been delayed more times than we've had hot dinners; Silicon Knights' Too Human - a game originally conceived in 1994, spanning 3 generations of consoles and somehow managed to survive axe-fall after axe-fall - is finally, really, going to be released. For reals. Really. You can read all about the latest build of Too Human right here.
For those not versed in the game's tumultuous development and the way it has gradually evolved over the better part of a decade in on-and-off development, the purpose of this feature is to give you all the essential background of how Too Human came to be. If this game was a felled pine, we'd be examining the growth rings like some sort of National Park naturalist; we'll point out the fires, the growth years, the illnesses and the droughts Silicon Knights has endured over the years.
PSOne Era:
The year was 1998; developers were well into the 32 and 64-bit generation. Silicon Knights, Canadian-based developer of 1996's Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, announced an incredibly ambitious new project spanning five, yes five, PSOne CDs. The scope was practically unheard of and, though details were as vague as the title, Too Human hinted at an action sci-fi setting with RPG elements and an epic storyline. The original concept was spawned way back in 1994, but it was decided that the concept was far too complex for the hardware currently available, and it was put on the shelf - a development grey-area that Too Human would eventually grow irksomely familiar with.
At 1999's E3, Silicon Knights' then-Project Producer Denis Dyack removed the veil surrounding Too Human. Graphically, it was pushing the limits of what the PSOne could render - running in a comparably high resolution of 520x240 - and the CG cutscenes were eye-popping. The story was drastically different from what it would become; players took on the role of a cop in the far-future, seeking revenge on a cyborg that offed his partner. The similarities to a certain mid-80s Ridley Scott sci-fi film were clear - even references to large corporations and the morality of man-versus-machine were evident. Still, the premise was intriguing and the promise of five discs of game, story and cutscenes had eager gamers watching this developer closely.
At this point in the story's development, ideas of the threat of technology had already begun to surface. Likewise, the protagonist's abilities were customisable via cybernetic enhancements - another element that has persisted in the game ever since. However, the game was being scaled back in scope - 4 CDs, but with multiple endings. As the PSOne began to wind down in the build-up to the PS2, murmurs of cancellations and platform-ports began to circulate.
Then, by 2000, things went very quiet - and with good reason. Silicon Knights had earlier been picked up by Nintendo as a second-party developer, quietly working on its next console. The status of Too Human was still up in the air, but as the Gamecube loomed closer, a teaser trailer was shown at Nintendo's Spaceworld product show and the game began to make its way across to Nintendo's platform.
PSOne-to-Gamecube Era:
Having not released a game since 1996, the pressure was on to get a product to shelves. Silicon Knights' first Gamecube release came in 2002, with the impressive and underrated Eternal Darkness - an edgy homage to Lovecraftian horror stories and survival horror. The game was originally due for release on the Nintendo 64, but development shifted towards making it an early release on Gamecube.
All the while, a separate team was diligently working on bringing Too Human across. All that was ever shown publicly was a CG video, but as IGN pointed out at the time, the focus for the company was Eternal Darkness - Dyack and Silicon Knights would give Too Human all the time it needed to gestate. However, people wrongly assumed that the game would eventually be released within the Gamecube's lifetime.
Instead, Too Human slipped under the dark development waters again, making way for a Gamecube version of the PSOne original, Metal Gear Solid, subtitled 'Twin Snakes'. This was an unexpected move, but one that, according to Dyack, proved beneficial and educational. The cinematic techniques that the team learned through porting Kojima's masterpiece are clear to see in the current version of Too Human. Judging solely on the CG scenes released, the GC version would've initially been quite close in theme to the PSOne version.
However, Dyack was quoted in 2003 as saying ""When you see more stuff there will be some changes. Some better changes. We were actually very unhappy with that FMV. The good thing is that nobody really knew the story. However, there are some changes. They're all good and positive." We think this is a good indication that, at least thematically, Dyack was toying with integrating mythology into the sci-fi setting. As no actual screens were ever released of the real-time Gamecube build, this is still purely inferred speculation.
By 2005, in a minor shake-up of Nintendo's second parties and Microsoft's preparation for its Xbox 360 console, Silicon Knights announced it had split from Nintendo and joined Microsoft's stable of game studios. Its first game? Too Human. Of course. Projected time frame? Though never officially laid in stone, the game was expected in 2006. This projected date has clearly slipped past, but tantalisingly, the first artworks and images since 2000 were released.
It was also clear that Dyack's comments on the evolving theme of the game were valid. Though the initial screens suggested a Matrix-style blend of warped futurism and machines gone mad, the lead characters and scenarios now drew heavily from Norse mythology, rather than a Blade Runner-esque cop-on-a-mission setting. The first art concepts hinted at a blending of ancient runic symbols and high-technology - a conflict in themes, but original enough to feel fresh when compared with the straight sci-fi shooting of Gears of War, or the mythological action at the core of the God of War series. By adding a backbone of RPG elements such as five classes to choose from, a skills-tree system of character growth and 50 levels in which to do so, Too Human distances itself as much as possible from comparison with anything else.
The lead character is now a god-made-flesh called Baldur. He inhabits a world of supreme technology, but the game itself is set in the distant past. Longboats, stonework and gothic architecture features alongside massive drop-ships, towering structures of glass and metal and a unique, green and lush interpretation of cyberspace. Baldur sits among a hierarchy of gods such as Thor, all of whom are ruled by Odin. His initial motivation is no longer revenge, but seemingly investigation. A machine is out for blood - literally, feasting on the vital liquid of its victims.
