Let me state firstly I am a fan of MMORPG style gaming. I love complex gaming, inventory management, and a strong focus on character customization. Too Human is very much in that vein of gaming, and more along the lines of a massive title without the massive population. I am probably among the few that may be more impressed with Too Human then I was previously. The system is more complex then I expected, and really captures a great many aspects of online play with a very welcome console touch.
Firstly I would like to touch on the controls which have a rather nasty learning curve. The developer did not let the limitations of a controller limit their creativity. Just about every button on the controller is used for some relevant function. The right analog stick is left to pick up a great deal of slack in the combat arena, and unfortunately that can be problematic since it removes a great deal of navigational control, and initially can be very disorientating. Ones mind instinctively wishes to use the right stick for camera control, and rotation of ones character only to leave your character swinging his sword erradically. Instead of imaging a Mass Effect image a Twilight Princess, and you will have a better grasp of the situation. The controls are not bad they are definately allocated in the most logical way possible, or possibly the only way possible. They are merely challenging to master.
The combat is actually more subtle then one would imagine your not going to mash your way through encounters. Doing so is a quick ticket to the humiliating valkyrie death penalty. Instead you need to work your ranged weapon, and your melee weapon equally. The best strategy appears to be to range when possible, and engage when necessary. Then to save your special for when you find yourself mobbed. You simply must play the field just running into the midst of a dozen enemies is going to leave you exposed, and that is not where you want to be when a number of enemies are using ranged attacks. I was impressed with how strategic the combat really was. Using terrain, straffing, kiting, and target prioritization were all critical to success.
The menu systems are rather straight forward in navigation, but the demo was convoluted in explanation. The demo could have definately done better with a thorough tutorial. Just a quick intro video would have helped greatly. The skill system is block based with independent leveling within box. Which is wonderfully complex, and unfortunately very difficult to comprehend initially. You need to put points in the first box to allow you to access the other blocks, and on the bright side you are not rigidly regulated to one line. Which should allow for a lot of customization. Unfortunately for me it took me almost half the demo to comprehend the skill system. The equipment inventory is rather user friendly, but I find myself concerned equipment was accumulating quickly, and even though the system prioritises items for the player. I am still confuses as to the value system which does not appear to be relevant unless I can recycle said items, or sell said items. Further more the lack of an example save system complicates matters more, and though quests are mentioned I see no quest journal to speak of.
Graphically the real time environment is merely decent. The framerates did not suffer any noticable slowdown for me. Perhaps a couple of clips in the cutscenes. However the cutscenes look very nice, and there is a rich pallet being worked with. The facial animation is decent enough. I must confess I did not pay much attention to the audio. Either it was subdued, or entirely effective. I will pay greater attention on my second play through.
Overall I really enjoyed the demo. There was enough play time to get a grasp on the fundamentals of the game. Which the game absolutely needs since the combat system is so complex, and most definitely not something that can be appreciated in a short period of time. My advice is to play through the demo, and fight any frustrations you might have. You will start to get used to the combat system, and once that happens you will start to find the nuances in the combat. My major gripes with the demo were only getting to try out one class two would have been better to get a grasp on class differences. Not being able to test the save system not sure if the valkyrie system has limited lives, and a lack of a true tutorial. I would also have loved to know what the wolf squads use was. Can they run out in the full game, are they strategically valuable. Does my character need to work to defend them as assets through a level?
Overall judging by the tutorial the game has a lot of potential. I was starting to really enjoy the combat. Once I started to get a handle on the melee, and started to slow the combat down through ranged combat it really started to come together. I especially liked the skill system what little of it I was able to see. I would say it looks to be a very hardcore game. Not necessarily for casual players that are easily overwhelmed. I am thinking the game looks like it has the potential to be a solid eight, and for those who really enjoy complex gaming it could be a solid nine. I think it all hinges on whether a player can handle the complex combat system.