Things did not go smoothly for Too Human after a poor showing at E3 in 2006 - the first public showing of the game after a closed-doors preview at X05. The game was criticised for its linearity, poor camera system and severe framerate issues. The game was allegedly 50 percent done at that stage, too, leading to a lot of nay-saying. The game disappeared again from public view, raising accusations that the team had switched engines a third time. These were proven false, and a slow trickle of screenshots has since been released.
2007 and Beyond:
The move to the 360 brought with it a forced engine upgrade, presumably the third time the game has been given an engine transplant since development commenced. This must sit somewhere in the realms of Duke Nukem Forever in terms of sheer number of redesigns. Unlike Duke, though, we're a little more confident of the direction that Too Human is taking. Silicon Knights has been quite transparent - for good and ill, as we've seen. With the Unreal Engine 3 pumping out bump-mapped surfaces, volumetric fog and light and some excellent initial design work to draw from, it's easy to forget about the game's troubled and stilted past.
The epic scope of the story has not fallen by the wayside, however; Too Human is being planned as a trilogy that allows for your character's progress, upgrades, unlocked armour and weapons to transfer across to the next entry. The game has also now gained a 4-player cooperative component to the experience. The entire single-player game can be played online with a team of characters, the details of which can be delved into here.
Planning a trilogy around Too Human might seem a little presumptuous of the game's following and popularity. It's a risky tact, given the unproven popularity of the title. Nothing can guarantee sales, despite Microsoft's backing, which is admittedly a strong sign of its potential. If all games were given this length of time - time spent redesigning and hopefully refining - we can be forgiven for allowing ourselves to feel a little excited. We can only hope the science and swordplay match Silicon Knights' longstanding and lofty ambitions.
Several years ago, up-and-coming developer Silicon Knights began preliminary work on what can be considered, perhaps, one of its most ambitious titles -- Too Human. After spending a considerable amount of time working out an intriguing storyline, S-K began bringing the game to life on the PSX. Shown at the 1999 E3 trade show, it received plenty of good press. Not much was shown, but the title was pushing the PlayStation to its most extreme limits. The game engine ran in full high resolution and was devoid of fogging problems, which was something you don't often see on the system. But aside from the visual feats, Too Human was scheduled to debut on the PSX in the Summer of 2000 via a four-disc set, packing in a spanning storyline with tons of FMV and a huge, immersive world. That is until Nintendo purchased Silicon Knights for their outstanding work on Eternal Darkness. From that point on Too Human has been shrouded in secrecy. Nintendo and Silicon Knights might have you believe the game is on the backburner, but being one of S-K's most prized concepts, we're positive it's well on its way to becoming one of the most captivating GameCube titles.
The Facts
The Story So Far. . .
Too Human features the main character, John Franks, who lives in a Blade Runner-esque, futuristic world -- in the year 2450 AD to be exact. The gameplay experience is being called a futuristic psychological thriller. Too Human examines the possible backlash effect of dealing with the symbiosis of man and machine through advanced genetics and prosthetics. The question is, can a being that is not completely machine or completely human be accepted without prejudice? The gameplay allows for users to cybernetically enhance themselves to improve vision, leg strength, stamina, and more. In all this perfection, though, is it possible to be too human? Undoubtedly Silicon Knights aims to let you draw your own conclusions by the end of the game.
However, the profound moral themes Too Human brings up are not the focus, but rather the entire gameplay experience. It is described as a real-time adventure game that mixes elements of role-playing, like Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen, cinematography like Final Fantasy, and a solid storyline. It even adapts to the player's style. If the gamer wants to be stealthy there will be much suspense, but if the player prefers high action situations he/she will experience that as well. But Silicon Knights likes to think of it as being like no other game ever created so far. Rather, they see Too Human as a representation of what the world might be like on 2450 AD.
One would think Too Human is just a shooter of some sort, but it's being engineered as part of the action/RPG genre. The role-playing aspects seem to be the most interesting. You don't spend hours conversing with non-player characters (NPCs) like most RPGs. That aspect is certainly there, but it's not the focus. Instead the progression of your character's skills is where you'll role-play the most. Naturally there will be plenty of weapons, but the cybernetic upgrades will play a very integral part to the experience. For instance, if you get an optical implant you will improve your ability to target enemies more accurately. No doubt Silicon Knights is coming up with some very creative upgrades. This all effects how the game unfolds, too. It is said to be non-linear, and what you do has an impact on where you go next. Perhaps if you upgrade intelligence more than strength you'll be better at breaking into buildings with stealth. This is as opposed to loudly gunning your way through the front lobby. All the choices you make will effect your game path. If Silicon Knights can deliver on this promise, the replay value will be astounding.
To accentuate the gameplay there's going to be tons of aesthetic overhead. Too Human will be packed with hours of voiceovers. So much that you'll even know what John (he's the main character, remember?) is thinking about his environment. If he walks through the wreckage of a bombed building you'll know exactly how he feels. Naturally there will be plenty of full-motion video to compliment this experience. In fact, Silicon Knights once commented that it might be the first company to make a multiple-DVD title. Well, they've been beaten to the punch, but perhaps they'll be the first GameCube developer to use multiple GameCube discs.
Outlook
Things are shaping up very well for Too Human. IGNcube is extremely excited to see this title in action. If it delivers on its promises, it could attracts fans of games like Metal Gear to the console. And, considering that this product has been mulled over and tweaked since early in the '90s, Silicon Knights has had plenty of time to make a solid storyline and come up with an intriguing gameplay design. As long as Eternal Darkness doesn't hinder the development schedule, we should be experiencing Too Human within the next year. Even better, there's a great chance the title will be showcased at this year's E3. Until then, suffice it to say that Silicon Knights has something big in store for GameCube.
